Zagora
The last real town before the desert proper, at the southern end of the Draa Valley. Zagora is the practical choice for travellers with only two days, and the honest trade-off is smaller dunes than Merzouga.
Zagora or Merzouga
This is the question every traveller asks. Merzouga has the tall Saharan dunes of Erg Chebbi but needs three days from Marrakech. Zagora can be done in two, and the Draa Valley on the way is superb, but the sand around it is low dunes and stony desert rather than a dune sea. If you have three days, go to Merzouga; if you have two, Zagora is a real desert night rather than no desert at all.
The Timbuktu sign
The painted sign on the edge of town reading Tombouctou 52 jours marks the old caravan route south across the Sahara, and the fifty-two days is the camel journey. It is a photograph everyone takes, and the history behind it is genuine: Zagora was a real staging point on that trade.
Around Zagora
Amazrou, across the river, has an old Jewish quarter and a large palm grove. The Tinfou dunes lie south towards M'Hamid, which is the true end of the road and the launching point for longer expeditions into the Erg Chigaga — a much larger dune field, four hours further on, for travellers with more time.
Tours — Zagora
2-Day Zagora Desert Tour from Marrakech
The quickest way to sleep in the desert if you are short on time. Two days take you over the Atlas, through Ait Ben Haddou and…
Price on request