4 Days Erg Chegaga Desert Tour from Marrakech
Overview
Erg Chegaga Desert Tour – 4 Days from Marrakech
This 4-day Erg Chegaga desert tour from Marrakech is the ultimate adventure for travelers seeking Morocco’s most remote and untouched Sahara dunes. Less crowded than Erg Chebbi, the Erg Chegaga dunes stretch endlessly, offering a true sense of solitude and authenticity. Along the way, you’ll cross the majestic High Atlas Mountains, discover the UNESCO-listed Kasbah Aït Ben Haddou, explore the lush Draa Valley, and end each day with authentic Moroccan hospitality.
Highlights include a camel trek across golden dunes, nights in a luxury desert camp under the stars, and guided visits to kasbahs, oases, and hidden Berber villages. This private desert experience combines culture, adventure, and relaxation, making it one of the best VIP Sahara tours in Morocco.
Unlike the popular Erg Chebbi, the Erg Chegaga dunes are secluded and less touristic, offering a real sense of solitude. You’ll enjoy a camel trek at sunset, spend a magical night in a luxury desert camp, discover ancient kasbahs, and explore the unique landscapes of the Iriqui National Park. Nights are spent under a star-filled desert sky — one of the best stargazing spots in Morocco.
This VIP Morocco desert tour combines authenticity with comfort, making it the ideal way to immerse yourself in the Sahara.
Included/Exclude
- Private transport in a modern air-conditioned 4×4 or minivan
- Professional English/French-speaking driver-guide
- 3 nights’ accommodation: boutique hotels/riads & luxury desert camp
- Dinner & breakfast daily (vegetarian & vegan options available)
- Camel ride in Erg Chegaga dunes (around 1 hour)
- Guided cultural stops at kasbahs, villages & oases
- Flexible & customized stops en route (markets, viewpoints, photo breaks)
- Luggage service to camp and hotels
- No forced shopping stops
- Lunches & drinks
- Monument entrance fees
- Tips, personal expenses, travel insurance
Tour Plan
Your adventure begins with an early morning departure from Marrakech as you cross the spectacular High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, situated at 2,260 meters. The road winds through traditional Berber villages and offers breathtaking panoramas at every turn. After a scenic four-hour drive, you reach Ouarzazate, often called the “Hollywood of Africa,” where you pause for lunch and, if you wish, visit the famous Film Studios and the Taourirt Kasbah. In the afternoon the journey continues over the Tizi n’Tinfifte Pass into the Draa Valley, a lush oasis home to thousands of date palms. This historic valley was once a vital caravan route connecting sub-Saharan Africa to Marrakech. By evening you arrive in Zagora, a charming oasis town where you check into your hotel, relax by the pool, or stroll through the old town with its traditional kasbahs.
After breakfast you have time to explore Zagora and its surroundings with a local guide, including the Jewish quarter of Amzerou and the surrounding palm groves. The route then leads south toward Tamgroute, a village renowned for its subterranean kasbah and an ancient Qur’an library. From here you continue to M’hamid, the last settlement before the vast Sahara begins and the end of the paved road. A picnic lunch is enjoyed en route before setting off on an exciting off-road drive into the desert. In the late afternoon you reach the majestic Erg Chegaga dunes, where a caravan of camels awaits. A sunset camel trek across the golden sands offers one of the most unforgettable moments of the journey. Night falls in the heart of the desert at a luxury camp, where a traditional dinner, Berber music, and stargazing complete this magical experience.
An early wake-up rewards you with sunrise over the dunes, a truly breathtaking sight. After breakfast at camp you begin your journey out of the desert, crossing the striking landscapes of Iriqui National Park, once a lake bed and now a vast plain scattered with fossils and black stones. The route takes you to Foum Zguid, the first town after the desert, where you pause to stretch your legs or enjoy a coffee break. Continuing north, you stop in Taznakht, one of Morocco’s most important carpet weaving centers, to visit a cooperative where Berber women produce handmade rugs. Later in the day you reach Aït Ben Haddou, Morocco’s most famous ksar and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its mudbrick architecture and Hollywood film appearances. After exploring its maze-like alleys, you settle into a nearby riad for dinner and overnight.
The final leg of your desert adventure begins with a scenic drive along the Ounila Valley, also called the Salt Valley, a hidden route lined with red cliffs, terraced gardens, and smaller kasbahs. You stop at Kasbah Telouet, once the palace of the Glaoui family, lords of the High Atlas, where a local guide shares fascinating stories about its history. From there you ascend once again to the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, enjoying panoramic views before beginning your descent toward Marrakech. By late afternoon you arrive back in the city, carrying with you the unforgettable memories of four days spent crossing mountains, valleys, and the wild beauty of the Sahara.
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