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Marrakech to Agadir Desert Tour, 4 Days via Erg Chigaga
Our Marrakech to Agadir desert tour is a four-day, one-way trip with two nights in the Erg Chigaga dunes. You go south by Aït Benhaddou and the Draa Valley to M’hamid, cross Lake Iriki to Foum Zguid by 4×4 and reach the Atlantic coast by way of Taroudant.
- DURATION
- ROUTE
- TOUR TYPE
- PICKUP
- PRICE
Marrakech to Agadir desert tour at a glance
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Marrakech · Aït Benhaddou · Ouarzazate · Agdz · Zagora · M'hamid · Erg Chigaga · Lake Iriki · Foum Zguid · Taroudant · Agadir
- Private tour
- Riad or hotel pickup
- Best time: October to April
From Marrakech to Agadir via the desert
After two nights in Erg Chigaga you leave the dunes across the dry bed of Lake Iriki and carry on to the Atlantic at Agadir, without driving back the way you came. It works well if you are flying home from Agadir or continuing along the coast.
Erg Chigaga lies about 60 kilometres past the end of the tarmac at M’hamid, so you go in and out by 4×4. It is quieter than Merzouga, and with a full day in the dunes there is time to walk, ride a camel and see the sun set twice.
Highlights
- The ksar of Aït Benhaddou and the High Atlas crossing
- The palm groves of the Draa Valley down to M'hamid
- Two nights at a camp in the Erg Chigaga dunes
- The 4x4 crossing of the dry Lake Iriki
- The walled town of Taroudant on the way to the coast
Read more: Erg Chigaga and Iriqui National Park (Lake Iriki).
Day-by-day itinerary
How the four days go, from your pickup in Marrakech to the drop-off in Agadir.
Day 1 · Marrakech to the Draa Valley
Pickup in Marrakech and the drive over the Tizi n’Tichka pass to Aït Benhaddou for a walk through the ksar. After Ouarzazate the road crosses the Tizi n’Tinififft pass to Agdz, where you spend the night among the palm groves.
- Overnight: Guesthouse or kasbah hotel in Agdz
Day 2 · Zagora, M'hamid and into Erg Chigaga
South along the Draa through Zagora and Tamegroute to M’hamid, where the road ends. A 4×4 track runs about two hours to Erg Chigaga. You reach camp in time for a camel ride and sunset from a dune.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 3 · A full day in Erg Chigaga
There is no driving today. Walk into the dunes early, ride a camel, try sandboarding on a soft slope or rest at camp through the heat of the day. Sunset, dinner and the stars in the evening.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 4 · Across Lake Iriki to Taroudant and Agadir
After breakfast you cross the dry lake to Foum Zguid, then drive through Tazenakht and Taliouine, the saffron town, to Taroudant and on to Agadir. It is a long day of eight to nine hours, ending at your hotel or the airport.
What is included and not included
Included
- Private vehicle and driver for the four days, with a 4x4 for the desert tracks
- Pickup at your hotel in Marrakech and drop-off at your hotel in Agadir
- One night: guesthouse or kasbah hotel in Agdz, dinner and breakfast
- Two 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. The tour ends at your hotel in Agadir.
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 Marrakech to Agadir desert tour
Can we end in Agadir and fly home from there?
Yes. The tour ends at your hotel in Agadir, and if you have a flight the same evening, tell us the time and we plan the last day around it.
Is there a version that ends in Essaouira?
Yes. The 5-day Marrakech to Essaouira desert tour follows the same desert route, adds a night in Taroudant and takes the coast road north to Essaouira.
Why finish in Agadir?
It saves the long drive back to Marrakech and puts you on the coast, close to Agadir airport. If you would rather end in Marrakech or Essaouira, we plan the last day that way.
The last day is long. Can we break it up?
Yes. Add a night in Taroudant and the tour becomes five days, with a short drive to Agadir on the last morning.
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.
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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