Erg Chegaga is a remote and lesser-known desert in southeastern Morocco, near the Algerian border. Unlike more popular sites, it’s over 60 km from the nearest town, M’hamid, giving the dunes a vast, untouched, and wild feeling.
Visiting Erg Chegaga offers an authentic, rustic Sahara experience with no hotels or modern amenities nearby. Access typically requires a multi-day journey—at least three days—crossing the High Atlas, passing the famous Aït Benhaddou, following the lush Draa Valley palm groves, and traversing stretches of rocky desert before reaching the expansive sand dunes.
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Typically in the afternoon to allow for a camel ride at sunset and dinner
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Day 1: Marrakech – Tizi n’Tichka – Aït Ben Haddou – Agdez – Zagora
Depart early from Marrakech, crossing the High Atlas via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2,260 m). Visit the UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, famous for films like Gladiator and Babel. Enjoy lunch at Kasbah Tamnougalt before heading south across the Anti-Atlas Mountains. Explore the scenic Draa Valley with its palm groves, traditional ksour, and adobe villages. Overnight in a hotel with half-board accommodation.
Day 2: Zagora – M’hamid – Erg Chegaga
Stop at Tamegroute to visit its pottery workshops and ancient Koranic library. Continue toward M’hamid through sandy wadis and green patches. Arrive at Erg Laabidlia for a desert bivouac experience. Optional camel ride and overnight under the starry Sahara sky.
Day 3: Erg Chegaga – Foum Zguid – Taznakht – Marrakech
After breakfast, depart toward the Anti-Atlas foothills along part of the Dakar Rally route. Stop at Iriqui Lake and Foum Zguid, then visit Taznakht, a traditional Berber village known for women’s cooperatives producing renowned carpets using weaving, knotting, and embroidery techniques. Continue across the High Atlas Mountains and return to Marrakech.
