Marrakech Agafay Desert: Sunset Camel Ride & Dinner Show

4.57

(284 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the silence—well, except for the soft crunch of gravel under our van as we left Marrakech behind. Our driver, Youssef, kept pointing out little things: a lone shepherd with his goats, the way the light hit the hills. I’d expected endless sand but Agafay is more rocky than I thought—pale gold everywhere, not quite like those Sahara photos you see. The air felt dry and smelled faintly of mint from somewhere (maybe my own nerves). When we stopped, there were camels waiting—one of them had this lopsided grin that made me laugh.

I’m not gonna lie: getting on a camel is awkward if you’ve never done it. Our guide, Fatima, showed us how to lean back when they stand up (which feels like being on a seesaw). She called my camel “Zahra” and said she’s the calm one. We rode out just as the sun started to drop; everything turned kind of honey-colored. The quiet was only broken by Zahra’s chewing and someone’s ringtone in the distance (which honestly cracked me up). Watching Marrakech fade into blue haze behind us was something I didn’t expect to feel so much—like leaving noise behind for a few hours.

Back at camp there was mint tea waiting—hot and sweet enough to make your teeth ache. We sat in these low Berber tents while dinner came out: tagine with lamb so tender it fell apart with a spoon, plus salads and bread still warm from the fire. A guy named Rachid played oud near our table and tried to teach us a few claps for the rhythm (I was hopeless but he grinned anyway). Later there was a fire show outside; sparks flying up into this huge desert sky full of stars. At some point I realized my hair smelled like woodsmoke and I just didn’t care.

By the time we got back in the van for Marrakech, everyone was quieter—tired maybe but also kind of content? I keep thinking about that moment riding Zahra as dusk settled over Agafay. It wasn’t what I pictured at all, but somehow better for it.