“What are the best places to ride a camel in Morocco?” Would you be surprised to learn, that this is one of the most frequently asked questions by prospective Mint Tea Tours travelers when planning their trip to Morocco? Without delay, Mint Tea Tours is ready to share our Top 7 Best Places to Ride a Camel in Morocco! Let the countdown begin!
7: Ride a camel in Tangier
Tangier has long held an important and desirable position on the Strait of Gibraltar, linking Europe and Africa as well as the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Sure, we know that Tangier is nowhere near the Moroccan Sahara Desert, but that doesn’t mean that there might not be a camel or two lurking around this Moroccan port city!
Where can you ride a camel in Tangier?
You can ride a camel in Tangier near the outskirts of the city. You’ll leave the city proper and head toward Hercules’ Cave. Along the way and on the beach, you’ll see some camel drivers. We recommend to negotiate the price and the duration of the camel ride BEFORE you mount the camel!
Why do we rank Tangier among the top 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco?
Riding a camel in Tangier can be a great option for travelers who take the ferry from Spain for a day trip and want an “almost authentic Moroccan” experience and nice photo op! Or, if you’ve booked a private tours from Tangier or another tour which focuses on destinations in northern Morocco, you won’t have the opportunity to visit the Sahara Desert. Then what better way to discover a bit of Morocco than with a camel ride in Tangier!
Tangier gets the 7th spot on our list of the 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco because the camel drivers are not always stationed here, so the opportunity is mostly hit, sometimes miss. And while you do have the possibility to ride a camel in Tangier, it’s not in the Sahara Desert.
6: Ride a camel in Essaouira
Essaouira is a charming picturesque town on the Atlantic Ocean; its medina is bright with white-washed walls and is one of several UNESCO World Heritage sites in Morocco! Only 2.5-3 hours’ drive from bustling Marrakech, Essaouira is a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively. Essaouira is well-known as a popular destination for traditional surfing and kitesurfing, but that doesn’t mean it’s not one of the best places to ride a camel in Morocco!
Where can you ride a camel in Essaouira?
You can ride a camel in Essaouira on the main beach in town. You’ll want to inquire on the price and length of the camel ride before you actually commit!
Why do we rank Essaouira among the top 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco?
Essaouira gets the 6th spot on our list of the 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco because a camel’s natural habitat is not on a beach BUT the photos you can have taken are 110% Christmas card and Instagram-worthy! Imagine yourself sitting proudly on top of the camel, with the beach’s tan sand, the blues of the Atlantic, and the view of the medina and kasbah walls in the background, this is one of our all-time favorite photo ops!
5: Ride a camel in Marrakech
One of Morocco’s former imperial capitals, Marrakech is a popular destination for high-profile celebrities and intrepid travelers alike. Marrakech is also known as the gateway to the Sahara Desert, so it may seem logical that you will spy some camel ride opportunities here.
Where can you ride a camel in Marrakech?
You can ride a camel in Marrakech in a couple of places. The parking lot near Menara Garden often has several camel drivers looking to entice you into a camel ride! But for a more special and unique photo opportunity, check out a camel ride in the Palmeraie (Palm Grove). Your hotel or riad may be able to arrange a half-day excursion, or check out such travel sites as Tripadvisor to compare offerings. Often, this outing includes transportation to/from the Palmeraie, breakfast or snack with mint tea and of course, the came ride!
Why do we rank Marrakech among the top 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco?
If you’re looking for things to do in the Red City, then Marrakech gets the 5th spot on our list of the 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco because quite simply, we love the photo opportunity! With the backdrop of palm trees and sand, it’s like you are riding a camel through a desert oasis! Also, the Palmeraie (Palm Grove) in Marrakech tends to have longer camel rides than the other previous locations mentioned.
4: Ride a camel in the Agafay Desert
As the name may suggest, the Agafay Desert is not part of the Sahara Desert. In fact, the Agafay Desert is known as a “stone desert” and is often described as “moon-like” so you will not experience the majestic golden sand dunes of the Sahara. Agafay is located not so far from Marrakech, so for travelers who may not have the time to go the Sahara, Agafay is an accessible option for a camel ride and desert experience.
Where can you ride a camel in Agafay Desert?
In recent years, tourism in Agafay is booming with many luxury desert camps. They may offer transport to/from Marrakech and provide deluxe tents with beautiful but rocky views of the Agafay Desert. These camps often offer a camel ride as part of the desert overnight experience, but make sure to inquire that it is included!
Why do we rank the Agafay Desert among the top 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco?
Agafay Desert gets the 4th spot on our list of the 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco because it’s a camel ride in a desert, albeit not the Sahara! It can be a fun experience to “escape” the liveliness of Marrakech and spend some time in nature. Many of the camps in Agafay are considered luxury camps, and there are still some great photo opportunities!
3: Ride a camel in Dakhla
Dakhla is an up-and-coming destination for tourism in Morocco. It is located in the far south-western part of Morocco, along the Atlantic Ocean and is relatively close to the border with Mauritania. Dakhla is best-known for its wind, which in turn, brings windsurfers and kitesurfers from all over the world to practice these sports, especially in the stunning lagoon! Did we say it’s windy? Believe us, you WILL want to hold on to your hat or risk losing it!
