Most people who plan a desert trip in Morocco end up asking the same question: Merzouga or Erg Chigaga? Both are real Saharan sand seas, both have camel rides and Berber camps under the stars, and both are a long drive from Marrakech. But they feel very different once you are there. This guide explains the difference so you can pick the one that fits your trip.

The short answer

Choose Merzouga (Erg Chebbi) if you want the tallest, most photogenic dunes, an easy paved road all the way, and a desert you can combine with the Todra and Dades gorges or a trip to Fes.
Choose Erg Chigaga if you want a wilder, quieter desert, a 4×4 adventure across open country, and a route through the Draa Valley’s palm groves.
Can’t decide? Our 6-day Two Deserts tour spends a night in each.

Where they are and how you get there

Merzouga sits in the far east of Morocco, near Rissani and the Algerian border. The tarmac road runs right to the edge of the dunes, so a normal car reaches your camp’s meeting point. From Marrakech it is about 560 km, usually split over two days through Ait Benhaddou and the Dades Valley. From Fes it is about 470 km in one long day.

Erg Chigaga lies south-west of M’hamid, where the Draa Valley road ends. There is no road to the dunes: the last 60 km or so is a desert track that needs a 4×4, across stony plains and dry riverbeds. From Marrakech you drive over the High Atlas and down the Draa Valley to Zagora and M’hamid, then switch to the 4×4. A second track leaves the dunes westwards across the dry Lake Iriki to Foum Zguid, which makes it possible to arrive one way and leave another.

The dunes

Erg Chebbi at Merzouga is compact and high. Its tallest dunes are among the highest in Morocco and glow orange at sunrise and sunset; you can see the whole sand sea rise up from the village. Erg Chigaga is wider and lower, a long field of dunes stretching away in every direction, with fewer landmarks and more open horizon. Merzouga wins on drama; Chigaga wins on the feeling of being far away.

Crowds and atmosphere

Merzouga is the most visited desert in Morocco. There are many camps around Erg Chebbi, from simple to luxury, and in high season you will see other camel caravans and 4x4s. It is still magical, especially away from the main camps at dawn, but it is not empty.

Erg Chigaga has far fewer camps and no village at the foot of the dunes. Because everyone arrives by 4×4, numbers stay low. Evenings are quiet, the sky is very dark, and the nearest town is hours away. If silence is what you are after, this is the one.

Camps and comfort

Both deserts have private-tent camps with proper beds, and many now have en-suite bathrooms. Merzouga has the widest choice, including luxury camps. At Erg Chigaga the camps are more spread out and more rustic in feel, which is part of the charm. On our tours you always get a private tent; tell us if you want a higher level of comfort and we will book it.

Time and budget

Merzouga needs at least three days from Marrakech or Fes. Erg Chigaga can also be done in three days from Marrakech, but the 4×4 crossing makes the days longer, so four days is more relaxed. The 4×4 section also adds to the cost, so an Erg Chigaga trip is usually a little more expensive than a Merzouga trip of the same length.

What else you see on the way

On the way to Merzouga: Ait Benhaddou, the Valley of Roses, the Dades and Todra gorges, or, from Fes, the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas and the Ziz Valley.
On the way to Erg Chigaga: Ait Benhaddou, the kasbahs of the Draa Valley, Zagora, the green pottery of Tamegroute, and, on the way back, Lake Iriki and Foum Zguid.

Which tour to book

All our tours are private, with your own driver-guide and vehicle. Send us your dates on WhatsApp and we will help you choose.

Written by Hda Abdou, founder of Morocco Cultours.

Erg Chigaga or Merzouga: Which Sahara Desert Should You Choose?