Main Info
Book a desert tour from Marrakech to Erg Chigaga or Erg Lihoudi! Travel through the ever changing landscape of the High Atlas Mountains and along the Draa valley. Sleep under the stars after a camel ride in Erg Chigaga and discover the old centre of Zagora. Visit the old library and Zaouia of Tamegroute. Return from Chigaga via the Draa to Ait ben Haddou, and back to Marrakech.
Why book this tour?
- You will cross the highest pass in North Africa, the Tiz ‘n Tichka
- Ride a camel in the spectacular dunes of Erg Chigaga;
- Visit the vast Draa oasis and its charming Berber villages;
- Sleep under the stars in the desert camp of Erg Lihoudi or Erg Chigaga;
- Stop at the ancient-old library of Tamegroute and its spiritual centre
Note
If you choose to do this tour in 3 days instead of 4, you will stay in the Erg Lihoudi dunes near Zagora instead of Erg Chigaga due to the distance of traveling.
| Departure | Marrakech |
| Departure Time | –:– AM |
| Return Time | –:– PM |
| Included | – Private certified English- / French- / Spanish- / Italian-speaking guide; – Private driver and air-conditioned transportation; – 2 or 3 Overnights standard accommodations (2 star hotels), incl. breakfasts (possible upgrade to comfort / deluxe accommodations); – 1 Overnight in the desert camp of Erg Lihoudi or Erg Chigaga on day 2; – Camel ride in Erg Lihoudi or Erg Chegaga; – Dinner on day 2; – All breakfasts, excl. day 1; – Pick up from the hotel on day 1 and drop off at the hotel on day 3/4 in Marrakech. |
| Excluded | – All additional meals and drinks not listed; – All additional activities not listed; – International flights; – Travel insurance; – Tipping and souvenirs. |
Itinerary
(7 Hours Drive)
Your Marrakech to Erg Chigaga Morocco desert tour will start at 07h30 AM with a pick up from your Marrakech hotel / Riad.
Depart Marrakech, winding up through the Atlas Mountains over the Tichka Pass, where the views are pretty splendid. A few stops are made to take in the scenery and photography.
We arrive at Ouarzazate for lunch before we continue to Zagora crossing the Draa river, which has given life to a huge oasis spreading for about 200 Km at the foothill of the anti-Atlas mountains. Several Palmeraies will bring their shades between Kasbahs and fortified villages dotted with fields of corn, barley, Vegetables, and henna plantations.
Dinner and Overnight at your Zagora hotel.
(4 Hours Drive)
After breakfast, we drive to M'hamid (where the paved road ends), passing by the village of Tamagroute where we will have the opportunity to visit one of the oldest Quranic libraries in Morocco, then the nearby kasbah famous for its potters' factory.
Lunch will be served in M'hamid at leisure. Early afternoon, we depart for Erg Chigaga dunes crossing different features of the desert; 'Erg,' 'Reg,' 'Hammadas, and oases. Erg Chigaga dunes are far away from civilization, and the silence of the sand is overwhelming.
Ride your camels across the dunes and enjoy one of the most dramatic sunsets over the color-changing sands dunes.
Enjoy a splendid dinner under the stars next to the campfire while entertained by the local nomads playing local music.
Overnight at your Sahara desert camp.
(6 Hours Drive)
After breakfast, the road takes us through another 90km of the desert with varying scenery: we first cross the flat dried salt lake of Iriqui and the Anti Atlas mountains, following the old track of “Rally Paris Dakar.”
Then to Foum Zguid, the first village after the desert, where the paved road begins.
After lunch, continue to the Berber village of Taznakht, famous for its Berber carpets and rugs.
We arrive at Ouarzazate late in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Ouarzazate.
(4 Hours Drive)
After breakfast, we can enjoy a visit to the film studios located just outside Ouarzazate, which is known as the Hollywood of Africa.
We then continue to visit the world heritage site of Kasbah Ait Ben Hadou, previously used as a set for more than 20 Hollywood blockbusters, including “Gladiator,” “Indiana Jones,” and “Lawrence of Arabia.” Enjoy a walk to explore the traditional Moroccan style of architecture in which the Kasbahs are built.
We continue our way to Marrakesh through the High Atlas Mountains and Tizi n’Tichka pass. Depending on time, lunch can be served in Ait Ben Hadou or the Atlas Mountains on the way to Marrakech.
Arrival at Marrakech by 17h00 PM.
Your Marrakech to Erg Chigaga 4 days desert tour will end with a drop off at your Marrakech hotel / Riad, or a location of your choice.
