Erfoud

Hidden in a halo of rugged peaks, in the arid rain shadow of the great Atlas Mountains, Erfoud is just another of the many caravan towns peppering the Mars-like wastes of the Sahara Desert. The surrounding area of ochre-hued ridges and shifting sand dunes is so quintessentially Maghreb, that it has magnetized filmmakers from Hollywood, who have used the accessible stretches of Erg Chebbi as a backdrop for countless blockbusters. Consequently, the town has been transformed from earthy Berber outpost in the wilds to more modern tourist stopover, with its fossilized rock, marble and dates adding to its allure. Still, there's plenty of traditionalism to unravel with your Erfoud tour guide, whether that's in the adobe rises of the mighty Ksar M’Aadid on the edge of town or with a bout of smoky chickpea bakes in the local nomad kitchens. And like all Moroccan destinations, Erfoud has a busy souq too, which pulses with spice and jangling trinkets aplenty.