In Marrakech, you don't need to drive for hours to play the remake of
Un thé au Sahara
!
45 minutes away, the Agafay desert sweeps its waves of lunar mountains over 400 km² at the foot of the Atlas.
Not a pinch of sand, but a sheared reg of a canyon worthy of the oases of the south, whose soft golden undulations form a striking contrast with the barrier of snow-capped mountains in winter.
You can recharge your batteries there for a glamping weekend through sports, well-being and even cultural activities.
Gentle hikes on foot, on horseback, mountain bike or camel, buggy or sidecar trips, astronomy sessions and even electro or trail evenings under the moon: to each his own desert!
Read also: Destination Marrakech, for a wellness cure under the palm trees
Camel ride and chic picnic
No sand to hinder walking, we settle on the gentle rhythm of the caravan.
Anne-Claire Delorme
If he wears an orange scarf and an indigo coat, this is not folklore: like the entire Inara Camp team, Brahim comes from the region of Zagora in the south and he grew up in the nomad tent in the Sahara. .
When he is not pampering the camels in the house stable, he accompanies the camel rides with his supple step, accustomed to treading the erg.
No sand to hinder the walk, we settle on the gentle rhythm of the caravan before hoisting ourselves on one of the desert vessels to see ribbons of light-toned nipples swaying, a small green field and a pink canyon where a table covered in white for an unusual picnic.
Inara Camp.
“Desert magic” day with “chic picnic”, 140 euros per person.
Phone.
: +212 524 205 070.
Vintage sidecar ride
Great spectacle in front of the Atlas.
Felix Mathivet
You can travel through the Agafay desert aboard a quad or buggy in Paris-Dakar mode.
Or lighter, yellow Cruise style with a vintage sidecar.
At the controls, a double-hat pilot, experienced driver and connoisseur of the region.
Helmets screwed onto the head, you can sit in the basket or on the saddle for a smooth ride on the slopes.
En route, snapshots: mint tea in a historic zaouïa (religious complex) and lunch with a great spectacle perched facing the Atlas.
"Desert ride" at Marrakech Insiders (from 370 euros per sidecar, lunch included).
Phone.
: +212 (0) 6 69 69 93 74. Quad or buggy rides in most of the camps.
A day in the life of a fellah
In the vegetable garden of Terre des Étoiles, a utopian oasis in the middle of the desert.
Land of stars
Soft green beds, a trellis….
"We picked up 10 kilos of vegetables this morning!"
rejoices Pierre-Yves Marais, whose utopia of creating an autonomous ecolodge and vegetating the desert has become a reality.
Between the organic vegetable garden where Lahcen, the head gardener, runs permaculture workshops, the orchard, the stable of horses and camels and the farmyard, we play the fellahs before eating the kitchen of the garden.
And to dive into the life of an authentic farm, we go for a walk with Abdou, the son of the house.
Along the way, we meet the father and his sheep.
On arrival, the tagines simmer on the braziers: Fouzia, the mother and Messaouda the grandmother, do the honors of the farm.
Ride on the farm (40 euros / person on foot, 110 euros on horseback, 125 euros in Ebike) by Terre des étoiles.
Phone.
: + 212 (0) 6 61 59 11 50.
One night astronomer
Far from the city lights, star bath and astronomy lessons.
Ali Astronomy
Ali has been an astronomer for 15 years "out of passion" and he knows how to share it!
Co-founder of the DarkSky reserve project in Morocco, he hosts evenings of observation of the sky, far from the lights of Marrakech.
We examine lunar craters and nebulae with our telescope before following the dance of our laser torch in the sky.
The winter triangle emerges, then the belt of Orion which would have inspired the alignment of the pyramids of Giza.
In Morocco, she guided the elders for sowing.
“If we saw her before the 4th prayer it was too late and at the 5th we had to hurry!”.
Astronomy evenings on Saturdays at Terre des Étoiles (45 euros with dinner), can be privatized.
Private at Inara Camp and Scarabeo Camp.
Exclusive dinner under the stars
Dinner out of Africa by candlelight.
Unfolded
"Monotonous the desert?" Monsieur wants to laugh? "
.
We think of this replica of Theodore Monod, a great surveyor of the Sahara, in the middle of the dark blocks of the Roches Noires.
Even pocket-sized, this desert knows how to become a chameleon.
In this discreet little corner where Scarabeo Camp sets up camps and ephemeral tables, only a 360 ° panorama of the 50 shades of color of the desert occupies the minds.
At dusk, the lanterns light up, the table is set, it's time to have dinner alone with the stars.
From 250 euros the exclusive dinner for 2 at the Scarabeo Camp.
Phone.
: +212 (0) 6 62 80 08 23.
Arty and chill out bath
We press pause by the pool with spring water Anne-Claire Delorme
No signs, La Pause is a confidential oasis between canyon and hills and the very first nomadic refuge in the Agafay desert.
Here, we take a natural bath under the olive trees, lulled by the murmur of the seguias (irrigation canals) and a short bath in the spring water pool which stretches (17 meters by 9) at the top. facing the copper domes of the desert.
Below, a monumental sculpture unrolls its propellers: partner of 1.54 Contemporary African Art Fair, La Pause is also an artists' residence, to meet when the calendar lends itself.
The break.
Lunch, 35 euros excluding drinks, pool access included.
Practical notebook
HOW TO GET THERE ?
From Marrakech, two routes, by the road of Guemassa or by that of the dam, possible by car of category A with some portions of tracks.
Transfers are provided by the camps, including for activities.
OR SLEEP ?
Terre des Étoiles, an ecolodge and an incredible oasis in the desert, with 18 lodge tents and 2 new Deluxe Lodge of 42m² with an ethno-chic design, with a large terrace.
Anne-Claire Delorme
Inara Camp.
A refined camp of 18 tents (including 12 with terrace) created by a Sahara enthusiast.
All comfort (wood stove and air cooler) and neat decor, with furniture and antique objects.
Lagoon swimming pool and eco-responsible management.
Discovery Tent, 200 euros for 2 half-board, Emotion 280 euros, Inara Suite 400 euros.
Phone.
: +212 524 205 070.
The Pause
.
The pioneer, created from an old farm, between olive groves, canyon and desert.
12 cozy and intimate rooms sheltered by adobe walls (ultimate luxury, without electricity, with wood stove), 9 tents and an Indonesian wooden pavilion!
Two swimming pools and an artists' residence.
From 150 euros / pers half board.
Phone.
: +212 6 10 77 22 40.
Scarabeo Camp
.
3 charming camps in one, with a “dusty luxury” spirit, including a more exclusive one (from April), a “desert spa” (March) and traveling caravans with bivouacs.
Scarabeo Stone Camp: 205 euros per tent for 2 with half board.
Phone.
: +212 (0) 6 62 80 08 74 / (0) 6 62 80 08 23.
Land of the Stars
.
An ecolodge classified as Green Key and an incredible oasis perched in the desert, with 18 lodge tents and 2 new Deluxe Lodge of 42m² with ethno-chic design, with large terrace.
Organic farm and vegetable garden, 2 swimming pools (12 m), yoga and meditation workshops.
From 360 euros per night in a Deluxe lodge with half board, 225 euros in a lodge.
Phone.
: + 212 (0) 6 61 59 11 50.