chegaga
When you think of the Moroccan desert, Merzouga often springs to mind. But further afield, beyond the tarmac roads, another Sahara is revealed. Wilder, quieter, truer: Erg Chegaga.
Here, the dunes stretch endlessly, the sky seems wider, and silence takes over. No crowds, no tourist attractions. Just the sand and the wind. Chegaga isn't something you walk through, it's something you tame. Slowly. Deeply.
Erg Chegaga, Moroccan desert: the ultimate Saharan adventure
If there's one place in Morocco where the desert reveals itself in all its grandeur, it's Erg Chegaga. Far from the beaten track, this sand sanctuary unfurls its monumental dunes under an infinite sky. An invitation to adventure, raw and majestic.
A wild and authentic desert in southern Morocco
Located around fifty kilometres west of M'Hamid El Ghizlane, Erg Chegaga lies at the heart of the great desert of southern Morocco. Accessible only by track, this erg is one of the most remote and spectacular in the country. A land of silence and immensity, shaped by the wind and inhabited by light.
Here, the Sahara expresses itself in all its purity: blond dunes as far as the eye can see, shifting ridges sculpted by the winds, alternating fine sand and rocky plateaux. A sea of raw, living sand, where you feel alone in the world.
history
Between nomadic traditions and natural heritage
Erg Chegaga belongs to the ancestral territory of the Aït Atta tribes, guardians of a nomadic lifestyle in harmony with the desert. Nearby, the sacred oasis of Oum Lâalag protected by palm trees and fed by an unlikely fresh spring in the middle of the sand. This resting place has been a spiritual landmark for caravanners for centuries.
The entire site is part of the Iriki National Park, which protects the region's desert and semi-arid ecosystems. Official recognition for this jewel of the Moroccan desert, whose beauty is as fragile as it is extraordinary.
What to do in Erg Chegaga?
You discover the desert by experiencing it. At Chegaga, the days are punctuated by simple gestures that take on another dimension: walking in the sand, climbing a dune, listening to the silence. These moments leave their mark, because they refocus.
During your stay at Ksar Ighnda we organise excursions into the desert. After a good night's sleep in the Ksar, the next day from Ouarzazate, the road heads due south towards Zagora, skirting the Drâa palm grove and its adobe ksour. Villages, oases and kasbahs dot this peaceful stretch, which passes through Agdz and Tamgroute (the town of potters).
M'Hamid marks the end of the asphalt. This is where the Saharan adventure really begins.
Far from the crowds and signposted circuits, Erg Chegaga invites you to a rare immersion in the Moroccan desert. Here, there's no overdone décor or staging: just sand, light and silence. It's a living desert, immense and raw, to be discovered slowly and remembered for a long time to come.
Travelling to Chegaga means choosing a trip without the frills. A simple yet powerful adventure. A night under the stars, a sunrise over the dunes, a cup of tea shared by the fire... sometimes that's enough to really switch off.
But for a first step into the Sahara, Chegaga remains the right choice: sincere, accessible and unforgettable.
