Chigaga is the one you take for distance rather than scenery. The dunes run wide, the camps sit far apart and the track in is quiet. It needs a proper day of driving, so it belongs inside a longer route.
- Duration
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Route
- Marrakech → Marrakech
- Pace
- Long drives at both ends, a full day on the dunes between
Overview
Chigaga is farther out and harder to reach than Merzouga, and that is the point. The dunes run wide, the camps sit far apart, and the track in is usually quiet.
Photos
Route
- 1Marrakech
- 2Zagora
- 3Erg Chigaga
Highlights
- Wide dunes with few other vehicles beside them
- Camps spread far apart rather than grouped together
- A quiet track in — the approach is the attraction
- Needs a proper day of driving, so it belongs in a longer route
Day by day
A representative plan. Every trip is adjusted to your dates, your pace and what you want to see.
1
Day 1
Marrakech to Zagora
The longest drive of the trip, about seven hours with stops. You go over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, through Ouarzazate, and then down the Draa valley following the river and its palm groves.
Zagora faces the sandy hills across the river. Arrive late afternoon, walk the market street, eat and sleep early. The road starts again in the morning.
2
Day 2
Zagora to Erg Chigaga
About an hour and a half to M'Hamid, the last village before the sand, with a stop at the old kasbah and the dry riverbed of the Draa.
From M'Hamid the tarmac ends. The last stretch to camp is an hour and a half to two hours by 4x4 on track, and the dunes build as you go. You are at camp by late afternoon with time on the sand before dinner.
3
Day 3
A full day at Erg Chigaga
Nothing scheduled. This is what the driving was for. Wide dunes, camps set far apart, and usually no other vehicles on the track.
Walk up to the ridge in the morning while it is still cool, rest through the heat of the day, and go back up for sunset. Quad bikes and sandboards can be added if you want them.
4
Day 4
Erg Chigaga to Marrakech
The way out is the way in: 4x4 back to M'Hamid, then the Draa valley, Ouarzazate and the Tizi n'Tichka pass. Count about ten hours with stops, so it is an early start and a full day.
If you would rather not do it in one go, say so early. The trip can finish in Zagora or Ouarzazate instead and you can carry on the next day.
Good to know
Best season
October to April. Warm days, cold nights on the sand, so take a proper jacket from December on. Summer is too hot for the track and for anything outside in the middle of the day.
Pace and driving
Day 1 and Day 4 are long days in the car. Day 2 is shorter but the last part is on rough track. Day 3 is the point of the trip and has no driving at all.
Who it suits
People who want distance and quiet more than a quick transfer. Chigaga needs four days to be worth it. Short on time, then Agafay is the one night option and Merzouga the classic two.
What's included
- Private vehicle and driver for the whole itinerary
- Accommodation each night, with breakfast
- Airport transfers at the start and end
- A local guide in the medinas where a guide adds most
- A named contact in Marrakech throughout your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches, dinners and drinks unless listed
- Entrance fees to monuments and sites
- Tips for your driver and guides
- Travel insurance
Erg Chigaga
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