With its moon-like waves of mountains akin to the dunes of the Sahara, the Agafay desert is a nugget on the outskirts of Marrakech. Very close and yet very exotic, these wide-open desertic spaces lend themselves to glamping within the variety of the good expeditions of yesteryear, and to Zen or sporting activities. A 100% oxygen getaway.
In Marrakech, there’s no have to drive for hours to play the remake of Tea within the Sahara! Just 45 minutes away, the Agafay desert rolls its waves of lunar mountains over 400 km² on the foot of the Atlas Mountains. Not a pinch of sand, but a reg sheared by a canyon worthy of southern oases, whose gentle golden undulations form a striking contrast with the barrier of snow-capped mountains in winter.
Enjoy a glamping weekend of sports, wellness, and even cultural activities. Gentle hikes, horseback riding, mountain biking or camel trekking, buggy or sidecar rides, astronomy sessions and even electro or trail parties under the moon: to every his own desert!
- Meharee and picnic chic
If he wears an orange chèche and an indigo suit, it’s not folklore: just like the whole Inara Camp team, Brahim hails from the Zagora region within the south and grew up in nomad tents within the Sahara. When he’s not tending to the camels within the in-house stable, he accompanies the Meharees along with his supple stride, accustomed to treading the erg. There’s no sand to get in the way in which, just the gentle rhythm of the caravan, before we pull up on one in every of the desert ships to look at the ribbons of light-toned mamelons, a small green field and a pink canyon where a white-topped table rises for an unusual picnic.
- Vintage sidecar escapes
You can crisscross the Agafay desert on a quad or buggy, Paris-Dakar style. Or a lighter, Yellow Expedition-style ride in a vintage sidecar. At the controls, a double-hatted pilot, experienced driver, and connoisseur of the region. Helmets screwed on, you compromise into the basket or the saddle for a smooth ride over the tracks. Along the way in which, we stop to enjoy a mint tea in a historic Zaouïa (religious complex) and a spectacular lunch overlooking the Atlas Mountains.
- A day within the lifetime of a Fellah (Local farmer)
Soft green flowerbeds, a trellis…. “We picked 10 kilos of vegetables this morning!” rejoices Pierre-Yves Marais, whose utopia of making a self-sufficient ecolodge and greening the desert has turn into reality. Between the organic vegetable garden, where Lahcen, the top gardener, runs permaculture workshops, the orchard, the stable of horses and camels and the farmyard, you may play fellah before sampling the garden’s cuisine. And to immerse yourself within the lifetime of an authentic farm, take a walk with Abdou, the son of the home. Along the way in which, we come across the daddy and his sheep. On arrival, tajines simmer on braziers: mother Fouzia and grandmother Messaouda do the honors on the farm.
- An astronomer for an evening
Ali has been an astronomer for 15 years “out of passion”, and he knows the right way to share it! Co-founder of Morocco’s Dark Sky reserve project, he hosts sky-watching evenings removed from the intense lights of Marrakech. We scan the lunar craters and nebulae along with his telescope before following the dance of his laser torch across the sky. The winter triangle takes shape, followed by Orion’s belt, said to have inspired the alignment of the Giza pyramids. In Morocco, it guided the elders as they planted their crops. “If you saw it before the 4th prayer, it was too late, and by the fifth you needed to hurry!
- Exclusive starlit dinner
“Monotonous desert? Is Monsieur kidding?”. We’re reminded of this line from Théodore Monod, the good surveyor of the Sahara, amidst the dark boulders of the Roches Noires. Even in its pocket, this desert knows the right way to be a chameleon. In this discreet little corner, where Scarabeo Camp sets up temporary camps and tables, the 360° panorama of the desert’s 50 shades of color is the one thing to occupy our minds. At dusk, the lanterns light up, the table is about and it’s time to dine nose to nose with the celebs.
- Arty bath and relax
La Pause is a confidential oasis between canyon and hills, and the very first nomadic refuge within the Agafay desert. Here, you may bathe in nature under the olive trees, lulled by the murmur of the Seguias (irrigation canals) and bathe within the spring-water pool that stretches (17 by 9 meters) to the very top, facing the coppery domes of the desert. Below, a monumental sculpture unwinds its propellers: a partner of the 1.54 Contemporary African Art Fair, La Pause can be an artists’ residency, to be visited when the calendar permits.
