--- title: "Trekking with Saharan nomads" subtitle: "A camel caravan out of M'Hamid into Erg Chigaga — a week on foot, under some of the darkest skies on earth." url: "https://atlas51.co/trips/sahara-nomads" type: "trip/journey" region: "Draa Valley & Erg Chigaga, Morocco" updated: "2026-08-26T02:58:48.407Z" --- # Trekking with Saharan nomads *A camel caravan out of M'Hamid into Erg Chigaga — a week on foot, under some of the darkest skies on earth.* Atlas51 — | | | | --- | --- | | Kind | Journey | | Region | Draa Valley & Erg Chigaga, Morocco | | Environment | Desert | | Activity | Walking with a camel caravan | | Duration | 9 days | | Price | From £3,499 GBP per person, land-only | | Group size | 7–12 travellers | | Departure window | 20–28 February and 22–30 March 2027 | | Arrival airport | Marrakech (RAK) | | Accommodation | 1 hotel, 1 desert guesthouse, 7 nights wild camping, 1 kasbah stay | Flights are not included. Atlas51 is land-only: travellers book their own flights, and we recommend doing so close to departure and after speaking to us. ## In short Because it's the biggest hot desert in the world. Because there are very few places left where you can walk for a solid week and see no sign of a road. Because silence has become one of the rarest things on Earth. Because staring into a campfire beneath a sky full of stars beats staring into a phone screen. Because the Sahara isn't something you "do" on a day trip from Marrakech or Cairo — it's something you experience over a prolonged period of time. This is one of the last places on Earth where life still operates to rhythms far older than schedules, push notifications and meetings. A place where the weather matters, distance matters, and where carrying only what you need suddenly feels like a very sensible way to live. ## What happens South of the Atlas Mountains sits the settlement of M'Hamid, the final paved road before the Sahara. For centuries this has been where caravans assembled before vanishing into the desert. We begin at "The Road's End", marking the end of the paved N9 highway; south of M'Hamid the path turns into sand tracks and desert terrain takes over. After travelling down from Marrakech through the spectacular Draa Valley, we'll spend one final night in comfort before meeting our nomadic support team and getting the layout of the week ahead. The next morning the camels are loaded, the tents are packed and we start walking. Everything we don't immediately need is carried by camel throughout the expedition. Within a few hours of leaving M'Hamid, the modern world disappears. Phone signals disappear. Roads vanish. Noise quietens. The only things left are desert, sky and the occasional moody-looking camel. Over the following days we trek through an ever-changing landscape. We cross rolling dunes where every step sinks into soft sand. Wander through scattered tamarisk groves. Traverse black volcanic hamada stretching to the horizon. Walk across ancient immense dried lakebeds. Further into Iriqui National Park, the scale becomes difficult to get your head around. The giant dunes of Erg Chigaga dominate the horizon before gradually giving way to endless open floodplains, dry riverbeds and ancient desert plateaus. Shade becomes a luxury. Distances become impossible to judge. Mirages shimmer across the landscape. Every evening, camp appears. While we sit around fires eating dinner, the support team transforms an empty patch of desert into a functioning campsite. Then darkness falls, and the stars arrive. No city lights. No aircraft. Just one of the darkest skies on Earth. Towards the latter stages of the expedition the desert changes again. Ancient mesas rise from the plains like giant stone ships stranded in a sea of sand. Fossils litter the ground beneath our feet, reminders that this vast wilderness was once submerged beneath an ancient ocean. If conditions allow, we'll scramble to the summit of one of these formations and spend the night sleeping beneath the stars. We'll spend our final evening at the Kasbah Tizourgane before making our way back to Marrakech. ## The reality The expedition is supported by experienced local teams who understand the terrain, weather, wildlife and realities of desert travel. Routes may change depending on local advice, weather conditions or safety considerations. Flexibility is part of the experience. Good judgement always comes first. ## Is this for you - Enjoy walking for the experience rather than rushing towards the destination. - Find the idea of complete disconnection genuinely exciting. - Prefer stories over souvenirs. - Think a camel caravan sounds more appealing than a tour bus. - Want to experience one of the world's largest wildernesses the old-fashioned way. ## Route ### Marrakech Arrival and the road south. A night here at each end of the trip. ### Draa Valley The long descent south through palmeries towards the desert margin. ### M'Hamid The end of the paved N9 and the last settlement. The camels are loaded here. ### Erg Chigaga The great dune field that dominates the horizon for days. ### Iriqui National Park Open floodplains, dry riverbeds and ancient plateaus beyond the dunes. ### Kasbah Tizourgane The last night, back on the far side of the desert. ## Departures | Starts | Ends | Status | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Sat, 20 Feb 2027 | Sun, 28 Feb 2027 | cohort forming | Dates held with the operator; not yet confirmed. | | Mon, 22 Mar 2027 | Tue, 30 Mar 2027 | cohort forming | Dates held with the operator; not yet confirmed. | ## What the price covers ### Included - Experienced Saharan guides and nomadic camel handlers throughout. - Marrakech hotel stay; desert guesthouse in M'Hamid; fully supported wild camps throughout the Sahara, tents on standby if required; final kasbah stay. - All ground transport during the expedition. - All meals during the desert crossing. - Camels carry main luggage, camping equipment, food and water supplies, and group equipment, leaving you free to carry only a daypack. ### Not included - International flights - Travel insurance - Personal trekking equipment - Alcoholic drinks - Tips and gratuities - Personal spending money ## Risk | Category | Rating | The ask | | --- | --- | --- | | physical | 4/5 | A week walking in soft sand, most of the day, every day. | | technical | 1/5 | None. The nomad crew handles camels, navigation and camp. | | environment | 4/5 | Desert temperature swing, no shade, no resupply, no road out. | | activity | 3/5 | Walking is the whole trip and it is relentless, even with camels carrying the load. | | geopolitical | 2/5 | Morocco is stable and the route sits well inside the country. | ## Enquiring Trips are arranged by conversation, not checkout. Enquire at .