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- Erg Chigaga in 5 Days, with Three Nights in the Dunes
Erg Chigaga in 5 Days, with Three Nights in the Dunes
Erg Chigaga in 5 days gives you three nights at a camp in the dunes and two full days to walk, ride and rest. You go in from Zagora and M’hamid, come out across Lake Iriki and Foum Zguid, and can add a fourth night in the desert.
- DURATION
- ROUTE
- TOUR TYPE
- PICKUP
- PRICE
Erg Chigaga in 5 Days at a glance
- 5 days / 4 nights
- Marrakech · Aït Benhaddou · Zagora · M'hamid · Erg Chigaga · Lake Iriki · Foum Zguid · Marrakech
- Private tour
- Riad or hotel pickup
- Best time: October to April
Three nights at an Erg Chigaga camp
For a longer stay in the desert, Erg Chigaga works well. There are few camps and they are far apart, and from the top of the dunes there is only sand to the horizon. Three nights give you time to settle into the pace of the camp.
You go in through the Draa Valley and come out across Lake Iriki. Ask for a fourth night if you want more time.
Highlights
- Three nights at one camp in Erg Chigaga
- Two full days in the dunes
- The Draa Valley and M'hamid
- The crossing of Lake Iriki
- Clear desert skies at night
Read more: Erg Chigaga and Iriqui National Park (Lake Iriki).
Day-by-day itinerary
How the five days go, from your pickup in Marrakech to the drop-off.
Day 1 · Marrakech to Zagora
Over the High Atlas, past Aït Benhaddou and down the Draa Valley to Zagora.
- Overnight: Hotel in Zagora
Day 2 · Zagora to Erg Chigaga
To M’hamid and by 4×4 into the dunes.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 3 · In the dunes
A free day for walking and camel rides.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 4 · In the dunes
Another free day at camp.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 5 · Erg Chigaga to Marrakech
Across Lake Iriki to Foum Zguid and on to Marrakech.
What is included and not included
Included
- Private vehicle and driver for the five days, with a 4x4 for the desert tracks
- Pickup and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- One night: hotel in Zagora, dinner and breakfast
- Three nights: desert camp in Erg Chigaga, dinner and breakfast
- Camel ride in the dunes
- Fuel and road costs
Not included
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees and local guides at the sites
- Tips
- Travel insurance
Pickup, best time to go and what to bring
Pickup points
We pick you up at your riad or hotel in Marrakech at the time you choose. If your riad is in a lane cars cannot enter, the driver waits at the nearest square or gate and someone from the riad walks you there.
Best time to go
October to April is the most comfortable time. Days are warm and nights cool, and in December and January the desert can drop close to freezing at night. From June to August the afternoons are very hot, so we start early and rest in the middle of the day.
What to bring
Layers, with a warm jacket for the desert night from November to March; a hat, sunglasses and sun cream; a scarf against wind and sand; shoes you can walk in on sand; a head torch; a small bag for the camp night, since your main luggage stays in the vehicle; cash in dirhams for drinks and tips; a power bank.
Good to know
Carry cash in dirhams: camps and small villages rarely take cards, and the last cash machines are in towns such as Ouarzazate, Zagora and Erfoud. Phone signal is often weak in the dunes. Camps have toilets and showers, shared at standard camps and private at luxury ones. Keep cameras and phones in a bag when the wind lifts the sand, and ask before you photograph people in the villages. Your main luggage stays locked in the vehicle overnight.
Price, deposit and cancellation
Prices are per person and depend on the size of your group. You book with a 20% deposit by card or PayPal and pay the balance on the first day of the tour.
If you cancel 30 days or more before the start, we refund the deposit in full; after that the deposit is kept. You can change the date once for free if you ask 14 days or more before. The details are in our Cancellation Policy.
Questions about the Erg Chigaga 5-day tour
Are three nights in Erg Chigaga too many?
Not if you like the desert. The two full days leave time for a long walk, a camel ride, sandboarding or a visit to a nomad family, and the evenings at camp are quiet.
What is the drive from Zagora to Erg Chigaga like?
Paved as far as M’hamid, then about 60 km of sand and stone track by 4×4, which takes around two hours.
What is the desert camp like?
You sleep in a tent at a camp in the dunes, with dinner and breakfast. Camps range from simple to comfortable tents with a private bathroom; tell us the level you want and we suggest camps that fit.
Can we change the route or the hotels?
Yes. We can add nights, change hotels or swap the order of the stops, since only your group is on the tour. Tell us what you have in mind when you enquire.
Can we bring children?
Yes. Tell us how old they are and we plan the driving, the stops and the pace around them.
How do I book?
Send an enquiry with your dates and group size and we reply with availability and a quote. When online booking is open for this tour, you can also reserve with a deposit by card or PayPal.
Book this tour
Send your dates and group size and we reply with a quote.
- Private tour, only your group
- Free enquiry, no obligation
- Private tour, only your group
- Free enquiry, no obligation
- Route and stays adjusted to you
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