Trekking in Erg Chegaga

Duration
8 days
Location
High 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 experience of Morocco’s stunning landscapes and rich culture. Travel through the striking terrain of the Anti-Atlas, a remote region known for its rocky outcrops, lunar-like landscapes, and dramatic contrasts. While much of the land is dry and barren, in hidden corners, water collects in natural basins, creating unexpected oases. Villages here are sparse, often just a cluster of simple houses surrounded by palm trees, offering a peaceful glimpse into traditional desert life. Continue your adventure with a camel trek into the Chegaga Dunes near M’Hamid, where the silence of the Sahara and golden sand dunes create an unforgettable setting. The journey takes you through the Draa Valley, Morocco’s longest river, born from the meeting of the Ouarzazate and Dades rivers. The Draa Valley is lined with palm groves, fortified villages, and remarkable kasbahs and ksours. These settlements, built from earth and stone, stand as living testaments to centuries of tradition. The oases, with their tall date palms, irrigated fields, and carefully managed water channels, offer a serene contrast to the vast desert around them. This trip blends cultural exploration, natural beauty, and authentic desert experiences, giving you a deep connection with Morocco’s diverse landscapes and warm-hearted people.

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 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 climb to the Abbes pass, from where we can observe the vastness of the desert. Far away we can already spot the dunes of Chegaga. We get to them later in the afternoon. Walking time: 6h30, overnight in comp in deep of big dunes under stars.

  • Day 5: Dunes of Chegaga - Dunes of Bougarne

    After walking the multitude of small sand dunes of Chegaga, we continue towards M'hamid. We eat under the trees of Tamares, and in the evening we arrive at dunes of Bougarne, a site rarely frequented by the tourists. Walking time: 5h, again we’re going to overnight outdoor under stars.

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

    We wake up early in order to contemplate the dawn on the dunes of Bougarne. The rest of the day we walk on a huge rocky plateau, and we reach the dunes of Oued Naam late in the afternoon. Walking time: 6h30, like the other days we’re going to sleep outdoor in camp.

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

    This last stage of the trek takes place along beautiful desert landscapes, and an immense plateau of small dunes. Without realizing it, we reach the Regaga dunes and then Mhamid. Here the trek reaches an end. Later, we continue by car along the Draa valley to Zagora. Transfer to Marrakech. Walking time: 3h.

  • 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 £897 / Person