Scarabeo Camp / Agafay :

One night in a Stony Desert.

Less than one hour drive away from Marrakech.

But already desertic.

Scarabeo Camp

Far from the 8 hours needed to reach the Sahara on the other side of the Atlas.
About me

About me

Hi Beautiful People ! Loïc here, addicted to travel and experiencing anything our incredible world has to offer ...

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An escape into the desert of Agafay is more than an adventure, it is a true experience of what it means to be lost in the middle of nowhere. Looking at an incredible view, every minute of the day.

Unfortunately, we stayed just one night, having only a week to explore Marrakech and the surrounding area. And this is how we started our journey in the Agafay desert :

We organized the pick up with Scarabeo Camp in the Marrakech Medina at 11.30 am, it is then about 45 km away (1-hour drive). The driver stopped some kilometers before our destination and two dromedaries were waiting for us.

What is more exciting than riding dromedaries through the desert?

After 45 minutes, the Scarabeo camp appeared among the dunes. We discovered our tent, our new home, and didn’t expect it to be bigger than our apartment in Paris. There was all the necessary comfort, even a bathroom. Yes, I said bathroom, of course, a cold water one for the bravest, but you can also ask the staff for hot water 30 minutes before you jump in it.

The lunch was ready and the sun warmed us, it was such a beautiful day. The food was excellent, beer were cold and the table was filled with small bowls of all kinds of salads, vegetables and skewers.
No time to get bored, the camp offers you different activities, pétanque or kites can be borrowed. Quads, horse-riding, massage or yoga can also be organized. You will also find a lounge area with books and board games.

We simply chose to get lost in the dunes, capture some good shots and appreciate the golden sunset.

Back to the camp, it was almost “apéro” time. We enjoyed some glasses of white wine near the campfire watching a million stars above our head. Magic was here.

The dinner was served in one of the 3 big common tents where the guest gathers. The cold not being a problem thanks to several additional heating. Some tasty salads, followed by a chicken and lemon tagine, and a moist chocolate cake. The setting and the service made it even better.

After admiring the milky way, we fell asleep with stars in our eyes.

The second day, we enjoyed our last morning in the camp and decided to venture through the desert, to the Lalla Takerkoust dam on horseback. It was such a nice experience, you can organize it directly from the camp, Scarabeo often working with Les Cavaliers de l’Atlas. They bring the horses to the camp and you will ride to the Lalla Takerkoust lake (taking about 3 hours). It is a well-known place for the Marrakchis, the inhabitants of the imperial city take refuge there very often on Sunday, the dam did bring the only thing missing in Marrakech: “the sea”.

The horse lovers and even the beginners will be happy, the horses are well educated, but forget about the western saddle here, no buck at the front to hold on to.

Sophie, the French owner, arrived in Morocco when she was still a child. Returning to Morocco after her studies she worked on the development of equestrian tourism, a competition team, and various projects.the

Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side, we had during these 3 hours a majority of rain, hail, and snow. And let me tell you, we did not take appropriate clothing and didn’t expect this kind of weather. As always, the simplest solution is the best, a bin bag with an extra hole will bring the waterproofing missing.

We crossed the desert of Agafay, meeting the people living there, passing through a small village. To come back a second time, with a better weather is of course on the list. We hope, with more time to dedicate to the discovery of Morocco on horseback…

Once arrived at the dam, our suitcases were waiting for us. After warming up with a good Berber tea and some snack, we set off, back to Marrakech.

We don’t know if we should have shared this address so that it could remain confidential. So shh, this will be our secret.

In a nutshell:
Scarabeo Camp : Contact Vincent.

Address : Somewhere in the Agafay Desert

Telephone : +212 661-444158

Email : [email protected]

Les Cavaliers de l’Atlas : Contact Sophie.

Telephone : +212 661 157 620

Website : www.lescavaliersdelatlas.com

6 Comments

  1. Miriam

    I love the photos you have in here, they’re all great and very inspiring!
    Next time i return to Marrakech i definitely try out the Scarabeo Camp, thank you so much for the tips and sharing ! 🙂
    Looking forward for you next post

    Reply
  2. Sofia

    Wow it looks and sounds great the whole adventure! Defintly It will be in my first priorities when I get there . Love the idea of bathroom into the desert … Following you with More updates

    Reply
  3. Julie

    I definitely plan to go there in my life !

    Keep on spreading magic ✨

    Reply
  4. Amandine springer

    Amazing ! Such a great adventure. Next time i go there i will try the camps for sure!

    Look forward to your next adventures.
    I love your blog. ❤

    Reply
  5. Ioanna

    What an amazing experience!I didn’t know that Maroco could be a great destination for winter facilities as well! Beautiful pictures, colours and places 🙂 Looking forward to seeing some more adventure and YES, Maroco will definetly be in my bucket list 🙂

    Reply
    • bananajourney

      Yes it is a little cold at night, but they all have super comfy plaid to warm you up !

      Reply

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