Marrakech to Erg Chigaga in 3 days, a different road back
Three days between Marrakech and the Chigaga dunes, via the Tichka pass and Aït Ben Haddou, with an evening in Foum Zguid, a camp night and the Drâa road home.
- 3 days / 2 nights
- Departure : Marrakech
- from €440
- Price
- From €440
- Duration
- 3 days / 2 nights
- Departure
- Marrakech
- Stops
- 9 stops
Day by day
Programme
- 1
Day 1 — over the High Atlas to Foum Zguid
The 8:00 pick-up is at your riad. You cross the Tizi n’Tichka pass, stop at Aït Ben Haddou and eat in Tazenakht. Foum Zguid welcomes you in the late afternoon, where you sleep in a guesthouse.
- 2
Day 2 — across Iriki to the dunes and camp
From the morning the 4×4 follows a track over Lake Iriki, between coloured rocks and a plateau of fossils. After a nomad-style lunch you arrive at the big dunes: a camel ride at sunset, dinner and a night at camp.
- 3
Day 3 — Chigaga back to Marrakech
Sunrise over the erg, then the track out to the road. The drive home passes through the Drâa valley and Ouarzazate, reaching Marrakech in the early evening.
The route
Highlights
- Aït Ben Haddou and the Tizi n’Tichka
- An evening in a Foum Zguid guesthouse
- Driving across Lake Iriki
- Camp life in the Chigaga dunes
- Home by the Drâa valley, so no repeated route
Included
- A driver-guide and private 4×4, to and from where you stay in Marrakech
- A guesthouse room in Foum Zguid, breakfast included
- A night in a furnished camp at Erg Chigaga
- Evening meals on days 1 and 2, breakfast on days 2 and 3
- A camel ride
To agree
- Lunch
- A local guide at Aït Ben Haddou, optional
- Beverages
- Gratuities
Advice
- From €440 each for two; the 4×4 is private, six travellers at most.
- The first and last days involve a lot of driving; a jacket is handy for the pass.
- Travelling in July or August, the oasis may stand in for the dune night; this is settled according to your dates.
Images
They travelled with Abdul
“Abdul is a fantastic guide: he made me feel the energy of the desert the way he feels it.”
Your questions about this journey
What is the price for 2 people, and is the 4×4 private?
From €440 per person for two. The 4×4 is private, for up to six people.
Where do we sleep over the 3 days?
The first night is in a guesthouse in Foum Zguid, breakfast included; the second is in an equipped camp at Erg Chigaga.
Are the driving days long?
Yes: the first and last days mean many hours on the road, with the Tizi n’Tichka pass on the way. Bring a jacket.
Can we have a local guide at Aït Ben Haddou?
It is possible as an option: the local guide at Aït Ben Haddou is to be confirmed and is not in the price.
Read further
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