Glamping in Morocco isn’t like anything else. In most countries, you would be staying in a field or locked away in a forest. In Morocco, the glamping experience is in the Sahara Desert.
Because this glamping vacation will be so different from anything you have experienced before, we will tell you what to expect, how to reach your roadless destination, and if the experience is even worth it.
Although your stay will be luxurious, you will be in the middle of nowhere. No beaches, no shops, and no mild outside entertainment.
That doesn’t mean you will be without comfort. Instead, you will have to forgo modern expectations.
WiFi is never strong in the desert. Why would it be, when there is hardly anyone around? Electricity is also sparse. Your hosts will use solar panels to collect all of the electricity they can.
Because electricity is hard to obtain, important devices such as air conditioners may not be available.
Air conditioners need a lot of electricity to run smoothly, and unless your host has a field of solar panels at their disposal, they probably cannot keep the heat at bay.
As you won’t have air conditioning, glamping in the summer can be tricky. The heat can get too strong for those of us accustomed to it. You may prefer to sleep outside or open a door to allow the cooler air in.
While the summer is blistering hot, the winter is ice cold. Your host should provide you with warming equipment such as electric blankets, but you may want to bring extra thick clothing for your own comfort.
Each glamping host will act differently, some provide food for you, and others may provide food taxi services at a cost. Many offer free activity options such as sandboarding, while others expect you to entertain yourself.
Knowing which campsite offers what will help you narrow down your choices. Consider your budget, day-to-day plans, and the number of people on vacation with you.
Travel By Road Or Plane
Traveling to your destination will be just as exciting as your camping experience. Depending on how you reach Morocco, you may prefer to drive or fly most of the way.
From the nearest airport, your journey will take around 9 hours by road. You will need to stay somewhere overnight on your adventure. Because of the long travel times, you should probably hire a driver.
Your main options will be travel by Jeep or camel trekking. Again, these options will be offered by your host.
If 9 hours of travel doesn’t sound appealing, you can fly to Errachidia airport. This is the closest airport to Merzouga and reduces your driving time to 2 hours.
Because you’ll be so close, your host will probably offer a transfer. This will make your journey smoother and quicker, but you will see less of Morocco on the way.
The Sunrise Sahara Camp is one for the bucket list. They don’t offer tents or caravans, but igloos made of glass. No other glamping experience in Morocco offers these designs.
The roof is covered in cloth to prevent you from overheating, but the wide windows mean you can see into the desert from every angle.
The domes are spacious, with wooden designs on the inside. The mixture of leather and wood brings out classic Moroccan elegance.
Sunrise offers live music, cooking classes, tours of local culture, and walking along with evening entertainment.
Agafay has a more natural vibe. They offer the still ambiance of the sand, allowing you to reconnect to nature and drop your ties to modern life.
The camps are made of cloth tents, with low cotton beds on wooden floors. You can sleep outside under the stars, or indoors in the comforts of Moroccan cotton.
Using a natural oasis, you can relax in one of their two swimming pools or their large jacuzzi. You will also have access to their Moroccan-style spar. Expect baths, massages, and a hammam.
They have 3 restaurants you can enjoy. Each with romantic views and decadent food. Their activity list is also very large. They can offer quad bike riding, hot air balloon trips, camel riding, and more.
Everything comes at an extra cost, but the prices are reasonable.
Terre de Etoiles is the most sustainable desert camp in the area. The accommodation is beautiful, with white cotton sheets and birch wood doors. This campsite aims to help you reconnect to nature and restore a sense of serenity.
All of their activities surround the idea of calm and nature. Massages, bike rides, dromedary or horseback rides, and even a star-gazing celestial event.
Tassilo, unlike most other desert camps, really leans into the Moroccan style and decor. They know that a main attraction for holiday makers is to embrace a new culture (Also check out these Amazing Holidays In Morocco).
Style is part of that culture, so instead of westernizing their furniture or carpets, they embrace the aesthetic they know you are interested in.
They’re also one of the only camps that offer WiFi. They have private showers and private toilets. Their sandboards are available for free, and food is included as part of your stay.
Is Touring Better Than Glamping?
Glamping in a desert might seem like a boring vacation, but from the activities listed above we have hopefully changed your mind.
These experiences are all about relaxing in nature and taking your journey slowly, but that doesn’t mean the excitement isn’t around. You could quad bike every day, surf down dunes or hike the solid hills.
However, if the idea of being disconnected from people isn’t something you’re interested in, you can still do these activities on a tour instead.
Desert tours normally last for a day or half a day. On these tours, you’ll have a guide taking to you on walks or biking trips.
You can hire quad bikes and take on the dunes. You can do all of these fun activities while staying a couple of hours away in a hotel.
