2-Day Zagora Desert Tour: Erg Chegaga with Berber Guide

Sixty kilometers of off-road dunes, a sunset camel ride, and a desert night under stars

A 2-day tour from Zagora deep into Erg Chegaga, Morocco's remote Sahara, with a local Berber guide who knows the landscape firsthand. You travel by 4x4 across rocky plateaus and sand dunes, ride camels at sunset, sleep in a traditional desert camp, and return via a different route the next morning. Overnight accommodation, meals, and transport are included. Children from age 10 are welcome, and guides speak English, Spanish or French.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Zagora to Erg Chegaga dunes

• Depart from Zagora in morning
• Visit ancient Quranic Library in Tamegroute
• Stop in Tagounite for supplies
• Begin 60 km off-road 4x4 desert drive
• Picnic lunch under tamarisk and acacia trees
• Camel ride on Erg Chegaga dunes
• Watch Sahara sunset from dunes
• Dinner and Berber music at desert camp
• Overnight under stars at desert camp

Day 2: Return from Erg Chegaga to Zagora

• Breakfast at desert camp
• Return off-road to M'Hamid El Ghizlane
• Photo stop at M'Hamid El Ghizlane
• Visit Jewish Kasbah and green pottery cooperative
• Enjoy Saharan nomadic lunch
• Arrive back in Zagora late afternoon

The experience

You start in Zagora and head south toward M'Hamid El Ghizlane, stopping first at Tamegroute to see the ancient Quranic Library with centuries-old manuscripts. From there, the paved road ends at Tagounite, where you can grab supplies before the real journey begins: a 60-kilometer off-road push across the Sahara in a 4x4. The route crosses vast rocky plateaus, dry riverbeds, and smaller dunes, and if the timing is right, you might spot ostriches or Dorcas gazelles moving through the landscape. A picnic lunch happens in the shade of tamarisk and acacia trees before you reach Erg Chegaga in the afternoon.

At Erg Chegaga, you ride camels across the golden dunes and watch the sunset from the top. The evening unfolds at a traditional desert camp with a Moroccan dinner, Berber music around the fire, and the night itself under open sky. The second morning starts with breakfast at the camp, then a different off-road route back toward M'Hamid, offering new desert views. You stop at M'Hamid El Ghizlane (the last village before the vast Sahara) for photos, then visit the historic Jewish Kasbah and a green pottery cooperative where craftspeople work by hand. Lunch is on the way back, and you arrive in Zagora in the late afternoon.

What’s included

• Overnight stay in a traditional desert camp.
• local Berber guide in English, Spanish or French.
• 4x4 transportation for the full two days.
• camel ride across the dunes.
• dinner and breakfast at the camp.
• lunch on both days.
• pickup from Zagora and return at the end of day two.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (30 to 60 years) · Youth (17 to 29 years) · Child (10 to 16 years) · Under 10: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 7 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by AZUL TREK

Is this one for you?Two days is the minimum to reach Erg Chegaga and spend a night under the stars. It rules out a same-day return but leaves your first and third days free for other parts of Morocco. The fixed itinerary means you follow the guide's route and pace rather than setting your own, which keeps the group small and the experience grounded in local knowledge.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (17 to 29 years); Child (10 to 16 years). Under 10: they can't be included in the booking.

What's the Quranic Library in Tamegroute that we visit on day one?

Tamegroute is a holy village in Southern Morocco, and the library there holds centuries-old Quranic manuscripts. It's the first cultural stop after you leave Zagora, before the desert driving begins.

How much time do we actually spend in the dunes at Erg Chegaga?

You arrive in the afternoon on day one and have the evening for a camel ride and sunset, then spend the night at the desert camp. The next morning you depart after breakfast, so you get the full afternoon and evening plus the early part of the second day in the dunes.

Is the 4x4 driving rough, or is it manageable for someone who hasn't done off-road before?

The 60-kilometer stretch from Tagounite to Erg Chegaga is off-road across desert terrain: rocky plateaus, dry riverbeds, and sand. It's not a smooth highway, so you should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The operator notes it's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

What happens at the green pottery cooperative on day two?

The pottery cooperative is unique to Morocco and known for traditional handmade craftsmanship. You'll watch artisans at work. The stop typically lasts 30 minutes to an hour depending on your interest and pace.