dunes at Chigaga, Morocco

[Richard Washington]

Has anyone got GPS or directions to the dunes at Chigaga (near M'Hamid) in Morocco. I'm looking for an alternative to Chebbi which seems to be quite developed.

Any comments about the chigaga dunes are very welcome.

many thanks....

[roro]

I don't have these infos but I think waypoints are not necessary to visit this area : I've done it in 2002 with a GPS ( and no waypoints )and you can always go to north to get out the sand zone .
RR.

[Richard Washington]

Thanks RoRo,
Is Ch'gaga a nice enough place to spend a few days? How does it compare with Chebbi? I know these are tiny ergs compared with Alg/Lib.....

[roro]

Well , I don't know Chebbi .... because a lot of people told me it's too much turistic ( in the bad manner: auberge , fake campements , Japanese with a lot of Nikons , ... ).
Few days in Chigaga : We have passed only 2 days in the area , very nice ( for dunes in Morocco : There are only few ergs in this country ) .
Be careful to not go in the south of the area : may be there are mines and the border with Algeria is not defined ...

[roamingyak]

Hi Richard,

Imho the dunes are not as nice as Chebbi by quite a long way, but the area itself has no development (people trip out from Zagora and Mhamid on landy day trips or by camel) so it's quite a nice place to hang out for a few days (if you have plenty of days (as is lake Iriqui).

A few pages of photos of the piste from Foum Zguid to Mhamid at:
http://www.roamingyak.org/morocco/di...id_mhamid.html

which includes some of the start of the dunes and those ending in Lake Iriqui.

I camped up for a total of 7 days and was visited once by a bloke looking for his camels, and once by a group of ladies who stopped for some oranges on the way to the local italian charity school. So not Merzouga at all.

On the main piste from Foum Zguid to Mahimd (as per SO) there is a turning for the dunes by the big white sign that says "please keep to established tracks etc etc)

(I filmed the piste for my upcoming dvd - out in about 3-4 weeks - has a bit on the dunes etc)