Tour from Essaouira to the Erg Chigaga Dunes, Ending in Marrakech, 5 Days
This tour from Essaouira takes five days to reach Marrakech by way of the Sahara. You go south to Taroudant, cross to two nights in the Erg Chigaga dunes and come up the Draa Valley past Aït Benhaddou to finish in Marrakech.
- DURATION
- ROUTE
- TOUR TYPE
- PICKUP
- PRICE
Desert tour from Essaouira at a glance
- 5 days / 4 nights
- Essaouira · Agadir · Taroudant · Taliouine · Foum Zguid · Erg Chigaga · M'hamid · Zagora · Agdz · Aït Benhaddou · Marrakech
- Private tour
- Riad or hotel pickup
- Best time: October to April
Essaouira to the Sahara and on to Marrakech
If your trip starts on the coast, the natural way to the desert is south to Taroudant and across the Anti-Atlas to Foum Zguid and Erg Chigaga. You leave by the Draa Valley and end in Marrakech.
Two nights in the dunes give you a full day there. The tour also runs the other way round.
Highlights
- The walls of Taroudant
- Taliouine and its saffron
- Two nights in Erg Chigaga
- The Draa Valley palm groves
- Aït Benhaddou on the last day
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 Essaouira to the drop-off in Marrakech.
Day 1 · Essaouira to Taroudant
South along the coast past Agadir, then inland to Taroudant.
- Overnight: Riad in Taroudant
Day 2 · Taroudant to Erg Chigaga
Through Taliouine and Tazenakht to Foum Zguid, then across Lake Iriki to the dunes.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 3 · Erg Chigaga
A free day in the dunes.
- Overnight: Desert camp in Erg Chigaga
Day 4 · Erg Chigaga to Agdz
Out by M’hamid and up the Draa Valley through Zagora to Agdz.
- Overnight: Guesthouse or kasbah hotel in Agdz
Day 5 · Agdz to Marrakech
Ouarzazate, Aït Benhaddou and the High Atlas to Marrakech.
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 Essaouira and drop-off at your hotel in Marrakech
- One night: riad in Taroudant, dinner and breakfast
- Two nights: desert camp in Erg Chigaga, dinner and breakfast
- One night: guesthouse or kasbah hotel in Agdz, 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
Pickup at your riad or hotel in Essaouira; for riads inside the medina, the driver waits at the nearest gate. The tour ends at your hotel in Marrakech.
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 desert tour from Essaouira
How far is Essaouira from Marrakech?
About 190 km, three hours by road. This tour takes the long way round through the south.
Can we end at Marrakech airport?
Yes. If your flight is in the evening, the last day can finish at Marrakech Menara airport; tell us the time.
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.
Can we bring children?
Yes. Tell us how old they are and we plan the driving, the stops and the pace around them.
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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