Desert and Sahara

3-Day Erg Chegaga Desert Tour from Agadir

  • Duration3 days / 2 nights
  • LocationAgadir to Erg Chegaga (Zagora region) and Ait Ben Haddou
  • LanguagesEnglish, French, Spanish

About this activity

This Erg Chegaga desert tour from Agadir takes you deep into southern Morocco over three days and two nights. You leave the Atlantic coast behind and cross the Souss valley, the Anti-Atlas foothills and the gravel plains of the Zagora region to reach the large dunes of Erg Chegaga.

Day one is a long and varied drive. You stop at the old ramparts of Taroudant and pass through Taliouine, the saffron-growing town, before a lunch break at Taznakht. After Foum Zguid, the route crosses gravel desert, passes a fossil site and runs over the dry bed of Lake Iriki. You arrive at the dunes, where nomads still live with their camel herds. You ride a camel at sunset, then have dinner and spend the night in a nomad tent or a bivouac under the stars.

On day two you travel by 4x4 toward M'hamid. The route passes the Kasbah of Tamnougalt and crosses the Draa palm grove on a track. You continue to Zagora, with a pause at a viewpoint over the Draa Oasis. The route then goes through the Ait Saouen Gorge and Ouarzazate to Ait Ben Haddou, where you spend the night in a kasbah.

On the last morning you see the valley and the UNESCO-listed kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a former caravan stop that has appeared in several well-known films. Then you drive back to Agadir. You can ask to be dropped at Agadir airport instead of your hotel.

What's included

Not included

  • Drinks
  • Lunch meals

Itinerary

  1. Day 1: Agadir to Erg ChegagaLeave Agadir early and stop at the old ramparts of Taroudant. Continue through Taliouine, known for saffron, and break for lunch at Taznakht. Via Foum Zguid, cross gravel desert, pass a fossil site and cross the dry Lake Iriki to reach the dunes of Erg Chegaga. Enjoy a sunset camel ride, then dinner and a night in a nomad tent or bivouac.
  2. Day 2: Erg Chegaga to Ait Ben HaddouTravel by 4x4 toward M'hamid, visiting the Kasbah of Tamnougalt and crossing the Draa palm grove on a track. Continue to Zagora with a short break at a viewpoint over the Draa Oasis. Then go via the Ait Saouen Gorge and Ouarzazate to Ait Ben Haddou for the night in a kasbah.
  3. Day 3: Ait Ben Haddou to AgadirAfter breakfast, take in the views of the valley and the kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a former caravan stop on the Saharan trade route and a film location. After exploring, drive back to Agadir, with the option of a drop-off at the airport instead of your hotel.

Good to know

Meeting point and pick-up

Hotel pick-up in Agadir at 7:30 AM, or in Taghazout at 7:00 AM

Important information

  • Total driving is about 20 hours and 1,350 km over the three days.
  • Expected return is around 7:00 PM on day 3, or around 6:30 PM if dropped at Agadir airport.
  • Accommodation in the dunes is in a nomad tent or bivouac.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Erg Chegaga tour from Agadir?

The tour lasts three days and two nights. Pick-up is at 7:30 AM from Agadir, and you return around 7:00 PM on day three.

How far is Erg Chegaga from Agadir?

The full three-day circuit covers about 1,350 km and around 20 hours of driving. Most of the distance is on day one and on the return drive from Ait Ben Haddou.

Where do you sleep on the Erg Chegaga tour?

On night one you sleep in a nomad tent or in a bivouac at the dunes. On night two you stay in a kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou.

What is included in the tour?

It includes hotel pick-up and drop-off, a driver/guide, two nights of accommodation, breakfast and dinner, a sunset camel ride and a sandboarding experience. Drinks and lunches are not included.

Can I be dropped at Agadir airport at the end?

Yes, you can be dropped at Agadir airport instead of your hotel. The return to the airport is around 6:30 PM.

Do you pick up from Taghazout?

Yes, pick-up from Taghazout hotels is at 7:00 AM. Agadir hotel pick-up is at 7:30 AM.

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