Who hasn't dreamed of spending the night under the stars in the heart of a desert?
Direction Morocco, in the heart of the Agafay desert, less than an hour's drive from Marrakech.
I love deserts. Ever since I first went to southern Tunisia when I was 15, then to Namibia in the Namib Desert, then to the Wahiba Desert in Oman and on to the Dasht-e Kavir Desert in Iran, the desert has been one of my favorite places on earth.
So I love the desert. I like its calm, I like its colors, I like to marvel at the silence and the well-being it gives me.
The Agafay desert, a change of scenery close to Marrakech
During my escape to Morocco, we had the pleasant surprise of sleeping in a camp in the heart of the Agafay desert.
The Agafay desert is located 35 minutes from the red city of Marrakech.
Ideal for escaping the hectic city of Marrakech, the desert is already home to a number of other luxury bivouac and ecolodge accommodations, including the must-see La Pause or even Star Earth (to name but two).
This is the Yes We CampA camp featuring some thirty Bedouin tents in off-white hues, set in a rocky desert landscape with nothing around. Only the desert, the stars and you!
Yes We Camp, a new camp in the Agafay desert
We arrived at the camp by camel. A thirty-minute crossing that heralded the start of a new era of disconnection and change of scenery.
It was during this walk that I made the Nordine's meetinga 10-year-old boy, to whom I immortalized his dreamy portrait. A lovely encounter that touched me deeply. The desert experience was now well and truly underway...
In fact, taking this camel ride before sunset is one of the best times to take in the view: you're bathed in a light that's both brilliant and golden. There's no sound except the wind and the camels moving one behind the other.
It's time to enjoy the silence, disconnect from your phone and contemplate the wilderness around you.
A camp with all the comforts we need
Inside the tents, comfort is a given. Twin or double beds, the choice is yours. There's a hard toilet, sink and shower.
The decor is pretty and refined, with Moroccan accessories.
Each tent has a terrace with two chairs and a table, with a view of the surrounding tents and the rocky dunes in the background.
Not to mention electricity, which is well installed. For travelers who don't want to disconnect from their phones, there's also wifi. But what a pity not to take the time to switch off your cell phone in such a place!
It's worth noting, however, that the tents are quite close to each other, but there's no facing each other, and each one respects the privacy of its guests.
Meals are typically Moroccan, prepared using only local produce.
It was at dusk, more precisely at the blue hour, that we took our place under one of the large main tents for dinner.
A candlelit dinner, to the sounds of traditional musical instruments: qaraqebs (metal castanets), the bendir (percussion instrument), the qanoum (a kind of table-top zither), tambourines called tebilats and more.
On the menu, tajine with prunes and Moroccan pastries.
The next morning, continental breakfast and homemade pancakes were on the menu to start a new day with the desert all to ourselves.
What to do around the Agafay desert?
"Le désert ne se raconte pas, il se vit" - Theodore Monod
A number of activities are offered from the camp, including camel rides, walking tours and quad biking.
The camp's location can also be perfect for exploring the Berber hinterland, as we did on board a Jeep.
For one day, we set off to discover and make stops several times: Dar Bouza, Lalla Takerkouste, Tiferouine, Tagardit Taghanchout, Tagardit .... before returning to Marrakech for the night.
The day was truly exceptional and rich in change of scenery, which I'll be sharing soon on the blog!
Morocco is also home to another desert, albeit much further away: the Merzouga desert about an 8-hour drive from Marrakech.
For another trip to Morocco, don't miss Ouarzazate which I also discovered some time ago.
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