Morocco Camel Trekking Tour to Erg Chegaga (highest dunes in Morocco) | 4 days

Itinerary

Day 1: Mhamid– Oued Naam

The beginning of our Erg Chegaga trekking tour: finding our rhythm 

You are free to arrive the day before or in the morning on our departure date. 

Our Morocco trip to Erg Chegaga begins in the oasis village of M'Hamid El Ghizlane, also known as the "Door of the Desert". We will pick you up from the bus station, your taxi, or if you are in a rental car, in the village square. We will take you to our peaceful basecamp just outside of the village among the small dunes at the beginning of the Sahara. Here, you are free to secure large luggage and to park your rental car. We will share tea, as is our tradition, and discuss the logistics of our Erg Chegaga trek. 

In the mid-afternoon, your camels arrive. After packing them with our supplies, we embark on our Erg Chegaga trek into the golden dunes towards the river Oued Naam. It won't take long for you to feel the peaceful energy of the desert, to get into the sway of your camel's trekking rhythm, and to notice the truly remarkable details of the desert first-hand. We stop to make lunch and to relax under the shade of a tamarisk tree. Taking tea, you will feel re-energized for the rest of our trekking for the day. Continuing, we reach our destination as the sun nears the horizon. You will have the opportunity to trek up a tall dune and to enjoy your first Sahara sunset. We set up our Morocco desert camp and spend the night under the beautiful stars with a delicious meal and stories about the desert. 

Day 2: Oued Naam - Erg Bougarn

Learning about desert life along our Erg Chegaga trekking tour 

Breathing in the cool morning air, you will wake up feeling refreshed. We will start to settle into our daily routine of tea and a delicious breakfast in the soft light. The second day of your Morocco trip to Erg Chegaga will take you to Erg Bougarn.

We will continue trekking along the river Oued Draa in the Draa Valley. Soon, we will take a break and relax, preparing a delicious lunch beside the river. You will start to notice the diversity of desert landscapes: tamarisk trees (mentioned in ancient texts, including the Bible), vast plains of stones, and herds of wild camels. 

In the late afternoon, we will find ourselves at Erg Bougarn: a magnificent high dune above a surrounding landscape of smaller dunes. We will again set up our Morocco desert camp with a warm campfire. You will have the option of sleeping in a cozy nomad tent or under the stars. 

Day 3: Erg Bougarn - Erg Chegaga 

The culmination of our Morocco camel trekking tour: Erg Chegaga

Today we embark towards Erg Chegaga: the highest dunes in the Moroccan Sahara. As we approach the area surrounding Erg Chegaga, in the distance you will see the largest summits coming into view. All around Erg Chegaga is one of the oldest oases in the region--the vast and green flood plain at the end of the Daia' river. 

Arriving at the foothills of the dunes, we will settle into an adobe Morocco desert camp with creature comforts like hot showers. After showering, from our long Erg Chegaga trek, we will relax with tea and cookies. As the sun sets, you will have the opportunity to trek to the highest dunes in Erg Chegaga to watch a magnificent Sahara sunset like no other. As you crest the summit, the sky will unfold in a brilliant display of shifting colors. We spend the evening with a five-star traditional Moroccan dinner, campfire, and music in our Erg Chegaga Morocco desert camp.

Day 4: Erg Chegaga - M'Hamid 

The last day of our Erg Chegaga Morocco Camel Trekking Tour 

It's the last day of your Erg Chegaga trek! After breakfast, we return to M'Hamid in a 4x4 vehicle. We arrive back at the small dunes of M'Hamid El Ghizlane and our Morocco desert basecamp. There, you can have a shower and take a rest from all our desert trekking. Although we've only been gone for a few days, your heart and mind will feel peaceful and refreshed from the tranquil desert.