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Find your desert
Three camels with riders led by a handler along a dirt track through palm trees at sunset

Palm grove, stone desert or real dunes

Camel rides from Marrakech

Near the city you ride for an hour among palms or stony hills. Riding into sand dunes means leaving Marrakech for at least two days.

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Price per person read on Civitatis on 21 October 2026. How we pick and order tours

Time needed
An evening
Tours from
€45 per personread on 21 October 2026

Short answer

Short camel rides run in the Palmeraie, on the city's northern edge, and in the Agafay stone desert 35 km away, often sold with a dinner and show. They suit families and first-timers who want an easy ride at sunset. For a ride over real sand dunes you need Zagora (two days) or Merzouga (three). Whichever you pick, look at the animals before you climb on.

Choose it if

You want a gentle sunset ride and a meal without spending a night away from Marrakech.

Think twice if

You picture a camel train crossing golden dunes: that's Merzouga, nowhere near the city.

Palmeraie, Agafay or the dunes

The Palmeraie rides are the shortest outing: flat paths between palm trees, close to the city, usually under an hour on the camel. They're easy with children and fit an afternoon.

The Agafay desert gives you bare, stony hills and open views, and it's where many camel-and-dinner evenings take place. It's still not sand: the ground is rock and gravel, and the photos of golden dunes you see in some adverts were taken elsewhere.

The dune ride most people imagine happens at Zagora, 350 km away, where the dunes are modest, or at Erg Chebbi near Merzouga, 560 km from Marrakech. Both are overnight trips. The desert comparison explains which one fits your days.

The camel ride with dinner and show

The tour linked on this page pairs a sunset camel ride outside the city with dinner and a show, and takes up the afternoon and evening. Read the listing for where the ride takes place, how long you actually spend on the camel and whether drinks are extra.

On combined evenings the ride itself is often the shortest part. If riding is what you care about, compare the riding time rather than the total duration, or book a longer ride on its own.

Animal welfare: what to look at

Camel rides can be run decently or badly, and a minute's look tells you a lot. Check before you get on, and choose another operator if the basics are missing.

  • Shade and water where the camels wait between rides
  • No open wounds or raw patches on the back, the hump or around the nose
  • Saddles with padding underneath, sitting straight
  • One adult per camel, and an operator willing to state a weight limit
  • Rest between rides, not back-to-back loops in the midday heat
  • Handlers leading calmly, without hitting

Getting on, riding and what to wear

The camel kneels, you sit, and it stands up back legs first, which tips you forward and then back. Hold the handle and lean back. That's the awkward moment; the rest is a slow sway.

Long trousers stop the saddle rubbing your legs. Wear closed shoes and bring a scarf for the dust. For sunset rides from November to March take a warm layer: Marrakech averages 6 °C on January nights, and open ground feels colder after dark.

When a short ride is enough

With one free day, a short ride and an evening in Agafay give you the camel without the long road. With three days, save the camel for Erg Chebbi, where riding out to the camp is part of the tour.

How many days you have decides this more than anything else.

How it runs

  1. Afternoon

    Pickup in Marrakech

    Collection from your hotel or a meeting point near the medina, then a short drive out of the city.

  2. Before sunset

    On the camel

    A quick briefing, mounting, and a slow ride with a handler leading each camel or a short line of them.

  3. Sunset

    A stop for the light

    Most rides are timed to pause as the sun goes down. Have your phone in a zipped pocket, not in your hand while mounting.

  4. Evening

    Dinner and show

    Dinner in a tent or camp with music and a show. Check the listing for what's included and whether drinks cost extra.

  5. Night

    Drive back

    Transfer back to Marrakech, usually late in the evening.

What stands out

Short and gentle

Near the city, rides are slow and usually under an hour. Fine for most ages.

Sunset timing

Late-afternoon slots avoid the heat and give the best light.

Check the animals

Shade, water, no sores, padded saddles. If they're missing, ride with someone else.

Questions people ask

Is camel riding ethical?

It depends on how the animals are kept. Well-run operators give camels shade, water and rest, use padded saddles and carry one adult per camel. Look for those signs and for any wounds before you ride; if you're not comfortable, walking alongside is always an option.

Where can you ride a camel in Marrakech?

In the Palmeraie, the palm grove on the northern edge of the city, and in the Agafay stone desert, 45–60 min away by road. Neither has sand dunes. For dunes you need Zagora or Merzouga.

How long is a camel ride in Marrakech?

Short rides near the city usually last under an hour on the animal. Combined tours with dinner fill an afternoon and evening, but the ride itself is only part of that. The listing gives the details.

Can you ride a camel on sand dunes near Marrakech?

Not near the city. The closest dunes are around Zagora, 350 km and 6–7 h away, usually done in two days. The big dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga need three days.

Is a camel ride suitable for children?

Usually yes, since rides near Marrakech are slow and led on foot. Minimum ages and whether a child can share with an adult vary, so check the listing. The standing-up moment is the only jolt.

What should I wear for a camel ride?

Long trousers, closed shoes and a scarf against dust and sun. Bring a warm layer for sunset rides in winter, when temperatures drop quickly.

Also from Marrakech

More to do around Marrakech

Price per person read on Civitatis on 21 October 2026.

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