Marrakech to Erg Chigaga in 4 days: two nights in the dunes
Four days out of Marrakech, one of them spent entirely in the erg with the engine off. You sleep once in Foum Zguid, twice at camp, and come home along the Drâa.
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Departure : Marrakech
- from €560
- Price
- From €560
- Duration
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Departure
- Marrakech
- Stops
- 9 stops
Day by day
Programme
- 1
Day 1 — over the High Atlas to Foum Zguid
Leave around 8:00 from your riad, cross the Tizi n’Tichka pass, see Aït Ben Haddou and lunch in Tazenakht. You reach Foum Zguid in the late afternoon where you sleep in a guesthouse.
- 2
Day 2 — across Iriki, then a first night in the erg
In the morning the 4×4 takes the track across Lake Iriki, past coloured rocks and a fossil plateau. A nomad-style lunch, then the dunes come into view as the afternoon fades; ride a camel, dine by the fire and sleep at camp.
- 3
Day 3 — a whole day at Chigaga
Nothing to drive: an early walk over the dunes, a go at sandboarding, shade and a siesta, and perhaps tea with a nomad family. A second night at camp.
- 4
Day 4 — Chigaga to Marrakech
One more sunrise in the erg, out of the desert, then drive back to Marrakech, taking in Ouarzazate and the Drâa valley. You arrive in the early evening.
The route
Highlights
- One whole day parked in the erg
- Tizi n’Tichka and Aït Ben Haddou
- Lake Iriki crossed by 4×4
- Three nights: two at camp, one in a guesthouse
- Home through the Drâa valley
Included
- A driver-guide and private 4×4, to and from where you stay in Marrakech
- One guesthouse night in Foum Zguid
- Two nights in a furnished camp at Erg Chigaga
- All meals bar lunch on days 1 and 4
- A camel ride and some sandboarding
To agree
- Lunch on the first and last day
- Beverages
- Gratuities
Advice
- From €560 each for two; the 4×4 is private, six travellers at most.
- In December to February the camp turns cold at night and snow can reach the Tichka pass; we adjust the schedule.
- 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 does day 4 add compared with the 3-day circuit?
A whole day at Erg Chigaga and a second night at camp. Go for three days (from €440) and you get a single evening and one morning among the dunes.
What do we do on the full day in the erg?
An early walk, a go at sandboarding, a pause in the shade and tea with a nomad family when it works out. There is no driving that day.
What about winter, December to February?
Camp nights turn cold and the pass can be white. We shift the schedule to suit; pack warm layers.
Which meals are not covered?
Full board is included, bar lunch on the first and last days. Drinks and tips are paid by you.
Read further
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