Zagora is a natural break point in the Trans Morocco Trail – if you’ve started at Nador, you’ve come down the Rekkam, over the more benign desert sections to eventually make it to Erfoud and Merzouga, before headling back in to the desert, up into the High Atlas and back down again.

If you’re on the clock, as I was in April 2025, you’ve then got a bit of choice – crack on for one more desert leg via Foum Zguid, or turn and head back north and to the Med.

If you’ve only got a week or two, the issue you might find is that on the one hand you don’t want to be in rush back home north, which can be a consequence of heading too far south, but on the other you’re not ready for your adventure to be over just year.

My solution? To investigate the section of the Sahara headed back to Merzouga, from Zagora, via the rather mysterious sounding ‘Lost City of Ba Hallou’.

I’ve written up my ride tale, along with a route guide and the GPX file here, and it may be of interest to any other TMT-ers find themselves in a similar situation as myself.

A small word of warning – like every Zagora – Merzouga transit, it involves crossing the (mildly infamous) Oued Rheris. Finding the Lost City is fun, but you need to be ready to work for it. But then again, its meant to be an adventure.