Private 3–4 day desert tour
Erg Chigaga Desert Tour from Marrakech the quiet dunes, three or four days
الصحراءThe Sahara dunes
At a glance
Further than Merzouga, quieter too
- Length
- 3 days (fast) or 4 days (gentler)
- From
- Marrakech, back to Marrakech
- Nights
- Zagora or the Draa valley, then a desert camp (and Ouarzazate on the 4-day)
- Best
- October to April
The road
- Marrakech → OuarzazateAbout 4 h (200 km) at the wheel
- Ouarzazate → ZagoraAbout 2½ h (165 km) at the wheel
- Zagora → M'HamidAbout 1½ h (95 km) at the wheel
- M'Hamid → Erg ChigagaAbout 2 h (55 km) at the wheel
- Erg Chigaga → MarrakechAbout 10 h (480 km) at the wheel
Driving times from our planning road map, before photo and rest stops.
- The last stretch to the dunes is off-road by 4x4, about 55 km of track from M’Hamid.
- The 3-day version ends with a very long drive back to Marrakech. The 4-day version adds a night in Ouarzazate to split it.
- Camps range from simple to luxury; your proposal names the camp and what it includes.
Day by day
The route, day by day
Day 1
Marrakech to the Draa valley
Cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n’Tichka, stop at Ait Benhaddou, then continue through Ouarzazate and down the palm-lined Draa valley to Zagora for the night.
Day 2
Tamegroute, M’Hamid and the dunes
Visit Tamegroute and its old Koranic library and pottery, drive to M’Hamid at the end of the road, then switch to a 4x4 for the track to Erg Chigaga. A camel trek at sunset, then dinner and a night at your desert camp.
Day 3
Sunrise and the road north
Sunrise over the dunes, breakfast, then the 4x4 back out. On the 3-day tour this is the long drive back to Marrakech; on the 4-day tour you stop for the night in Ouarzazate.
Day 4 (4-day tour)
Ouarzazate to Marrakech
An easier morning, then back over the High Atlas to Marrakech by mid-afternoon.
Driver, guide or both
Your own driver, a 4x4 crew in the desert
Your private driver takes you from Marrakech to M’Hamid and back. In the dunes, an experienced 4x4 driver and the camp team take over, and a local guide can join you for Ait Benhaddou and Tamegroute.
Meet our local guides- Private driver from Marrakech
- 4x4 crossing to the dunes
- Camel trek and a desert camp
- Standard or luxury camp, named in your proposal
After you ask for a quote
What you get within 24 hours
- A day-by-day route, with the driving time between stops
- Stays matched to your style (riads, kasbahs, desert camps or hotels), named so you can look them up
- Which moments are private to you, and which are shared, such as a camp’s dining tent
- An itemised quote: what is included and what is not
- Who is planning your trip, and how to reach them on WhatsApp
- Free, with no obligation to book
Every trip is private and priced to your dates, so there is no fixed price list. Ask, and the proposal shows the full cost before anything is booked.
Erg Chigaga tour: your questions
Erg Chigaga or Erg Chebbi?
Erg Chebbi near Merzouga is easier to reach, with a paved road to the dunes and many camps. Erg Chigaga is more remote, reached only by 4x4 from M’Hamid, and much quieter. Choose Chigaga for solitude, Chebbi for ease.
Is 3 days enough for Erg Chigaga?
It is possible, but the last day is a very long drive back to Marrakech. The 4-day version adds a night in Ouarzazate and is far more comfortable.
Do we need a 4x4?
Yes, for the final stretch: the track from M’Hamid to the dunes is off-road. Your proposal includes the 4x4 transfer.
What are the camps like?
They range from simple tents with shared facilities to luxury tents with en-suite bathrooms. Your proposal names the camp and what it includes.
How much is an Erg Chigaga tour?
It depends on the length, the camp level, the season and your group. We do not publish fixed prices: every tour is quoted for you, free, within 24 hours.
The quiet dunes, planned around you.
المغربⵜⴰⴳⵍⴷⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱThe Kingdom of Morocco