Blog | Erg Chigaga Luxury Desert Camp Morocco

It's all about the Food, part 1

Often cited as being the gateway between Africa and Europe, Morocco has garnered an excellent reputation for its cuisine, and blending its traditional Moroccan cooking with that of its European counterparts has only served to enhance that reputation …

Tamegroute – Is it worth a visit?

Our route to M'Hamid el Ghizlane, the doorway to the desert, takes us from Marrakech up over the Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass and down the other side, passing by various villages perched on the neighbouring hillsides. Looking out of the car window, it amazes me how these sandy coloured villages manage to cling on to their respective slopes and don't slide deep into the valleys below – but still they remain, seemingly defying the laws of gravity. But the sleepy village of Tamegroute is different …

Desert camels: one hump or two?

On my first visit to Erg Chigaga, I remember asking our driver, Fattah, how long it would take to get to the camp in our 4x4 from M'Hamid El Ghizlane, anticipating the hot and bumpy journey ahead of me. 'About 1.5 hours' was his reply, 'by camel, 12 hours' …

The Tea ceremony: Atay - One lump or two?

So, we have our tea tray ready; the teapot takes pride of place, accompanied by decorative glasses, one for each person present at the ceremony and two extra to be used in the ritual, sprigs of mint – or, as is more usual, clumps or even handfuls of this fresh-smelling herb, a sugar cone with hammer and a sugar caddy …

The Introduction of Tea to Morocco

It is thought that tea was first introduced to Morocco in the 18th century by Queen Anne Stuart of Great Britain, supplies being sent as a ‘softener’ to Sultan Moulay Ismail, the ruler of the Alaouite dynasty, in the hope that he would release British prisoners from Morocco …

Film trail from Marrakech to Erg Chigaga

The diverse landscapes of Morocco have for many years been the envy of the global film industry. Mainstream film-making in Morocco started in 1949 with the production of Othello by Orson Welles, followed five years later by the atmospheric little-known film entitled Another Sky (1954) amongst others …

Elusive and Not-So-Elusive Creatures of the Desert

It was 6 a.m. when I woke up to the first rays of sunshine peeping through the tiny gaps of my tent. I stumbled out of bed, quickly dressed and ventured outside, pulling on my Tevas as I made my way towards the surrounding dunes of Erg Chigaga. Clambering …