Things to do · M'Hamid & Erg Chegaga
At the very end of the Draa Valley south of Ouarzazate, M'Hamid el Ghizlane is the last village before the open Sahara, and beyond it lie the towering dunes of Erg Chegaga. This is the deep desert experience of southern Morocco. Here is what to do.
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Erg Chegaga is the largest dune field in Morocco accessible from the south, its crests rising up to around 50 metres over a vast sea of sand. Reaching it by 4x4 or camel from M'Hamid is the centrepiece of any deep-desert trip.
Permanent and mobile camps among the dunes offer tented nights with Berber music, candlelit dinners and some of the darkest skies in Morocco. Waking among the dunes at dawn is the highlight of a Chegaga expedition.
Camel trains set out from M'Hamid and the camps to cross the sands at the pace of the old caravans. Even a short ride at sunrise or sunset gives a sense of travel in the desert before engines.
M'Hamid marks the point where the tarmac runs out and the open desert begins, long a staging post for caravans heading toward Timbuktu. The frontier-town feel is part of its appeal.
The high faces of Erg Chegaga are ideal for sliding down on a board. It is an exhilarating way to enjoy the dunes between camel rides and quiet desert walks.
Around M'Hamid, palm groves and the ruins of old ksour recall the settled life at the desert's edge. Walking them reveals how communities farmed and defended this remote outpost.
With almost no light pollution, the skies over Erg Chegaga blaze with stars and the Milky Way. Camps often include time for stargazing, sometimes with a guide pointing out constellations.
M'Hamid is home to a tradition of trance and gnaoua-influenced desert music, celebrated at festivals and around camp fires. Evenings in the camps often feature drumming and song under the stars.
The route to Chegaga crosses Lake Iriqui, a usually dry lakebed that becomes a shimmering, mirror-like flat after rare rains. Its emptiness is a striking contrast to the dunes.
Low sun rakes across the dunes morning and evening, picking out ripples and casting long shadows. These hours are the most rewarding for photographing the ever-changing shapes of the erg.
Beyond the dunes, 4x4 routes link nomad camps, oases and viewpoints across the desert. Experienced drivers navigate the trackless sand and stone, opening up areas no road reaches.
Nomadic families still graze camels and goats in the desert around Chegaga, living in tents and moving with the water. Respectful visits, often arranged through camps, offer a window onto their way of life.
Most travellers drive from Ouarzazate down the Draa Valley to M'Hamid, about 270 km and five to six hours, then continue to Erg Chegaga by 4x4 or camel, as the dunes lie around 50 km beyond the village over rough desert tracks.
The Tinfou dunes near Zagora are small and easily reached, good for a quick taste of the Sahara. Erg Chegaga is a vast, remote dune field reached only by 4x4 or camel from M'Hamid, offering a far wilder and more immersive desert experience.
A typical trip from Ouarzazate is two or three days, with at least one night in a desert camp at Erg Chegaga. This allows for the long drive down the Draa, camel rides, and sunrise and sunset over the dunes.
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