There are many factors that make locations popular destinations for tourists. Morocco is well known for the combination of many natural factors which make it a frequently visited place in North Africa. The oasis of Ramlia is famous for its natural landscapes. Unlike Merzouga where we find Erg Chebbi sand dunes as the most prominent feature, the oasis of Ramlia combines the sand dunes, mountains, lakes, thamaresk valleys, fossil mines, and Hamadas.
All these elements are the characteristics of the great Saharan circuit that links Merzouga and M’hammid.
According to the Moroccan newspaper “La vie Touristique Africaine”, the American New York Times calls this route in one of its published issues, “the route of challenge” (La route, 2003,p.6). From this name, we understand the sense of adventure in this area. One example would be the races that take place here each year. “Rally Aicha”, “Rally Paris-Dakar”, and Outback Challenge are some adventures that people enjoy. Chris Scott, in his book Sahara Overland, calls this circuit M 6. The oasis of Ramlia offers a unique change for its visitors who are running from the noisy and polluted cities in search of serenity and fresh air.
As I mentioned earlier, the oasis of Ramlia is rich with natural landscapes that attract people to visit it. To start with the sand dunes are the first landscape in the area. The dunes form an orange line near black mountains. “The erg” of Ramlia extends over 15 kilometres from the north to the south and about 2 kilometres larger. The colour of these dunes differs according to the position of the sunlight. The beauty of the dunes and its quietness attract tourists to visit this peaceful area. During the high season, we find many Moroccan and foreign tour agencies setting up their camps for their clients in the dunes besides other permanent camps like Aghbalou Ramlia Bivouac.
The dunes are a refuge for people seeking peace and quiet. Unlike Merzouga. Where we find so many hotels and inns just a few meters from the dunes, the municipality of Sidi Ali does not allow people to build hotels near the dunes. This allows “the erg” to keep its natural shape. This fact encourages more people to invest their money in tourism. Also, the sand dunes are used to remedy some illnesses, like rheumatism, mainly by the locals. Tourists have the chance to ride camels for hours in the dunes, and then spend the night in comfortably furnished tented rooms.
The dry weather is the prominent feature of the oasis. Summer is so hot that the temperature rises to about 48 c°. This pushes most of tourists to spend only the night and then move in the early morning to the nearby towns of Zagoura or Tinghir. However, the weather is very mild for tourists during the high seasons of Christmas and New Year Eve holiday and also the months of March through April.
Natural landscapes play a big role in attracting tourists. “The erg” of Ramlia is often the targeted destination for tourists after “Erg Chebbi” in Merzouga.
Another natural factor that characterizes the oasis of Ramlia is the mountains. These take many different shapes and colours. There are many volcanic mountains like the “Tajine” Mountain. It is called this because it has the shape of “a tajine” which is a local dish. It offers the chance for tourists to do some mountain climbing. It is worth mentioning that there is a source of running water about two kilometres from this mountain. The visitors of this place can enjoy the life of the nomads who live in tents in the middle of a number of palm trees. The mountain of “Hamada kem kem” is found in the southern part of the oasis. This is famous for the sharks teeth and dinosaur bones that have been found here. Many foreign archaeologists leave the oasis in the morning to visit this place and come back at night.
The oasis of Ramlia is also a place where other types of fossils like trilobites and ammonites are found. Many tourists interested in fossils find Ramlia an exciting destination.
Another feature that attracts tourists to visit Ramlia is the dry lakes, which are used as an airport for the landing of small planes. This helps tourists to land in Ramlia after departing from Ouarzazate and Marrakesh. The Thamarisk forests in Ghris and Ziz Valleys are another natural landscape in the oasis. The Thamarisk forest extends for approximately 80 kilometres from North of the oasis to inside the Algerian borders. These forests are unique to the oasis of Ramlia. I had the chance to ask one German tourist about the Tamarisk forests. He said : “I wish there were a highway to Ramlia. I would like to use this forest location in making films”. There are some French tourists who shot a documentary film inside this forest. During the rainy seasons, the area becomes the destination for study the movements of birds.
There are other natural factors that push tourists to visit Ramlia. The nearby location of the Bourika and Oubahlou oasis are an example.
The natural landscapes remain the most important elements that draw tourists to visit the oasis of Ramlia. The erg of Ramlia is the southern gate to the exploration of the sunny Sahara.



