4 days from Ouarzazate: Into the Erg Chigaga desert, with a visit to the desert nomads

After we pick your party up at the Ouarzazate airport/Hotel we travel south towards the west end of the Sahara. On the way we pass through Zagora and Tamegroute, famous for its craft pottery production, and reach M’Hamid, the desert outpost. From M’Hamid, we continue our journey into the desert. An adventurous journey through the Sahara by jeep awaits us. After covering 50 km of track, we reach the oasis of Iriki, before continuing towards the dunes of Erg Chigaga – an amazing series of golden desert dunes stretching for 40 km and reaching a maximum height of 300 metres. Here, you can admire the sunset amid the dunes. The typical nomad hospitality awaits us here in our tented camp, surrounded by the dunes of the Sahara, with the ritual welcome with mint tea, a traditional nomad dinner with music and a bonfire and overnight accommodation in a nomad tent.

After breakfast in the desert camp, you set off on your day’s hike with the dromedaries. You will visit a nomadic family and get to know the authentic nomadic life of the few people who still live nomadically. After approx. 2 hours you will reach the nomads, who will prepare lunch for you. After lunch and a rest, you will return to the desert camp in the dunes of Erg Chigaga. You have your own riding camel and can ride on the camel or walk alongside the caravan like the local camel guides. If the way back is too strenuous for you, you can also be taken back to the camp by jeep. Overnight stay and dinner in the desert camp.

After breakfast, your excursion continues to the largest dune of Erg Chigaga. Here, too, you can either ride a camel or, like your local guide, hike. You will reach the foot of the large dune and tea and a picnic will be prepared for you with fresh bread baked in the hot sand in nomadic style. Climb the large dune and enjoy the view. If you wish, you can also try to ride the dune on a sandboard. Return to the desert camp in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay in the desert camp.

After breakfast, we continue on our journey along the old Paris-Dakar Rally track. Passing once again through the dried up salt lake of Iriki to a truly unique mountain of fossils. Once back in the pavement we journey to Tazenakht. Here we will stop for lunch and have another golden opportunity to collect some of the rugs Morocco is world famous for. This region is known for producing the finest woven rugs. This is your chance to buy them straight from the source, the quality simply cannot be overstated. Return to Ouarzazate.