- Home
- Desert Tours
- Erg Lihoudi and M'hamid, 2-Day Desert Trip from Marrakech
Erg Lihoudi and M'hamid, 2-Day Desert Trip from Marrakech
Erg Lihoudi is a field of dunes just outside M’hamid El Ghizlane, the last village at the end of the Draa Valley road. In two days from Marrakech you follow the valley south past Agdz, Zagora and Tamegroute, ride a camel into the dunes and sleep at a camp there.
- DURATION
- ROUTE
- TOUR TYPE
- PICKUP
- PRICE
Erg Lihoudi trip at a glance
- 2 days / 1 night
- Marrakech · Tizi n'Tichka · Aït Benhaddou · Ouarzazate · Agdz · Zagora · Tamegroute · Erg Lihoudi · Marrakech
- Private tour
- Riad or hotel pickup
- Best time: October to April
M'hamid El Ghizlane, where the road ends
Erg Lihoudi is a band of dunes just outside M’hamid El Ghizlane, the last village in the Draa Valley, and its dunes are bigger than those around Zagora. Getting there takes you past palm groves, ksour and the old caravan town of Tamegroute.
Expect eight to nine hours on the road each way, with stops. It is the longest two-day trip we run, and it suits people who are short of time and don’t mind spending it in the car. If you can add a day, we suggest a night in the Draa Valley to split the drive.
Highlights
- The High Atlas crossing by the Tizi n'Tichka pass
- The ksar of Aït Benhaddou
- The full length of the Draa Valley palm groves
- Tamegroute and its green pottery
- A camel ride and a night in the Erg Lihoudi dunes
Read more: M’Hamid El Ghizlane and Draa River.
Day-by-day itinerary
How the two days go, from your pickup in Marrakech to the drop-off.
Day 1 · Marrakech to Erg Lihoudi
An early pickup in Marrakech and the drive over the Tizi n’Tichka pass to Aït Benhaddou for a short visit. After Ouarzazate and Agdz you follow the Draa south through Zagora and Tamegroute to M’hamid. A camel takes you into the dunes for sunset at the camp.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Lihoudi
Day 2 · Erg Lihoudi back to Marrakech
Sunrise over the dunes and breakfast, then the long drive back up the Draa Valley and over the High Atlas. You reach your riad or hotel in Marrakech in the evening.
What is included and not included
Included
- Private vehicle and driver for the two days
- Pickup and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- One night: desert camp in Erg Lihoudi, dinner and breakfast
- 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 Lihoudi trip
How far is M'hamid from Marrakech?
About 450 km, so the first day is long, eight to nine hours on the road with stops. The camp in Erg Lihoudi is a short way from the village.
Erg Lihoudi or Erg Chigaga?
Erg Lihoudi is closer and smaller. Erg Chigaga lies about 60 km further into the desert on a 4×4 track and has much higher dunes, so it needs more time or a faster route: see our 2-day trip from Marrakech to Erg Chigaga.
Is two days too short?
It works, but it is mostly driving. With three days you could sleep in the Draa Valley on the way and spend more time in the dunes.
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.
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
More Desert Tours from Marrakech
- Erg Chigaga
Marrakech to Erg Chigaga in 2 Days, via Foum Zguid and Lake Iriki
2 days / 1 night · Marrakech, round trip
The fastest way from Marrakech to Erg Chigaga, also spelled Erg Chegaga, goes over the High Atlas and south to Foum Zguid, then across the dry bed of Lake Iriki by 4×4.
- Erg Chebbi
3-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga
3 days / 2 nights · Marrakech, round trip
Our 3-day desert tour from Marrakech crosses the High Atlas to Aït Benhaddou, goes through the Dades and Todra gorges and reaches the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga on the second afternoon.
- Erg Chebbi
4-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga and Zagora
4 days / 3 nights · Marrakech, round trip
Our 4-day desert tour from Marrakech goes out to Merzouga through the Dades and Todra gorges and comes back by another road, over the Saghro foothills to Zagora and the Draa Valley.