This Erg Chigaga Sahara tour is for travelers who want the Sahara without the crowds. Every Erg Chigaga Sahara tour we run starts and ends in Casablanca. It trades the well-known dunes of Merzouga for Erg Chigaga. This dune field is far larger and more remote, near the town of M’Hamid.
Reaching Erg Chigaga takes real effort. It means a long drive down the Draa Valley, then a 4×4 crossing into the dunes themselves. That effort is exactly what keeps it quiet. Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi has grown crowded with camps in recent years. Erg Chigaga still feels like the empty Sahara most travelers picture before they arrive in Morocco.
First, day one travels from Casablanca to Marrakech. Then, day two crosses the High Atlas Mountains via Ait Ben Haddou to Ouarzazate. Next, day three follows the Draa Valley, Morocco’s longest river valley, south to M’Hamid. This is the last town before the open desert. From there a private 4×4 crossing leads into the dunes of Erg Chigaga. You’ll get a sunset camel trek and a night in a remote desert camp. After that, day four returns north through the Draa Valley to Marrakech. Finally, day five closes the loop back to Casablanca.
Erg Chigaga’s dunes rise higher than Merzouga’s in places, some reaching nearly 300 meters. The erg stretches across roughly 40 kilometers with almost no permanent settlements nearby. There is no paved road into the dunes. This desert camp in Morocco sees a fraction of Merzouga’s visitor traffic. The silence and darkness of the night sky are noticeably more complete as a result.
This shorter Marrakech to Sahara tour suits travelers who want a remote desert night. No extra day in the south required. It is fully private throughout. You get a dedicated driver-guide and air-conditioned vehicle for the road days. A private 4×4 with an experienced desert driver handles the crossing into and out of Erg Chigaga.
Your Navigate Morocco driver-guide will meet you in Casablanca, either at Mohammed V Airport or your hotel. This private Morocco tour begins with a visit to the Hassan II Mosque. It’s one of the largest religious buildings in the world, and one of the few in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors.
Then, drive south to Marrakech, arriving by early afternoon. Use the rest of the day to get a first look at the Red City. Walk through the souks near Jemaa el-Fna Square, visit the Koutoubia Mosque, or simply relax at your riad.
Finally, check into your riad in the medina for the night. Tomorrow’s drive south is a full day, so an early night is worth considering. Still, Marrakech’s evening atmosphere in Jemaa el-Fna Square is hard to resist for a first-time visitor.
Overnight stay: Riad in Marrakech
After breakfast, depart Marrakech and begin the climb into the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, the highest paved road in North Africa at approximately 2,260 meters above sea level. The drive is one of the most scenic in the country, winding past Berber villages and terraced valleys.
Then, descending the far side of the pass, stop at Ait Ben Haddou. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Morocco’s most iconic fortified villages. This ancient ksar is built entirely from earthen clay. It rises dramatically from the riverbank in a series of towers, walls, and narrow alleyways. It has served as a filming location for numerous major productions.
Finally, continue to Ouarzazate, known as the Hollywood of Africa for the film industry it has attracted. Check into your hotel for the night, with the true desert crossing still ahead tomorrow.
Overnight stay: Hotel in Ouarzazate
After breakfast, depart Ouarzazate and head south into the Draa Valley, Morocco’s longest river valley. This stretch of the Draa Valley tour follows the Draa River through a corridor of date palms and ancient kasbahs. It passes through the historic town of Agdz and the palm groves around Zagora.
Then, continue south to M’Hamid, Morocco’s last significant town before the open Sahara. It was historically one of the final stops on the trans-Saharan caravan routes that once connected Morocco to Timbuktu. From M’Hamid, transfer into a private 4×4 for the crossing into the desert itself. No paved road reaches Erg Chigaga.
The 4×4 crossing takes you deep into open desert, with the dunes of Erg Chigaga rising ahead. Your camels will be waiting for a sunset trek across the dunes. Arrive at your remote desert camp. The near-total absence of other visitors makes the silence and scale of the Sahara immediately obvious.
Finally, enjoy a traditional dinner and live Berber music around the campfire, under some of the darkest skies in Morocco.This night in the dunes is the heart of the Erg Chigaga Sahara tour.
Overnight stay: Remote luxury desert camp | Meals included: Dinner and Breakfast | Transport: Private 4×4 for the crossing into Erg Chigaga
First, rise before dawn to witness the sunrise over Erg Chigaga, a moment made even more striking by how few other people are likely watching it with you. After breakfast at the camp, transfer back out of the dunes by 4×4 to M’Hamid. Your standard touring vehicle and driver-guide will be waiting there.
