The Rissani Souk

Rissani stands in the Tafilalet, the largest oasis in Morocco and the point where the trans-Saharan routes came out of the desert, and its souk is still the trading centre for the whole date-growing valley. It runs on set days, usually Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, when the covered halls and yards fill with dates by the sack from dozens of varieties, dried fruit, spices, hardware and rope, and a livestock market takes place at the edge with donkeys, sheep and goats changing hands. There is a donkey park where people from the villages leave their transport. The local speciality is medfouna, a round flatbread stuffed with spiced meat, onion and almonds and baked in ashes, sold at the food stalls and often called Berber pizza to visitors.

What you actually see

• The date halls - sacks of dozens of date varieties from the Tafilalet oasis.
• The livestock market - donkeys, sheep and goats traded on market mornings.
• The donkey park - rows of tethered donkeys left by villagers who came in to trade.
• Medfouna - stuffed flatbread baked in ashes at the food stalls.

When to go

Market days only, traditionally Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, and in the morning, since it winds down by early afternoon. Confirm the days locally before making the trip. Autumn brings the date harvest and the fullest stalls. Summer in the Tafilalet is extreme and the market thins out accordingly.

Honest expectations

On a non-market day Rissani is a dusty, quiet town and there is nothing to see. The livestock section is loud, dirty and hard on animal lovers. Flies are constant around the food and date stalls. Prices for visitors are quoted several times over and negotiation is expected. Facilities are minimal and there is little shade.

Nearby

The dunes at Merzouga are half an hour east; the ruins of the old caravan town of Sijilmassa lie on the edge of Rissani.