Scarabeo Camp

Who they are

Scarabeo Camp is a tented-camp company in the Agafay stone desert, south-west of Marrakech, a mineral, almost lunar landscape with the Atlas in the background. The company that runs it is SCARABEO SARL, registered at the Mhamdia douar, in Ouidane. The website does not say who founded it or since when it has operated, although it calls The Stone Camp "our historic camp". It also organises tailor-made expeditions along Moroccan roads with its The Caravan offer.

Two camps

• The Stone Camp, the original camp, livelier, especially at night, and at the centre of the Agafay activities.
• Les Roches Noires, newer and more intimate, with the tents on one side, the large pool and the dining tent on the other, and lounges on a hillock. It is about ten minutes further away.

Both run on solar power: you can charge your phone, but not use high-consumption appliances such as hairdryers. Each camp has a pool, unheated, pleasant from April to October. In winter the tents have a wood-burning stove, duvets and wool blankets, and in summer a fan in each room. There is wifi next to the reception tent.

Getting there

From Marrakech airport it takes about 45 minutes; from the medina, about an hour, and from the Palmeraie, an hour and a quarter. Any ordinary car can reach both camps along the final track.

Meals, day visits and activities

You can go for the day only, with a booking, for lunch, dinner or a pre-arranged activity. Lunch includes Moroccan salads, chicken and vegetable skewers, kefta and dessert; dinner, salads, two tagines with semolina and raisins and a trio of desserts. Vegetarian and gluten-free versions are available on request.

The activities, such as camel or horse rides, quad biking and walks, are booked through the camp, which organises them with outside providers; the website does not publish their prices. Those we have collected are in the offers on this page.

When to go and with children

It is open all year, including during Ramadan. The best seasons are autumn, winter and spring; summer is very hot. The temperature changes a lot between day and night, so bring layers. There is a cot at each camp, but they advise against coming with babies, because the canvas walls let noise through and it may disturb other guests.

Booking and cancellation

You book mostly online, and the booking is confirmed on payment of a non-refundable deposit, ranging from 25% of the total if you book 30 days or more ahead to 50% if there are fewer than six days left. If you cancel, you lose the deposit; if you do not show up, everything paid is lost. If it is the camp that cancels because of extreme weather, safety or another cause beyond its control, it refunds what was paid or moves it to another stay. The website accepts Visa, Mastercard and CMI. The office is open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00 on +212 524 43 36 88; the website is in French and English.