Merzouga Desert Journey
Casablanca to Marrakech via the Sahara
Grand Morocco in 14 Days
Atlas lakes to Saghro
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5-Day Erg Chigaga Mobile Camp Journey with Lake Iriki
Erg Chigaga is the biggest and most remote dune field in Morocco, reached only by 4x4 beyond the end of the road at M'Hamid. Most visitors sleep in the fixed camps at its edge. On this journey our crew drives ahead and sets up your private mobile camp deep in the dunes, for two nights, so you have the sand, the silence and the stars to yourselves. You come down the Draa Valley, the longest palm oasis in Morocco, and leave across the flat, dry bed of Lake Iriki.
Best for: Travellers who want the wildest dunes in Morocco, far from the busy camps.
Highlights
- Two nights in your own mobile camp in Erg Chigaga
- The Draa Valley palm groves and kasbahs
- The old library and green pottery of Tamegroute
- Off-road from M'Hamid into the dunes
- A full day in the dunes: camel trek, nomads, sandboarding
- The crossing of dry Lake Iriki to Foum Zguid
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 1Marrakech – Tizi n'Tichka – Ouarzazate – Agdz
Marrakech – Tizi n'Tichka – Ouarzazate – Agdz
We pick you up in Marrakech and cross the High Atlas on the Tizi n'Tichka pass. After Ouarzazate the road climbs over the Tizi n'Tinififft pass and drops into the Draa Valley at Agdz, where the palm groves begin. Night in a kasbah guesthouse among the palms.
Day 2Agdz – Draa Valley – Tamegroute – M'Hamid – Erg Chigaga mobile camp
Agdz – Draa Valley – Tamegroute – M'Hamid – Erg Chigaga mobile camp
South along the Draa Valley, past ksour and palm groves, to Tamegroute, with its old Koranic library and its green-glazed pottery. At M'Hamid the road ends. From here the 4x4 takes desert tracks across stony plains and small dunes into Erg Chigaga, where your camp team has set up your private camp deep in the dunes. Sunset from the top of a dune, dinner by the fire.
Day 3A day in Erg Chigaga
A day in Erg Chigaga
A full day in the dunes, at your own pace: a camel trek, a visit to a nomad family if they are camping nearby, sandboarding, or simply time in the silence. In the afternoon the camp moves to a new corner of the dunes for your second night under the stars.
Day 4Erg Chigaga – Lake Iriki – Foum Zguid – Aït Benhaddou
Erg Chigaga – Lake Iriki – Foum Zguid – Aït Benhaddou
Sunrise over the dunes, then west on desert tracks to Lake Iriki, a huge dry lake bed where you may see mirages in the heat. At Foum Zguid the road begins again, and you continue through the Anti-Atlas to Aït Benhaddou. Night in a guesthouse facing the ksar.
Day 5Aït Benhaddou – Telouet – Marrakech
Aït Benhaddou – Telouet – Marrakech
Morning walk through the UNESCO-listed ksar of Aït Benhaddou, then the old caravan road through the Ounila Valley to the Glaoui kasbah at Telouet, and over the High Atlas back to your riad in Marrakech.
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 nights in the mobile camp are 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 | €2,510 |
| 4 travellers | €1,360 |
| 6 travellers | €980 |
The vehicles, camp and crew cost the same for 2 or 7 people, so the price per person drops as your group grows. Travelling alone, or with 3, 5 or 7? Ask us and we send your exact price within 24 hours.
What's included
Included
- 4x4 vehicle with your own English-speaking driver-guide
- A second support vehicle carrying the camp, with its crew: a cook and camp helpers
- 4 nights: 2 nights in your private mobile camp in Erg Chigaga, a kasbah guesthouse in the Draa Valley and a guesthouse in Aït Benhaddou
- Breakfast every day
- Dinner every night
- Picnic lunch on the desert days
- Camel trek in Erg Chigaga, one camel per person
- Passenger insurance in the vehicle
Not included
- Flights
- Lunches in towns
- Drinks
- Entrance fees
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Questions about this journey
How is Erg Chigaga different from Merzouga?
Erg Chigaga is bigger, wilder and much harder to reach: there is no road, only 4x4 tracks from M'Hamid. Merzouga's dunes are easier to reach and busier.
When is the best time?
From October to April. Days are warm and nights are cool or cold. From June to August the desert is too hot for camping.
Do we cross Lake Iriki when it has water?
Lake Iriki is dry almost all year. After rare heavy rain the track can be closed, and your driver will take the road through the Draa Valley instead.
What is a mobile camp?
A private camp that travels with you. Our crew sets up your tents, real beds, bathroom tent and kitchen before you arrive, only for your group.
More journeys
Sahara & Nomad Journey
Two nights in Erg Chebbi, tea with nomads and Gnawa music, then home through the Draa Valley.
From €1,080 per person
Through Our Home Village
The quiet southern road through N'kob, where our founder grew up, and on to Ouzoud.
From €1,080 per person
Sahara Loop via Ouarzazate
The same Sahara night as the 3-day tour, with a calmer way home through Ouarzazate and Telouet.
From €860 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.