From Marrakech: Private 12 Days Camel Trekking in Southern Morocco Erg Chegaga

Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech

1. Marrakech
   8h
   Welcome to Morocco! You will be picked up by your driver after arrival at Marrakech Menara Airport and we will bring you to your Riad in the medina.
 Depending on your arrival time, you have some free time to relax in the Riad, or you can go out on your own to explore the old town with its huge Souks.
 Individual lunch and dinner in the Medina or at Jemaa el Fna-square (not included) while observing the bustle of the snake charmers, henna tattoo artists and water sellers.

Day 2: Marrakech – High Atlas – Aït Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate

1. High Atlas Mountains
   Pass by
   After a rich moroccan breakfast in your Riad, the adventure begins! This memorable trip starts with the scenic drive from Marrakech over the Tizi-N-Tichka pass (2’260 m), where you can spot the traditional Berber villages with its inhabitants working and chatting at the roadside.
2. Ait Ben Haddou
   1h 30m
   At lunchtime and shortly before the desert capital Ouarzazate, you have the opportunity to visit the famous Kasbah Aït Ben Haddou, the fortified clay city with its numerous ksars and kasbahs, where several famous movies have been shot. This photogenic city is also listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
3. Taourirt Kasbah
   45m · Admission ticket not included
   Afterwards, you can visit the old kasbah of Ouarzazate with its medina named Taourirt or have a look at the movie museum just on the other side of the road.

Day 3: Ouarzazate – M'Hamid

1. Atlas Film Studio
   1h · Admission ticket not included
   After breakfast in your Riad you have the opportunity to visit one of the film studios of Ouarzazate. In the Atlas Corporation film studios you can join a 1 h guided tour, and you can discover the diverse sets and listen to the anecdotes of the multiple movies and actors. Several famous movies like Gladiator, Babel, Prince of Persia and recently The Physician have been shot in those studios.
2. Draa Valley
   Pass by
   After crossing the Anti-Atlas, you arrive at the green and peaceful Draa Valley which is famous for its huge date groves and henna fields. Along the way, we will enjoy lunch and buy some food for our trekking.
3. M'Hamid
   12h
   Now it is time for the desert! The village M'Hamid lies at the end of the road from Marrakech. From there on only undiscovered desert! Here we'll meet our caravane with the camels and local guides/cooks.

Day 4: Start of the Trekking (Hiking distance 15 km)

1. M'Hamid
   12h
   After a rich breakfast, the guides will pack your equipment on the camels and we start the trekking at about 9 o'clock. We are hiking from M'Hamid through a palm grove in the shade of palm trees.
 Extended lunch break and time to relax, then continue towards Sidi Naji for about 2 hours more. In the late afternoon, we build up our camp and it is time to relax. Freshly cooked dinner under the evening sky and second night in the tent or on mattresses under the sky.

Day 5: Trekking to Erg Ezahar (Hiking distance 16 km)

1. 12h
   After your yummy breakfast in the desert, we will start our second day of hiking in the beautiful landscape and to the rythm of your camels.
 We'll enjoy our lunch in the shade of big tamarisk trees and continue our way in the afternoon for another 2 hours until we reach the large dune of Erg Ezahar. This big dune lies in the middle of smaller golden dunes and is a howling dune which wails when the wind kicks up.
 Enjoy this beautiful view while your guides install our camp under a big tree below the golden dune. Climb the big dune for sunset and take some nice pictures of this fascinating landscape. Dinner will be prepared by our guides and you'll enjoy your third night in your tent or outside.

Day 6: Trekking to Erg Laghair (Hiking distance 11 km)

1. 12h
   Today we start our Trekking in direction of Erg Smar, an old abandonned village which the desert sands took over while the years were passing by. After our lunch break under some big tamarisk trees we continue to Erg Laghair. Enjoy the mesmerizing silence of the desert from our camp under some big trees. 
Dinner will be prepared by our guides and you'll enjoy sitting around a campfire and listen to some berber music. Forth night in your tent or outside.

Day 7: Trekking to Erg Chegaga (Hiking distance 18 km)

1. 12h
   After breakfast, we'll continue our journey to reach the big dunes of Erg Chegaga, the biggest and most famous ones of the region, some over 30 m high. 
Climb the dunes and take some wonderful fotos of the sunset from the top. What a spectacle! Dinner will be prepared by our guides and you'll enjoy your fifth night in your tent or outside.

Day 8: Trekking to Oum Laâlag (Hiking distance 16 km)

1. 12h
   After sunrise over the grand Chegaga dunes and a nice breakfast, we continue our road to Maihat Assolah and after lunch further to the Oasis of Oum Laâlag, where we’ll spend our sixth desert night. Relax and enjoy the shining stars over the desert.

Day 9: Trekking to Bourgane (Hiking distance 16 km)

1. 12h
   After our daily rich breakfast, our goal of the day ist o reach Oued Laatache, the „river of thirst“. Our lunch break will take place near a well, which is a important stop for the nomads in the region. After lunch, we’ll continue our way in direction Bourgane, where we’ll pass our seventh night in the wilderness.

Day 10: Trekking to Oued Naâm (Hiking distance 16 km)

1. 12h
   Today, after our usual desert breakfast, we walk at our pace until we reach Oued Naâm, the „River of ostriches“, where we’ll have lunch and regain our strenghts to walk a little further until the spot where we’ll put our tents for the night in some small dunes. Here we’ll spend our eight and last night on the trekking.

Day 11: Trekking to Ouled Driss (Hiking distance 16 km)

1. Oulad Driss
   12h
   After breakfast, we start our last day of trekking over the the „Hamada du Draâ“, a plain desert landscape full of volcanic stones. After eating a delicious meal at lunch time, we'll go for the last etappe until we reach the small village Ouled Driss with its palm groves.
 If you’ll arrive early enough before dinner, you can visit the typical old berber village with its old houses mad of clay and small stones. Dinner will be prepared by our guides and overnight in the camping.

Day 12: Ouled Driss – Zagora – Ouarzazate – High Atlas – Marrakech

1. Draa Valley
   Pass by
   After an early breakfast in the camping, we'll start our drive with our 4x4 back to Ouarzazate and enjoy the views of the Draa Valley along the way.
2. High Atlas Mountains
   Pass by
   After lunch break in Ouarzazate, we'll continue our way back to Marrakech crossing the Tizi-n-Tichka pass and arrive in your Hotel/Riad in Marrakech in the evening.

Day 13: Departure from Marrakech or individual stay

1. Marrakech
   Pass by
   Breakfast in your Riad and transfer to the airport for your flight back or start of your individual program. Have a safe journey and see you soon again!

Pickup details

Please wait in the reception area of your accommodation in Marrakech.
Pick up at the airport Marrakech Menara (arrivals) also possible.
No pick up possible at private residences and Airbnb's. If you stay in a private residence or Airbnb, your pick up place will be in front of Cafe de France at Jemaa el Fna square.

• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness