Erg Chigaga is one of the largest and most impressive sand dune areas in the Sahara Desert, located in the southeastern part of Morocco near the Algerian border. It is known for its remote and pristine beauty.
The dunes can reach heights of up to 300 meters and extend for over 40 kilometres, creating a breathtaking landscape. Unlike the more popular Erg Chebbi near Merzouga, Erg Chigaga is more secluded and less developed for tourism, offering a more authentic desert experience.
Visitors can explore traditional Berber (Amazigh) culture, stay in desert camps, and enjoy activities like sandboarding, camel riding, and stargazing under the desert’s clear night sky.
How to get there?
Reaching Erg Chigaga typically involves a journey through the desert, often by 4×4 vehicles or camel treks, starting from towns like M’Hamid or Zagora.
From Marrakech
Take a bus (e.g., CTM or Supratours) or drive to Zagora. The journey by road takes about 7–9 hours, passing through the scenic High Atlas Mountains and the Draa Valley.
From Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate is another popular starting point. From here, it’s a 4–5-hour drive to Zagora and then onward to M’Hamid.
Continue to M’Hamid
M’Hamid, a small desert outpost, is about 1.5 hours south of Zagora. Regular buses and taxis are available. Alternatively, many organized tours start from Ouarzazate or Marrakech and include transport to M’Hamid.
Off-Road to Erg Chigaga
From M’Hamid, the journey to Erg Chigaga involves traversing 60 kilometres of desert terrain. This requires a 4×4 vehicle or a camel trek.
4×4 jeeps (usually Toyota Land Cruiser) are driven by experienced drivers who navigate the challenging desert trails. The drive takes about 1.5 – 2 hours.
Camel Trek
slower but more traditional option is travelling by camel, which can take 2–3 days, depending on your starting point.
Where to stay?
Accommodation comes together in a package with transportation by 4X4 and food. Camp quality can vary and some offer more traditional Berber tents and some offer luxury settings among the dunes. There are also plenty of hotels and desert camps in M’Hamid if you need to spend the night before setting off to Erg Chigaga.
For adventurers travelling in their private vehicles, there will be no problems with self-sufficient camping.
The best time to visit
Spring (March to May): temperatures are warm but comfortable, typically ranging from 20°C to 30°C during the day and cooler in the evenings. This is a beautiful time for desert landscapes, as the sand and skies are vivid, and occasional spring rains may create rare blooms in the desert. Spring is popular with tourists, especially in April, so booking accommodations or desert tours in advance is recommended.
Autumn (September to November): similar to spring, temperatures are mild, with daytime highs around 25°C to 30°C and cooler evenings. October is especially pleasant. Clear skies and beautiful sunsets make autumn a favourite for photographers and those looking to experience the desert at its most vibrant. Autumn also sees a fair number of tourists, but generally fewer than spring. It’s still wise to book ahead, especially in October.
Winter (December to February): days are mild, with temperatures between 15°C to 20°C, but nights can be cold, dropping close to freezing in the desert. The winter sky is often crisp and clear, perfect for stargazing. If you’re prepared for the cold nights, winter can be a magical time to experience the desert’s tranquillity. Winter is less crowded, though the holiday period around late December can be busy.
Summer (June to August): daytime temperatures soar, often reaching 40°C to 50°C, making outdoor activities challenging. Most tours run early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the midday heat, and many desert camps close or operate with limited services. Fewer tourists visit in summer due to the heat, making it an option for those who want to avoid crowds, but only if you’re comfortable with intense temperatures.
Overnight trip
I organized my Erg Chigaga trip at short notice, one day before arrival to M’Hamid. After contacting several camps and tour providers, the best offer was given by Hamza Laghfiri. The prices aren’t very encouraging for a solo traveller, so it’s always better to travel in a group and share the cost of jeep transportation. Erg Chigaga isn’t that close to M’Hamid, so your driver will stay there overnight as well. Taking into consideration that the food and accommodation are included, the price seems to be justified.
After negotiations, I agreed to pay 120 EUR for the complete tour. It was the best price I could get as other operators wanted from 150 EUR to even 220 EUR.
Here are the Hamza’s contact details:
hamza.laghfiri@gmail.com
+00 212 (0) 676 380 671 / + 00 212 (0) 656 950 249
The trip to Erg Chegaga was supposed to start at 2 PM so I still had quite a lot of time to kill in the morning. After checking out from my accommodation in M’Hamid, I had a short walk around the town and I bought a Berber-style head scarf. However, it didn’t prove to be very practical while walking on the dunes as I was sweating like a pig because of that synthetic material.
As soon as I texted Hamza that I was ready, he appeared in front of the meeting spot literally in 30 seconds. I guess he really didn’t want me to get in contact with any other drivers hanging out on the streets as potentially he could lose the customer. He introduced me to the driver who didn’t speak much English but seemed to be a nice and sensible guy. His driving style was very careful which I appreciated a lot, especially after my previous experiences with taxi drivers in Morocco. We could make a stop for the pictures any time I wanted and he also showed me a water well built next to a nomadic camp. The car was a Toyota Land Cruiser and the only negative was that the window on the passenger side couldn’t open.
The views and types of the desert were changing surprisingly fast. First, the landscape was more sandy with some occasional vegetation, then stony and wide open spaces and finally, we saw massive sand dunes. We passed by some folks travelling in pretty old cars, doing the route through Mauretania to Senegal, following the classic Dakar route. What a dream!
As we arrived at the camp, I was greeted with tea and snacks. At this time of the day, I was the only guest there but they said that 9-10 more people would come later on. The camp was much bigger than the one I stayed in Merzouga and there were even bathrooms with showers. I was very surprised that they brought water in huge containers for such a long distance.
I got a private room with two single beds and carpets on the floor. Very cosy and atmospheric! Actually, it wasn’t a tent but some other light construction.
After tea, I set off for something that was supposed to be a short walk to the dunes, and instead, it lasted until sunset. I climbed the highest dune, from where the views were simply amazing. I felt like the desert belongs to me. Absolutely no other people nearby. It was hot, and quiet and only flies were a pain in the ass. I spot a small camp at the bottom of the dune but it rather looked like the one belonging to nomads. Incredible that people live like that. I am always impressed by how different human lives and stories can be, depending on the culture, history and geographical location. Not a bit different… but absolutely different.
Then, I made a stupid decision to go down and head back to the camp. When I was on the way, I noticed plenty of other tourists who probably just arrived and were heading to the same place where I was a few minutes ago. It was pretty logical as the sunset time was coming and the top of the highest dune sounds like a good place to be, doesn’t it? Instead of continuing to the camp, I turned around and climbed that bloody dune again 🙂 The sunset was indeed magical!
It was getting dark really quickly so I was rushing back not to be surprised by darkness and not to get lost among the dunes. When I entered my room, I instantly drank one litre of water, as I didn’t take any (it was supposed to be a quick walk to the dunes.) Never underestimate the desert!
Just before the dinner, the staff working in the camp lit plenty of candles so the atmosphere was unique. The food was quite standard for Morocco – lentil soup and chicken tajine. Once dinner was over, we moved to the fireplace and it was time for singing and playing traditional instruments.
I slept well and started the day with the sunrise on the dune. Surprisingly, other guests were just sleeping and it seemed that I was the only one out there. The spectacle was good but not as impressive as the sunset the day before. Then I had breakfast and it was time to leave back to M’Hamid!
We took the same way and when we arrived in town, Hamza was already waiting. We shook hands and said goodbye. A very nice guy and the trip was organized exactly as expected, therefore I highly recommend his services!
