We just returned from a five day whirl wind trip to Morocco! Morocco was a complete sensation in every sense of the word. It’s a city I hadn’t visited but it’s been firmly on the bucket list ever since seeing those Moroccan tiles on the gram years ago & I can say I loved every minute of our trip.
When I started planning our Moroccan adventure, I knew we had to go to the desert. The Sahara glamping experiences came highly recommended from numerous friends and travel bloggers I follow. Given our time constraints I was super reluctant to travel the 7-8 hours from Marrakech to the Sahara and knew I needed to find a closer alternative. I was so lucky to come across the Scarabeo Desert Camp. Scarabeo (located in the Agafay Desert) is only a 45-minute drive from Marrakech which was absolute perfection, I only had to look at their website, read a few online reviews and it was booked. I opted to stay here on the first day of our trip and booked a transfer from the airport straight to the camp.
The Scarabeo Camp
My favourite part of the camp had to be the fact it felt so luxurious and exclusive. There are limited tents so there is a real feeling of relaxation, tranquillity and sometimes like you are the only people in the entire camp. It was the perfect escape from the city that moves quicker than the speed of light (hint: London).
When we arrived we were greeted with Moroccan mint tea, traditional pastries and a very friendly staff member. I was so bloody happy. We were then taken on a tour of the camp, pointed in the direction of the communal eating areas and toilets. At first my partner looked at me with a concerned look, wondering if we had our own toilets in the tent. I smiled and said…of course (secretly, I had no idea). Our luggage was taken and we were escorted to our home for the night (tent life!!). The tent was nothing short of magical. It was filled with the textures and colours in true Moroccan style and felt so romantic, boasting a fire place and candles I could tell would illuminate come sunset. I was pretty speechless.
The tent was really the definition of luxury camping. There was everything you could need or want to be included. A private toilet & shower, USB plugs for phone charging, robes, a beautiful large bed and there was a mirror (for any gals wondering).
Once we settled in and of course took a few snaps of the tent, we decided to explore the camp before eating lunch. Sprinkled around the camp are what I referred to as ‘chill spots’. They were the cutest little areas laid entirely in Moroccan rugs, pouffes (a cute little leather seat), ottomans, styled to instagram perfection. You legit couldn’t take a bad picture here, the place was insanely photogenic.
Next we enjoyed an incredible lunch. We devoured fresh fruit smoothies, an array of Moroccan salads and chicken skewers. Ahhmazing! We were then delighted with fresh fruit after the meal.
There are numerous activities you can choose to partake in at the camp, plus a spa! We opted for the sand buggy adventure. It was lots of fun and of course we stopped mid way through to enjoy mint-tea and Moroccan sweets. It was delightful.
We then returned back to the camp to get ready for dinner which was at 8pm. We walked up to dinner enjoying the sun set over the rolling hills of the desert…it was breathtaking. There was fires lit throughout the camp and the communal dining area had come alive with a acoustic singer and fairy lights making the space golden and warm. Again, it was incredible. We continued to watch the sun set meeting new friends from around the world and sipping on some Rosé . Perfection! Dinner of beef tajine, couscous and vegetables really didn’t disappoint either, followed by a delicious Tiramisu. The food we experienced here was definitely my favourite of the trip.
After dinner we stayed by one of the fires and chatted to our newly made friends over multiple glasses of Rosé. We then decided to head back to our tent by night to enjoy the glow of the fire that was lit and it was just insanely beautiful & relaxing. I actually pinched myself, it was an unreal experience.
We awoke early to catch sun rise over the camp. It was a moment I will genuinely treasure for ever & I am so glad we braved the cooler early morning temps to enjoy. We then headed to the buffet-style breakfast which was delectable and included numerous traditional Moroccan style eats. We sat overlooking the camp dripping in sunshine & enjoyed our meals. After a few more hours enjoying the camp, it was time to pack up and head back to explore Marrakech. I really didn’t want to leave, but I can honestly say this was one of the best travel experiences I have ever had & I am super grateful we got the opportunity.
If you have had a similar experience, I would love to hear about it.
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