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Marrakech to Erg Chegaga desert tour 5 days – overview:
A true taste of Moroccan Sahara adventure awaits on this captivating trip. Experience the contrasting landscapes of the desert, from the tamarisk-dotted dunes of Erg Lihoudi to the vast, untamed expanse of Erg Chegaga. As you journey to the Sahara, you will witness the diverse scenery of the High Atlas Mountains and the Dra’a Valley, characterised by traditional buildings and lush oases. These ever-changing landscapes provide a stunning backdrop as you travel south.
Cultural highlights include visits to the Atlas Film Studios in Ouarzazate and several imposing Kasbahs: Telouet, Ksar Aït ben Haddou, and Tamnougalt. You will also have the opportunity to explore local artisan traditions, such as the distinctive pottery of Tamegrout, the magnificent manuscripts in the Qoranic library, and the exquisite rug and carpet-making in Taznakht.
The Sahara offers unforgettable experiences: camel rides, luxury tent accommodation, and evenings filled with Berber and nomadic music and drumming around a campfire, all under a star-filled sky.
Discover the tour itinerary below. Your journey starts here!
Erg Chegaga luxury desert tour from Marrakech – highlights:
- Visiting the Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate to see the film locations of many Hollywood blockbusters
- Exploring Kasbah Taourirt, Tamnougalt, Ksar Aït ben Haddou and the Telouet with a local guide
- Admiring the green pottery workshops and the manuscripts of the Quranic Library in Tamegroute village
- Two magical nights in the luxury Erg Lihoudi and Erg Chegaga desert camps with private bathrooms
- Riding camels, watching the sunsets, and rising early to view the even more spectacular sunrise
- Eating dinner under the starlit sky, followed by evenings of Berber music around a campfire
What is included in Marrakech to Erg Chegaga desert tour 5 days:
- Transport in a private air-conditioned vehicle; 4×4 Toyota Prado TX and fuel
- Pick-up from and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- Experienced local English/French/Spanish/Italian-speaking Berber and nomad driver/guide
- Accommodation in air-conditioned rooms/suites with private bathroom
- Overnight stays in a luxury desert camp in Erg Lihoudi and in Erg Chegaga
- All meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner – with vegetarian and vegan options available
- A camel ride with a guide. If you wish to do some sand-boarding, just speak to the camp staff!
- Luggage service to the camp and all accommodation
- Berber drumming and music
- Free time to explore the sites, for walks, photos, and tea/coffee breaks
- The opportunity to ask the driver to stop when and wherever you wish
- Entrance fees and local guide at the named sites
- Tea, coffee and mineral water in the desert
What is not included:
- Drinks
- Tips
- Extras
Good to know about 5-day tour Erg Chegaga from Marrakech:
- This 5-day tour Erg Chegaga from Marrakech can be customised to accommodate your points of interests
- You can always consult your driver about skipping some spots to spend more time elsewhere
- Activities such as a full day’s trekking in the Erg Chegaga dunes can be added to this tour
- Here is a downloadable packing list to help plan for your 5-day tour Erg Chegaga from Marrakech
- We require a 30% deposit of the total price to book the car, while the balance is payable to us in the office in Ouarzazate
- We accept payment through PayPal, bank transfers in Europe, by credit card, or cash (USD, Euro, GBP or MAD)
- We offer a 25% discount for children under 12, and one child under 3 per family travels free of charge
- These prices are liable to fluctuation according to the current exchange rate
- Our prices can be subject to an increase over the busy season, and, in particular, the Christmas and New Year’s Eve period
Prices per person
| No Days | Meals |
|---|---|
| All-inclusive | |
| Total price | |
| 2 Persons |
|---|
| 675 € * |
| 1350€ * |
| 3 Persons |
|---|
| 645 € * |
| 1935 € * |
| 4 Persons |
|---|
| 615 € * |
| 2460 € * |
| 5 Persons |
|---|
| 595 € * |
| 2975 € * |
| 6 Persons |
|---|
| 595 € * |
| 3570 € * |
5-day Erg Lihoudi & Erg Chegaga dunes tour from Marrakech – itinerary:
1st day: Marrakech – Agdz
It is an 8.30 departure from your hotel/riad in Marrakech to Ouarzazate, crossing the High Atlas Mountains and the pass of Tizi-n-Tichka (2260m). At panoramic viewpoints, there will be opportunities to stop to take pictures on each side of the mountains, which amazes with their huge differences in landscape.
After lunch in Ouarzazate at the southern edge of the High Atlas, you will view the outside of Kasbah Taourirt in the town centre. Like so many other Kasbahs in the whole district, this belonged to the Pasha of Marrakech. It is yet another symbol of the feudal period of great power wielded by the Lords of the Atlas. This building is the iconic landmark of the town but is currently closed to the public due to recent earthquake damage.