Then, retrace the Draa Valley route in different light. The palm groves and kasbahs around Zagora and Agdz look noticeably different heading north. Stop for photographs at any of the scenic viewpoints before continuing through Ouarzazate and back over the Tizi n’Tichka Pass.
Finally, descend into Marrakech by early evening and check into your riad for the night. There’s time in the morning before departure for anything you’d still like to see.
Overnight stay: Riad in Marrakech
After breakfast, enjoy a final morning in Marrakech. Use the time for any sights missed earlier: the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, or a last walk through the souks.
In the afternoon, your private Navigate Morocco driver transfers you from Marrakech to Casablanca for your international departure. Or directly to Marrakech Menara Airport, if that’s where your flight leaves from. This brings your Erg Chigaga Sahara tour, one of the Sahara’s quietest and most remote dune fields, to a close.We hope this Erg Chigaga Sahara tour gave you the empty desert you came for.
End of tour with Navigate Morocco. To customise this private Morocco tour, contact Navigate Morocco.
Q1: Is this a private tour? Yes, this is a fully private Morocco tour operated exclusively for you and your travel companions by Navigate Morocco. You will have a dedicated vehicle and driver-guide throughout, plus a private 4×4 and desert driver for the Erg Chigaga crossing, and will not share with any other group.That privacy is part of what makes this Erg Chigaga Sahara tour worth the extra travel time.
Q2: What makes this Sahara desert tour different from Merzouga? Erg Chigaga is a larger, more remote dune field reached only by 4×4 from M’Hamid, with no paved road access. This keeps visitor numbers far lower than Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi, which has become considerably more developed and crowded in recent years. Additionally, Erg Chigaga’s dunes are among the tallest in Morocco, and the near-total absence of other camps means darker skies and a quieter overall experience.
Q3: Is one night at the Erg Chigaga desert camp enough? Yes, one night gives you the full sunset camel trek, an evening and night in the remote camp, and a desert sunrise before heading back. Travelers who want a full day exploring the dune field itself by 4×4, similar to the extra day we build into our longer Merzouga tours, can ask us about extending this route by one additional night.
Q4: Where does this Marrakech to Sahara tour start and end? The tour starts in Casablanca, with pickup at Mohammed V Airport or your hotel. It ends with a transfer from Marrakech to either Marrakech Menara Airport or Casablanca, depending on your onward flight.
Q5: Why is a 4×4 needed to reach Erg Chigaga? Because there is no paved road into the Erg Chigaga dune field, the final stretch from M’Hamid is done entirely by 4×4 across open desert track and sand. This is also what limits the number of visitors able to reach the area, which is part of what keeps it quiet.
Q6: What type of accommodation is included? Accommodation is a riad in Marrakech, a hotel in Ouarzazate, and a night in a remote desert camp in Morocco at Erg Chigaga, chosen for comfort and authentic character despite the camp’s remote setting.
Q7: Are entrance fees included? Entrance fees to monuments such as Ait Ben Haddou are not included in the tour price, allowing you to choose freely which sites you wish to enter.
Q8: Can this private Morocco tour be customized? Absolutely, Navigate Morocco offers fully flexible itineraries. Stops, pacing, and accommodation preferences can all be adjusted to match your interests and schedule, including adding a second desert night if you would like more time in Erg Chigaga.
Q9: What is the best time of year for this Erg Chigaga Sahara tour? The best months are March to May and September to November, when temperatures are comfortable across both the mountains and the desert. Meanwhile, summer can be very hot in the Sahara, particularly in the more exposed, remote setting of Erg Chigaga, while winter is cooler but still manageable with appropriate clothing.
Q10: Do I need a visa to enter Morocco? Visa requirements depend on your nationality. Many nationalities can enter Morocco visa-free for stays of up to 90 days, but it is always best to check with your local consulate or embassy before travel.
Navigate Morocco is a Moroccan-owned tour operator based in Marrakech, run day to day by the same team that drives, guides, and manages the trips.Our team has run the Erg Chigaga Sahara tour for years and knows the route well. We built this private Morocco tour for travelers who already know Merzouga gets crowded and want the version of the Sahara desert tour that still feels empty. Every Erg Chigaga Sahara tour we run is fully private, with our own drivers, local guides, and a dedicated 4×4 team for the desert crossing. If you want to extend the trip, add a second desert night, or shift the start city, we can build the Erg Chigaga Sahara tour around whatever suits your group.
