Merzouga Desert Journey
Grand Morocco in 14 Days
The Saghro Traverse
Atlas lakes to Saghro
Erg Chigaga & Lake Iriki
Southern Atlantic
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4-Day Erg Chigaga Desert Tour from Agadir via Tata and Lake Iriki
Most desert trips from Agadir go to Merzouga. This one takes the quiet southern road. You cross the Anti-Atlas to the oasis of Tata, then follow the edge of the Sahara to Foum Zguid, where the road ends and the 4x4 crosses the flat, dry bed of Lake Iriki to Erg Chigaga, the biggest and most remote dune field in Morocco. You come back through the Draa Valley and the saffron country of Taliouine.
Best for: Travellers who want the wild, quiet side of the Sahara, far from the busy camps.
Highlights
- The Anti-Atlas road through Igherm
- The palm oasis of Tata
- Crossing dry Lake Iriki by 4x4
- A night in the remote dunes of Erg Chigaga
- The Draa Valley and Tamegroute
- Saffron country around Taliouine
Day by day
Driving times are honest estimates for the time behind the wheel. Stops for photos, tea and lunch come on top, and you can always ask your driver to stop.
Day 1Agadir – Taroudant – Igherm – Tata
Agadir – Taroudant – Igherm – Tata
Pick-up at your hotel and drive past the ramparts of Taroudant into the Anti-Atlas. The road climbs through Igherm, a mountain village of stone houses, then drops into the desert valleys of the south to Tata, an oasis of palm groves and old ksour. Night in a guesthouse in Tata.
Day 2Tata – Foum Zguid – Lake Iriki – Erg Chigaga desert camp
Tata – Foum Zguid – Lake Iriki – Erg Chigaga desert camp
East along the edge of the Sahara to Foum Zguid, where the road ends. From here the 4x4 crosses the dry bed of Lake Iriki, a huge flat plain where you may see mirages in the heat, and reaches the dunes of Erg Chigaga. Sunset from the top of a dune, dinner and a night at a camp deep in the desert.
Day 3Erg Chigaga – M'Hamid – Tamegroute – Zagora – Agdz
Erg Chigaga – M'Hamid – Tamegroute – Zagora – Agdz
Sunrise over the dunes, then a camel ride before the 4x4 takes the desert tracks to M'Hamid. North along the Draa Valley to Tamegroute, with its old Koranic library and green pottery, and on through the palm groves to Agdz. Night in a kasbah guesthouse.
Day 4Agdz – Ouarzazate – Taliouine – Taroudant – Agadir
Agdz – Ouarzazate – Taliouine – Taroudant – Agadir
Over the Tizi n'Tinififft pass to Ouarzazate, then west through the saffron country of Taliouine and back down to the Souss plain. Back at your hotel in Agadir in the evening.
Where you'll stay
These are our usual choices. If one is full on your dates we book a place of the same standard, and you can ask for an upgrade.
Choose your dates by the stars
Your night in the dunes of Erg Chigaga is far from any city lights. On nights with little or no moon, the Milky Way stretches across the whole sky. Pick a month to see the darkest nights.
Moon phases are calculated for each night at 10 pm. Clear skies are most common from October to May.
Price per person
| Group size | Per person |
|---|---|
| 2 travellers | €900 |
| 4 travellers | €640 |
| 6 travellers | €550 |
Your car and driver-guide cost the same for 2 or 6 people, and we book one double or twin room for every two travellers, so the price per person drops as your group grows. Hotels and breakfast are included. Travelling alone, or with 3 or 5? Ask us and we send your exact price within 24 hours.
What's included
Included
- Private car with your own English-speaking driver-guide
- 4x4 for the desert tracks to Erg Chigaga
- Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel or the airport
- Hand-picked hotels, kasbahs and desert camps, double or twin rooms
- Breakfast every day, and dinner at the desert camp
- Camel ride into the dunes
- Fuel, tolls and passenger insurance
Not included
- Flights
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Entrance fees
- Local guides
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Questions about this journey
Do we need a 4x4?
Yes, for the tracks across Lake Iriki and into Erg Chigaga, and it is included. The rest of the route is on good roads.
Can you pick us up at our hotel in Agadir or Taghazout?
Yes. We pick you up at your hotel in Agadir, Taghazout or Tamraght, or at Agadir airport, and bring you back at the end.
Can we change the route?
Yes. Every journey is private, so we can add a night, slow down a long day or finish in another city. Tell us what you would like.
How is the price calculated?
The car and driver-guide cost the same for 2 or 6 people, and we book one double or twin room for every two travellers, so the price per person drops as your group grows. Ask us for your exact price.
More journeys
Agadir to Marrakech via Merzouga
From the Atlantic to the big dunes and on to Marrakech, without going back the same way.
From €670 per person
Agadir to Fes through the Sahara
Coast to imperial city: kasbahs, gorges, two nights in the dunes and the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas.
From €1,120 per person
2 Days to the Zagora Desert
The shortest way from the beach to the Sahara: the Draa Valley palm groves and a night in the dunes near Zagora.
From €440 per person
Where will your road begin?
Tell us your dates and who's coming. Abdou or one of the team will send you a route and a price within 24 hours.