Guelmim camel market offers a one-of-a-kind experience in Morocco and a closer look at an animal that enjoys a special place in nomadic heritage. Guelmim is known all over the country and surrounding region of Africa for its camel market. It is the largest livestock market in Morocco and is a fascinating visit.
Nomadic camel herders are still common in Morocco and especially more so in this southern region fringing the Sahara desert. The town of Guelmim itself retains a lot of its historical presence within the nomadic culture where even the city walls are built of red clay and mud and the town is encircled by date palm groves and villages hidden in small oases.
Historically, Guelmim was a camel caravan trading centre linked to Timbuktu in ancient times and still today is remains a commercial gateway to the desert, to Mauritania and beyond.
What can you expect to see at the market?
When you enter the lower part of the market underneath the archway you will straight away hear the call of nomads and salesmen bartering and negotiating prices for their livestock.
We were impressed with the array of livestock we found at the market!
There are different kinds of goats and sheep. We saw a cow and some donkeys. Of course there are camels (and lots of those). And further inside the main section of market we also saw pigeons, chickens, ducks and rabbits for sale.
Don’t be scared to catch the attention of the salesmen and nomads there. As long as they aren’t in the middle of a business deal they are generally happy to talk and have you admire their livestock. They are very proud of their herd (and plus, it’s interesting to try and understand how much a camel sells for at Guelmim!).
How long do you need at the market?
You need a good couple of hours to make the most of Guelmim and the market.
We turned up late morning and it felt like the right time to be arriving. (Remember the sun only rises at 08:00am in Morocco during winter!).
There is a huge produce section (and butcheries) to wander and purchase fresh fruit and vegetables. Plus there is a whole row of humble tea houses and simple little cafes that are definitely the kind of place you don’t want to miss.
We found a great tea house serving omelettes and fresh bread as well.
Where is Guelmim?
Guelmim is a city in southern Morocco. It is an important trade-route city and is often referred to in Morocco as the Gateway to the Desert. It is the capital of the Guelmim-Oued Noun region which includes southern Morocco (south of Souss-Massa) and the north-eastern corner of Western Sahara.
And accordingly, it is where the N1 and N12 highways cross linking the two regions.
- Sidi Ifni to Guelmim: 57 min (56.8 km) via N12
- Tantan to Guelmim: 1 hr 48 min (129.7 km) via N1
- Agadir to Guelmim: 3 hr 22 min (200.9 km) via N1
How often is the Guelmim camel market?
The Guelmim camel market (technically the regional livestock and produce market) is held every Saturday.
Is there parking at the camel market?
There is plenty of parking for cars (and trucks and motorhomes) just across the road from the main entrance to the Guelmim camel market.
There is no charge for parking and unless you happen to be there exceptionally early, you will see the gathering of motorhomes and vehicles to point you in the right direction.
Wondering where to park for the night with your motorhome?
We found some great campsites to park for the night with our motorhome in the surrounding towns from Guelmim. (Definitely make the most of the parking opposite the camel market for your daytime visit).
Here are three campsites we can recommend in Sidi Ifni, Guelmim and Tantan.
GUELMIM: Camping Auberge Touareg
- Location: Tighmert Oasis
- Type: Campsite
- Park4Night: #168054
- Cost: 50Dh
- Facilities: Toilets and showers; power, water and dump station.
About: Located 14km from Guelmim in the small village. Friendly welcome by owner Mohammed (thank you for the welcome tea and dates). Small campsite with only 20 spaces. Clean bathrooms and all motorhome services. Washing machine also available.
SIDI IFNI: Camping Sidi Ifni
- Location: Just after “Grand Canaria Camping”
- Type: Campsite
- Park4Night: #67837
- Cost: 80Dh
- Facilities: Toilets and showers; motorhome services; electricity.
About: Great location in Sidi Ifni (15 minute walk uphill to centre of town) near beach. Friendly small campsite with possibility to park just outside the entrance for 60Dh per night without services. Licensed restaurant next door.
TANTAN: Camping Atlantique Tantan
- Location: El Ouatia, Tantan La Plage (Tantan Beach)
- Type: Campsite
- Park4Night: #30757
- Cost: 70Dh
- Facilities: Toilets and showers; motorhome services.
About: Large campsite near the beach in Tantan. Plenty of room (although a lot of space taken up by longtermers). A good stopover with facilities to empty and refill motorhome services. (Wouldn’t otherwise recommend as a destination choice).
The Guelmim camel market experience
Make the most of a Saturday in the region and don’t miss out on a visit to the Guelmim camel market. Enjoy the unique experience and discover a little more about the fascinating culture of Morocco.
More useful links for your travels in Morocco and beyond…
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- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- Hostelworld – The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world.
- Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home).