Marrakech to Erg Chigaga in 2 Days, via Foum Zguid and Lake Iriki

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. You reach the dunes in the evening, spend one night at a desert camp and drive back to Marrakech the next day.

2 days / 1 night

Marrakech, round trip

Private tour

Your riad or hotel

Marrakech to Erg Chigaga trip at a glance

Price on request

On this page

The Erg Chigaga desert tour by 4x4

No tarmac road reaches Erg Chigaga, the larger and quieter of Morocco’s two big dune fields. From Marrakech the shortest way in is through Tazenakht to Foum Zguid, then by 4×4 over the flat lake bed to the dunes.

Two days is tight. It takes around eight hours to reach camp and the same to get back, some of it on desert tracks, so the trip is for people who want Erg Chigaga itself and not a camp nearer the road. With three or four days it is far more relaxed; see our longer Erg Chigaga tours.

Highlights

The Tizi n'Tichka pass over the High Atlas
Tazenakht, a town known for its carpets
The 4x4 crossing of the dry Lake Iriki
Sunset from the top of an Erg Chigaga dune
A night at a camp far from other camps

Day-by-day itinerary

How the two days go, from your pickup in Marrakech to the drop-off.

Day 1 · Marrakech to Erg Chigaga

An early start from Marrakech over the Tizi n’Tichka pass to Ouarzazate, then south through Tazenakht to Foum Zguid, where the tarmac ends. The 4×4 crosses Lake Iriki to the dunes in time for sunset and dinner at camp.

Day 2 · Erg Chigaga back to Marrakech

Sunrise and breakfast in the dunes, then back across the lake to Foum Zguid and on to Marrakech, arriving in the evening.

What is included and not included

Included

Not included

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

Price on request

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 Erg Chigaga trip

How far is Erg Chigaga from Marrakech?

Around nine hours each way, with about six hours of road to Foum Zguid and then a 4×4 track across Lake Iriki to the dunes. Two days is possible but makes for long days; with five you can stay three nights.

Is Erg Chigaga better than Merzouga?

It is harder to reach, with no paved road to the dunes, so it is quieter and has fewer camps. Merzouga has the higher Erg Chebbi dunes and a paved road to them. Our guide to Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga compares the two.

Why not go through Zagora?

Through Zagora and M’hamid the drive is longer. Foum Zguid is the fastest way in and out when you only have two days.

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

Price on request

Send your dates and group size and we reply with a quote.

Private tour, only your group
Free enquiry, no obligation

Questions? Call +212 667 897 512

More private tours

More Desert Tours from Marrakech

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.

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.

5-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech with Three Nights in Merzouga

5 days / 4 nights · Marrakech to Marrakech or Fes

This 5-day desert tour from Marrakech spends three of its four nights at one camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga, for people who want more time in the desert and less on the road.