The short answer. Before booking a desert camp in Morocco for a group, ask six things first: which desert it is in and how long the last stretch takes, whether you will share the camp or can have it whole, whether every tent has its own bathroom, what the network really is, what is included, and what the deposit and cancellation terms are in writing. Those answers separate a comfortable group stay from a long day in a vehicle followed by a crowded camp.
The twelve questions, and our answers
| Question | What to listen for | Umnya Desert Camp |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Which desert? | Dune sea or stony desert; how remote | Erg Chegaga dunes, beyond M’Hamid El Ghizlane, the last village |
| 2. Door to door journey? | Total hours from your arrival airport, including piste | About 8 hours 45 by road from Marrakech; Casablanca to Zagora by air, then about 3 hours by 4x4; helicopter from Marrakech, about 1 hour 40 |
| 3. Shared or private? | How many other guests; can you have it whole | Shared by default; privatisation of the whole camp possible for any request, subject to availability |
| 4. Capacity? | Real beds, not mattresses on the floor | Eight tent suites, from 2 to 18 guests, up to 20 with extra beds |
| 5. Bathrooms? | Private or shared blocks | A private bathroom with hot shower in every tent |
| 6. Winter nights? | How tents are kept warm | Tents heated in winter |
| 7. Network? | An honest answer | No wifi, no signal; a signal a short walk away, about twenty minutes there and back |
| 8. Neighbours? | Other camps, villages, traffic | No village nearby, only scattered tents of nomad families |
| 9. Food? | Diets, allergies, religious needs | Diets with notice, halal meat, an alcohol-free stay on request |
| 10. What is included? | Meals, transfers, activities | Set out in the written proposal; activities optional |
| 11. Discretion? | Photos, social media, NDA | No photographs of guests; NDA on request |
| 12. Terms? | Deposit, schedule, cancellation, in writing before payment | Written proposal within 24 hours, with deposit and cancellation terms |
1. Which desert, exactly?
“Sahara camp” covers very different places. Morocco has two great dune seas: Erg Chebbi, near Merzouga, and Erg Chegaga, beyond M’Hamid. Agafay, near Marrakech, is a stony desert, convenient but without high dunes. Ask for the exact location, then look at it on a map. We compare them on Erg Chegaga vs Erg Chebbi and Agafay or the Sahara.
2. How long is the journey, door to door?
Ask for the total time from the airport your group will use, including the piste at the end, and where a group can break the journey. For a group, the journey shapes the whole trip: arrival windows, vehicles and luggage. Read moving twelve to twenty people to the Sahara.
3. Will we share the camp?
Many desert camps are large and host several groups at once. Ask how many tents there are, how many other guests could be there on your dates, and whether you can take the whole camp. At Umnya Desert Camp, the camp is shared by default with a few other guests, and privatisation is possible for any request, subject to availability. See private camp buyout.
4 and 5. Beds and bathrooms
Ask whether every tent has its own bathroom and hot water, and what the beds are. Shared bathroom blocks are common in desert camps and change the experience for a group, especially for older guests. Ask too which tent suits a family or a guest with limited mobility; we answer that in accessibility at a desert camp.
6. Winter nights
From December to February, nights in the desert are cool. Ask how tents are kept warm and what bedding is provided.
7. The network
Some camps are connected; others are not. Ask for an honest answer, then decide whether your group wants to be connected. For an offsite planned around being offline, read running an offsite with no wifi.
8. Neighbours
Ask how close the nearest village, road or other camp is, and whether there is evening traffic of quads or vehicles. Silence is often what a group comes for.
9. Food
Send the list of allergies and diets with the enquiry. Ask about halal meat, alcohol, and the qibla direction and a space for prayer if your group needs them.
10. What is included
Meals, transfers, activities, guides, a celebration dinner: ask for everything in writing. Many camps quote activities separately, which is reasonable as long as you know it before you sign.
11. Discretion
For a group of executives, a public figure or a private family, ask how the camp handles photographs, social media and confidentiality.
12. The terms
Ask for the deposit, the payment schedule and the cancellation terms in writing, before any payment. Retreat leaders will find more on this in retreat venue deposit and cancellation terms.
About us, briefly
Umnya Desert Camp has been open since 2019 in the dunes of Erg Chegaga, from September to June; October to April is the most pleasant period. Eight tent suites, a Bortle 1 sky, and no network. Read the camp for a full description, and group trip to the Sahara for groups.
Next step
Send us your dates, the size of the group and your questions, at reservations@umnyadesertcamp.com or through the contact page. We answer each of them in writing within 24 hours.
