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- Erg Chigaga Tour from Marrakech, 6 Days via the Dades and Todra Gorges
Erg Chigaga Tour from Marrakech, 6 Days via the Dades and Todra Gorges
This Erg Chigaga tour from Marrakech links the gorges of the south with the dunes in six days. You go out by Skoura and the Dades and Todra gorges, cross the Saghro foothills to Zagora and M’hamid, spend two nights in Erg Chigaga and come home across Lake Iriki and by Aït Benhaddou.
- DURATION
- ROUTE
- TOUR TYPE
- PICKUP
- PRICE
Erg Chigaga tour at a glance
- 6 days / 5 nights
- Marrakech · Skoura · Dades Gorge · Todra Gorge · Alnif · Tazarine · Zagora · M'hamid · Erg Chigaga · Foum Zguid · Aït Benhaddou · Telouet · Marrakech
- Private tour
- Riad or hotel pickup
- Best time: October to April
A 6-day desert tour from Marrakech
Desert routes from Marrakech usually go one of two ways: east through the gorges to Merzouga, or south down the Draa Valley to Erg Chigaga. Here you do both. You head east to the Dades and Todra gorges, cross the stony country below the Jbel Saghro to Zagora, and go on down to the dunes.
On the way back you cross Lake Iriki to Foum Zguid, sleep beside Aït Benhaddou and take the old kasbah road through Telouet. Two nights in the dunes give you a full day there, and you can add nights in the desert or along the route.
Highlights
- The Dades and Todra gorges
- Fossil country around Alnif and the road through Tazarine
- Two nights in the Erg Chigaga dunes
- The 4x4 crossing of Lake Iriki
- A night beside the ksar of Aït Benhaddou and the Telouet road
Read more: Erg Chigaga and Todra Gorge.
Day-by-day itinerary
How the six days go, from your pickup in Marrakech to the drop-off.
Day 1 · Marrakech to the Dades Gorge
Over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, through Ouarzazate and the Skoura oasis to the Dades Gorge.
- Overnight: Hotel in the Dades Gorge
Day 2 · Todra Gorge to Zagora
A walk in the Todra Gorge, then south through Alnif, known for its fossils, and Tazarine to the Draa Valley at Zagora.
- Overnight: Hotel in Zagora
Day 3 · Zagora to Erg Chigaga
Down to M’hamid and by 4×4 into the dunes, with a camel ride at sunset.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 4 · A day in Erg Chigaga
A free day for walking, camel riding or sandboarding in the dunes.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 5 · Across Lake Iriki to Aït Benhaddou
Across the dry lake to Foum Zguid, then north through Tazenakht and Ouarzazate to Aït Benhaddou.
- Overnight: Kasbah hotel near Aït Benhaddou
Day 6 · Telouet and back to Marrakech
The old road through the Ounila valley to the Glaoui kasbah at Telouet, then over the High Atlas to Marrakech.
What is included and not included
Included
- Private vehicle and driver for the six days, with a 4x4 for the desert tracks
- Pickup and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- One night: hotel in the Dades Gorge, dinner and breakfast
- One night: hotel in Zagora, dinner and breakfast
- Two nights: desert camp in Erg Chigaga, dinner and breakfast
- One night: kasbah hotel near Aït Benhaddou, 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 tour
How many nights are in the desert?
Two, both at a camp in Erg Chigaga. The other nights are in the Dades Gorge, in Zagora and near Aït Benhaddou.
Can we see Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga on one trip?
Yes, on a longer route. Our 7-day luxury desert tour from Marrakech to Fes spends two nights in each.
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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