A guide to Zagora and the Draa Valley: Agdz, Tamegroute, M'Hamid and Erg Chegaga. Distances from Marrakech and Ouarzazate, where to stay and when to go.
- From Marrakech
- About 7 h
- Time needed
- 1–3 nights
- Best time
- October to April
- Big dunes
- Erg Chegaga, by 4x4
What to see
In the Draa, what people remember most is the valley rather than the sand.
When to go
- October – NovemberGood timeMild days and cool nights. A good time for the Chegaga.
- December – FebruaryGood timeSunny days; in the dunes, nights are around 0 °C.
- March – AprilMixedPleasant, but with windy, sandy days.
- May – SeptemberBest avoidedTemperatures go above 40 °C. Few Chegaga camps open in high summer.
Villages and stops in the Draa Valley
From Ouarzazate to M'Hamid is about 260 kilometres, and the good stops are spread along the whole valley.
Typical prices
- Camel for an hour
- About 100–200 MAD
- Green pottery
- Plates from about 50 MAD
- Set menu in Zagora
- About 60–120 MAD
- Koranic library
- Small donation
1, 2 and 3-day itinerary
Counting from Ouarzazate, with your own car or a driver.
A bit of history
This valley was the route of the caravans crossing the Sahara to Timbuktu with salt, gold and slaves. In the 16th century the Saadians came out of the Draa, the dynasty that later ruled from Marrakech. The Nasiriyya zawiya in Tamegroute had its great period in the 17th century, when it was a centre of learning with influence across the south, and that's where its library comes from. The river almost never reaches the Atlantic: past M'Hamid it disappears into the sand, except in very wet years.
What to eat and what to buy
What the valley produces and what its workshops make.
Common mistakes and scams
What we see go wrong most often for people travelling on their own.
How to get there
Before you go
Zagora adverts often use photos of the high dunes of Erg Chebbi. Always ask where the camp is and how much sand there is around it. Take out cash in Zagora: there are few ATMs in M'Hamid and none in the Chegaga. If you want to see more than one desert, we can organise the full loop; get in touch.
Where to stay
Which desert and which trip to choose
Frequently asked questions about Zagora and the Draa Valley
How long does it take from Marrakech to Zagora?
About seven hours with stops, for roughly 360 kilometres. You cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka, pass through Ouarzazate and drop down the Draa Valley. That is why the two-day trip involves a lot of driving.
What is Erg Chegaga and how do you get there?
It is a field of big dunes west of M'Hamid, about 95 kilometres south of Zagora. From M'Hamid there is no more tarmac and you get there by 4x4 on a track, about two hours. The usual plan is to sleep there in a camp.
Are there dunes in Zagora?
Few, and small ones, such as those at Tinfou or at the camps on the outskirts. The landscape around the town is stone and palm grove. For high dunes you have to go to Erg Chegaga or Merzouga.
When is the best time to go to Zagora?
October to April. In summer it easily goes above 40 °C and we don't recommend it. In winter the days are pleasant, but in Chegaga the night can drop close to 0 °C. In spring there are windy days with blowing sand.
Can you go from Zagora to Merzouga?
Yes, on the road through Tazzarine, N'kob and Alnif, five to six hours. It is a good way to do a circuit of the south without repeating any road, as on our five-day tour.
