Umnya Dune Camp, Morocco
Morocco is known for a lot of things, its incredible cuisine, vibrant culture, and stunning architecture. It has been on our bucketlist for years and one of the most unforgettable experiences about visiting this beautiful country, was staying a few nights in the middle of the Sahara desert. Of all the places we have traveled, this may be one of the most unique. Complete seclusion surrounded by tall sand dunes and nothing but space. Umnya Luxury camp combines the the essence of a Saharan nomadic experience with the luxury of any top glamping accommodations. We don’t say this lightly, but this trip truly was life changing.
Quick Facts
How long to stay: 3 days - 1 week
Best time to visit: April or October (don’t try to stay during July or August because the desert is just too hot)
Language: English, French, Arabic, Berber
Weather: dry/arid climate, hot during the day/ cold during the night
TRANSPORTATION
Getting out to Umnya Luxury Camp does take a bit of planning. The first leg is about 7.5 hours from Marrakech to Mhamid, then another 2 hours from Mhamid to the camp. We rented a car and drove from Marrakech to Mhamid with a stop over in Ouarzazate. A normal 2-wheel drive rental car can get you to Mhamid no problem. A famous place to visit along the way is Ait Benhaddou which is known for famous movies and TV shows including Game of Thrones and Gladiator. We recommend breaking up the drive and staying a night in or near Ait Benhaddou, because it can be a lot for one day! We also recommend making the drive during the day because the landscape between Marrakech and Ouarzazate is incredibly gorgeous, reminiscent of Utah’s Grand Canyon or Arizona’s Sedona region. Also be sure to fill up frequently and don’t let your gas run too low as there are big stretches without any towns or fuel stations. As a rule of thumb for road trips in foreign countries, we never drive on less than half a tank.
Upon arriving to Mhamid, you will park your car then hop onto a 4x4 transfer that then will take you through the desert to the camp location. Umnya Camp helps to arrange this transfer as providing directions through a third party trasnport service would be a bit complicated and definitely not recommended for this leg of the journey. The landscape is a mix between arid desert and dunes. We even saw some wild oryx along the way, which was pretty cool! The ride can be a little bumpy but overall not too crazy. There are no real roads here, so we were grateful for our trusty experienced driver who knew the way.
Another option is to fly into Zagora and then coordinate a transfer to the camp, or even all the way from Marrakech. This may save you a bit of time, you’ll just miss out on the scenic drive.
Your last option if driving is not your thing and you want something more private, you can arrive by helicopter! The camp has a helicopter pad nearby that they can help you arrange a drop off.
Note: because of the effort it takes to get out here, we really don’t recommend staying anything less than 3 days so you can get the full secluded experience, and really feel what it’s like to disconnect completely from the rest of the world.
ACCOMODATION
The camp has 10 tents in total for guests to stay in, and each one is secluded in its own dune area. Each morning you wake up to the complete silence and seclusion of your private desert camping spot.
There are different combinations of beds from twin, to queen and king sizes, depending on your group and how you want to split it up. The tents are fully equipped with bed, bathroom, fresh linens, running water and compost toilet (not as bad as it sounds). The tents are arranged on a raised wooden platform which is nice because it keeps the sand and desert critters out, and the room better insulated. To be honest it doesn’t even feel like camping with the level of luxury they are able to add to these tents. The interior is fashionably decorated with Moroccan rugs and tables and comfortable chairs to hang out on. At night they light the candles and lanterns around your tent which creates a very magical vibe.
MEALS
The team at Umnya prepares 3 meals a day and tea to enjoy at sunset on the top of a dune. The cuisine is local Berber fare including Moroccan salads, fresh soups, couscous, and tasty tajines. They serve the meals in the main area, at a communal table where all the guests eat. But if want a little more privacy you can take them in a separate tent as well or up on top of the dunes.
Every meal is prepared fresh so the camp can easily accommodate any allergies/dietary preferences from meat, vegetarian, kosher, to vegan. Just be sure to let the staff know ahead of time so they can order accordingly as supplies only arrive a few times a week.
ACTIVITIES
So you get out to the middle of the Sahara Desert and have finally reached the peace and seclusion you were seeking, now what? The days can be long and hot, but there are quite a few activities on site that you can do! First off, we highly recommend waking up for sunrise and experiencing the magic of a desert sunrise over the dunes. For photographers, the best time to shoot dunes is the hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset, when the shadows are longest and the dunes look most dramatic. And of course the weather is going to be most temperate. So aside from watching sunrise/sunset and enjoying delicious meals, activities available include:
- Sahara Camel Experience - enjoy the breathtaking views as the camel handlers guide you across the endless dunes during sunrise or sunset.
- Sand Boarding - think like snow boarding, but on the dunes!
- Board Games & Sports- they have all variety of board games and other activities from tennis to badminton to darks to keep you busy during your stay!
- Visit a local Berber Village - if you would like to learn more about the nomadic life and how the Berber people live in the Sahara, this is the perfect experience!
- Dune Trekking - this can be arranged to last an afternoon or even several days. The nomad team know the desert better than anyone and are the perfect guides for this adventure.
- Star Gazing - known as one of the best places to view the Milky Way, the Saharan star gazing experience is one hard to forget. You can choose to experience the sky on your own or they have a specialist that can walk you through everything you want to know about the endless stars above.
- Sleep beneath the Stars - make a whole night of star gazing. The staff will arrange a special open air bed in the middle of the dunes with candles all around for a truly one of a kind romantic evening.
- Yoga - there is nothing quite like releasing and relaxing your body as you stand barefoot on the dunes. The camp is available for private instruction as well as retreats!
- Local Music - experience the local music under the stars and with belly dancers if you want!
- Luxury Dining Experiences - the nomad team on site helps to coordinate this unique dining experience in the dunes. You can choose from a private romantic dinner in a tent or atop the dunes, traditional bread preparation in the sand, and even a special dune-top Berber picnic with champagne.
- 4x4 Dune Experience - enjoy a wild ride through the stunning dunes of the Sahara and visiting the best views in the area
- Golfing - need to practice those sand shots? They have golf clubs available to swing away!
- Sand Bath - the desert’s unique spa treatment, this ancient healing practice is the ultimate relaxation experience.
Our days flew by and we wish we could have stayed for longer. This desert getaway is an experience we will never forget, and we hope to return again soon.
So the question we received most, and thought ourselves was, “Is it worth the time and effort?”
We can confidently say it is most definitely worth the effort and we would 100% do this trip again if given the chance.