In the afternoon, you drive over the Anti-Atlas Mountains with its bare, interestingly shaped rocks, to the Dra’a Valley. This valley is famous as one of the two date baskets of Morocco – some 44 varieties grow here. Fruit trees and vegetables are the main crops but henna is also a well-known product of the region. Agriculture is very labour-intensive and difficult due to the heat and lack of rain and humidity. Seguia (small irrigation canals) transport the water from the river to the fields.
The head of the valley is Agdz which you can see miles before reaching it as you descend the mountains. Here you stay a night in a guest house.
2nd day: Agdz – M’hamid El Ghizlane
After breakfast, you will visit Kasbah Tamnougalt. The old Jewish quarter was abandoned when the inhabitants slowly left for the then newly established State of Israel. Other parts of the Kasbah still house Berber families living in what seem to us Biblical structures.
From here, you continue travelling further south as far as the largest town in the valley set in an expansive oasis, Zagora, where it’s time for lunch. The next bigger town on our way is Tamegroute, where you can visit the famous potteries run by four families and which are well known for their unique green glaze. The Quranic Library in the town is filled with exquisite ancient handwritten Arabic scripts and Qurans.
In the afternoon, your desert adventure takes you further south to M’hamid. Here, the sands along the roadside signal the beginning of the vast Sahara Desert. M’hamid village is the gate to the Sahara and the end of the paved road.
Dinner and the night are in a luxury camp where each tent has its own private bathroom, king-sized beds, and lovely traditional Moroccan furniture.
3rd day: M’hamid El Ghizlane – Erg Chegaga dunes
Start your day early with a sunrise view from the dunes, followed by free time to roam the tranquil desert. After breakfast at the camp, you head out to discover the region.
You cross the now frequently dry Dra’a River to visit the old village of M’hamid, 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 the village and learn about life in this harsh but equally beautiful environment. Perhaps you will share a glass of tea with a Berber family in their home!
In the afternoon, the Erg Chegaga dunes (300m) await after 60km of off-road driving. This route passes different features of the desert; “erg” (dunes) and “ hammada” (stony desert), as well as oases. Out in the full desert, these dunes are far away from any conurbations. The few nomads remaining lead a desperately hard life, subjected to the vagaries of the wind, sandstorms and sparse rainfall. However, the silence, the expanse of the sand and the magic of this place are all quite awe-inspiring.
At the campsite, you settle into your tent and enjoy a relaxing glass of tea accompanied by Moroccan biscuits. Then, you take a camel ride to the summit of the Erg Chegaga dunes, which reach an impressive height of 300 metres and offer breathtaking sunset views.
Dinner and the night will be in a luxury desert camp in the dunes with all the amenities of the first desert night in M’hamid.
In the summer months from mid-June to early September, it can get very hot in Chegaga so we advise you to take the trip to Erg Chebbi outside Merzouga instead.
4th day: Erg Chegaga dunes – Ouarzazate
Rising early, you can witness an amazing sunrise, with the colours of the dunes and the interplay of shadows in the emerging light creating an unforgettable spectacle. You will also have the chance to explore the dunes and savour the tranquillity of this magical place.
After breakfast, you will embark on a journey to cross another 90km of the desert, heading in the opposite direction and experiencing a variety of scenery, including the dried-up Lake Iriqui, the mountains, and fossil sites. Afterwards, you will travel west along the historic “Rally Paris-Dakar” track until you reach Foum Zguid, the first village after the desert. “Foum” means “mouth” so the “mouth/source” of the Zguid River.
From here the drive goes north along paved roads and past amazing 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 to see looms and women at work.
Once back in Ouarzazate, you stay in a riad for the night.
5th day: Ouarzazate – Marrakech
Kasbah Tifoultoute and the cinema studios are the first interesting stops of the day. Kasbah Aït ben Haddou stands high and proud as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It frequently serves as the backdrop to many Hollywood blockbusters, such as the Kingdom of Heaven and the Gladiator. It is the most famous Kasbah in all of Morocco and one of the most visited spots in the country.
The Ounila Valley with the green fields and gardens running parallel down below is a perfect example of Berber houses, crops and lifestyles. Here olives, almonds and fruit trees are the main crops and the mainstay for many families.
At the far end lies Telouet mountain slopes and this particular Kasbah was once the seat of the last Pasha of Marrakech, Thami El Glaoui. Sadly, the entire Kasbah is presently closed due to the destruction caused by the earthquake that hit Morocco in September 2023. Nonetheless, you can still enjoy the exterior with a local guide to uncover its fascinating history.
At the end of the afternoon, we arrive in Marrakech which marks the end of your Marrakech to Erg Chegaga 5-day desert tour.
