From street art to the now-famous Timbuktu mural; dates, dinosaurs and the huge weekly market. There are lots of interesting things to do in Zagora that make this beautiful desert town and palm oasis much more than just a gateway to the desert.
Things to do in Zagora
Zagora may be known as the gateway to the desert at M’hamid. But there is much more to Zagora than that.
Here are all of the best things to do in Zagora. And what not to miss!
1. Try some locally grown Zagora dates
The Zagora oasis region is renowned to produce the best dates in Morocco.
Walking down the main street in Zagora you will see vendors selling dates on the side of the road. And the weekly market in Zagora has an entire section dedicated to local region dates!
2. Visit the largest Souk in the south
If you are in Zagora on Wednesday or Sunday, you are in luck. Visiting the weekly market is one of the best things to do in Zagora. If you’ve been before, do note that it has moved.
- You can read all about the weekly market in Zagora here.
It is located about 1km out of town with plenty of parking for all size vehicles.
There is everything from fruit and vegetables, spices and tea to sheep, goats, and the famed Zagora dates. (And all those little things you didn’t even know you needed!).
3. Get kitted-out and ready for the desert
You can’t miss the brightly coloured displays of desert scarfs lining the main street through the town.
Whether you are on your way to M’hamid or going further inland to Merzouga, getting desert-ready is one of the most valuable things to do in Zagora.
4. Take a photo at the famous sign: 52 Days to Timbuktu
Growing up you must have heard of the saying ‘all the way to Timbuktu’?
Well, here is a real marker-point for the map as you are now officially 52-days ride by camel to Timbuktu! (The owner at our campsite even told us it could be shortened to 48 days if you have fast camels!).
Have your photo taken by the iconic painted sign on the main road heading into Zagora.
5. Have a traditional Moroccan hammam in Zagora
If you haven’t tried a hammam in Morocco yet this is a good place to try it.
There are three hammams in Zagora. And especially if you are on your way back from the desert this is timely and a great thing to do in Zagora.
The hammams here are not touristic spas like in Marrakech. Instead, you get a truly local experience. And for 50Dh you will leave Zagora feeling cleaner than you have ever felt before!
6. Enjoy breakfast at Chez Ayman
There are loads of tea shops and cafes lining the main road of Zagora. But not all of them serve breakfast.
We found a great complete breakfast with fresh orange juice, good coffee and friendly staff at Chez Ayman.
7. Check out the street art
The colourful artwork and murals on the main road are almost enough to rival the bright street art of Asilah in the north of Morocco.
Have a wander and take some photos of the beautifully coloured paintings and desert scenes.
8. Visit some of the many galleries.
Zagora is known for Sahara jewellery and trinkets that come from the desert. There are many, many shops and galleries displaying all kinds of beautiful wares.
And many of these galleries also double as tour agencies and can arrange a trip to the desert for you.
9. Find fossils (or spot dinosaurs in the park)
This area of Morocco is well-known for tribolites. These are a type of fossil from the Paleozoic era.
Typically the Moroccan trilobites are very ornate and highly collectable fossils. Although it can almost be an outing on its own to sift through the meticulously displayed fossils and try to confirm which ones are in fact real…
Real or not; they are pretty cool to look at. And if you aren’t convinced then take a wander in the park just off the main road where you can absolutely confirm the realness of the displayed dinosaur skeletons and enjoy the shade of more Zagora palms.
10. Drink tea at one of the many teashops
It really goes without saying that one of the most iconic things to do in Zagora (and Morocco entirely) is to take tea.
There are literally tea shops lining the main road. And if you are there in winter it feels great to get a spot to sit in the sunshine, drink Moroccan mint tea and watch the world of Zagora go by.
11. Wander the beautiful date-palm groves.
If you are visiting Zagora by motorhome, you will likely be parked in one.
The palm groves are a huge part of Zagora’s identity. And the reason that this region is most famous for dates.
12. Get your vehicle raised by one of Zagora’s many mechanics
Yup. This is a ‘thing’ here. And if you are self-driving in Morocco, and arriving in Zagora you will most definitely be asked…
Picture us driving into Zagora in our motorhome about 15km outside of the town when a 4×4 vehicle came rushing towards us with lights flashing and the horn on full.
We stopped in a slight shock in the middle of the highway wondering exactly what we had driven towards. When out jumped a friendly mechanic…
‘Do you want your suspension raised?’
Albeit we didn’t go with that mechanic in the end. He was friendly but there are almost too many to choose from! But we did end up getting our van raised with new leaf suspension.
- You can read all about that here.
And truthfully that is one of the many things to do in Zagora. And one of the added reasons people come to Zagora by motorhome!
There are plenty of things to do in Zagora
While first impressions might undersell this beautiful desert town, there are plenty of things to do in Zagora.
Eat dates, check out the famous Timbuktu sign (don’t forget to write home about that). Take tea and a Moroccan hammam. And get yourself colourfully ready for the Moroccan Sahara Desert.
We came to Zagora for 2 days and ended up staying for five.
There is much to see, more to learn and friendly locals to meet. We recommend time in Zagora as a highlight of your adventures in Morocco!
More useful links for your travels in Morocco and beyond…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- 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.
- 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!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Make sure you have travel insurance before riding those trains in India!
Read more about travel in Morocco
- Taking the vehicle ferry from Spain to Morocco with your motorhome.
- Driving in Morocco: Everything you wanted to ask.
- Crossing the Morocco Mauritania border from Dakhla.
- Motorhome services in Morocco: What is it like?
- A guide to campsites in Morocco.
- Visiting the famous Guelmim Camel Market.
- Buying a SIM card in Morocco (and how to get unlimited data!).