Marrakech is the starting point for most journeys into southern Morocco, and also the source of most confusion. Medina agencies sell three different deserts under one name: Agafay, 45 minutes away, which has no dunes at all; Zagora, seven hours away, whose Erg Lihoudi dunes are modest; and the real great erg, Chegaga or Chebbi, a full day out. We only do the third.
Our route leaves Marrakech over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, crossing the High Atlas at 2,260 metres, passes Ait Ben Haddou and Taznakht, then drops due south to Foum Zguid. Four and a half hours of tarmac, and then the track begins: Lake Iriqui, the Moroccan Colorado, then the dunes. You sleep in the desert on the evening of day two, not day three.
We collect you from your riad or hotel in a private 4x4, with a Saharan driver-guide who narrates the road rather than merely enduring it. No commissioned cooperative stops, no groups to wait for.
The Marrakech – Foum Zguid road, step by step
- 8:00 am
Pick-up at your Marrakech accommodation, out on the Ouarzazate road.
- 9:30 am
Climbing the Tizi n'Tichka, photo stops at cliff villages and fortified granaries.
- 11:00 am
Ait Ben Haddou: the UNESCO-listed earthen kasbah, visited before the coaches arrive.
- 1:00 pm
Lunch in Taznakht, capital of the Ouaouzguite carpet.
- 3:30 pm
Arrival in Foum Zguid, tea facing Jbel Bani. The track to the dunes starts here.
Practical details
- Pick-up at your riad or hotel, no supplement
- Private air-conditioned 4x4, child seats on request
- Fully paved road all the way to Foum Zguid
- Return via the Draa valley so you never drive the same road twice
- Drop-off possible in Ouarzazate, Zagora or Agadir at the end
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum number of days from Marrakech?
Three days, two nights. In two days you would spend sixteen hours in a car for one night on the sand: we refuse to sell that format. With only two days, aim for Zagora and accept the small dunes, or save the desert for another trip.
Why go via Foum Zguid rather than Zagora?
The Taznakht and Foum Zguid road saves about three hours of tarmac over the Agdz-Zagora-M'hamid route, and the final track from Foum Zguid takes 2.5 hours versus 3.5 to 4 from M'hamid. You convert those hours into desert time. See our Foum Zguid vs M'hamid comparison for the detail.
Is the Tichka pass difficult?
No, the road is wide and well maintained since the widening works. Allow two hours of bends; anyone prone to motion sickness rides up front. In January and February snow can close the pass for a few hours: we watch the forecast and adjust the departure time.
Can I travel from Marrakech without a car?
Yes, and most of our guests do: transport is included door to door on our trips. There are also CTM and Supratours buses to Ouarzazate and on to Foum Zguid if you prefer to reach the south independently and book only the desert part.
Other departure cities: see all options · Understand the region: Foum Zguid, Erg Chegaga, Lake Iriqui.