The 4-day Marrakech to Erg Chigaga desert tour takes you to Morocco's most remote and untouched sand dunes — only accessible by 4×4. Cross the High Atlas, drive the Draa Valley to Zagora, visit the Tamagroute Quranic library, then go off-road via M'Hamid to Erg Chigaga for a sunset camel ride and desert camp under the stars. Return via Iriqui dry lake, Ouarzazate, and UNESCO Aït Ben Haddou. From €285/person in a Toyota Land Cruiser.
At a Glance
Tour Highlights
Erg Chigaga — The Real Sahara
Morocco's most remote and untouched sand dunes — no paved roads, no crowds. Only accessible by 4×4 through the desert tracks from M'Hamid. Silence, scale, and solitude.
Day 2 · Off-RoadThe Draa Valley — 200km Oasis
Morocco's longest river valley — hundreds of thousands of date palms, fortified Berber kasbahs, and fields of corn, barley, and henna stretching toward the desert.
Day 1 · ScenicTamagroute — Ancient Library & Pottery
One of the oldest Quranic libraries in Morocco, plus a pottery workshop famous for its distinctive green-glazed ceramics. A cultural stop before the desert.
Day 2 · CulturalSunset & Sunrise Camel Treks
Ride across the Erg Chigaga dunes at sunset, sleep under the stars at your desert camp, and ride back at sunrise. Both treks included.
Day 2–3 · IncludedIriqui Dry Lake — Paris-Dakar Track
Day 3 crosses the flat, otherworldly Iriqui dry lake — following the old Paris-Dakar rally route through 90km of varied desert scenery.
Day 3 · Off-RoadAït Ben Haddou — UNESCO Ksar
Day 4 includes a guided visit to the iconic fortified village — filming location for Gladiator and Game of Thrones — before crossing the High Atlas to Marrakech.
Day 4 · UNESCOPhoto Gallery
Day by Day
Four days from Marrakech to Morocco's deepest Sahara and back — via the Draa Valley, the off-road tracks of M'Hamid, the Iriqui dry lake, and the UNESCO ksar of Aït Ben Haddou.
Pickup from your Marrakech hotel or riad at 07:30 AM. Drive southeast into the High Atlas Mountains, climbing through Berber villages to the Tizi n'Tichka Pass (2,260m). Photo stops at scenic viewpoints along the way.
Arrive in Ouarzazate for lunch. Continue south, crossing the Draa River and entering the Draa Valley — Morocco's longest oasis. Hundreds of thousands of date palms, fortified kasbahs, and fields of corn, barley, and henna plantations line the road.
Arrive in Zagora late afternoon. Check into Hotel La Fibule — a comfortable hotel with ensuite rooms, AC, pool, and garden. Dinner at the hotel.
After breakfast, drive to Tamagroute — home to one of the oldest Quranic libraries in Morocco (manuscripts dating to the 13th century) and a nearby kasbah famous for its pottery workshop producing distinctive green-glazed ceramics.
Continue to M'Hamid — where the paved road ends and the Sahara begins. Lunch in M'Hamid at leisure.
Early afternoon, your Land Cruiser leaves the tarmac behind and heads off-road into the desert — crossing erg (sand), reg (gravel), hammada (stone plateau), and oases. The landscape shifts every few kilometres. Erg Chigaga dunes emerge on the horizon — far from civilisation, the silence overwhelming.
Mount your camel for a sunset trek across the Erg Chigaga dunes — watching the colours shift over the sand. Arrive at your desert camp for a Moroccan dinner under the stars, campfire music with local nomads, and a sky full of stars.
Wake before dawn for a sunrise camel ride over the Erg Chigaga dunes. Breakfast at camp.
The road takes you through 90km of varied desert — crossing the flat, otherworldly Iriqui dry salt lake and the Anti-Atlas foothills, following the old Paris-Dakar rally track. Arrive at Foum Zguid, the first village after the desert, where the paved road begins. Lunch in Foum Zguid.
Continue to Taznakht, famous for its Berber carpets and rugs. Arrive in Ouarzazate late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
After breakfast, optional visit to the Atlas Film Studios — the "Hollywood of Africa" where Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and Game of Thrones were filmed.
Continue to UNESCO Aït Ben Haddou — the iconic fortified village. Cross the river with a guide to explore the traditional Berber architecture. Lunch nearby.
Cross the High Atlas via the Tizi n'Tichka Pass. Arrive in Marrakech around 17:00. Drop-off at your hotel or riad — the end of four days in Morocco's deepest Sahara.
Tour Itinerary Map
Tour Pricing
Price per person decreases as your group size increases.
| Participants | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price / person | 940€ | 510€ | 385€ | 325€ | 285€ |
Prices verified March 2026 · +212 615 346 108
Inclusions & Exclusions
✓ Included in Your Tour
- Private AC Toyota Land Cruiser with English-speaking driver-guide — 4 days
- Pickup and drop-off at your Marrakech hotel or riad
- Night 1: Hotel La Fibule, Zagora — half-board, ensuite, AC
- Night 2: Erg Chigaga desert camp — private tent, shared bathrooms, dinner & breakfast
- Night 3: Ouarzazate hotel — half-board, ensuite, AC
- Sunset camel trek (Day 2) and sunrise camel ride (Day 3)
- Luxury ensuite camp upgrade available (+€125/person)
Not Included
- Lunches and beverages
- Entrance fees to sites (pay directly)
- Local guides (pay directly if required)
- Tips for driver-guide
- Travel insurance (recommended)
Know Before You Go
Toyota Land Cruiser
Erg Chigaga requires a serious off-road vehicle. We use Toyota Land Cruisers driven by experienced desert drivers. A 4×4 seats up to 4 adults; for 5+, a van is used for paved sections with a Land Cruiser for the desert.
Desert Camp
The comfortable camp (included) has private tents with shared bathrooms outside. The luxury camp (+€125) has ensuite tents with hot shower. Both include dinner and breakfast.
What to Pack
Light layers, warm desert layers, comfortable shoes. Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen essential. Wear jeans or long trousers for the camel ride. Small backpack for camp — main luggage stays in the vehicle.
Timing
Pickup ~07:30 AM. Return to Marrakech ~17:00 on Day 4. Driving times don't include stops for photos, sightseeing, and lunch.
Traveller Reviews
587 verified reviews verified reviews
"We specifically chose Erg Chigaga over Merzouga because we wanted the real Sahara — no crowds, no tour buses. The 4-day pace was perfect. The Draa Valley on Day 1 was stunning, the desert camp at Chigaga was pure magic, and Aït Ben Haddou on Day 4 was the perfect finale."
"The off-road section from M'Hamid to the dunes was an adventure in itself. Our driver navigated the desert tracks with incredible skill. The silence at Erg Chigaga is overwhelming — the stars at night were the clearest I've ever seen."
"As a photographer, the 4-day Chigaga tour was a goldmine — the Draa Valley palms, the Tamagroute pottery, the desert light at sunrise, the Iriqui dry lake, and Aït Ben Haddou golden hour. Four completely different worlds."
"The night in Ouarzazate on Day 3 was a welcome break after the desert. And the Aït Ben Haddou visit the next morning made the 4-day format worth every euro. We upgraded to the luxury camp and it was worth every cent."