Updated: 11 November 2026
What the Foum Zguid and Chigaga desert covers
When we say the Foum Zguid desert we mean the vast country stretching south from the town: Iriki National Park (Iriqui) and its surroundings. There is no single scene here, more a string of pictures that slide past the windscreen:
- The Lake Iriki plain: a former lake that is nearly always dry, with salty, crazed ground. After exceptional rain it may hold shallow water for a short time. Our Lake Iriki page has the details.
- Erg Lmhazil (El Mhazil): a smaller, very calm dune field, suited to walking and to nights far from other camps. More on Erg Lmhazil.
- Erg Chigaga (Chegaga): the largest sand sea in the kingdom, 35 to 40 km long and about 15 km wide, with most dunes standing 60 to 80 m high and a few taller. Read the Erg Chigaga guide for more.
- Oases and hamlets: El Grisim, Laarjimia, Tissint on the road to Tata, and Zaouiat Sidi Abdenabi under the Jebel Bani.
Between stops the track runs across acacia steppe, tamarisk thickets and flat-topped hills. There is not one kilometre of tarmac, so every outing is by 4×4 with a driver who knows each crossing. If you want information about the town itself, open our Foum Zguid guide.
The full range from Foum Zguid, sorted by length
Every option below starts in Foum Zguid. The amounts are “from” prices per traveller, and you receive the exact programme and price before committing.
| Length | Trip | Main stops | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | Lake Iriki with lunch at Titanic Iriki | Dry lake plain, lunch at the ship-themed auberge | from €80 |
| 1 day | Laarjimia oasis | Some 25 km of track, palm grove, meal cooked on a wood fire | from €80 |
| 1 day | Tissint waterfalls | Salt-water falls, Berber village, canyon | from €90 |
| 1 day | Erg Chigaga in a day | Park crossing, lunch in an earthen house, dunes, return by the lake | from €100 |
| 2 days / 1 night | Two days in the Foum Zguid desert | Marine fossils, camp at Erg Lamhazil, nomad family, oasis | from €120 |
| 2 days / 1 night | Camp at Erg El Mhazil | Lake Iriki crossing, camp among the dunes | from €130 |
| 2 days / 1 night | A night on the Iriki plain | Lake Iriki, night at Titanic Iriki | from €130 |
| 2 days / 1 night | Camp in the Chigaga dunes | Lake Iriki, camel ride, night at Erg Chigaga | from €140 |
| 3 days / 2 nights | Camel trek towards Erg El Mhazil | Walking with the caravan, Jebel Bani, El Mhazil dunes, edge of Lake Iriki | from €230 |
| 3 days / 2 nights | Hike with a stop at a nomad school | Stage at El Mhazil, walk to Erg El Ghoule, nomad school | from €250 |
| 3 days / 2 nights | Foum Zguid to Erg Chigaga loop | Fossils, night at Titanic Iriki, visit to the nomad school, Chigaga camp | from €260 |
| 4 days / 3 nights | Trek through Iriki park | Caravan, dunes, nomad oasis, night in an earthen house | from €300 |
| 4 days / 3 nights | Four-day grand tour | Lake Iriki, a full day at Chigaga, El Mhazil, rock carvings | from €380 |
| 6 days / 5 nights | Trek from El Grisim oasis to Chigaga | Start at El Grisim, Erg Chigaga, remote dunes, Erg El Ghoule | from €640 |
Starting somewhere else? These tours begin in another city and pass through Foum Zguid and Lake Iriki:
| Starting city | Tour | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zagora | Zagora – Erg Chigaga – Foum Zguid | 2 days / 1 night | from €225 |
| Ouarzazate | Ouarzazate to Erg Chigaga via Foum Zguid | 2 days / 1 night | from €290 |
| Agadir | Agadir to Erg Chigaga via Taroudant | 3 days / 2 nights | from €410 |
| Marrakech | Marrakech to Chigaga, three-day version | 3 days / 2 nights | from €440 |
| Marrakech | Marrakech to Chigaga, four-day version | 4 days / 3 nights | from €560 |
| Marrakech or Agadir | Trek in the heart of the dunes | 5 days / 4 nights | from €640 |
| Agadir | Trek from Agadir to the Chigaga desert | 7 days / 6 nights | from €740 |
The whole catalogue, with day-by-day programmes, is on the all tours page.
Which length for which traveller?
It all hangs on your calendar and on what you hope to find in the desert.
- Passing through, one day only: Lake Iriki with lunch at Titanic Iriki (from €80) leaves a strong impression without tiring you out. Chigaga within a day (from €100) is possible, but the track eats most of the hours and the dunes only see you for a short while.
- One night, the best balance: sunset, night sky, dinner by the fire, sunrise. Chigaga (from €140) for the sheer scale of the dunes, El Mhazil (from €130) for solitude, or the two-day trip with fossils and an oasis (from €120).
- Two nights, without hurry: the Foum Zguid to Chigaga loop (from €260) adds the Iriki plain and a stop at a nomad school; the hike with the nomad school (from €250) involves about four hours on foot.
- Walking: while you stride on, camels carry the bags. Choose four days in Iriki park (from €300) or six days between El Grisim and Chigaga (from €640). To learn what a walking day looks like, read the Morocco trekking guide.
