The great dunes 3 days

Traveling in a direct line from Mhamid, the starting point of this desert walk, you’ll reach the Erg Chigaga big dunes, Morocco’s largest sand dune field, after three days of hiking. Consequently, you’ll need four-wheel drive transportation out of the desert, and there are two possible routes to go.

When you get to Erg Chigaga, you have the option of spending a third night wild camping at the base of the towering sand dunes for an extra Eur €40 per person. Or, if you’re pressed for time, you may leave the desert and return to Mhamid on the third night (the two-hour drive back will be done right after sunset so you can watch the sun go down from atop the dunes). If you spend your last night in the desert at Erg Chigaga, you may leave the following morning for Marrakech (or Ouarzazate) by car transfer, leaving the desert through the north-west via Foum Zguid and arriving in Marrakech somewhere in the late afternoon, or returning to Mhamid.

The areas on our map labeled “Lotide” and “Bougarn” will serve as waypoints during your walk. You will remain in the area north of the Draa River’s path.

Mhamid, the starting point for the treks, is now easier to visit than ever thanks to the advent of flights to Zagora.

Taking a public bus is the most cost-effective option for getting about. The trip takes 10 hours if you start in Marrakech, but you can catch the same bus from Casablanca. CTM is the only bus company that has a daily direct trip to Mhamid. You may reach them at ctm.ma; their address is ‘Lamhamid Ghozlane.’ CTM also provides service to Zagora in case the Mhamid schedule doesn’t work for you.

Air Arabia provides a direct route from Marrakech to Zagora inside the country. A direct route provided by Royal Air Maroc connects Casablanca with Zagora, both inside Morocco. Until October 2019, Air Arabia flights leave on Wednesdays and Fridays (and then on Mondays and Wednesdays), while Royal Air Maroc flights leave four times a week until that month.
Getting from Zagora Airport to Mhamid by cab takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes.
The alternative would be to self-drive a small rental car and break up the journey to Mhamid with an overnight stop en-route (e.g. at/near Ouarzazate, 4 hours from Marrakech).
A private 4×4 vehicle transfer with driver from Marrakech to Mhamid is Eur €250 one-way. The direct car transfer takes approx. 8 hours, excluding any time for stops and visits en-route (i.e. make the short detour to visit the Ait Ben Haddou UNESCO Site near Ouarzazate).
You may consider taking the bus or flight one-way and arrange a private vehicle transfer out of the desert back to Marrakech – this works with either of the linear trekking routes to the Erg Chigaga Great Dunes. The driver will collect you at the Erg Chigaga dunes and take you out of the desert via Lake Iriqui and Foum Zguid (3 hours off-road travel) and then 6 hours via the tar road. The price of this return desert transfer is on demand.