Overland region

Erg Chigaga and M'Hamid by 4x4: local guides and trips

A camel caravan crossing the dunes of Erg Chigaga
Photo: Sergey Pesterev, CC BY-SA 4.0

M'Hamid El Ghizlane sits at the end of the N9, where the Draa valley meets the Sahara, not far from the Algerian border. From here tracks lead west to Erg Chigaga, the largest of Morocco's big ergs, and on to the dry Lake Iriki and Foum Zguid, while to the north the valley runs back through Tamegroute to Zagora. For anyone travelling with their own vehicle it means sand and hamada tracks, palm groves and old ksars along the Draa, and the dunes of Erg Lihoudi and Erg Smar. Here are the local guides who work in the area and the trips that cross it.

12 local guides and 13 trips in Erg Chigaga and M'Hamid on GuideMeet.

On the map

  1. Zagora Zagora — Town. Provincial capital in the Draa valley and the starting point for trips to the oases and the Sahara. A well-known sign, now a mural, gives Timbuktu as 52 days away by camel. 30.3306, -5.8381 · Google Maps
  2. Tamegroute Tamegroute — Village. Village on the old road to Timbuktu, known for the Nasiriyya zawiya with its library of old manuscripts, and for its green-glazed pottery. 30.2612, -5.6820 · Google Maps
  3. Tinfou — Dunes. Dunes beside the village of Tinfou, in the Draa valley near Tamegroute, south of Zagora. 30.2409, -5.6011 · Google Maps
  4. Tagounite — Village. On the Draa, which from here flows west and is dry for most of the year. The area is known for its abandoned kasbahs and for meteorite finds. 29.9780, -5.5822 · Google Maps
  5. Erg Lihoudi Erg Lihoudi — Dunes. Dune field about 12 km north of M'Hamid, reachable by road, so a short outing from the town. 29.9128, -5.6799 · Google Maps
  6. M'Hamid El Ghizlane M'Hamid El Ghizlane — Town. Oasis town at the end of the N9, about 24 km from the Algerian border; the starting point for camel and 4x4 trips into the desert. Weekly souk on Mondays. 29.8222, -5.7208 · Google Maps
  7. Ksar Ksebt el-Allouj — Ksar. Fortified village from the Saadian era (late 16th century), just south-east of M'Hamid, tied to the old caravan trade with Timbuktu. 29.8050, -5.6921 · Google Maps
  8. Oum Lâalag Oum Lâalag — Oasis. The 'sacred oasis' of Oum Lâalag, around a spring west of M'Hamid, on the way towards Erg Chigaga. 29.8827, -6.1186 · Google Maps
  9. Erg Chigaga Erg Chigaga — Dunes. The largest of Morocco's big ergs, some 50–60 km from M'Hamid; the dried Iriki lake lies to its west. Reached by tracks, in a 4x4, by camel or on foot. 29.8278, -6.2500 · Google Maps
  10. Erg Smar — Dunes. Dune field south-east of Erg Chigaga, next to Erg Ezzahar, in the desert south-west of M'Hamid. 29.7135, -6.0860 · Google Maps
  11. Lake Iriki — Lake. Dried lake in the Iriqui National Park (created in 1994); in wet periods it becomes a temporary wetland where flamingos, coots and geese stop. 29.8169, -6.4989 · Google Maps
  12. Foum Zguid Foum Zguid — Town. Town on the N12 north-east of Tata, the second largest in Tata Province (9,630 inhabitants in 2004). Iriqui National Park lies to the south. 30.0862, -6.8737 · Google Maps

Local guides in Erg Chigaga and M'Hamid

Overland trips in Erg Chigaga and M'Hamid

Trips already run here

When to go

Winter is the comfortable season: at Zagora average highs stay above 20 °C and nights fall to about 4 °C. In June, July and August average highs are above 40 °C, and rain is very scarce all year.

Before you go

Photo credits

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, under the licences shown.

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