How long is Over the High Atlas to Erg Chegaga?
5 days in total. The day-by-day programme is in the section above.
All tours
Tour A · 5 days
Over the High Atlas to Erg Chegaga
The journey goes over the High Atlas and over the 2260m high Tizi-n-Tichka Pass with an overwhelming view. The steep road, lined with oak forests and nut trees, leads past the mud and stone houses of the Berber villages and rushing mountain streams.
The journey
Over the High Atlas to Erg Chegaga
The journey goes over the High Atlas and over the 2260m high Tizi-n-Tichka Pass with an overwhelming view. The steep road, lined with oak forests and nut trees, leads past the mud and stone houses of the Berber villages and rushing mountain streams. When the pass is crossed, the steep road descends into the almost lunar-like landscape of the Anti-Atlas and we reach Quartzazate, the Hollywood of Morocco (visit Kasbah Taorit), proceed to the Draa Valley. From the waters of the High Atlas has formed an elongated oasis, the Draà Valley, stretching from Ouarzazate to Mhamid. The most beautiful part of the oasis with millions of date palms stretches from Agdz to Zagora.
5 stages
Day by day
The route exactly as our guides have driven it for years.
- 01
Marrakesch
Pick-up from Marrakech-Menara airport and transfer to the riad in the medina of Marrakech. The afternoon is at your leisure. We would be happy to show you a bit of the city to give you a first impression of Morocco.
- 02
Marrakesch > Ait Ben Haddou > Draa Tal
The journey goes over the mountains of the High Atlas to the Berber villages up to Ait Ben Haddou with its unique Kasbah. Then we continue to Quartzazate to Zagora in the Draa Valley. Here you will spend your first night in a hotel or riad.
- 03
Draa Tal > Tamegrout > Draa Tal
You have the opportunity to visit the historic town of "Tamegrout", then we continue to the last town before the desert where our camels are already waiting for us. After a two-hour camel ride, we linger amidst the desert dunes for lunch. After 2 more hours of trekking, we continue to the nomad camp, where dinner is served in a tent or among the dunes. Listen to traditional music around the crackling campfire. You will spend the night in a nomad tent.
- 04
Draa Tal > Erg Chegaga
After breakfast you start the desert trekking which takes 3.5 hours and leads you to a nomad well. After lunch, a 4x4 will take you to the sacred oasis. Just in time for sunset you will reach the wide sea of dunes of Erg Chegaga. This is the largest dune group in the region, reaching a height of 300 meters and stretching over 40 km. You will stay overnight in a fortified bivouac in nomad tents or under the stars if you wish. After dinner enjoy drum music.
- 05
Erg Chegaga > Tazenakht > Marrakesch
On the last day of your trip you climb the dunes in the morning to admire the sunrise. After breakfast in the desert, you will pass a piece of the old Paris-Dakar Rally track and reach Lake Iriki, which is the habitat of many birds. The lake is normally dry throughout the year until flooded by heavy rains from the north. Have lunch in the city of Taznakht and reach Marrakech around 18:00.
Included
What's included
1 night in a desert bivouac, airport transfer, transport with driver and English-speaking guide in jeep, camel caravan with cook and camel guide, entrance fees
From the legacy brochure, unchanged.
Good to know
Bookable privately
Every route can be reshaped around your dates, your pace and your preferences. Families, private groups and solo travellers are all welcome.
All prices are valid from 4 persons.
Map
The route on the map
Every stop of this journey.
Before you book
Questions we get on every tour
How much does Over the High Atlas to Erg Chegaga cost?
From €490 per person, valid from 4 persons. For one to three travellers we quote individually — send us your dates and group size and we come back with a clear price.
What is included in Over the High Atlas to Erg Chegaga?
1 night in a desert bivouac, airport transfer, transport with driver and English-speaking guide in jeep, camel caravan with cook and camel guide, entrance fees
What do I pay to book this tour?
A 30% deposit confirms the booking. It is non-refundable, because it secures your riads, camps, transport and partners. The remaining 70% is due when you arrive in Morocco, before the tour starts.
Is this tour private?
Yes. Every tour is 100% private — whether you travel alone, as a couple, with family or in a group, the tour is yours alone and we never combine you with other travellers.
Check your dates
Does this route fit your travel window?
One message with your dates and group size. We reply with availability and a firm price.
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Tour H
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Read on
Guides for this route
Winter vs. summer Sahara tours
Winter and summer are two different Sahara trips: mild days and cold nights, or extreme heat and empty dunes. How we plan each one.
Desert safety and health: the practical basics
Heat, water, cold nights and the small risks in a desert camp: how we keep Sahara trips safe, and what you should know before you travel.
Photographing the Sahara: a practical checklist
Golden hour, camel silhouettes and Ait Benhaddou: a working checklist for photographing the Moroccan Sahara without a truckload of gear.
