Marrakech, Draa Valley & Erg Chigaga Desert – 05 Days

Travel with us to discover the most fascinating deserts of Morocco, beyond the Atlas Mountains, between kasbahs and palm groves, to the legendary Draa Valley and the more remote and unknown Erg Chigaga, at the gates of the great Sahara. A Morocco desert trip to this part of the country is fascinating because of the landscapes that you cross. We pass from the mountains to the sandy deserts, from the sun-baked rocky plains to the lush and green oases, to the endless dunes of the south. A world that you will be discovering with our local and very experienced guides and drivers.

Private transport and a driver-guide are included throughout, with two nights at a private luxury desert camp near Erg Chigaga and hotel stays in Agdz and Taroudant along the way.

Day 1: Marrakech – Ait Benhaddou – Ouarzazate – Agdz 

The driver will meet you at your accommodation at 9 AM. Start your Morocco Desert Trip by leaving Marrakech behind to take on the Atlas Mountains and their dense forests through one of the most winding and dramatic routes in Morocco. Reach the Tizi n Tichka pass at 2200 meters high to enter the Great South. Take the subordinate road and reach Pasha’s ruined palace and the salt mines of Telouet. Follow the dramatic canyon of Ounila while on the other side of the canyon, the troglodyte grottos can be glimpsed in the distance. Stop and wander around the UNESCO World Site Ait Ben Haddou citadel to later skirt through Ouarzazate and then cross the gorges and reach 1700 meters high, from where the panorama of the legendary Draa Valley unfolds.

Reach Agdz, here it is worth visiting the Black people’s village and the ksar of Tamnougalt. Reach the hotel early in the evening. Dinner and accommodation at a Kasbah/Hotel 

Day 2: Zagora – Tamegroute- M’hamid -Erg Chigaga

After breakfast, a dusty off-road will take you to local prehistoric rock engravings in Foum Chenna before you continue your way to Zagora to discover the nearby village of Amezrou and its Jewish heritage – the old adobe synagogue and the silver jewelry craft. Further on, the stoves of Tamegroute cast the emerald glaze so easily identified on mosque tiles, dishes, and pots across Morocco. The nearby Nassiriya library holds a 10-century-old gold-engraved Koran and various treaties on astronomy, medicine, and Arab poetry, among other gems. Before leaving the tarmac behind and taking on the Sahara, we recommend visiting a traditional ksour and having lunch in Mhamid. From Mhamid, across various types of desert, you will reach the dunes of Erg Chigaga, the last bit by camel. Dinner and accommodation in a private luxury tent with an ensuite shower and toilets. 

Day 3: Erg Chigaga Desert

One day is hardly enough to discover the Sahara Desert. Today is a day full of off-roading in the Sahara Desert. Leave the camp after breakfast and then drive to explore the tallest dunes and the different terrains of the Sahara Desert. Lunch is included today, and it will be planned in a beautiful, shady oasis in the middle of the Sahara. In the early evening, trade the 4WDs for camels and ride to the top of the dunes for a magical sunset. Dinner and fireside music. Overnight at the Sahara desert camp once more.

Day 4: Erg Chigaga – Foum Zguid – Taznakht – Taroudant

Wake up to admire the sunrise and stroll around the dunes. Later on, your Morocco desert trip will take you through the Hamada (rocky desert) and across the dry lake Iriki. Have tea with the nomads, pry out fossils, and later join the tarmac again at Foum Zguid. Have a tasty lunch by the pool at Bab Rimal or opt for the more formal choice of a local dish in the village. Take the route east and soon reach the village of Tazenakht, famous for its carpet making. After the village stops on the panoramic edges for photos. Reach Taroudant and your riad for the night. Dinner and accommodations in a luxury hotel outside of Taroudant 

Day 5: Taroudant – Agadir – Marrakech 

After breakfast, have a caleche ride around the city walls and/or browse the souks for the best Argan oil or honey in Morocco. You don’t have to plan anything ahead, but rather decide on the day. Stop in Agadir for a walk along the beach, or a delicious seafood lunch, then take the highway to Marrakech. The driver will drop you off at your accommodation. End of your 5-day Morocco desert trip.