The renowned desert town of Zagora is a hidden gem of Morocco promising an incredible blend of desert wonder and tradition. Zagora has a legacy of importance in trade routes. And even today the Zagora market is a junction and meeting place for traders and goods to and from the Moroccan Sahara Desert.
So, whether you are visiting Zagora itself. Or passing through on route to the desert of M’hamid or Merzouga. The weekly Zagora market is well worth the experience.
There are all kinds of goods for sale from jewellery to blankets, fruit and vegetables to hardware, tools, and electronics. There are colourful tables of bright spices and herbs. An entire spread of the ground is covered in rows of homeware and teapots. And the coveted dates of Zagora take up an entire section of the weekly souk.
It’s busy and bustling. It’s colourful and certainly engaging. And even if you don’t need a teapot or camel, it’s fairly guaranteed you won’t leave without finding something delicious or to-be-treasured as a souvenir from the Zagora market…
When is the weekly Zagora market? And what is the best time to visit?
The weekly market in Zagora is held twice a week on Wednesday and Sunday mornings. (Albeit technically a twice-weekly Zagora market!).
Nomadic vendors coming from out of town stay the night before and set up before sunrise.
In winter sunrise is around 8am and this is a busy time at the market for locals. However, there is no need to skip breakfast and arrive this early at the market in Zagora.
It’s best to visit between 9am – 12pm. In the fruit and vegetable section vendors are starting to pack up around midday – or whenever their produce is sold.
Fruits and vegetables
This is in the newest area of the weekly Zagora market and under a shade of a newly built structure. There are rows of fruits and vegetables on trolleys and tables with a whole lot of very friendly and proud growers showcasing their produce.
Grab a plastic bucket or basket and load it up. Pass the bucket to the vendor to pay by weight.
There is an entire section of the market dedicated to Zagora dates…
I’ve got to be honest. This was the highlight of the Zagora market for me. I had read about Zagora being famous for dates and wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I heard the weekly market in Zagora had an entire date section…
While it wasn’t exactly obvious on entry to the large souk. We asked somewhere over in the spice aisle and were pointed towards the main gate.
It turns out just inside the main entrance to the Zagora market is in fact the large area and rows of date vendors.
It wasn’t the stands of fresh loose dates we were picturing. Rather there are large sacks of wet, fresh dates for cooking. And boxed dates for export and purchase right there.
It’s definitely something a bit different. And the Zagora dates we bought were delicious!
Herbs, olives, teas and spices
Another huge area of the market not far from the shade of the fruit and vegetables. Here you will find pickled olives and lemons for cooking. There are barrels of brightly coloured spices. And teas, coriander, and curry leaves for tagines.
It’s a colourful area of the market to wander.
Butcheries and meat
Albeit this is not the row for everyone to visit. But the butchers are situated in a permanently built structure of booths to the side of the marketplace. You can find everything here from meat to offal and head to tail. The butchers a proudly displaying what they have for sale.
Homewares and mechanics
There is everything you can possibly think of (and lots you didn’t imagine) laid out for sale in this area. Even without the need for buying anything at all, it is interesting to see the range of wares for sale.
There are imported engine parts and small mechanical and hardware bits and pieces. There are parts for gas fittings and homeware electrics. Everything from brick laying ceramics and tools for building. To tagines and teapots. It’s all here…
Souvenirs; is there anything at Zagora market for tourists?
Not technically. That is the best thing about the weekly Zagora market and what makes it a great Moroccan experience. You won’t see many tourists there. It is a market for locals.
Locals are friendly and proud of their wares and produce.
There’s a high chance you will be approached Abdul or his brother asking you to come and check out his authentic Berber souvenirs and to take a photo… But no need to be worried. They actually want to show you their wares and albeit are hoping you will purchase something.
They have a small blanket laid out with necklaces and artworks. And this is about the only tourist-oriented stall in the whole market. You can take a photo wearing one and have a chat with Abdul and hear about Berber life in the Moroccan Sahara.
Clothing at Zagora market (and what to wear)
There is an area of new and secondhand clothes to the side of the marketplace. You can find everything from jaleba and abayas to warm winter jackets and hats.
The marketplace is quite modest as far as dress. Remember, it is a local market. And particularly the Wednesday Zagora market which is more male dominated as women are at home and children are at school. It is respectful to have your shoulders covered and wear long trousers or a skirt.
Cash or card?
The entire market is cash only. Bring some smaller notes for fruits and vegetables. And purchasing anything larger do be prepared to negotiate a price that everyone is happy with. Go into it knowing what you are happy to pay and with that amount of money in your hand. (It won’t work as well haggling something down to 10Dh and then pulling out a 200Dh note to pay with).
Remember the weekly Zagora market is about 1km out of town. There is no ATM onsite.
Can you buy water and snacks?
We were expecting there might be small breakfast cafes (like in Guelmin) or tea shops bordering the market (like Anza Souk) but a lot of the Zagora market area is still under construction. We didn’t find cafes, but we did find a very friendly avocado and banana smoothie stall. And the kind owner sold us a bottle of drinking water as despite being in the middle of winter when we visited, we were already overheating!
Does it feel safe?
It feels absolutely safe walking around the Zagora market as a tourist. People are friendly and proud of their wares and produce. Make sure to ask before taking photos of people.
Where exactly is the Zagora market?
Because the marketplace has been newly relocated to the current location outside of the town, it doesn’t always come up first search on Google maps. (The old souk was just behind the central mosque in Zagora). But it is now just out of sight from the main road in an entirely separate location out of town.
The location online is listed as:
- Souk Hebdomadaire de Zagora
This translates in French to weekly market in Zagora.
How to get to the weekly market in Zagora
The Wednesday Zagora market is located less than 2km from the centre of Zagora. From our campsite (Camping Sindibad) it is a 30-minute walk. Or you can wave down a petit taxi from town and get a ride to the Zagora market for 10 Dh (1 EUR).
There are taxis – petit and grande – lined up outside the main entrance to the souk that can drop you off wherever you are staying in Zagora.
What about other weekly markets in Morocco?
We can’t rate the weekly markets in Morocco highly enough! It is a fascinating way to get a glimpse of traditional, rural and weekly life in Morocco. And obviously a good place to stock up on fruit and vegetables or souvenirs and handicrafts.
There are weekly markets in Morocco that take place all over the country. Here are some more of our favourites:
- Tabounte Weekly Market
- Guelmim Camel Market
- Ouarzazate Weekly Market
- Tafraoute Weekly Market
- Anza Weekly Market
- Tamraght Weekly Market
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!).