Geological tours

Target Audience: Paleontologists, University Groups, and Fossil Enthusiasts.

Location: Southeast Morocco (Erfoud, Taouz, Kem Kem Plateau). Journey back 100 million years to the “most dangerous place in Earth’s history.” The Kem Kem Group is world-renowned for its incredible concentration of predatory dinosaur fossils. With Morocco Dunes Travel, you won’t just see fossils in a museum; you will explore the red sandstone beds where Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus once ruled.

Technical Highlights for Professionals

Geological Formations: Ifezouane and Aoufous Formations (Cenomanian stage).

Paleoenvironment: Fluvial-deltaic systems (ancient river beds).

Key Taxa: Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, Deltadromeus, Onchopristis (giant sawfish), and various Crocodylomorphs.

Expert Logistics: Our 4×4 drivers are trained in desert navigation to reach remote “outcrops” (stratigraphic layers) far from tourist tracks.

Day 1: Arrival in Erfoud – The Gateway to Prehistory

• Morning: Meet your geo-guide. Visit specialized fossil preparation laboratories to see how Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus bones are extracted from the matrix.
• Afternoon: Introduction to the Devonian “Orthoceras” marble quarries. Technical briefing on the safety and ethics of fossil hunting in the desert.
• Highlight: Seeing a 380-million-year-old seafloor standing vertically.

Day 2: The Trilobite Walls of Boutchrafine

• Focus: Lower and Middle Devonian layers.
• Activity: Exploring the “Crinoïd” and “Trilobite” levels. We will observe Phacops and Asteropyge in their natural stratigraphic context.
• Technical Note: Observation of the “Hamrat” formation, famous for its rich iron-oxide coloration.
• Evening: Transfer to the edge of the Kem Kem plateau.

Day 3: Deep into the Kem Kem Beds – The Red Sandstone

• Focus: The Ifezouane Formation (Lower Cenomanian).
• Activity: Surface prospecting in the red sandstone slopes. This is where the majority of dinosaur teeth are found. We look for Spinosaurus aegyptiacus teeth and Onchopristis (giant sawfish) rostral teeth.
• Field Work: Understanding the fluvial-deltaic depositional environment—the ancient “River of Giants.”

Day 4: Gara Sbaa – The Mesa of Predators

• Focus: The Aoufous Formation.
• Activity: Exploration of the “Mesa” (flat-topped hills). We search for micro-vertebrate remains: turtle shells, crocodile scutes, and fish scales.
• Professional Interest: Spectacular view of the “Continental Intercalaire” layers, a classic site for international paleontological publications.

Day 5: Taouz & The Mineral/Fossil Hybrid Zone

• Focus: Tectonics and Paleontology.
• Activity: Visit the mines of Taouz. Here, the geology is unique: you can find Vanadinite crystals and dinosaur bone fragments in the same area.
• Experience: Seeing how tectonic faults have displaced the fossil-bearing layers over millions of years.

Day 6: The Giant Dunes of Merzouga & Ergs

• Focus: Modern Geomorphology (Quaternary).
• Activity: Study of the Erg Chebbi dune system. Understanding wind-driven (Aeolian) transport and the formation of star dunes.
• Evening: Sunset at the bivouac. Discussion on the contrast between the ancient wet Sahara and today’s hyper-arid desert.

Day 7: Rissani & Return to Ouarzazate/Marrakech

Final: Farewell dinner and trip wrap-up.

Morning: Visit the local “Souk of Fossils” in Rissani to see rare specimens found by local nomads.

Afternoon: Drive through the Anti-Atlas, observing the Great Unconformity (where very old rocks meet much younger ones).

IMPORTANT : Field Difficulty: Moderate. Requires walking on rocky terrain. Best Season: October to April 15°C to 28 °C