Erg Chebbi vs. Erg Chigaga: Which is the best Moroccan desert to visit?

So, you’ve been browsing holidays for several months now, but nothing has quite grabbed you – until you stumbled across those stunning photos of miles of desert sand dunes. After scrolling through Instagram and Facebook, flipping through guidebooks, and scouring blogs to find out more about this magical place, one thing you are definite about is “I want to go to the Sahara!”

Inevitably the next question you ask yourself is “But I see there are two main desert areas in Morocco - Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga – Help! Which area should I visit? What’s the difference? Surely, they are both just lots of big sand dunes, aren’t they?”

The short answer is: no, they are not the same and each offers a different experience to the traveller. Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga differ significantly in terms of ease of accessibility, the desert landscape and the desert experience you want to have. So read on and let’s try and help you to make the right decision for you and identify which area of the Sahara is best suited to your holiday style.

NB: Please bear in mind that our camp is situated in Erg Chigaga and therefore this article may seem a little biased. I have tried to remain objective in describing the pros and cons of each desert region so you can make your own decisions based on the information provided.

The Main Factors to consider

Location

Erg Chebbi – also known as the Merzouga desert - is the name given to the dune field in southeastern Morocco, near to the Algerian border. Merzouga, Hassilabied and Khamlia are the closest desert towns. The dunes are close to each other in a compact area, approximately 28 km (17 miles) long and 5-7 km (3-5 miles) wide and rise dramatically from the flat desert plain, offering fabulous views.

Erg Chigaga is the name given to the larger and more remote desert area located further south, approximately 60 km (37 miles) from the nearest town of M’Hamid El Ghizlane, often called “the gateway to the desert.” The various dune fields stretch across a vast area of approximately 60 km (37 miles) in length and 22 km (14 miles) in width and feel wilder and untamed. These include Erg Smar, Erg Sedrar, Erg Bougarn and others.

As for which has taller dunes, the jury’s out. But to be honest, both regions offer spectacular dunes and they are enough of a challenge to climb for the average person. Both offer breathtaking views, especially at sunset, even if you can’t make it to the top!

Accessibility

It is important to note that Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga are approximately 430 km (267 miles) apart and they require you to take different routes to reach your destination!

Erg Chebbi is easily accessible by paved road. From Marrakech, the journey time is approximately 9 hours. You can drive straight to Merzouga, even in a small hire car, and arrive right next to the smaller dunes. There are hotels you can stay in situated near to the edge of the dunes as well as multiple camps. There is often the option to hop on a camel for the last part of your journey into camp.

To travel to Erg Chigaga rrequires a bit more effort – and an adventurous spirit! You can drive as far as M’Hamid, the nearest town, in any car – but once there, the paved road ends. To reach the dunes, you will need a 4WD vehicle. If you are self-driving and have your own 4WD, a guide will meet you in the town and help you to navigate the rough desert terrain. If not, you will be met by a driver with their own 4WD who will drive you to your camp. The journey time is approximately 1hr 45 mins. Most tour companies or camps will organise this for you.

Overall, the journey time from Marrakech is similar whichever dune field you choose, and we therefore advise an overnight stop en route.

So, ask yourself:

Is ease of access important to you? Do you prefer to drive or be driven straight to your destination along a paved route? Choosing Erg Chebbi offers you this.

Or do you want to exploit your sense of adventure, preferring to swap your trusty vehicle for a 4WD ride through a variety of desert scenery before reaching your camp? Erg Chigaga offers you this.

Desert Experience

Erg Chebbi

Due to its easy accessibility by road, Erg Chebbi welcomes far more tourists than Erg Chigaga. It offers a wide range of accommodation from budget hotels to luxury camps to house its guests. There are at least 200 camps to choose between. Also, since it is near to the town of Merzouga, there are shops and restaurants to visit if you wish. The dunes are stunning, especially at sunset when they glow in brilliant orange hues.

However, due to the popularity of this region, more building work is taking place, resulting in many half-built grey breeze-block buildings on display at the entrance to the dunes. This can be quite off-putting to visitors. With many hotels and camps located next to each other, all offering the same activities, you are likely to see (and maybe even be part of) large camel trains heading into the dunes. There will also be many groups of quadbikes and 4WDs exploring the dunes. You are unlikely to easily find solitude.

However, if you enjoy a lively experience and this suits your personality and style of travel, Erg Chebbi may be for you.

Erg Chigaga

Getting to Erg Chigaga is part of the adventure. To reach the dunes, you leave M’Hamid where the road ends and drive via a piste through various landscapes of rocky desert, soft sand and low undulating dunes. You will sense that you are heading off on an adventure as you encounter the rawness of the desert. Fewer people head this way and there are fewer camps; they are dotted around the larger dune area and nestled within the dunes. There are no shops or restaurants, simply your camp and its guests, and the vast silence of the desert. This means your experience is generally a much more peaceful one, offering an ‘away from it all’ sense of solitude. With no light pollution, the night skies are incredible.

If you prefer an ‘off the beaten track’ desert experience, then Erg Chigaga may be for you.

In Brief:

Erg Chebbi offers:

• Easy road access.
• Ideal for a quick visit due to this.
• Suitable for families with young children because of ease of access and nearby facilities.
• Caters for tourists, with hotels and camps for all budgets, also some restaurants and shops.

However:

• Many tourists and may even get overcrowded, especially in peak season.
• Camps and hotels are often close together leading to noise and light pollution.
• If you are looking for a peaceful time in the dunes, you may not find it due to the large amount of activity.

Erg Chigaga offers:

• Fewer tourists, therefore peaceful and quiet with opportunities to be alone in the silence of the desert.
• Camps are spaced out.
• Suitable for families with older children.
• No light pollution, so you can get fabulous views of the night sky.
• Appeals to travellers and those who like to venture off the tourist trail.

However:

• Access is not quick and easy due to the remote locations of most camps.
• No nearby town and only the facilities offered by your camp (budget or luxury).

Final thoughts: Erg Chebbi vs Erg Chigaga

Ask yourself the following question:

What kind of traveller am I?

A: I want to see the desert but I like to be near civilisation at the same time – access by paved roads, shops, restaurants and home comforts are important factors to me and I don’t want to stray too far from these → Choose Erg Chebbi.

B: I’m adventurous and like to do my own thing. I want to see all that the desert can offer, its natural raw beauty, and enjoy the tranquillity off the beaten path → Choose Erg Chigaga.

Now that’s sorted you have the simple task of choosing your hotel or desert camp in the right location for you. Before you book, be sure to check out the websites of the various accommodation on offer, read the reviews, check out what’s included and understand what extra charges you may be served at the end of your stay.

At the beginning of this article, I posed the question ‘Erg Chigaga vs Erg Chebbi: Which is the best Sahara Desert Experience in Morocco?’ The simple answer is that there is no ‘best’ – it is all about personal preference. Hopefully I have helped you to decide which is the right location for you by outlining the main features of each dune field above.

The Sahara is unforgettable. Whether you choose to visit Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga, you will no doubt be stunned by the beauty and surreal nature of the scene and leave with incredible memories.

Have a great time enjoying your magnificent Sahara adventure!

Kathy Dady

Night shot photo by @caitlincunninghamphoto