Essaouira To Erg Chegaga Desert Tour 5 Days
Essaouira, Morocco
Duration
5 days
Tour Type
Overview
Combining an adventurous desert trip with a laid-back beach vacation would be the ideal Moroccan getaway from Essaouira, wouldn’t it? On this one, you head south along the Atlantic, stroll around the enormous ramparts of Taroudant. Stop by the government-run saffron museum in Taliouine, and witness the creation of Berber rugs in Taznakht. There’s a camel ride into the dunes at the opulent camp. Followed by Berber and nomadic music around a bonfire later on. The next day is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to explore Erg Chegaga’s untamed and untamed desert.
You can discover the distinctive pottery-making methods used in Tamegroute. Together with the intriguing background of the Qoranic school and its collection of priceless manuscripts. Visiting the two most famous Kasbahs in the nation, Kasbah Aït ben Haddou and Kasbah Telouet. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the trip’s most amazing things to do. You have the option to conclude this desert trip in Essaouira. And we may modify the timetable to fit your new schedule. Inform us!
Included/Exclude
- Private 4WD with professional driver
- Daily pick-up and drop off
- Daily mineral water in the vehicle
- Airport solo two-way transfers
- Speaking English driver
- 4 nights accommodation with half-Board: Dinner & breakfast
- Luxury desert camp in Erg Chegaga
- Camel ride in sahara desert
- Drive off the beaten track
- Sandboarding in the high dunes of Erg Chegaga
- Visits to southern most popular attractions
- Delecious Moroccan food
- Additional Services
- Travel insurance
- Lunches
- Entrance fees
- Gratuities
- Extra activities not referred to itinerary : Spa treatments, Quad...
Tour Plan
Your journey through the desert from Essaouira to Chegaga Desert begins at 8:30 when the driver picks you up in an air-conditioned 4x4 vehicle from your hotel. As you head south toward Agadir, one of Morocco's most well-known beach destinations, you pass remote beaches along the Atlantic Coast and traditional Berber communities. From this point on, travel inland and eastward to Taroudant. Traveling down the Souss River Valley will show you all the argan trees that line the roadside hillsides.When you get in Taroudant, also referred to as "The Little Marrakech", you can take pictures of its enormous ramparts and visit its lovely walled medina. A lovely riad provides a traditional meal and a restful night's sleep at night.
You head to Taliouine, the most famous saffron-growing region in Morocco, after breakfast in your riad. Here, you may explore the fascinating little museum run by the government that explains everything there is to know about growing this so-called "golden" crop. Even though the priceless pistils are contained in little glass jars, there is a distinct aroma of saffron as soon as you walk in. You will thereafter travel via the Tizi-n-Tighatine and Tizi-n-Ikhsane passes to reach Taznakht, where you may discover everything there is to know about the art of rug-making by Berber women.Once you leave Taznakht, head south along the edge of the Sahara Desert, passing across more expansive, flatter landscapes and interesting rock formations. Excitement grows as you travel farther and farther, wondering just when you'll reach the desert. At last, you arrive at Foum Zguid, the last settlement before the desert, and you embark on a journey into the wide Sahara, an exciting and unfamiliar world.
The first thing you have to do is cross the now-dry Lake Iriqui, where you can pause if you'd want to go fossil hunting. The route then leads you via the many desert elements, such as dunes and stony desert with bigger stones that get progressively smaller as you go deeper into the sea of sand.The highlight of your desert tour is the spectacular sunset over the Erg Chegaga dunes, which can be seen from the top of the dunes. You eat dinner and spend the night in a camp of opulent tents back at the base of the dunes. But first, there's a nomad near a fire camp, accompanied by Berber music and drumming.
You will have a special chance to go on a full-day desert trek with a guide to explore the vast and untamed dunes of Erg Chegaga following breakfast at the camp. There are camels with you, which you are free to ride if you so choose. They will bring everything your camel man needs to prepare your meal outside among the dunes. A lot of people claim that this is the greatest dinner they have ever had in Morocco.
