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- Marrakech to Essaouira Desert Tour, 5 Days via Erg Chigaga
Marrakech to Essaouira Desert Tour, 5 Days via Erg Chigaga
Our Marrakech to Essaouira desert tour goes to the coast the long way, in five days. You follow the Draa Valley to two nights in the Erg Chigaga dunes, cross to Foum Zguid and Taroudant, and finish on the Atlantic in Essaouira.
- DURATION
- ROUTE
- TOUR TYPE
- PICKUP
- PRICE
Marrakech to Essaouira desert tour at a glance
- 5 days / 4 nights
- Marrakech · Aït Benhaddou · Agdz · Zagora · M'hamid · Erg Chigaga · Foum Zguid · Taliouine · Taroudant · Agadir · Essaouira
- Private tour
- Riad or hotel pickup
- Best time: October to April
A desert tour ending in Essaouira
Most visitors to Marrakech want to see both the Sahara and the Atlantic coast, and this route joins the two. It loops through the south without using the same road twice and ends by the harbour in Essaouira, after the heat of the desert.
A night in Taroudant splits the long drive out of the desert. The last day is a shorter run up the coast, so you reach Essaouira in the early afternoon and still have time for the medina.
Highlights
- The ksar of Aït Benhaddou and the Draa Valley palm groves
- Two nights in the Erg Chigaga dunes, reached by 4x4 from M'hamid
- The desert crossing over the dry Lake Iriki
- Taliouine, the saffron town, and the walls of Taroudant
- The coast road north to Essaouira
Read more: Medina of Essaouira on the UNESCO World Heritage List and Erg Chigaga.
Day-by-day itinerary
How the five days go, from your pickup in Marrakech to the drop-off in Essaouira.
Day 1 · Marrakech to the Draa Valley
Over the Tizi n’Tichka pass to Aït Benhaddou, then through Ouarzazate and over the Tizi n’Tinififft pass to Agdz for the night.
- Overnight: Guesthouse or kasbah hotel in Agdz
Day 2 · Zagora, M'hamid and into Erg Chigaga
Down the Draa through Zagora and Tamegroute to M’hamid, then about two hours by 4×4 to the dunes, with a camel ride to watch the sunset.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 3 · A full day in Erg Chigaga
A free day in the dunes: an early walk, a longer camel ride, sandboarding or simply resting at camp.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 4 · Across Lake Iriki to Taroudant
Across the dry lake to Foum Zguid, then through Tazenakht and Taliouine down to the Souss valley and Taroudant. You arrive in the late afternoon with time to walk along the town walls.
- Overnight: Riad in Taroudant
Day 5 · Taroudant to Essaouira
A morning drive to the coast at Agadir, then north past the surf beaches and the argan country to Essaouira, about four hours in all. Drop-off at your riad in the early afternoon.
What is included and not included
Included
- Private vehicle and driver for the five days, with a 4x4 for the desert tracks
- Pickup at your hotel in Marrakech and drop-off at your hotel in Essaouira
- One night: guesthouse or kasbah hotel in Agdz, dinner and breakfast
- Two nights: desert camp in Erg Chigaga, dinner and breakfast
- One night: riad in Taroudant, 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 Essaouira.
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 Essaouira desert tour
Why end a desert tour in Essaouira?
Essaouira is about three hours from Marrakech, so you can stay a few nights by the sea and still reach Marrakech airport easily at the end of your holiday.
How long is the drive from Taroudant to Essaouira?
About four and a half hours on the coast road through Agadir, with stops along the way.
Can we do it the other way round?
Yes. The route works in both directions; tell us where you want to start and finish.
Can we go back to Marrakech at the end?
Yes. We can drive you from Essaouira to Marrakech on a sixth day, about three 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.
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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