Erg Chigaga Travel Guide: Morocco's Wildest Dunes

Erg Chigaga is the largest and most remote of Morocco’s dune fields. No paved road leads to it: you reach it after about two hours of off-road driving, or two to three days on foot with camels. That distance keeps the crowds away and gives the place a silence that is hard to find elsewhere. This Erg Chigaga travel guide explains how to organize a visit.

Erg Chigaga at a Glance

Where: about 60 kilometers west of M’Hamid El Ghizlane, in the far south.
Access: 4×4 with an experienced driver, or camel trek. Not suitable for ordinary cars.
How long: one night in the dunes at minimum; two for a real sense of the place.
Best time: October to April.

How to Get There

There are two gateways. The usual one is M’Hamid El Ghizlane, the village where the paved road ends, about an hour and a half south of Zagora. From there, tracks cross stony plains and small dunes to the erg. The other is Foum Zguid, to the west, from which the route crosses the flat, dry bed of Lake Iriki.

Many travelers enter by one and leave by the other, making a loop that returns toward Ouarzazate. Whichever you choose, go with a local agency or camp: the tracks are unmarked and change with the wind, and there is no phone signal for much of the way.

From Marrakech, count a full day’s drive to M’Hamid, usually with an overnight stop on the way.

By 4×4 or by Camel?

By 4×4, you reach the dunes in about two hours and can visit with a single night in camp. This is what most people do.

By camel, the journey takes two to three days each way, walking beside the animals more than riding them, and sleeping in simple bivouacs. It is slow and physical, and for many it is the best way to understand the desert. Shorter treks combine a day or two of walking with a 4×4 return.

The Camps

Camps at Erg Chigaga are fewer and more spread out than at Merzouga. They range from simple nomad-style tents to comfortable camps with private bathrooms. Everything, including water, is brought in by vehicle, so expect higher prices than at Erg Chebbi for the same level of comfort, and use water sparingly.

What to Do

Climb the highest dune near your camp for sunset; the sand cools quickly and the colors change by the minute.
Get up for sunrise, when the dunes are untouched by footprints.
Walk. An hour on foot away from camp is enough to be completely alone.
Look up at night. The absence of any town makes this one of the darkest skies in the country.

Erg Chigaga or Erg Chebbi?

Choose Erg Chigaga if you want remoteness and do not mind rough tracks and a higher cost. Choose Erg Chebbi if you prefer a paved road, a wide choice of camps and an easier fit with a route between Marrakech and Fes.

Best Time to Visit

Autumn, winter and early spring are the seasons for the desert. Days are warm, nights are cold, and the air is clear. Wind is more frequent in spring. In summer the heat is extreme and most camps close.