A short, soul-stirring desert adventure for time-poor travellers who still want the real thing.
Six days. Four nights in the desert. One very good reason to pack light.
This six-day Morocco adventure is a proper off-grid desert trek, neatly packaged for those short on time but hungry for something far richer than a city break or fly-and-flop escape.
Starting and ending in Marrakech, you’ll travel south across the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas mountains to the desert frontier of Mhamid El Ghizlane, before setting out on foot with an experienced Sahrawi and Amazigh guide team and camel caravan.
Over four days, you’ll trek through the protected Iriqui National Park, wild camp beneath huge skies, cross dry riverbeds and remote dune fields, and finish at Erg Chigaga – Morocco’s longest dune system – with sunset from the tallest dune in the region.
It’s simple, elemental and deeply memorable: walking, tea, campfires, stars, silence, and the rare pleasure of being properly away from it all.
Make an enquiry for full details and to check availability.
Why you'll love this adventure
- Big adventure, small window - a proper Sahara trek in just six days.
- Wild, not watered down - remote dunes, wild camps and huge desert skies.
- Locally led - guided by Sahrawi and Amazigh desert experts who know this landscape inside out.
Dates
This trip can be tailor made for your perfect travel dates. Please make a booking enquiry for more information.
Itinerary
This is a compact desert journey with a satisfying sense of progression: from Marrakech to the desert frontier, then on foot through palm groves, hamada, dry riverbeds, abandoned desert settlements and dune fields, before reaching the great Erg Chigaga dunes. The itinerary is guided by desert conditions, local knowledge and the rhythm of travelling with camels. Expect early starts, long lunches in the shade, simple camps, big skies and a pace that gives you time to notice where you are. The walking is steady rather than technical, with around five to six hours on foot on most trekking days.
What's included
- Return vehicle transfers from Marrakech on days 1 and 6
- First night in a twin-share auberge room near Mhamid, with dinner, breakfast and drinking water
- All meals and drinking water / hot drinks on trek, from lunch on day 2 to breakfast on day 6
- Single dome tent per person, sleeping mat and blankets for wild camping nights
- Twin-share tent at the fixed camp on night 5
- English-speaking guide, cook and camel handlers from days 2 to 5
- Camels to carry kit, supplies and luggage during the trek
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Marrakech accommodation before or after the trip
- Lunches on days 1 and 6
- Tips
- Single room / single fixed-camp tent supplements where requested
Trip notes
Price
Min age
Accommodation
The first night is spent in a comfortable auberge near Mhamid El Ghizlane on a twin-share basis. Nights 2 to 4 are spent wild camping in single dome tents, with sleeping mats and blankets provided. Night 5 is at a fixed desert camp near Erg Chigaga in twin-share tents.
Winter desert nights can be cold, so a sleeping bag or thermal liner is strongly recommended.
Meals
Meals on trek are prepared by the local cook team and are simple, hearty and well suited to desert travel. Expect fresh vegetables and fruit, tagines, soups, cooked salads, eggs, lentils, rice, pasta and similar staples.
Dietary requirements, including vegetarian and vegan diets, can be catered for with advance notice.
Who is this trip for?
This trip is suitable for active travellers who enjoy walking, camping and being outdoors in remote environments. You do not need to be an experienced trekker, but you should be comfortable walking for up to five or six hours a day on uneven desert terrain.
It’s a good fit for:
- Time-poor travellers looking for a proper adventure in under a week
- Hikers and outdoorsy types
- Photographers and big-sky enthusiasts
- Travellers who prefer simple, locally led experiences over luxury polish
- Anyone happy with wild camping, early starts and a bit of sand in everything
Additional notes
What to Pack
Bring soft luggage suitable for camel transport, layered clothing for hot days and cold nights, a warm jacket, hat, sun protection, personal medication, travel towel, water bottle and comfortable worn-in footwear. Trekking sandals with socks, trail shoes or light walking shoes can all work well depending on personal preference.
Travel Notes
You should arrive in Marrakech the day before the trip begins, as the group departs at around 08:30 on day 1. On the final day, arrival back into Marrakech is expected late afternoon or early evening, so it is best to book onward flights for the following day.
Tour operator
We've collaborated with this small Amazigh-Anglo team with deep roots in Morocco’s desert south since 2013. Their journeys are usually private departures but they sometimes venture into small group trips. Thoughtful and locally led, they take travellers beyond the obvious highlights into the Sahara, remote dunes, desert camps and open landscapes with experienced guides, careful logistics and a strong commitment to supporting local communities and travelling lightly in fragile desert environments.
Enquire today
Sahara Desert Trek to Erg Chigaga
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Please complete the enquiry form above with as much detail as you can and we will send you all the trip information and connect you with the operator so you can make a booking directly.
If you have queries and questions about the trip include those in your form and we’ll personally reply to you within 24 hours.
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