The short answer. A trip for several couples of friends works well in the Moroccan Sahara when the group wants time together rather than a full itinerary: each couple has its own tent suite with a private bathroom, the days can be active or slow, and everyone meets at the same table in the evening with no network to pull anyone away. Plan three or four nights in the desert, between October and April, and decide early whether you share the camp or ask for it whole.
At a glance
| Group | Two to eight couples, with or without friends travelling alone |
| Rooms | Eight tent suites, each with a private bathroom and hot shower |
| Capacity | From 2 to 18 guests, up to 20 with extra beds |
| Shared or private | Shared by default; privatisation of the whole camp possible for any request, subject to availability |
| Nights in the desert | Three to four |
| Season | September to June; October to April is the most pleasant |
| Access | 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 |
| Network | None at the camp; a signal a short walk away, about twenty minutes there and back |
Why couples who travel together choose the desert
Groups of couples who have travelled together for years often know the same pattern: a villa, a few good restaurants, and evenings that end early because everyone is on their phone. The desert changes two things. The setting is new to almost everyone, which gives the group something to share from the first hour. And there is no network at the camp, so the evenings belong to the conversation.
The camp is small. There is no lobby, no other building and no village nearby, only scattered tents of nomad families. A group of friends quickly feels at home.
Five decisions to make early
1. The dates
Choose a window when most of the group can take four or five days in Morocco plus travel. Holidays and long weekends are popular, so ask early. If you want the whole camp, availability matters more than for a single tent.
2. Shared camp or the whole camp
By default the camp is shared: each couple books its tent, and a few other guests may be there too. If your group would rather be alone, ask for privatisation of the whole camp, possible for any request, subject to availability, and quoted on request. See private camp buyout.
3. Who sleeps where
One tent suite is larger, the Noor Suite, and can take up to four people with extra beds. The others are for two, or three with an extra bed. A friend travelling alone has a tent to themselves. Send us the list of couples and we will propose a plan.
4. The pace
Not every couple wants the same trip. Plan a frame, not a timetable: a shared sunset, a shared dinner, and the rest left to each couple.
5. One evening that matters
Many groups mark something: a birthday, an anniversary, twenty years of friendship. A dinner in the dunes, music around the fire or a table set apart from the camp can be arranged in advance. For a milestone, see milestone birthday in the Sahara and celebrations.
What a day looks like
- Sunrise. A walk to the top of a nearby dune for those who are awake.
- Morning. A long walk with a nomad guide, sandboarding or a 4x4 excursion for the active ones; yoga or a late breakfast for the others.
- Afternoon. Lunch together, then free time: a book, a nap, tea on the terrace of a tent suite.
- Sunset. A camel ride, or simply the group on a dune.
- Evening. Dinner together, a fire, and a Bortle 1 sky; a telescope on request for those who want to look further.
Getting there
Groups flying from the US land in Casablanca; groups from Europe often fly straight to Marrakech. From there:
- By road from Marrakech, about 8 hours 45, often with a night in Ouarzazate on the way.
- By air, Casablanca to Zagora, where the team meets you at the airport, then about 3 hours by 4x4.
- By helicopter from Marrakech, about 1 hour 40, landing at the camp.
Details on how to get to Erg Chegaga, and for groups from the US, planning a group trip to the Sahara from the United States.
If the group prefers a programme
Some couples of friends prefer to join one of the camp’s dated retreats together, rather than plan their own stay: The Sleep Programme, the Digital Detox Weekend, or the Silence Retreat. Each is open to pairs and small groups; see come as two or three. The programme and the prices are sent by email: ask for them on get the programme.
Next step
Send us your dates, the number of couples and friends, and whether you want to share the camp or have it to yourselves, at reservations@umnyadesertcamp.com or through the contact page. A written proposal comes back within 24 hours.
