Rissani, an ancient site situated on the brink of the Sahara Desert in southeast Morocco, fascinates with its ability to connect the past and the present. Once the capital of the Tafilalt region and a prominent caravan trading post, Rissani was also the birthplace of the Alaouite dynasty, which still rules over Morocco today. In fact, Rissani is now a place with real, authentic culture and history that travelers toward the Erg Chebbi dunes mostly visit.
In the traditional southern Moroccan markets, Rissani’s lively souks are amongst the most essential, where locals sell and buy dates, spices, handicrafts, and animals, especially when huge donkey and camel market days are held. Roam around the thin passageways of Ksar Abouam, look up to towering ages-old structures and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif, the very one who established the Alaouite dynasty, is where you should be.
As a result of being surrounded by desert, palm trees, and remnants of ancient times, Rissani is the place that reveals the hidden tales of the deep past of Morocco and the nomadic lifestyle. It is also the most suitable spot to base oneself for a trip to the nearby Merzouga dunes, thus being a necessary place to visit in the course of any desert adventure.