Marrakech Palmeraie Camel Ride, 1 Hour

At a glance

All the key details for your experience at a glance.

Duration 1 hour
Group size Up to 17 people
Languages English, French, Spanish.
Location Marrakech Palmeraie
When it runs Daily, morning and sunset sessions

Highlights

What makes this experience special.

Guides who are Berber and local, raised in the Palmeraie itself, and happy to take photos on your own phone at the viewpoints
An hour on camelback through the palm grove, 20 minutes out from central Marrakech
A pause partway at a Berber village house for Moroccan mint tea and msemen, the homemade crepes
The blue Saharan robe, or gandora, and the cheich headscarf handed out and wrapped for you before the ride
Every age welcome, with children under 12 riding alongside an adult
A different and more open route on the way back, lit by golden hour on the sunset session
Return hotel transfer included, roughly 20 minutes in each direction

An hour on a camel through the palm grove, with guides who grew up in it. Halfway along there is a village house, mint tea, and a chance to get down and stretch.

An hour in the saddle behind a guide, crossing the Palmeraie, the 13,000-hectare grove where date palm, orange tree and Berber hamlet sit together, roughly 20 minutes north of central Marrakech. Before anyone mounts, you are dressed in the blue Saharan robe, the gandora, and a cheich wound round the head, then the caravan sets off along shaded palm-lined paths, pausing at good viewpoints for pictures.

Halfway you get down at a Berber village house for mint tea brewed on the spot and msemen, the homemade crepes, and the return follows a different and more open line. The guides are local Berbers from the grove itself and the camels are gentle and well trained. Sessions go out every day, once in the morning and once at sunset, with the return hotel transfer covered. EUR 25 per person is what it costs.

Photographs

What the price covers

Clear and transparent, so you know exactly what is included.

Included

Return hotel transfer, 20 minutes each way
The guided camel ride of one hour in the Palmeraie
The traditional blue Saharan robe
headscarf
Mint tea
crepes at the Berber village
Pictures taken for you by your guide, on your own phone

Not included

Tips for the guide, which are optional
Personal insurance

How the day runs

A step-by-step look at your experience.

1. Marrakech hotel → Palmeraie palm grove — about 20 min

Your driver picks you up at your Marrakech hotel or riad and heads north out of the city for around 20 minutes to reach the Palmeraie palm grove. Some riads sit down lanes a car cannot enter, in which case a meeting point close by is arranged instead.
2. Robes and introduction to your camel

At the base in the grove you are dressed in the blue Saharan robe and cheich headscarf, the look worn by the Tuareg of the desert, and the guide does the wrapping for you. Take your photographs now, before you mount.

Then you are introduced to your camel. The animals kneel while you climb into the saddle, and you hold on as they come up, front legs first, back legs after. Guides are on hand throughout.
3. Camel ride through the Palmeraie — about 1 hour

3. Camel ride through the Palmeraie — about 1 hour
The guide walks the caravan along shaded tracks, through stands of date palm and orange trees and out across open clearings, stopping where the view is worth it so photos and video can be taken on your phone.
4. Tea stop in the Berber village

Partway round you get down at a Berber village house, sit under the palms and are brought Moroccan mint tea, brewed fresh, with homemade crepes, while your host talks about life in the Palmeraie, Berber custom and the camels themselves.
5. Return ride through the palm grove

You remount for a return leg on a different route, more open ground and longer views, and on the sunset session the light comes through the palm fronds low and gold.

The guide may ask the camels for a short trot, always with warning first and always up to you.
6. Palmeraie → Marrakech hotel — about 20 min

The driver has you back at your Marrakech hotel in around 20 minutes.

Roughly 2 hours all told, so the morning group is back for lunch and the sunset group in time for dinner.

Important information

The rate is per person and covers every service in the inclusions list. Nothing is published by way of a supplement, an upgrade or a single supplement.

Ages: everyone is welcome and under-12s ride with an adult. No minimum age and no fitness requirement are stated.

Departures are fixed to two daily sessions, morning and sunset, with a cap of 17 people in each.

Transfer logistics: the return hotel transfer is included at roughly 20 minutes each way, and a nearby meeting point is used where a riad cannot be reached by car.

Comfort: the saddle is padded and the gait is gentle. Getting on and off is the awkward part and the guide helps with it. A short trot may be offered, with warning, and it is entirely optional.

Frequently asked questions

How does the Marrakech camel ride actually run?

Pickup at your hotel and a 20-minute drive, dressing in Saharan clothes, an hour guided through the Palmeraie, tea at a Berber village, then the drive back. Around 2 hours from door to door.

Can children come along?

Yes, no age is turned away. Under-12s go up alongside an adult. These camels are patient animals and gentle with it, and the ride is described as the most popular activity for families.

How does a Palmeraie camel ride differ from one in Agafay?

The Palmeraie, where this ride takes place, is a shaded green palm grove that sits 20 minutes out from the city. Agafay is stone desert 45 minutes away, rocky and dramatically open. The Palmeraie is nearer and suits families better.

Is it comfortable up there?

It is, thanks to a padded saddle and an easy gait. Most riders settle into the rhythm inside a few minutes. Mounting and dismounting is the fiddly bit and the guide helps you through it.

Morning or sunset, which is better?

Neither is a wrong choice. Mornings are cooler and quieter. Sunset brings golden-hour light down through the palms, which is the better light for photographs. Both slots run daily.

What is the price of a camel ride in Marrakech?

EUR 25 per person here, covering the hotel transfer, the hour of riding, the traditional clothing and the mint tea. That sits at the fair market rate for a reputable operator.

What clothes should I turn up in?

Closed shoes and something comfortable. Robe and headscarf are handed out on site. Bring sunglasses and sunscreen.

Can a large group book together?

Yes, up to 17 people in one session. Bigger groups than that are arranged if you give notice in advance.