Erg Chegaga tour

Our route begins crossing the High Atlas by Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass, the highest road pass in North Africa, at 2260 meters high. Atlas is a great mountain range that offers extraordinary mountainous landscapes dotted with small berber villages. We will make as many stops you want to admire and photograph them.

Then we will arrive at the mythical fortified city, or Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou. It also has a World Heritage Site status declared by UNESCO. Its adobe houses full of ornaments are confined within a strong wall reinforced by defense turrets. This spectacular kasbah built on a hill, rises above the desert landscape of Anti Atlas. It is undoubtedly one of the most emblematic places in Morocco. It is the largest Kasbah in Morocco, built by T-hami El Glaoui, one of the last Berber chieftains during the beginning of the XXth Century, and it used to be one of his stops during his long travel from the Sahara to Marrakech. Recently has been scenario of Game of Thrones and several films.

We will arrive to the Iriki desert and we can enjoy the beauty of the dunes of Chegaga. Although they are not as spectacular as those of Merzouga, are ideal for those with less time but want to travel to the desert. There we will have a welcome mint tea and take advantage of what is left in the afternoon to enjoy the sunset in the desert. Arriving at the camp with a walk with dromedaries is an option that we recommend.

From Chegaga we will approach to Mhamid, a town located 100 kilometers south of Zagora. It was an ancient caravan starting point between Morocco and Africa. Then we complete the tour towards Zagora, crossing several oases.

The new city of Zagora dates from times of French protectorate, as it was one of its administrative centers. However, the oasis was long inhabited, because the Saadi expedition to Timbuktu dates back to 1591. The famous sign “Timbuktu 52 days” in the center of the city is still standing. Zagora is dominated by Jbel Zagora and wide palm groves around it.

We leave the desert sand and crossing the Draa Valley, the third largest oasis in the whole country, we start the route back to Marrakech. The Draa Valley, runs along the water channel of the High Atlas Mountains, sometimes emerges triumphantly in oases full of palm trees and Berber villages.

We will continue in Ouarzazate direction passing by the huge cinema studios where scenes from so renowned movies such as "The Mummy", "Gladiator" and many others, such as episodes of the "Game of Thrones" series, have been recorded. The desert, oasis, kasbahs and snowy mountains of the Atlas are an unbeatable setting for shooting movies.

The day back to enjoy landscapes of the Atlas and cross the Tizi n'Tichka on our way to Marrakech. Return to Marrakech in place and time agreed and end of our services.