Children, health concerns, a tight schedule? Say so when you enquire, and we will adjust the pace, the breaks and the share of track.
A concrete example: two days and one night among the Lamhazil dunes
To picture the hours as they unfold, here is the two-day, one-night trip from Foum Zguid (from €120). Timings move with the seasons.
First day: the lake, the fossils, the camp
- Around noon: the 4×4 collects you in Foum Zguid.
- You cross the bed of the old Lake Iriki, then stop at a marine-fossil site.
- About 4 pm: you reach the dunes and settle into camp.
- A sunset walk, or a camel ride as an option.
- Dinner, music, a night in a tent: with no lights around, the sky takes over completely.
Second day: village, nomad family, oasis
- About 6 am: daybreak on the sand crests, then breakfast.
- A stop at Zaouit Sidi Abdennabi, a traditional village under the Jebel Bani.
- A visit with a nomad family.
- Lunch at Laajamiya oasis.
- About 5 pm: back in Foum Zguid.
Fancy taller dunes? The two-day camp at Erg Chigaga (from €140) follows the same pattern: Lake Iriki, a camel ride, sunset, a night in a nomad tent and a return next morning.
What our programmes cover
Each trip page lists its own contents, but the general logic is this:
- a 4×4 reserved for your group, with a local guide driving;
- when you sleep in the desert: evening meal, a bed in camp (nomad tent or open sky) and breakfast;
- a lunch on most full days, which might be eaten in an earthen house at Zaouiat Sidi Abdenabi, at Titanic Iriki, under the palms at Laarjimia or on the riverbank at Tissint;
- tea, served in camp or by local families depending on the route.
A camel ride is part of some programmes (the two-day Chigaga camp, the three-day loop) and bookable as an extra on others (the Chigaga day trip, El Mhazil). We send you the exact list of inclusions in writing before you book, so ask whatever you like at that point.
When to go
The good season runs broadly from October to April. Here is what to expect, month by month:
| Months | Good to know |
|---|---|
| October and November | A pleasant stretch: the scorching heat has gone and nights are mild. |
| December to February | Comfortable days, with camp nights that sometimes approach zero. Bring genuinely warm clothes. |
| March and April | Another fine window; a sandstorm may blow up, in which case the guide changes the plan. |
| May to September | Intense heat, often above 40 °C. Leave early, keep to short trips and drink lots of water. |
Packing for a night in the desert
- Against the sun: a hat or scarf, sunglasses, sun cream.
- Against the cold: a fleece, a windproof layer and, in winter, a woolly hat, even if the day was mild.
- On your feet: closed shoes for stones, sandals for the sand if you wish.
- For the night: a head torch and a power bank, since there may not be a socket in camp.
- In your pocket: dirhams, withdrawn before leaving town.
For a trek we send the full list: depending on the season, a sleeping bag, walking boots and a small rucksack are essentials.
Booking your Foum Zguid desert trip
Each outing is private: the 4×4 is shared with no other travellers. Message us on WhatsApp at +212 649 598 615, or through the contact page, giving your dates, the number of people and your chosen option. Abdul, the guide based in Foum Zguid, confirms the programme and price before any commitment.
Not yet sure about the region? Weigh it against the others in which desert to choose in Morocco.
Travellers’ questions
What budget should I plan for the Foum Zguid desert?
Each traveller pays from €80 for a day at Lake Iriki or Laarjimia, from €140 for a night at Chigaga, from €260 for three days and from €640 for the six-day trek. The final price varies with your dates and group size, and we confirm it before you book.
How long is the track between Foum Zguid and Erg Chigaga?
Count on about 2.5 to 3 hours by 4×4, depending on the state of the track and your stops. The route crosses Iriki park and the dry lake, so it is part of the journey. That is why we advise at least one night: on a day trip, your time among the dunes is short.
Erg Chigaga or Erg Lmhazil: which suits me?
Take Chigaga, the biggest sand sea in Morocco with most dunes at 60 to 80 m, if you want the grand Saharan panorama. Lmhazil (El Mhazil), smaller and calmer, is better for walking and a night away from other camps. Either way you leave Foum Zguid and cross Lake Iriki.
Is Chigaga better than Merzouga?
That depends on what you want. Merzouga (Erg Chebbi), near Erfoud, is the country’s most visited desert and the simplest to reach, hence the liveliest. Chigaga is more distant: you only get there by track, from M’Hamid in the east or Foum Zguid in the west, and its camps are more widely spaced.
Is one day enough to see Chigaga?
It can be done, with the day trip from €100, but the track takes a large part of the time and you stay briefly among the dunes. If you care about sunset, the starry sky and daybreak, the night in camp, from €140, remains the better choice.
Which season is best for a desert outing?
October to April. In summer, days often pass 40 °C. In winter they are pleasant, but camp nights can approach freezing, so bring warm clothes. In spring a sandstorm is possible, and the guide then adapts the route and timings. For a trek, aim for the cool months.
Are the trips private or in groups?
All are private: the 4×4 and the guide are for you alone, whether you are a couple, a family or friends. That lets us tune the stops, the pace and the departure hour. We confirm programme and price on WhatsApp before you book.
