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Nomads Festival in M'hamid, Morocco, 7-Day Trip from Marrakech
The Nomads Festival in Morocco’s far south, held in M’hamid El Ghizlane, brings three days of music, camel races and nomad crafts to the end of the Draa Valley; in French it is the Festival des Nomades. This 7-day trip from Marrakech gives you four nights in M’hamid for the festival and a night in the Erg Chigaga dunes.
- DURATION
- ROUTE
- TOUR TYPE
- PICKUP
- PRICE
Nomads Festival trip in Morocco at a glance
- 7 days / 6 nights
- Marrakech · Aït Benhaddou · Ouarzazate · Agdz · Zagora · M'hamid · Erg Chigaga · Ouarzazate · Marrakech
- Private tour
- Riad or hotel pickup
- Best time: October to April
The Festival des Nomades in M'hamid El Ghizlane
Families come from across the desert to M’hamid for the festival’s concerts, camel races, crafts and talks about nomad life. It is a local event, and a good way to meet people from the region.
The dates change each year, so we set the trip once the festival announces them. Afterwards you spend a night in the Erg Chigaga dunes before driving back.
Highlights
- Three days at the Nomads Festival
- Music, camel races and crafts
- The full length of the Draa Valley
- A night in the Erg Chigaga dunes
- A guesthouse in M'hamid run by local families
Read more: M’Hamid El Ghizlane and Draa River.
Day-by-day itinerary
How the seven days go, from your pickup in Marrakech to the drop-off.
Day 1 · Marrakech to Ouarzazate
Over the High Atlas to Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate.
- Overnight: Hotel in Ouarzazate
Day 2 · Ouarzazate to M'hamid
Down the Draa Valley through Agdz and Zagora to M’hamid.
- Overnight: Guesthouse in M'hamid
Day 3 · Festival
The first day of the festival.
- Overnight: Guesthouse in M'hamid
Day 4 · Festival
The second day of the festival.
- Overnight: Guesthouse in M'hamid
Day 5 · Festival
The last day of the festival.
- Overnight: Guesthouse in M'hamid
Day 6 · M'hamid to Erg Chigaga
By 4×4 into the dunes for a quiet night after the festival.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 7 · Erg Chigaga to Marrakech
Across Lake Iriki to Foum Zguid and back to Marrakech.
What is included and not included
Included
- Private vehicle and driver for the seven days, with a 4x4 for the desert tracks
- Pickup and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- One night: hotel in Ouarzazate, dinner and breakfast
- Four nights: guesthouse in M'hamid, dinner and breakfast
- One night: desert camp in Erg Chigaga, 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 Nomads Festival trip in Morocco
When is the Nomads Festival in M'hamid?
It is usually held in spring, and the organisers announce the dates each year. We set the trip dates once they are confirmed.
Where do we stay during the festival?
In a guesthouse in M’hamid for four nights, then one night at a desert camp in Erg Chigaga after the festival.
When is the festival?
It is held each year in spring, with dates announced by the organisers. We confirm the trip once the dates are known.
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
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