You will be assisted in navigating the "hamada" (flat desert), "erg" (dunes), and oases that make up the Sahara Desert by your camel guy and nomad guide. And since they were raised in this environment, who better to illustrate the way of life of desert nomads? Urbanites will be amazed at how individuals manage to exist in such a hostile environment. There isn't a nomad you will meet that doesn't yearn for these dunes and their serene, serene, and breathtaking beauty.
To get to the oasis where you will stop for lunch, you will have to walk for around three hours in the morning. The tallest dunes of Erg Chegaga are reached after a three-hour camel ride through the undulating dunes in the afternoon.You can have your well-earned dinner at the campsite beneath the Sahara Desert's starry sky. Once more, you and the other visitors will enjoy a soothing evening of Berber music and drumming. Your own opulent tent provides a well-earned night's sleep later in the evening.
Get up early to witness the sunrise, when the dunes' vibrant hues and the way the shadows move create a breathtaking picture.Following breakfast, the route travels another sixty kilometers across the desert road to reach M'hamid, the first settlement at the edge of the desert and the starting point of the northbound paved road. Following a tea break, you resume your trip up Morocco's longest valley, the Dra'a Valley.
You may tour the kilns used to create this distinctive pottery, which is well-known across the nation, and learn about the distinctive way the local clay is processed in Tamegroute hamlet. The Quranic library, with its exquisite manuscripts and lengthy history as a Quranic school, is a unique and intriguing location to visit.
Zagora, the biggest oasis in the Dra'a Valley and home to 44 varieties of dates, is the planned lunch destination. After that, you proceed to Agdez by following the historic caravan route that passes by verdant oasis and fortified Kasbahs. Here, a local guide will accompany you to Kasbah Tamnougalte. Two or three families still live there, making it the oldest kasbah in the Dra'a Valley.After that, you go across the Tizi-n-Tinfifite Pass and the Anti-Atlas Mountains to reach Ouarzazate, where you have dinner and stay the night in a real riad.
The journey to Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, one of Morocco's eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the backdrop for numerous Hollywood motion pictures, begins after breakfast. It is the most well-known Kasbah in Morocco, and since some of the structures are from the 17th century, it is a must-see on any southern desert excursion. Although you can visit the kasbah on your own, it is advised that you go with a local guide to fully comprehend its significance. While you take pictures of its adobe-built housing, he may tell you about its fascinating history.From here, you take a scenic and motivational journey north through the Ounila Valley, which is home to numerous fortified Kasbahs, Berber settlements, and gardens. You proceed to Kasbah Telouet, which was formerly El Glaoui, the final Pasha of Marrakech, and is located smack dab in the middle of the highlands.
The last Pasha had his property seized for plotting the King's exile, and as a result, his property was taken, leaving the kasbah in ruins exposed to the elements and looted. When you go to the farthest end of the Kasbah, prepare to be pleasantly surprised by the traditional interior decoration.Unfortunately, due to damage caused by the September 2023 earthquake in Morocco, the entire Kasbah is currently closed. To discover more about its fascinating history, it is definitely worthwhile to take a local guide and take a look at the exterior.
You finally arrive in Marrakech toward the end of the afternoon after traversing the High Atlas Mountains and the somewhat straighter Tizi-n-Tichka Pass, which offers breathtaking vistas. Your driver will take you to your hotel at the conclusion of your Erg Chegaga Desert excursion from Essaouira.Altering the itinerary to conclude the excursion in Essaouira instead is an option. Tell us if you think this is important.
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5
Starting in the laid-back town of Essaouira and ending in the dramatic Sahara, this tour had it all. The balance between exploring the vibrant souks, relaxing by the Atlantic, and adventuring in the desert was perfect. The camel ride through the dunes and the night under the stars in a luxury camp were absolute highlights. Can’t wait to return.