Chegaga Express Enduro Circuit – 6 Days from Marrakech

Erg Chegaga sits in the far south of Morocco, beyond Zagora and the end of the Draa valley, and it is the country's largest field of sand dunes. It is also a long way from Marrakech, which is what makes an express version of the trip an interesting design problem: four riding days to get down there, ride the dunes and come back. Atlas Enduro's description does not pretend otherwise, calling it a fast but intense journey for thrill-seekers who want the spectacular desert in a limited amount of time. What the operator promises on the way is dune riding, starry nights and authentic meetings with nomads. Those are the three things a Chegaga trip is actually for, and the reason riders choose it over the more accessible Erg Chebbi: Chegaga has far less traffic, far fewer camps and a genuine sense of remoteness that the northern dunes lost some years ago. The structure is six days and five nights, of which four are riding days, leaving arrival and departure to the flights. Accommodation is five nights in hotels or traditional inns in double rooms on half-board, with lunches taken during the rides. The motorbike comes with insurance included, the guide works in French and English, and an assistance vehicle follows the group with the luggage and the tools. On sand, having that vehicle within reach matters more than it does on any other surface. This is the harder of Atlas Enduro's shorter circuits. Sand riding is tiring in a way that rock and gravel are not, and compressing the route means fewer easy days to recover on. The company grades its tours across the range from beginner to expert and adjusts to the group, but riders with no dune experience should say so before booking rather than on the first morning. Flights, drinks, extras, protective equipment and compulsory repatriation insurance are excluded; riders bring their own gear, though the operator can supply some items on request. Minimum group size is four, and custom versions of the route can be arranged.

Six days and five nights with four of them on the bike, aimed at the Erg Chegaga dunes and run at what Atlas Enduro itself calls a fast but intense pace. Chegaga is the biggest sand sea in Morocco and considerably harder to reach than the dunes near Merzouga, which is the point of the trip: the express framing means the route gets there and back inside a working week rather than easing into it. Expect majestic dune riding, nights under a great deal of sky and encounters with the nomadic families who live out there. Departures need at least four riders. Airport transfers, half-board accommodation, motorbike hire with insurance, a bilingual French and English guide and an assistance vehicle for luggage and repairs are all in the 1,900 euro starting price.