“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu
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Discovering the majority of Morocco’s palm orchards and getting a look into the past are both key points of the Desert Tour from Marrakech to Erg Chegaga.
This 3-day Desert Tour from Marrakech to the Erg Chegaga will fulfill your dreams of riding a camel, listening to music around a campfire, resting beneath a blanket of stars, and watching the sun set.
We go across the Atlas Mountains in the direction of Ouarzazate. To go to the settlement of Ait Benhaddou, the historic fortified ksar, we cross the Tizi n’Tichka. Ait Benhaddou has served as the setting for several renowned movies and TV shows.
We go to Zagora after lunch by passing via the town of Agdz and along the Draa Valley with its palm trees. Before arriving in Zagora, we’ll stop a few times for pictures and to see the stunning Kasbah Oulad Othmane.
The remnants of the Almoravid stronghold may still be seen at Zagora, a desert-like settlement, where we eventually reach after continuing through the Draa Valley. Your first night will be spent at a locally characteristic lodging in the midst of the palm oasis.
After breakfast, we take a walk through the oasis before traveling south to the old town of Tamegroute, where you will see one of the best-preserved libraries and see some of the country’s oldest books and manuscripts (Zawiya). You also may go to a studio where pottery is made using traditional techniques.
We keep going to M’hamid. We’ll traverse a plateau that displays the enormous Chigaga sand dunes, which are scattered with untamed flora and trees. Before arriving at our nomad tent, we will ride a camel towards the setting sun and take in the scenery. Get ready for a spectacular evening and take in the starry sky, local nomads’ music, and the bonfire. If the conditions are right, you can snooze under the stars.
We’ll leave Erg Chegaga after breakfast and go along the naturally dried-up Lake Iriki, which was previously full and inhabited by a variety of bird species. After traveling on a plateau that was formerly part of the Dakar rally route, we reach a paved road and pass the sleepy Berber settlement of Foum-Zguid, a little oasis village, where we stop for a quick cup of Moroccan tea.
We make a pit stop in Taznakht, a former commerce hub for this area, on the route. This town of Berber people is well-known for its carpet weaving and saffron farming. To get to the junction where Marrakech and Ouarzazate connect, we will go via Berber settlements. We transport you to Marrakech via the High Atlas Mountains and then to your lodging or the airport.
We recommend you join this short Desert Tour from Marrakech to Erg Chegaga to get to know the beauty of the Moroccan desert. Contact us if you have any questions.
