Tour overview
The road south from Marrakech crosses the High Atlas at Tizi n'Tichka and reaches Ouarzazate, where the film studios sit at the edge of town. From there the Draa Valley begins: around two hundred kilometres of palm groves following a riverbed, past Agdz and Zagora, until the palms thin out at M'hamid and there is nothing beyond but sand.
Erg Lihoudi lies a short way out from M'hamid. It is smaller and lower than Erg Chebbi at Merzouga and far less visited; the appeal is the quiet and the oasis country you cross to reach it, not the scale of the dunes. The middle of the tour is spent in the desert itself, moving between camps rather than driving back to a hotel each evening.
The return runs north again through Zagora to Skoura, where a palm oasis hides a scattering of old kasbahs, and over the Atlas to Marrakech on the final day.
If you want the tallest dunes in Morocco, Merzouga is the answer and we run a five-day tour there. If you want the emptier desert and the Draa oases, a M'hamid desert tour from Marrakech is the one.
Route
Marrakech → Tizi n'Tichka → Ouarzazate → Agdz → Draa Valley → Zagora → M'hamid → Erg Lihoudi → Bertam Oasis → Zagora → Skoura → Marrakech.
What to expect
Two of the four nights are spent in the desert, which is the point of the tour and also the thing to be ready for: it is hot by day and cold after dark, and facilities are simple by design.
Day three involves walking at an easy pace across open desert. Tell us if that does not suit you and we will adjust the day.
Practical information
The lines above without a note are confirmed: the tour is private, the driver is yours for all five days, and the road transport and both transfers are ours. Everything marked subject to confirmation — the four nights, two of them in the desert, the meals and the camel on the desert day — is the package we propose for this tour. We price it for your dates when you enquire and confirm it in writing before you book. We do not publish fixed properties, fixed prices or fixed departure times on this page, because they depend on when you travel and how many of you there are.
The tour is private throughout: your party travels alone with its own driver, and the pace and the stops can be adjusted while you are on the road.
Tour highlights
- The Tizi n'Tichka pass over the High Atlas
- The Atlas Film Studios at Ouarzazate
- The Draa Valley, two hundred kilometres of palm groves along an old riverbed
- Zagora and the road to M'hamid, where the tarmac ends
- The Erg Lihoudi dunes, far quieter than Erg Chebbi
- Two nights spent in the desert rather than driving back out of it
- Walking between the dunes and the oasis country beyond them
- The palm oasis and kasbahs at Skoura on the way back
Day by day
Day 1
Marrakech to Ouarzazate
We collect you in Marrakech and climb the Tizi n'Tichka pass, the highest road crossing of the High Atlas, with the switchbacks and the views that come with it. Ouarzazate sits on the far side where the mountains give out — a garrison town turned film town.
Night: Ouarzazate.
Day 2
Ouarzazate – Zagora – M'hamid – Erg Lihoudi
The Atlas Film Studios first, on the edge of town, then south into the Draa. The valley runs for most of the day: palm groves on both sides of a riverbed, old ksour in the gaps, and the colour draining out of the landscape the further south you go. Past Zagora the palms thin, and at M'hamid the road simply ends. We continue from there to the Erg Lihoudi dunes for a walk in the late light.
Night: Erg Lihoudi, in the desert.
Day 3
Erg Lihoudi to the Bertam oasis
A day spent in the desert rather than driving through it, moving out from the dunes across the stony country beyond towards the Bertam oasis. The distance is walkable at an easy pace, and there is the option of covering part of it on a camel instead.
Night: Bertam oasis, in the desert.
Day 4
Bertam Oasis – Zagora – Skoura
North again up the Draa to Zagora, then across to Skoura, where a large palm oasis conceals a scattering of kasbahs in various states of repair. It is the kind of place you only see properly on foot.
Night: Skoura.
Day 5
Skoura to Marrakech
The last leg: back past Ouarzazate and over the Tizi n'Tichka into Marrakech, where we take you to your accommodation or the airport.
Want a different pace or an extra night? Tell us and we'll adapt the itinerary.
What's included
Included in this package
- Private tour: your party travels alone, never combined with other travellers.
- A dedicated driver for all five days.
- Road transport for the whole route — Marrakech to Erg Lihoudi by way of the Draa Valley, and back.
- Pick-up and drop-off in Marrakech — airport or accommodation.
- An itinerary that stays out at Erg Lihoudi and the Bertam oasis rather than driving back up the valley each evening.
- Four nights' accommodation: two in hotels and two in desert camps — subject to confirmation
- Four breakfasts, two lunches and four dinners — subject to confirmation
- A camel for part of the desert day between Erg Lihoudi and the Bertam oasis — subject to confirmation
Not included
- Plane ticket.
- Travel insurance.
- Drinks.
- The Atlas Film Studios entrance ticket at Ouarzazate.
- Personal expenses and tips.
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Frequently asked questions
How is this different from your Merzouga tours?
A different desert. Merzouga's Erg Chebbi has the tallest dunes and the most camps; M'hamid and Erg Lihoudi are smaller, quieter, and reached down the Draa Valley rather than the Ziz.
Where does the road end?
At M'hamid el Ghizlane. Everything beyond it is track.
Is Erg Lihoudi the same as Erg Chigaga?
No. Both are reached from M'hamid, but Erg Chigaga lies further out and takes longer to reach. Ask us if you would rather go there instead.
How much walking is there?
Day three is the walking day, at an easy pace. A camel for part of it is in the package we propose; tell us if you would rather walk the whole way.
What vehicle is used beyond M'hamid?
The track beyond M'hamid needs a four-wheel-drive. Tell us your party size when you enquire and we will confirm the vehicle for your dates.
Is this better than a two-day Zagora trip?
It is a different trip. See our two-day Zagora tour if you have less time.
