So, here’s the plan: We’ll kick things off stupid early—like, 7:45 in the morning. Somebody with a car (fingers crossed it’s not some grumpy cousin) will scoop you up at your hotel or riad in Marrakech. We’ll bounce out of town, goodbye city chaos, and head straight for the Atlas Mountains. Trust me, the Tichka Pass is no joke—those views will slap you right in the face. Phones out, you’ll wanna grab some photos for your mom (or your Insta).

We’ll make pit stops whenever the scenery gets too good to drive past—so, yeah, plenty of time to stretch those legs. Lunch is happening in Ouarzazate, which sounds fancy because, well, kinda is.

Then, we’re off again—crossing the Draa River and rolling into Zagora. This river basically created some wild 200km-long oasis snuggled up against the Anti-Atlas Mountains. Imagine entire palm forests stretching between these ancient kasbahs and super old-school fortified villages. Seriously, it’s like nature flexing on all of us.

Fields of corn? Barley? Some veggies and henna crops just chilling there looking all lush. By the end of the day you’ll be wiped—in a good way—so dinner’s on us, and you’ll crash at a hotel in Zagora. Not exactly roughing it, right?

Why Choose Our Erg Chigaga Tour from Marrakech?

Alright, here's the play-by-play for the day. First up: breakfast. We're talking serious food—bring your appetite or get left behind. Then we’re off to M’hamid, which, no joke, is where the road just flat-out quits on you. Asphalt? Please. Paved roads are for quitters.

On the way, we swing through Tamagroute. It’s super chill, and, wild enough, home to this ancient Koranic library—one of Morocco’s oldest. You don’t gotta be a scholar to dig it—it’s got this dusty old-magic vibe that just hits different. Then boom: you stumble into a rugged old kasbah, and right next to it? Pottery workshops where folks literally turn mud into art. It’s that kind of place where you look around and think, “Damn, how do their hands do that?”

Hunger strike? Grab lunch whenever the hangry hits in M’hamid. Nobody’s rushing you—move at your own speed.

Now, here’s where things go full send: early afternoon, it’s Erg Chigaga time. The landscape straight up flips—mountains of sand, cracked flats, stretches of rocks that could chew up your shoes, and those palm oases that look fake unless you’re standing in one. I swear, the quiet hits you so hard your own thoughts sound loud. City noise won’t even cross your mind.

After that? Camel time. Camel rides are honestly way more hilarious than majestic, unless you’ve got a thing for lopsided grinning animals. We’ll plod out into the dunes just as the sky loses its mind with color. Sunset is bonkers out there—like being on Mars, but you packed right for the weather.

Then—dinner under the stars. Think campfires popping, stars like someone broke the sky and spilled glitter, and local nomads absolutely crushing it with drums and songs. Crash out in a desert camp after, probably finding sand in places you didn’t know existed. Honestly, you’ll still be grinning in your sleep.

After breakfast, the road takes us through 90 km of desert. It has a variety of landscapes. First, we cross the dry salt lake of Iriqui and the Anti-Atlas mountains. We follow the old route of the “Rally Paris Dakar.” Then towards Foum Zguid, the first village after the desert, where the asphalt road begins. After lunch, continue to the Berber village of Taznakht, famous for its Berber carpets. We arrive in Ouarzazate late in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Ouarzazate.

After breakfast, we can visit the film studios near Ouarzazate. It's the Hollywood of Africa. Next, we visit the World Heritage site of Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou. It was a set for 20 blockbusters, like "Gladiator" and "Indiana Jones." Enjoy a walk to see the traditional Moroccan architecture of the Kasbahs. We continue our way to Marrakesh through the High Atlas Mountains and Tizi n’Tichka pass. Depending on the time, we can serve lunch in Ait Ben Haddou or the Atlas Mountains on the way to Marrakech. Arrival in Marrakech by 5:00 PM. Your 4-day desert tour from Marrakech to Erg Chigaga will end with a drop-off at your hotel, Riad, or a chosen spot.