Where can you ride a camel in Dakhla?
The best way to ride a camel in Dakhla is to book it as activity, typically through a kite and surf camp.
Why do we rank Dakhla among the top 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco?
Dakhla gets the 3rd spot on our list of the 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco because you would be riding a camel at the westernmost spot of the Sahara Desert in Morocco! Spoiler alert! Our top 3 best places to ride a camel in Morocco are ALL in the Sahara Desert!
When we visited Dakhla, we were amazed to come across herds of wild roaming camels, so we love the fact that camels thrive in this area. Because Dakhla is fairly really remote from the most popular travel destinations in Morocco, such as Chefchaouen, Fes and Marrakech, most private tours to Morocco do not include it as a destination, but it is accessible by a short flight from Casablanca or Agadir.
2: Ride a camel near Zagora / M’hamid (Erg Chigaga dunes)
Zagora is located about a day’s drive southeast of Marrakech in the Draa River Valley. It is the starting point for Sahara Desert treks, which access the Erg Chigaga dunes near M’hamid, located in Zagora province. The area is known for the rustic green pottery of Tamegroute.
Where can you ride a camel in Zagora / M’Hamid (Erg Chigaga dunes)?
The most common way to ride a camel in Zagora / M’Hamid (Erg Chigaga dunes)is as part of your overnight in a desert camp. For the best experience, we suggest to book a Sahara desert camp as far into the sand dunes as possible, rather than just near Zagora. You’ll want to contact them to confirm a camel ride in included and how long you may expect to ride the camel.
Why do we rank Zagora / M’Hamid (Erg Chigaga dunes) among the top 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco?
Zagora / M’Hamid (Erg Chigaga dunes) gets the 2nd spot on our list of the 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco because it’s in the Sahara Desert! To get here from Marrakech, you’ll cross through the dazzling and sometimes stomach-churning Tizi n’Tichka High Atlas Mountain pass, so the views are spectacular.
Since this is a known spot for camel rides in Morocco, you’ll have a choice of accommodations to pick from. Zagora / M’Hamid (Erg Chigaga dunes) doesn’t earn the #1 spot because its sand dunes simply aren’t as impressive as those of Merzouga (Erg Chebbi dunes). Because of its remote location, we do recommend to break up the drive between Marrakech and Zagora with an overnight along the way.
1: Ride a camel near Merzouga (Erg Chebbi dunes)
Just as Zagora is the gateway for Sahara tours in that area, Erfoud is the starting point for Sahara treks into Merzouga (Erg Chebbi dunes). Though it is remote, Merzouga is accessible from both Fes and Marrakech; it is most often included as part of a Sahara Desert tour in Morocco and a great way to travel between these 2 former imperial capitals of Morocco, with stunning landscapes at every turn.
Where can you ride a camel in Merzouga (Erg Chebbi dunes)?
The most common way to ride a camel in Merzouga (Erg Chebbi dunes) is as part of your stay at a Sahara desert inn or a desert camp.
Why do we rank Merzouga (Erg Chebbi dunes) among the top 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco?
Drumroll please! Merzouga (Erg Chebbi dunes) gets the #1 spot on our list of the 7 best places to ride a camel in Morocco because, you guessed it, you’ll be in the Sahara Desert! Because Merzouga is the #1 place to ride a camel in Morocco with a well-established tourism infrastructure, you have so many choices for a camel ride in Merzouga, ranging from basic and rustic desert inns and camps to rock-star “glamping” (“glamorous camping”) at deluxe and luxury hotels and desert camps!
The length of the camel ride, and whether you have a one-way or return camel ride, will depend on your desert camp, but we absolutely love the large golden sand dunes of Erg Chebbi! Camel rides at Merzouga always top our guests’ most memorable and unforgettable experiences in Morocco, and some camel drivers have taken some absolutely stunning photos of their caravan!
Mint Tea Tours Fun Fact about camel rides in Morocco! Truth be told, this fun fact is actually conflicting in nature – please forgive us. Throughout this blog post about the Top 7 Best Places to Ride a Camel in Morocco, we talk about camels. BUT! In Morocco, you will actually ride a dromedary and NOT a camel!
What is the difference between a camel and dromedary? The most visible difference is that a camel has 2 humps and a dromedary has only 1 hump (hint: think of the capital letter “D” shaped like 1 hump to remember the difference!). So sure, we could rename the blog to list the best places to ride a dromedary in Morocco, but that somehow doesn’t sound as fun! In any case, a camel ride in Morocco is a fun and memorable experience which should not be missed! So, if you can’t make it into the Sahara Desert on your next trip, you still have several other possibilities to ride a camel in Morocco!
Read also: Helpful Travel Tips for the Best Private Morocco Sahara Desert Tour
Want to ride a camel during your trip Morocco? Contact us at Mint Tea Tours – we know all the best places to ride a camel in Morocco! Book your own private Moroccan Sahara Tour, with private transport and friendly professional service with English-speaking drivers in Morocco!
