Erg Chigaga Dunes Day Trip: 4WD Safari & Camel Trek

Dunes, camels, and sand: a single day crossing the Sahara from the desert town

A full-day tour from Zagora into the Sahara Desert with a private 4WD driver-guide, two hours of off-road driving to Erg Chigaga's big dunes, camel trekking, sandboarding, lunch in nomadic Berber tents, and stops in the Draa Valley villages and the 16th-century kasbah town of Tamgroute on the return. The tour departs at 8 am and concludes around 6 pm, with hotel pickup and drop-off included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day trip to Erg Chigaga Dunes

• Leave Zagora at 8 am
• Drive through Tizi Anagame and Ben Selman
• Off-road desert safari for 2 hours
• Reach Erg Chigaga dunes
• Lunch in nomadic Berber tents
• Camel riding in the dunes
• Return to Zagora via Draa Valley villages
• Stop at Tamgroute to visit Quran library and kasbah
• Arrive back in Zagora around 6 pm

The experience

The day starts early from your Zagora hotel and heads south through Tizi Anagame and Ben Selman toward M'Hamid. The real desert begins after two hours of off-road driving by private 4WD, when the landscape opens into the big dunes of Chigaga. This is where the camel trekking happens. You ride through the dunes on your own camel while the landscape shifts around you. Lunch arrives in nomadic Berber tents set up in the sand, a midday break before the afternoon's sandboarding on the dunes themselves.

The return route traces back through the Draa Valley, stopping in Tamgroute, a town built during the 16th-century Saadian dynasty. The stop includes a visit to an old Quranic library and a subterranean kasbah, both carved into the earth. From there the drive continues north back to Zagora, arriving around 6 pm. Your English-speaking driver-guide narrates the whole route and handles all logistics. The private 4WD comes with air conditioning and fuel included.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Zagora.
• private 4WD with air conditioning and fuel.
• English-speaking driver-guide.
• camel trekking in the dunes.
• lunch in nomadic Berber tents.
• sandboarding on the dunes.
• entry to the Quranic library and subterranean kasbah in Tamgroute.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Italian

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 28 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Caravane Du Grand Erg

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian and French, so you follow the commentary in your own language throughout the day. The full route (two hours off-road, camel trekking, sandboarding and the return stops) suits all fitness levels, and children can ride along in the 4WD or in a camel saddle if they're old enough.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What's the camel trekking like on this tour?

Camel trekking happens in the afternoon after lunch in the Berber tents, once you've reached the big dunes of Chigaga. You ride your own camel through the dunes. The trek is part of the full day's movement through the landscape rather than a separate activity.

How long is the drive from Zagora to the Chigaga dunes?

The off-road drive from Zagora through Tizi Anagame and Ben Selman to the big dunes of Chigaga takes about two hours by 4WD, covering the transition from the town into open desert.

What happens in Tamgroute on the way back?

Tamgroute is a 16th-century Saadian town where the tour stops on the return journey. The visit includes entry to an old Quranic library and a subterranean kasbah, both historic structures built into the earth.

Is lunch included, and where do you eat?

Lunch is included and served in nomadic Berber tents set up in the dunes after the morning's off-road drive, before the afternoon camel trekking and sandboarding.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Zagora, the private 4WD with air conditioning and fuel, your English-speaking driver-guide, camel trekking, and lunch in the Berber tents.