PrivatePrivate 6-Day Marrakech to Chefchaouen via the Sahara
From€495per person
View tour →6-Day Djebel Zireg Trek – Blue Mountain of the Sahara
Duration6 days / 5 nights
Tour typePrivate tour
GroupPrivate – your group only (1–8 travellers)
DifficultyModerate
LanguagesEnglish & French
TicketMobile confirmation
About this tour
Few travellers ever reach Djebel Zireg, a cirque of dark rock pinnacles rising from pale sand in the far south-east, known locally as the blue mountain of the Sahara. This trek gets there with a camel caravan, crossing some of the most varied desert in Morocco.
From Foum Mharch you cross the sandy Tizi n'Iguidou pass and the Oued Gheris, walk over the fossil-rich Nou Haouar plateau, camp in the Ramlya dunes and the ridges above the Maider camel pastures, then reach the Zireg cirque on the longest day. The drive home passes the Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley.
Highlights
- Reach the remote Djebel Zireg – the Sahara's 'blue mountain'
- Fossil beds on the Nou Haouar plateau
- Camps in the Ramlya dunes and above the Maider pastures
- Possible encounters with nomad families
- Rarely visited, uncrowded desert
- Return via the Todra Gorge and Dades Valley
What's included
- Private road transfers Ouarzazate – trailhead – Ouarzazate
- Licensed desert guide
- Camel team with dromedaries to carry all luggage
- Trek cook – all meals during the trek, plus lunch on the first and last day
- Two-person sleeping tents, mess tent and foam mattresses
- Bottled / filtered drinking water on the trek
- International flights
- Hotel nights and meals in Marrakech or Ouarzazate
- Drinks on the road and personal expenses
- Travel insurance with repatriation cover
- Tips for the guide, cook and camel handlers
Itinerary
Day 1Ouarzazate – Agdz – N'Kob – Alnif – Foum Mharch
Drive via Agdz, the oases of N'Kob, Tazzarine and Alnif, then a desert track to Foum Mharch. Short acclimatisation walk in the dunes and first camp.
Day 2Foum Mharch – Tizi n'Iguidou – Oubahlou
Walk with the camels over the sandy Tizi n'Iguidou pass and across the Oued Gheris, camping below the Oubahlou plateau and its abandoned village.
Day 3Nou Haouar plateau – Ramlya dunes
Head south past fossil-rich rock formations on the Nou Haouar plateau, then descend to camp in the dunes north of Ramlya.
Day 4Oued Reghis – Ras El Kamouna
Cross the Oued Reghis westwards to the Ras El Kamouna ridges overlooking the Maider camel pastures, where nomad families often camp. Bivouac between plateau and dunes.
Day 5Ras El Kamouna – Djebel Zireg
The big day: a long walk through a fossil-rich massif to the Zireg cirque. Camp at the foot of the rock pinnacles in pale sand.
Day 6Zireg – Tafraoute Sidi Ali – Todra Gorge – Ouarzazate
Short walk to the vehicle near Tafraoute Sidi Ali, then drive via Tinghir, the Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley back to Ouarzazate in the late afternoon.
Meeting & pickup
Pickup
Pickup from your Ouarzazate hotel early on day 1
End point
Back at your Ouarzazate hotel in the late afternoon of the last day
Price per person by group size
Private tours get cheaper per person as your group grows. Prices include everything listed under "What's included".
1 traveller€1,070
2 travellers€690
3 travellers€630
4 travellers€570
5 travellers€545
6 travellers€530
7–8 travellers€515
Frequently asked questions
How remote is this trek?
Very – this is one of the least visited corners of the Moroccan Sahara. There is no phone signal on most days, and your guide carries a first-aid kit and knows the nearest evacuation routes.
Will I see fossils?
Yes. The Nou Haouar plateau and the Zireg massif are rich in marine fossils such as trilobites and orthoceras. Please photograph rather than collect them.
When is the best time for this trek?
October to the end of March, when daytime temperatures are comfortable for long walking days.
What should I pack?
A warm sleeping bag, a soft duffel of up to 12 kg (the camels carry it), a small daypack, ankle-high walking boots, sandals for camp, a warm fleece for the evenings, a 1.5–2 L water bottle, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a headtorch and your personal medication.
Good to know
What to bring
- Comfortable walking shoes and sandals
- Warm layer for desert nights (it gets cold after sunset)
- Sunglasses, sun hat and sunscreen
- Scarf to protect from sand and sun
- Small overnight bag for the camp night
- Cash in dirhams for lunches and tips
Additional info
- Confirmation is sent by email or WhatsApp after we check availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Child seats available free of charge on request
- Most travellers can take part – camel rides can be replaced by a 4×4 transfer
- Vegetarian meals available on request
- Long driving days with regular photo and rest stops
Cancellation policy
- Free cancellation up to 7 days before departure.
- Cancellations made less than 7 days before departure: the deposit is kept as credit valid for 12 months.
- Date changes are free when requested at least 72 hours in advance, subject to availability.
- If weather or safety conditions make the tour impossible, we offer a new date or a full refund.
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Licensed local operatorMoroccan team, our own drivers and guides
No prepayment to requestPay only after we confirm availability
Flexible changesChange dates or adjust stops easily
Support 7 days a weekReal people on WhatsApp before & during your trip
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