Morocco
Forgotten kasbahs and the remote dunes of the Erg Chigaga
Morocco
A route that skips the crowds to reach one of the most remote corners of the Moroccan Sahara — forgotten kasbah towns, the oasis of Skoura, the desert gateway of Zagora, then the isolated dunes of the Erg Chigaga, far from the more visited camps.
When
March to June | Sept to Nov
Price
From 9 900€ excl. flights
(based on 2 people sharing)
How long
10 nights
Ideal length
Day 1
Just one night in the red city before hitting the road — enough for a first taste of its souks before heading toward far wilder landscapes.
Day 1
One night in the red city
Check-in at a riad in the heart of the medina, then setting off that same afternoon for a private tour of the souks and Jemaa el-Fna square — a first taste of Moroccan effervescence before, from the next day on, taking to far more solitary roads.
Days 2-3
The road turns south over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, past kasbahs that time seems to have forgotten, before reaching the oasis of Skoura — a peaceful preamble before the desert's aridity.
Day 2
Via the Tizi n'Tichka and Aït Ben Haddou
Crossing the Tizi n'Tichka pass, one of Morocco's most spectacular mountain roads, with a stop at the Telouet kasbah, former stronghold of the Glaoui family with its decoration still intact, then the Ounila Valley and its ksar of Aït Ben Haddou before arriving in Skoura.
Day 3
Potters, roses and the Dadès Gorges
A visit to a traditional pottery workshop and the kasbahs scattered through the palm grove, then a stop at Kelaa M'Gouna, capital of the Damask rose — harvest in spring, the distillery open year-round. The afternoon ends with a walk through the Dadès Gorges and a picnic beside the river.
Days 4-5
The historic caravan gateway toward Timbuktu, Zagora keeps its artisan identity intact — weavers, dyers, and dunes already visible on the horizon.
Day 4
The kasbah of Tamnougalt
On the way to Zagora, a stop at the kasbah of Tamnougalt, former capital of the Drâa Valley, its rammed-earth walls finely carved. Check-in later in the day at a lodge on the desert's edge, away from the town's bustle.
Day 5
Weavers and dunes at dusk
A visit to the Mellah quarter, where artisans still hand-weave rugs and blankets in Berber patterns passed down from mother to daughter. Later in the day, a climb up a nearby dune for sunset over the desert's first ripples — a taste of what's still to come.
Day 6
Far more remote than the Erg Chebbi, the Erg Chigaga has to be earned — several hours of track across the hamada stone desert to reach dunes among the highest and least visited in the country.
Day 6
Via Tamegroute to the isolated dunes
A stop in Tamegroute, whose ancient Quranic library holds manuscripts centuries old, before M'Hamid, the last village before the great emptiness. From there, a 4x4 pushes into the hamada for several hours to reach the private camp of the Erg Chigaga — dinner under canvas, a night under the stars, far from everything.
Days 7-8
Nicknamed "little Marrakech" for its ochre-earth ramparts, Taroudant offers a more intimate medina, far less crowded, with tanneries and souks on a human scale.
Day 7
Crossing the hamada
A long crossing of the stone desert to Taroudant, a fortified town nestled between the Anti-Atlas and the High Atlas. Check-in at a quiet guesthouse, with time to enjoy the pool and spa after several days on the road.
Day 8
Tanneries and ramparts at sunset
A guided visit to Taroudant's artisan tanneries and souks, more authentic and far less touristy than those of Marrakech. The day ends atop the ramparts, five kilometres of 16th-century ochre walls, for a sunset that sets the town and the surrounding mountains ablaze.
Days 9-10
The journey closes the loop where it began, with two nights to fully enjoy the red city — hammam, souks, and one last sidecar ride to say goodbye.
Day 9
Back to the red city
A long road back to Marrakech, where two final nights await at a riad in the heart of the medina. The pace finally slows: a relaxing hammam late in the afternoon, then one last wander through the souks before nightfall.
Day 10
One last sidecar ride
One last vintage sidecar tour of the city before the flight home — a full-circle look at the quarters passed through ten days earlier, with the feeling of having seen, this time, a side of Morocco few travellers take the time to discover.
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