Draa Valley & M’Hamid dunes

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Duration
8 days
Location
Anti Atlas Mountains
Group Size
Up to 12 people
Transport
Private Vehicle
Difficulty
Hard
Best Season
January to December
This 8-day journey begins and ends in Marrakech, with the option to extend your holiday in the Atlas Mountains for a deeper Moroccan experience. Travel into the heart of the Anti-Atlas, a region defined by its rocky outcrops, lunar landscapes, and dramatic contrasts. Much of the terrain is dry and barren, yet in hidden places, water collects in clear basins, giving life to small villages surrounded by palm trees. This is a landscape of solitude, shaped by both nature and the endurance of the people who call it home. Your adventure continues with a camel trek into the Chegaga Dunes near M’Hamid, one of the most remote and captivating areas of the Sahara. The silence of the desert, the vast open skies, and the golden waves of sand offer a powerful and peaceful experience. The route follows the course of the Oued Draa, Morocco’s longest river, which is born from the Ouarzazate and Dades rivers. You’ll travel across the Draa Valley, where palm groves stretch for miles, and visit fortified villages made up of traditional kasbahs and ksours. These earth-built structures stand as striking reminders of Morocco’s ancient desert heritage. Throughout the valley, the oases serve as quiet havens. Beneath the cool shade of towering date palms, you’ll find lush vegetable gardens and cereal plots, nourished by hand-dug irrigation channels that crisscross the desert soil. This journey offers a rich mix of desert exploration, cultural encounters, and natural beauty, perfect for travellers seeking a more remote and authentic experience of Morocco.

Itinerary

  • Day 1: Arrive in Marrakech. Transfer to the hotel in the centre of the city or raid in the old medina.

    You can spend the afternoon visiting Marrakech.

  • Day 2: Marrakech - Faija

    We take a scenic drive across the High Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazat the gate of the Sahara, and then Zagora Palm. It takes almost 8 hours driving, passing along date palm oases, Berber villages, and incredible landscapes. In Zagora, we leave the minibus and take a more appropriate vehicle that will take us to Faija. There, we meet the camels and their cameleers.

  • Day 3: Faija - Camping

    Today we start our trek. In the morning we load the camels and head to Hamada. We have good views of the Saghro and Banni Mountains, with little vegetation, and maybe some Bedouin nomads. After lunch in an oasis, we walk along dried riverbeds and arrive at the campsite at sunset. Walking time: 6h30

  • Day 4: Camping - Dunes of Chegaga

    We ascend to the Abbes Pass, where breathtaking views of the desert unfold before us. In the distance, the golden dunes of Chegaga come into sight—our destination for later in the afternoon. Walking time: approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes. Overnight stay in a desert camp among the vast dunes, sleeping under a blanket of stars.

  • Day 5: Dunes of Chegaga - Dunes of Bougarne

    After trekking through the undulating dunes of Chegaga, we continue our journey towards M’Hamid. We stop for lunch beneath the shade of tamarisk trees, then carry on towards the remote dunes of Bougarne—an area rarely visited by tourists. Walking time: around 5 hours. Once again, we’ll spend the night under the stars, sleeping out in the open amidst the silence of the desert.

  • Day 6: Dunes of Bougarne - Dunes of Oued Naam

    We rise early to witness the sunrise over the Bougarne dunes—a peaceful and unforgettable moment. The rest of the day takes us across a vast rocky plateau, offering a striking contrast to the soft sands of the previous days. By late afternoon, we arrive at the dunes of Oued Naam. Walking time: approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes. Once again, we’ll sleep outdoors at our desert camp, under the stars.

  • Day 7: Dunes of Oued Naam - Dunes of Mhamid - Marrakesh

    The final stage of our trek leads us through stunning desert scenery and across a wide plateau dotted with small dunes. Almost without noticing, we arrive at the Regaga dunes and, soon after, reach M’Hamid—marking the end of our desert adventure on foot. We continue by car from here along the picturesque Draa Valley to Zagora before transferring back to Marrakech. Walking time: approximately 3 hours.

  • Day 8: Marrakech - Airport

    It depend of your flight time; if it’s in the afternoon you have the opportunity to explore the Marrakech with its sites and magic gardens, then Transfer to the Airport

What's included

What's not included

From £815 / Person