PrivateMarrakech to Erg Chebbi, 4 Days at an Easy Pace
The southern loop to the Erg Chebbi dunes with an extra night, so no day on the road runs much past five hours.
- Length
- 4 days
- Starts from
- Marrakech
- From
- €245/ person for 10+
Marrakech to Erg Chegaga — 8 Days by the Old Caravan Road
A guided day in Marrakech, then south down the Draa Valley to M'Hamid and across open desert to Erg Chegaga, returning by the dry lake of Iriki and the saffron town of Taliouine.
- Length
- 8 days / 7 nights
- Starts from
- Marrakech — Menara airport
- Travelling
- Private · Your party only
The journey
Erg Chegaga is the wilder of Morocco's two great dune seas: no road reaches it, so the last stretch from M'Hamid is driven across open desert. This trip takes the long way there and a different way back. A guided day in Marrakech first, then the High Atlas and the kasbahs of Telouet and Aït Ben Haddou, the palm groves of the Draa and the potters of Tamegroute, a night among the dunes, and a crossing of the dry bed of Lake Iriki to Foum Zguid and Taliouine.
- Erg Chegaga, reached across open desert from M'Hamid
- The dry bed of Lake Iriki on the way out of the dunes
- The Kasbah of Telouet and the ksar of Aït Ben Haddou
- Potters and the old library of the zaouia at Tamegroute
- A guided day in Marrakech with a licensed local guide
Day by day
Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech
We meet you at the airport and take you to where you are staying.
- Night
- Marrakech
Day 2: Marrakech with a local guide
A morning with a licensed Marrakech guide: the Koutoubia, the Saadian Tombs, the Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef Madrasa, then the craftsmen's lanes of the medina down to Jemaa el-Fna. The afternoon is yours.
- Night
- Marrakech
Day 3: Marrakech → Telouet → Aït Ben Haddou → Ouarzazate
Over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, then off the main road to the Kasbah of Telouet, once the seat of the Glaoui family. Down the old salt road to Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and on to Ouarzazate for the night.
- Night
- Ouarzazate
Day 4: Ouarzazate → Draa Valley → Zagora → Tamegroute → M'Hamid
South along the caravan route that once carried goods up from beyond the Sahara: through Zagora to Tamegroute, where the potters still throw and glaze by hand and the zaouia keeps a library of old manuscripts. On to M'Hamid, where the road runs out.
- Night
- M'Hamid
Day 5: M'Hamid → Erg Chegaga
Off the tarmac and across open desert by 4x4 to the edge of Erg Chegaga, one of the largest and most remote dune fields in Morocco. A night in a nomad-style camp among the dunes.
- Night
- Desert camp, Erg Chegaga
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 6: Erg Chegaga → Lake Iriki → Foum Zguid → Taliouine
A long crossing west through empty, beautiful country, over the dry bed of Lake Iriki, to rejoin the road at Foum Zguid. On to Taliouine, the saffron town, for the night.
- Night
- Taliouine
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 7: Taliouine → Taznakht → High Atlas → Marrakech
Through Taznakht, a town known for its hand-woven Berber carpets, then back across the High Atlas to Marrakech.
- Night
- Marrakech
Day 8: Departure
Transfer to Marrakech airport at the time your flight needs.
The route
Starts from: Marrakech — Menara airport
What's included
Included
- Welcome at Marrakech airport and transfer to your riad; transfer back for your flight
- Licensed local guide for the Marrakech visit
- Private vehicle with driver from day 3 to day 7, with 4x4 for the desert crossing
- Nights in Marrakech, Ouarzazate, M'Hamid and Taliouine, and a night at a camp in Erg Chegaga with dinner and breakfast
Not included
- International flights
- Meals not listed as included
- Drinks, personal expenses and tips
- Travel insurance
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Erg Chegaga and Erg Chebbi?
Erg Chebbi, near Merzouga, can be reached by road and is the better-known dune sea. Erg Chegaga lies beyond the end of the road at M'Hamid and is reached across open desert by 4x4, so it is quieter and wilder. For Erg Chebbi, see the Grand South by 4x4.
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