A true taste of a Sahara Desert adventure awaits you on this 4-day Marrakech to Erg Chegaga desert tour. This trip takes you to the Lihoudi dunes and the Erg Chegaga for an authentic desert adventure. You will explore the south of Morocco from scenic views over the high Atlas Mountains, beautiful Berber villages and old towns, ancient Kasbahs; Telouet and Ait Ben Haddou, and the majestic Dra’a Valley.
Reach the mighty Sahara Desert, where you will enjoy an epic camel trek through the windswept dunes and admire beautiful sunsets & sunrises found amid the towering dunes of Erg Chegaga. And to top it off, you get to spend the two nights in private tents in nomad luxury camps among the most expansive dunes in Morocco.
You will discover a destination known for its iconic scenery, camel safaris and Berber culture.
| Number of persons | 2 Persons | 3 Persons | 4 Persons | 5 Persons | 6 Persons |
| Price per person | 435 € | 395 € | 375 € | 365 € | 335 € |
| Total price | 870 € | 1185 € | 1500 € | 1825 € | 2010 € |
After a morning departure at 08:30 from your hotel or riad, you set out on your 4-day desert tour from Marrakech to Erg Chegaga. You travel over the high Atlas Mountains and via the famous Tizi-n-Tichka pass (2260m). All along the road, you will stop at panoramic viewpoints to admire the beautiful scenery of green valleys, Berber villages and snow-topped mountains.
As you start to descend the mountains, a side road leads to Kasbah Telouet, which used to be the palatial residence of the Lords of the Atlas, the Glaoui Family. The Kasbah now stands in ruins after the last Pasha fled Morocco following the departure of the French in 1956. But, wait to be pleasantly surprised by the architectural marvel of this historic home.
After a scenic drive along the beautiful Ounila Valley, you will arrive at Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and perhaps better known as a film location for several Hollywood blockbusters. After lunch in one of the restaurants alongside the Salt River, you will visit the Kasbah to learn about the history and cinematic artworks filmed on this site.
Having crossed Ouarzazate, an hour’s drive takes you to Agdz. As you descend the Tizi-n-Tinfifite pass (1660m), you will be amazed by stunning views of the extensive green oases and the innumerable palm trees, all indicating the beginning of the Dra’a Valley.
You spend the night with dinner and breakfast in a beautiful riad overlooking the valley.
Agdz is part of the ancient Caravan Road which used to supply goods up from Mali and Niger, having crossed the Sahara Desert. Nowadays, its abundant palm groves produce an impressive 44 varieties of dates.
For a short while, we go off-road through the Dra’a Valley, between the mountains and the river, passing through many villages to gain a better idea of the way of life along the oases. You will stop to visit Kasbah Tamnougalte, the oldest Kasbah in the Dra’a Valley. Some parts of the Kasbah are still inhabited, while others, particularly the Jewish quarter, are now crumbling, ever since the departure of its inhabitants to Israel – the last person left in 1963.
From here, you continue your 4-day Erg Chegaga desert trip from Marrakech, travelling south alongside the Ancient Caravans road as far as Zagora, the last largest oasis in the valley and the venue for today’s lunch. Just outside of Zagora, you visit the local green pottery co-operatives and an old Quranic library in Tamgroute village.
In the afternoon, your desert adventure continues further south as far as M’hamid, where the sand alongside the road signifies the beginning of the mighty Sahara Desert. M’hamid village is the gate to the Sahara Desert and the end of the paved road.
You drive about 45 min to an hour to the dunes outside of M’hamid on the edge of the Sahara. You have dinner and spend the night in a luxury desert camp in your own private tent is equipped with a toilet & shower, king-sized beds, mattresses, sheets, pillows, blankets, carpets & lamps.
Get up early to witness the sunrise from the top of the dunes with free time to wander the desert dunes. Back at the camp, breakfast is served and you set out on your adventure to explore the region.
The old villages here are typical of desert dwellings, where houses are constructed entirely of adobe. This excellent building material keeps out the summer’s searing heat due to the walls’ thickness. You will explore these villages and learn about life in this harsh yet equally beautiful environment. You can visit a local family and their home and share a glass of tea with them if desired!
After lunch, you continue to Erg Chegaga dunes, with about 65km of off-road driving through the varying features of the Sahara; ‘erg’ (dunes), ‘hammada’ (stony desert) and oases.
Once at the camp, you check in to your tent at the campsite and enjoy a relaxing glass of tea and Moroccan biscuits. Then, you take a camel ride to the summit of the Erg Chegaga dunes (300 m) to enjoy the sunset. At 300m high and 45km long, the Erg Chegaga dunes are the largest in Morocco. They are far from civilization, and the dunes’ silence and expanse are overwhelming.
At night, dinner is served, followed by an evening of nomad music and drumming around a campfire. You spend the night in your tent, equipped with a private toilet & shower, king-sized beds, mattresses, sheets, pillows, blankets & carpets, lamps, and beautiful Moroccan furnishings, all tastefully arranged to enhance your stay.
If you get up early enough, you will be rewarded by an incredible sunrise, when the colour of the dunes and the play of shadows are astonishing. You will also have time to wonder about the dunes and experience the tranquillity of this magical place.
Back at the camp, breakfast is served. Then your 4-day Erg Chegaga desert tour from Marrakech continues through another 90km of off-road driving through the Sahara Desert with varying scenery: Lake Iriqui, where you are likely to experience a vast mirage in the heat, the mountains, with the opportunity to look for fossils.
You continue travelling west, following the old track of “Rally Paris-Dakar” as far as Foum Zguid, the first village after the desert and the venue for lunch.
You drive north from here along paved roads and past fantastic rock formations to the small town of Taznakht, famous for its Berber carpets and rugs. If you are interested, you can visit a display room with looms and women at work.
After a tea break in Ouarzazate, you cross the Atlas Mountains via a different road. You will stop at panoramic viewpoints for photos and stretch your legs along the way. Finally, you arrive in Marrakech by the end of the afternoon. Your driver will transfer you to your hotel and bring your 4-day Marrakech to Erg Chegaga desert tour to an end.
