When my sister was planning her trip to Marrakech with her two kids, the first thing she asked me was whether the desert stuff was even doable with children or if it was more of an adults’ activity that happened to be near a family destination. I’d been to the Agafay Desert myself without kids, so I didn’t have a direct answer at the time, but after she went and told me how it went, the short version is yes, it works; just pick the right activities and times.
She came back with a lot of useful notes, partly because her seven-year-old and ten-year-old have very different ideas about what counts as fun, and somehow the desert managed to keep both of them entertained. Here’s what she figured out along the way.
Camel Rides, Probably the Easiest Starting Point
Camel rides ended up being the activity that worked for both kids without much fuss. The pace is slow, the camels are calm and used to carrying all kinds of riders, and there’s a guide walking alongside the whole time who handles the actual steering and pace.
My sister said the ten-year-old loved it immediately and kept asking if they could go faster, which the camel politely ignored. The seven-year-old was a bit nervous at first, mainly during the moment the camel stands up, which does happen fairly suddenly, but settled in within a couple of minutes once the walking pace kicked in.
Kids generally ride with an adult or in a separate small saddle depending on age, and the guides are used to handling families, so they tend to keep a closer eye and a slower pace when there are children in the group. If your child has any anxiety about animals, it’s worth mentioning to the guide beforehand; they can usually adjust accordingly without it being a big deal.
Buggy Tours, More Fun Than You’d Expect for Families
This one surprised my sister a bit. She’d assumed buggies were more of a teenager or adult thing, but apparently they’re actually quite manageable for families, mainly because an adult drives and kids ride as passengers.
The buggies have proper seating and seatbelts, and the pace can be adjusted depending on who’s in the vehicle. With younger kids on board, the guides tend to keep things at a more moderate speed anyway, so it ends up being more of a scenic bumpy ride than anything intense. The ten-year-old apparently thought this was the best part of the whole day, mostly because of the bouncing over rocky terrain, which to a ten-year-old is basically the entire point.
If you’re traveling with kids and want to try a buggy, just make sure everyone’s properly strapped in and let the guide know there are children in the group so they can set the pace accordingly. It’s not something that needs to feel like a rollercoaster, and most operators are happy to keep it gentle when needed.
The Lunch and Pool Package, Probably the Best Value for Families
If there’s one package my sister said she’d recommend specifically for families, it’s the one that includes lunch and pool access at the camp. After the morning’s activities, having a proper meal and then letting the kids swim for an hour or two turned out to be exactly the kind of break a family day needs.
The pool itself is a nice surprise, somewhat unexpected to find a swimming pool in the middle of a rocky desert, but it’s there, and it’s a genuinely good way to cool off, especially if you’re visiting during warmer months. While the kids splashed around, the adults got to sit, eat, and actually relax for a bit, which on a family trip is not something you get to do very often.
This package essentially turns the day into two halves, an active morning and a relaxed afternoon, which works well with how most kids’ energy levels go anyway.
Quad Biking: What Age Makes Sense
Quad biking is the one activity where age really matters. Driving a quad requires a certain level of strength, coordination, and ability to follow instructions under a bit of pressure, so younger children generally aren’t able to drive one themselves.
That said, depending on the specific tour and vehicle, younger kids can sometimes join as passengers on a quad with an adult driving, similar to how the buggy works. If quad biking is something your family wants to include, it’s worth checking with the operator beforehand about age requirements for both driving and riding as a passenger, since this can vary.
For older kids, particularly young teenagers, quad biking tends to become a genuinely viable option in its own right, not just as a passenger. If your kids fall into that older range, it’s worth asking specifically about minimum driving age when booking, since this is usually the deciding factor rather than anything else.
General Tips for Travelling with Kids in Morocco
A few things my sister mentioned that made the day easier overall. Sun protection matters even more with kids, hats, sunscreen, and reapplying more often than you think you need to, especially around midday.
Snacks and water are worth bringing extra of, even if food is included in the package. Kids get hungry at unpredictable times, and having something on hand avoids any mid-afternoon meltdowns.
Morning slots tend to work better with kids in general, partly because of the heat but also because energy levels are higher earlier in the day. By late afternoon, especially after a full day of activities, tired kids are tired kids regardless of how exciting the desert is.
Letting kids wear the traditional robes during camel rides is apparently a hit too; my sister said both kids loved getting dressed up for it, and it became part of the fun rather than just a practical thing.
Putting It All Together for a Family Day
Based on how my sister’s day went, a camel ride in the morning followed by lunch and pool time in the afternoon seems like a really solid combination for families with younger kids. If you’ve got older kids or teenagers who might enjoy something more active, adding a buggy tour into the mix works well too, since it doesn’t require the same level of independence that quad biking does.
Whatever combination you’re considering, it’s worth looking through the Agafay Desert Marrakech family tours options and checking age requirements for anything quad-related before booking, just so there are no surprises on the day. Beyond that, the desert itself does most of the work; kids tend to find the whole environment fascinating regardless of which activity they’re doing, simply because it’s so different from anything they’re used to.