Saharan Trek: 5 Days and 4 Nights in the Footsteps of Saint-Exupéry

Tour Overview

Embark on an unforgettable 5-day adventure in the Moroccan Sahara, following the footsteps of writer-aviator Saint-Exupéry, from Ouarzazate through the Drâa Valley, Erg Lihoudi, and Chegaga dunes. This authentic journey invites you to explore the Sahara on foot, trekking at a nomadic pace far from beaten paths. Walk with nomads and their camels, sleep in bivouacs under the stars, and discover wild, untouched landscapes of regs, oases, and golden dunes. A journey of total immersion in southern Morocco, blending nature, adventure, silence, and spirituality.

Price:

From 795 € / person

Day 1: Ouarzazate – Tizgui Gorges – Drâa Valley – Tamegroute – Erg Lihoudi Dunes

Depart at 8:30 AM from your Ouarzazate accommodation, the gateway to the Moroccan Sahara. Cross the rugged Anti-Atlas mountains, with ochre tones and wind-sculpted forms. Stop at Tizgui Gorges, a hidden gem where clear water winds through red rocks, contrasting with the arid surroundings. Continue to the Drâa Valley, famous for its vast palm groves, mud-brick kasbahs, and ancient ksour, a vital route for caravans linking Timbuktu to imperial cities. Lunch at a charming Zagora riad, with an option to relax by the pool and savor fragrant Moroccan dishes. In the afternoon, visit Tamegroute, known for its traditional green pottery, artisanal workshops, and ancient Quranic library housing priceless manuscripts. Head to M’Hamid, where the asphalt ends and the Sahara begins. Take a short camel ride to the golden Erg Lihoudi dunes for a spectacular sunset. Enjoy a traditional dinner at the bivouac and a night under a serene Saharan sky.

Days 2, 3, and 4: 3-Day Trek in the Moroccan Desert – From Erg Lihoudi to Erg Chegaga, Saharan Immersion

After a magical sunrise over Erg Lihoudi’s dunes and a Saharan breakfast, begin a three-day trek through the Moroccan desert. This journey spans vast southern Moroccan expanses, crossing stone regs, lunar plateaus, golden dunes, and forgotten oases. Guided by a passionate desert expert and accompanied by nomadic camel drivers, you’ll walk about 6 hours daily, split between morning and afternoon, at a gentle pace in harmony with the pack camels carrying tents, mattresses, blankets, dishes, meals, water, and personal items. Two riding camels are available for rest. This trek follows ancient caravan routes in a region untouched by mass tourism, crossing rocky hamadas, wind-sculpted dunes, sandy valleys, and semi-arid zones. Each day ends with a nomadic bivouac set up in nature. Enjoy hot dinners cooked over a fire, Saharan tea, and starry nights in the desert’s majestic silence. Cover roughly 66 km on foot, reaching the towering Erg Chegaga dunes (up to 300 meters) on the third evening. Climb the crests for a panoramic sunset view over an infinite sand sea. Spend the final night in a comfortable bivouac at Erg Chegaga, a peaceful and authentic end to this immersive desert experience.

Day 5: Erg Chegaga – Lake Iriqui – Foum Zguid – Taznakht – Fint Oasis – Ouarzazate

Wake early in Erg Chegaga’s dunes for a spectacular Saharan dawn, a moment of pure magic. After breakfast at the bivouac, enjoy a short walk to savor the desert’s silence and vastness before leaving camp. Take the Paris-Dakar rally track, passing Chegaga’s dunes to the dried Lake Iriqui, a wild, mineral expanse in southern Morocco’s desert. Cross the vast stone hamada to Foum Zguid, a Saharan town, for lunch at a local inn. In the afternoon, head to Taznakht, famous for its traditional Berber carpets, with a stop to explore this ancestral craft at a local cooperative. Before reaching Ouarzazate, detour to the serene Fint Oasis, nestled in desert mountains with palms, terraced gardens, and mud-brick homes. A walk through the oasis offers insight into traditional rural life and connections with locals. Arrive in Ouarzazate by late afternoon, concluding an unforgettable journey through southern Morocco’s desert, oases, and cultural treasures.