3-Day Desert Chigaga Tour from Marrakech: Erg Chigaga Dunes

Erg Chigaga's dunes stretch unbroken to the horizon, and you cross them on camel at sunset.

A 3-day tour from Marrakech to Erg Chigaga in the Sahara, crossing the High Atlas Mountains, visiting the UNESCO site Aït Ben Haddou, and spending a night under the stars in a traditional Berber camp. The tour includes breakfast, a live guide in English, Spanish, French or Arabic, and hotel pickup from Marrakech. Minimum age is 13.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Marrakech to Zagora via Atlas Mountains

• Depart Marrakech
• Cross High Atlas Mountains
• Visit Kasbah Aït Ben Haddou
• Drive through Draa Valley
• Arrive in Zagora
• Dinner and overnight in guesthouse

Day 2: Zagora to Erg Chigaga Desert

• Breakfast in Zagora
• Visit Tamegroute village
• Drive to M’Hamid
• Off-road to Erg Chigaga dunes
• Sunset camel ride
• Dinner and overnight in desert camp

Day 3: Return to Marrakech via Taznakht

• Watch sunrise over dunes
• Breakfast at camp
• Travel across Iriqui Lake
• Pass through Taznakht town
• Arrive back in Marrakech

The experience

Zagora sits on the edge of the Sahara, and the route there takes you across the High Atlas via the Tizi n'Tichka Pass at 2,260 meters. On the way down you stop at Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the backdrop for dozens of films, then drive through the Draa Valley where palm groves and fortified villages line the road. You sleep your first night in a guesthouse or riad in Zagora itself.

The second day pushes deeper into the desert. After breakfast you visit Tamegroute, where a historic Koranic library sits alongside workshops making the region's distinctive green pottery. From there the road becomes sand and dry lake bed as you head toward M'Hamid, the gateway to the desert proper. Erg Chigaga opens up ahead: Morocco's largest dune field, far enough from the main tourist routes that you feel the scale of it. A camel carries you out over the dunes at sunset, and you spend the night in a comfortable desert tent at a Berber camp, with traditional music and a fire before sleep.

On the third day you watch the sunrise from the dunes, eat breakfast at the camp, then begin the return across the Iriqui Lake and desert plateaus. Taznakht, famous for handwoven Berber carpets, is your last stop before the drive back to Marrakech, where you arrive in the late afternoon or early evening.

What’s included

• Breakfast each morning.
• a live guide in English, Spanish, French or Arabic.
• hotel pickup from Marrakech.
• a camel ride at sunset over Erg Chigaga.
• two nights' accommodation (one in a Zagora guesthouse or riad, one in a Berber desert tent).
• dinner and evening entertainment at the desert camp.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (13 to 70 years) · Under 13: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by SAHARA TOURIN MOROCCO

Is this one for you?Three days is long enough to cross the High Atlas, reach Morocco's largest dune field, and spend a full night under the stars, but short enough to leave your other days in Marrakech free. If you want a deeper desert immersion or a shorter taste of the Sahara, other tour lengths serve those needs better.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Aït Ben Haddou and why do we stop there?

Aït Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an ancient fortified village that has served as the filming location for many movies. You visit it on the first day as you cross the High Atlas on the way to Zagora.

Do I ride a camel on this tour?

Yes. On the second day, after arriving at Erg Chigaga, you take a camel ride over the dunes at sunset before settling into the desert camp for the night.

Where do we sleep, and is it comfortable?

The first night is in a guesthouse or riad in Zagora. The second night is in a comfortable desert tent at a Berber camp in Erg Chigaga, where you can watch the stars and listen to traditional music around the campfire.

Is hotel pickup included in Marrakech?

Yes, pickup from your Marrakech hotel is included in the tour price.

What is the Draa Valley known for?

The Draa Valley is known for its lush palm groves and fortified villages that line the route as you travel south toward Zagora.