4-day Erg Chegaga desert tour from Ouarzazate – overview:
Experience the thrill of an authentic desert adventure as you set out on this mesmerising 4-day desert tour from Ouarzazate to Erg Chegaga, immersing yourself in the breathtaking beauty of southern Morocco. Journey through the golden dunes on the back of a camel, and relish the enchanting nights spent in your private nomad tents in luxury desert camps beneath the vast and starry Saharan sky and among the big dunes.
Unveil the mysteries held by ancient Kasbahs and lush valleys, as you forge a deep and meaningful bond with the alluring desert and the culturally rich tapestry that graces Morocco’s southern expanse. This extraordinary expedition promises a journey to the very heart of the region, where unforgettable memories await to be made.
In every sand dune, every starlit night, and every cultural encounter, this desert odyssey promises to create an adventure and lasting memories that will remain etched in your soul long after the journey’s end.
Erg Chegaga desert tour from Ouarzazate 4 days – highlights:
- Drive across the Anti-Atlas Mountains, Berber Villages, & Dra’a Valley with its fortified kasbahs
- Enjoy a sunset camel ride, try sandboarding, capture epic photos & dance to nomad music
- Savour dinner under the stars and spend two nights in your private tent in luxury desert camps
- Experience 4×4 off-road desert driving, hunt for fossils in Iriki Lake & visit pottery workshops
- Discover Berber rug crafting in Taznakht and visit the UNESCO Site, Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
- Tour the beautifully repaired Kasbah Amredhil in Skoura Oasis and discover the Valley of the Roses
What is included in this Erg Chegaga Tour from Ouarzazate:
- Transportation in a private air-conditioned vehicle; 4×4 Toyota Prado TX
- Experienced English, French, Spanish, Italian-speaking Berber/Nomad driver-guide
- Pick-up from and drop-off at your hotel in Ouarzazate
- Accommodation in air-conditioned rooms/suites with private bathrooms
- Two nights in luxury desert camps in the Erg Lihoudi and Erg Chegaga dunes: private tents with bathroom & shower, king-sized beds, mattresses, sheets, pillows, blankets, lamps & traditional furniture
- All meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner – with vegetarian and vegan options available
- Bottled water, tea, and coffee in the desert camp
- Sunset camel ride with guide plus free sandboarding if desired
- Possibility to go hiking in the midst of beautiful scenery
- Free time to explore sites of interest, for walks, photos and tea/ coffee breaks
- Luggage service to the desert camp and all accommodation
- Entrance fees and local guides
- Personalised service
What is not included:
- Drinks
- Tips
- Extras
Good to know Ouarzazate to Erg Chegaga desert tour:
- It is possible to customise this tour to accommodate your areas of interest, preferred budget & timetable
- For a diverse desert experience, consider our 4-day desert tour from Ouarzazate to Merzouga
- There is a 25% reduction for children under 12 years old & we do not charge for children under 5 years old
- We ask for a 30% deposit to confirm your booking. The balance can be paid to the driver or at our Ouarzazate office
- We accept payment through PayPal, credit card, bank transfer or cash(USD, Euro, GBP or MAD)
- These prices can be subject to an increase over the high season, Christmas and New Year’s Eve period
Price details
| Number of persons | 2 Persons | 3 Persons | 4 Persons | 5 Persons | 6 Persons |
| Price per person | 495 € | 485 € | 465 € | 450 € | 450 € |
| Total price | 990 € | 1455 € | 1860 € | 2250 € | 2700 € |
Erg Chegaga desert tour from Ouarzazate 4 days – itinerary:
1st day: Ouarzazate – M’hamid
Departure in the morning at 08:30 from your hotel, and you set out south on your 4-day desert trip from Ouarzazate to Erg Chegaga. You drive over the Anti-Atlas Mountains as far as Agdz, a oasis town well-known for the variety of its palm dates. As you start to descend the Tizi-n-Tinfifite pass (1660m), you will be amazed by the splendid views of the extensive green oases and the innumerable palm trees, all indicating the beginning of the Dra’a Valley.
Agdz is part of the ancient Caravan Road which used to supply goods up from Mali and Niger, having crossed the Sahara. Nowadays, its abundant palm groves produce an impressive 44 varieties of dates.
