Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga at a glance
Erg Chebbi wins on access and choice, and Erg Chigaga wins on solitude. An erg is a sea of wind-blown sand dunes, and these two are the main ones in Morocco that visitors can sleep in.
| Erg Chebbi | Erg Chigaga | |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest village | Merzouga, in the south-east | M'Hamid El Ghizlane, in the far south |
| Access | Paved road to the edge of the dunes | Paved road to M'Hamid, then about 60 km off-road by 4x4 |
| Drive from Marrakech | About 560 km, 9 to 10 hours of driving, spread over two days | About 360 km to Zagora, on to M'Hamid, then one to two hours by 4x4 |
| Reachable from Fes | Yes, about 450 to 470 km | No practical direct route |
| Dunes | Up to about 150 m high, in a field roughly 22 km long | A larger, more spread-out dune field. Quoted heights vary |
| Crowds | Busy at sunset in spring and autumn | Few visitors |
| Camps | Wide range, from simple to luxury | Fewer and smaller, running on solar power |
| Activities | Camel treks, quad bikes, sandboarding, 4x4 outings | Camel treks, walking, longer treks on request |
| Days needed from Marrakech | 3 as a minimum | 3 to 4 as a minimum, 5 is better |
| Our tours | Every published desert tour | On request |
Where they are and how you get there
Erg Chebbi can be reached in an ordinary vehicle on a paved road, and Erg Chigaga cannot. That single fact shapes everything else about the two.
Erg Chebbi rises beside the village of Merzouga in south-east Morocco, not far from the Algerian border. The road is paved all the way, so a driver can drop you at a hotel on the edge of the sand. From there a camel or a 4x4 takes you to a camp in the dunes. Merzouga also connects north to Fes through the Ziz Valley, which is why Erg Chebbi works on a one-way trip across the country.
Erg Chigaga lies in the far south, beyond the Draa Valley. The paved road ends at M'Hamid El Ghizlane. From there the dunes are about 60 km away across open desert, a mix of sand and flat stony plain, which takes roughly one to two hours in a 4x4. There is no public transport on that stretch, and it is not a drive for a hire car.
How long the drive from Marrakech takes
Both are a long way from Marrakech, and neither can be done as a day trip. Erg Chebbi is about 560 km away, which is 9 to 10 hours of driving before stops. Our 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour splits it into 330 km on the first day and 265 km on the second, with Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades Gorges and Todra Gorge on the way. The return is a single long day of 553 km.
Erg Chigaga looks closer on a map. It is about 360 km from Marrakech to Zagora on paved road, then under 100 km more to M'Hamid. The off-road section adds time at each end, and the usual return is back the same way through the Draa Valley. Three days is tight. Four or five gives you a day in the dunes instead of only a night.
How big the dunes are
Erg Chebbi has the taller dunes that most people picture, and Erg Chigaga covers more ground. The highest crests at Erg Chebbi reach about 150 m, among the tallest in Morocco, in a field roughly 22 km long. Because the field is compact, the high dunes, the camps and the sunset viewpoints sit close together. You can climb a big dune within minutes of leaving camp.
Erg Chigaga is generally described as the larger dune field, spreading across some 40 km of desert. Figures for its highest dunes differ from one source to the next, so we do not quote one. What visitors notice is the scale and the emptiness: wide horizons and few tracks in the sand.
Crowds, camps and what you can do
Erg Chebbi is busier and better equipped, and Erg Chigaga is quieter and simpler. Most desert tours from Marrakech and Fes go to Merzouga. In spring and autumn you will share the sunset with other camel caravans, and you may hear quad bikes near the edge of the dunes. Walk ten minutes from camp and it becomes quiet, but you are not alone in the desert.
The benefit of that popularity is choice. Camps at Erg Chebbi run from simple tents with shared bathrooms to large tents with private bathrooms, and you can add sandboarding, a quad bike or a 4x4 outing. Our guide to luxury desert camps in Merzouga explains the levels.
At Erg Chigaga the camps are fewer, smaller and further apart, and they rely on solar power. There is less to do in an organised sense. The appeal is silence, long walks, a longer camel trek if you want one, and a night sky with almost no artificial light nearby.
Erg Chebbi
- Paved road all the way to Merzouga
- Tall dunes close to the camps
- Camps at every level of comfort
- Links Marrakech and Fes on a one-way route
- Downside: busy at sunset in peak months
Erg Chigaga
- Far fewer visitors
- A real sense of remoteness
- Longer camel treks possible
- Downside: a 4x4 crossing each way and a higher cost
- Downside: fewer camps and simpler facilities
When to go
October to April is the comfortable season for both. Days are warm and nights are cold, so bring a proper jacket. From June to August the afternoon heat is extreme in both places, and camel treks in the middle of the day are not sensible. More detail is in our guide to the best time to visit Morocco.
Which one to pick
- First visit to Morocco, 3 or 4 days for the desert: Erg Chebbi.
- Travelling between Marrakech and Fes: Erg Chebbi. It is on the way and Erg Chigaga is not.
- With young children or older relatives: Erg Chebbi, for the paved road and the wider choice of camps.
- Want quad bikes or sandboarding: Erg Chebbi.
- Been to Merzouga before, or want as few people as possible: Erg Chigaga.
- Have 4 or 5 days from Marrakech and enjoy rough tracks: Erg Chigaga.
All the desert tours published on this site go to Erg Chebbi, because it suits most first trips and connects the two cities people most want to see. Best Morocco Travel also runs private trips to Erg Chigaga on request. Those need a 4x4 for the last section and usually cost more, so they are quoted individually. Ask us if that is the desert you want.
Tours to Erg Chebbi
3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour
The shortest way to reach the big dunes of Erg Chebbi from Marrakech, with Ait Ben Haddou, two gorges and a night in a desert camp.
From €500 per person
3-day Marrakech to Fes desert tour
A one-way crossing from Marrakech to Fes that swaps the motorway for the High Atlas, the Erg Chebbi dunes and the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas.
From €500 per person
4-day Fes to Marrakech desert tour
Fes to Marrakech by the Sahara with a full day at Merzouga in the middle, so the dunes are more than an overnight stop.
From €600 per person
Questions people ask
Is Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga better?
Neither is better for everyone. Erg Chebbi is easier to reach and has more camps, so it suits short trips and first visits. Erg Chigaga is remote and quiet, so it suits travellers with more days who do not mind a 4x4 crossing.
Is Erg Chebbi the real Sahara?
Yes. Erg Chebbi is a field of true sand dunes on the north-western edge of the Sahara, close to the Algerian border. Erg Chigaga is too.
How tall are the dunes at Erg Chebbi?
The highest dunes at Erg Chebbi reach about 150 m. The dune field is roughly 22 km long.
Do I need a 4x4 to reach Erg Chigaga?
Yes. The paved road ends at M'Hamid, and the last 60 km or so crosses sand and stony desert. A standard car cannot make it, so visitors go with a 4x4 and a driver who knows the route.
Can I visit Erg Chigaga from Fes?
Not directly in any practical way. Erg Chigaga trips start from Marrakech or Ouarzazate. From Fes, Erg Chebbi is the natural choice, as on our 4-day Fes to Marrakech desert tour.
How many days do I need for Erg Chebbi from Marrakech?
Three days is the minimum, with one night in the Dades area and one in a desert camp. Four days adds a full day in the dunes and makes the driving easier.
Is Zagora the same as Erg Chigaga?
No. Zagora is a town in the Draa Valley on the road south. Erg Chigaga lies well beyond it, past M'Hamid. Short tours sold as Zagora desert trips do not reach the big Chigaga dunes.
