3 days tour: Erg Chigaga Desert Tour

Our private tour of Morocco leaves Marrakech early morning to reach the High Atlas Mountains. Beautiful landscape and small Berber villages, snow on the peak of the mountains as we face the pass Tizi n Tichka at 2260 meters high, offering some breath taking driving via lush valleys and traditional Berber villages. Then we took the road to reach the Telouet Kasabh, the former Pasha’s palace, Pacha Glaoui had decided to build a palace in the middle of nowhere, where his family had originated from.

Late afternoon we arrive to Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the best-preserved Kasbah’s in the entire Atlas region, the Kasbah has been the backdrop to many historical films, “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Gladiator” and “Game of Thrones”. Following that, reach Ouarzazate, and then cross the Anti-Atlas mountain range to join the Draa River at Agdz. Dinner and accommodation in nice guest house in the palm grove of Agdz.

Draa Valley, with its many oases, Biblical villages and kasbah, used as overnight stops by the caravans until not too long ago is the beginning of the caravan highway connecting for centuries Timbuktu, Gao and the kingdoms of Ghana and Mali to Morocco.

After breakfast you will have a guided tour to the palm grove, then, cross over the palm grove and walk around the kasbah of Tamnougalt to then follow the route along the villages all the way to Zagora, before Zagora we visit Amezrou. The Jewish community had left behind the silver jewelry craft and the adobe synagogue. Later on, in Tamegroute, visit the library and the pottery ovens. The last stretch of the day wills take us from Zagora to M’hamid, where the tarmac ends. 2 hours off road driving from M’hamid to Erg Chigaga. As you approach the dunes, you will be met by our camel man and trade the 4×4 for camels to arrive at the desert camp by the sunset time, eaten by candlelight accommodation on a private tent, or maybe you choose to sleep while watching the twinkling stars.

Try not to miss the sunrise. After having breakfast we cross the sand dunes, our trip reaches the flat lake Iriki, nowadays completely dry. Later on, we will have a tea with a family of nomads. Then, we take on the Hamada, the stony desert, to finally reach Foum Zguid. Later on, we complete the circuit and get back to crossing the mountains of the High Atlas. Our private tour arrives in Marrakech late evening.