For a short while, we go off-road through the Dra’a Valley, between the mountains and the river, passing through many villages to gain a better idea of the way of life along the oases. You will stop to visit Kasbah Tamnougalte, the oldest Kasbah in the valley. Some parts of the Kasbah are still inhabited, while others, particularly the Jewish quarter, are now crumbling, having been abandoned.
From here, you continue your 4-day Erg Chegaga desert tour from Ouarzazate, travelling south alongside the ancient Caravans Road as far as Zagora, the last largest oasis in the valley and the venue for today’s lunch. Just outside of Zagora, you visit the local green pottery co-operatives and an old Quranic library in Tamgroute village.
In the afternoon, your desert adventure continues further south as far as M’hamid, where the sand alongside the road signifies the beginning of the mighty Sahara Desert. M’hamid village is the gate to the Sahara and the end of the paved road.
You have dinner and spend the night in a luxury desert camp in your own private tent equipped with a toilet & shower, king-sized beds, mattresses, sheets, pillows, blankets, carpets & lamps.
2nd day: M’hamid – Erg Chegaga dunes
Get up early to witness the sunrise from the top of the dunes with free time to wander the desert dunes. Back at the camp, breakfast is served and you set out on your adventure to explore the region.
The old village here is typical of desert dwellings, where houses are constructed entirely of adobe. This excellent building material keeps out the summer’s searing heat due to the walls’ thickness. You will explore these villages and learn about life in this harsh yet equally beautiful environment.
After lunch, you continue to Erg Chegaga dunes with about 65km of off-road driving through the varying features of the Sahara Desert; ‘erg’ (dunes), ‘hammada’ (stony desert) and oases.
At the campsite, you check into your tent and enjoy a relaxing glass of tea and Moroccan biscuits. Then, you take a camel ride to watch to summit of the Erg Chegaga dunes (300 m) to enjoy the sunset. These dunes are far away from civilization, and the silence and the expanse of the sand are overwhelming.
Back at the camp, dinner is served, followed by an evening of nomad music and drumming around a campfire. You spend the night in your tent, equipped with a private toilet & shower, king-sized beds, mattresses, sheets, pillows, blankets & carpets, lamps and beautiful Moroccan furnishings, all tastefully arranged to enhance your stay.
3rd day: Erg Chegaga dunes – Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
If you get up early enough, you will be rewarded by an incredible sunrise, when the colour of the dunes and the play of shadows are an incredible sight. You will also have time to wonder about the dunes and experience the tranquillity of this magical setting.
Back at the camp, breakfast is served. Then your 4-day Erg Chegaga desert tour from Ouarzazate continues through another 90km of the Sahara Desert with varying scenery: Lake Iriqui, where you are likely to experience a vast mirage in the heat, the mountains, with the opportunity to look for fossils.
From here, you travel west following the old track of “Rally Paris-Dakar” as far as Foum Zguid, the first village after the desert and the venue for lunch. Afterwards, you drive north along paved roads and past fantastic rock formations to the small town of Taznakht, famous for its Berber carpets and rugs. If interested, you can visit a display room with looms and women at work.
Turning back east, cross Ouarzazate and arrive in Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou by the end of the afternoon. You spend the night in an authentic guest house overlooking the Kasbah.
4th day: Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou – Dades Gorges – Ouarzazate
After breakfast in your riad, you will visit the kasbah Ait Ben Haddou. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a backdrop for many Hollywood blockbusters, including “Gladiator,” “Alexander,” and some scenes of the famous TV series “Game of Thrones.”
From here your adventure takes you to Skoura Oasis, where you stop to visit the Kasbah Amredhil, that used to be featured in the old 50 dirham banknote. The Kasbah has been beautifully repaired and is well worth the visit.
From here, travel through the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs and then the beautiful Valley of the Roses as far as Kel’aa M’gouna. Here, you can visit a local co-operative producing cosmetic articles from the abundant roses of the valley.
Once in the Dades Gorges, you will have lunch in one of the restaurants overlooking the valley. Then, you will have time to walk alongside the river through the gardens or up the road on the other side of the gorges before you make your way back to Ouarzazate.
You arrive back in Ouarzazate by the end of the afternoon. Your driver will transfer you to your hotel bringing your 4-day Erg Chegaga desert tour from Ouarzazate to an end.
