How to Find Ethical and Humane Camel Treks in Morocco: 4 Tell-Tale Signs

Animals play a major part in tourism in some countries where many activities may involve animals. While riding a camel in Morocco is one of the biggest bucket list experiences, it’s not always ethical.

You want to make sure you choose a reputable company that is treating the camels humanely, which you’ll notice in how the camels behave. The most important aspect is that the camels don’t appear in distress. Camels are expressive animals and are not usually shy to show you how they feel.

Here’s what to look out for in camel treks in Morocco to ensure you’re riding with a company that protects animal and traveler safety.

What You Need to Know Before Riding a Camel in Morocco

Is riding a camel any different than, say, a horse? The truth is a bit nuanced. Camel and human relationships go back thousands of years, with early North African tribes leading nomadic lifestyles. Camels were used to transport goods and to ride for long days in the desert.

As a result, camels are domesticated animals and take to human riders the same way a horse would. With training and trust building between the rider and camel, it’s entirely safe and ethical to ride them.

So it’s perfectly ethical and humane to ride a camel in Morocco, the key is to ensure you’re reserving a ride with a tour agency that takes good care of their animals.

The nuance comes from the fact that riding a camel is a highly covetable experience among travelers. Frankly, some of us (myself included) haven’t done that sort of thing before. Tour guides in Northern Africa know this and, as a result, might try to maximize their profits by overworking camels or skipping on veterinary visits.

How to Find Ethical Camel Treks in Morocco

When I was staying at a traditional Riad in Fez, I came across all these photos of tour guides in the area. Each one claimed to have the best camel trekking experience, but what mattered most to me was making sure I picked a licensed guide who was knowledgable in animal safety and ethics.

Here’s what I learned about ethically riding a camel in Morocco, and what to look out for when you book the experience.

Know the difference between a Handler and a Guide

Not all types of tourism experiences are led by a licensed professional, and there is the line between handler and guide.

Official licensed guides: Professionals who direct multi-day or full day excursions with camels. These professionals are licensed and must go through rigorous safety and first-aid training. They are not only prepared to handle human safety, but take animal safety seriously as well.

Handlers: Although not inherently unethical or unqualified, handlers do not go through the same rigorous training as guides and are usually not licensed. These individuals may own camels, but are only allowed to conduct short 1-to-2 hour rides.

Pro Tip: To confirm whether or not a guide is fully licensed, you can cross-reference their business license on this site.

Book through a reputable company

When you arrive to Morocco, you’ll discover that strangers on the street suddenly all become tour guides. This is a common scam where locals may prey on visitors by offering tour services that weren’t asked for and aren’t necessarily welcomed.

Although you may not be able to avoid that interaction, you can choose not to accept their solicitation. Instead, book online through a reputable company like GetYourGuide. This ensures your guide has a level of experience and professionalism that ensures safety for both people and animals.

Check if the camels appear relaxed

Camels are expressive creatures. They make a range of vocal noises that range from grunting to whining. They jerk their bodies and heads around if uncomfortable, and spit when they’re distressed. In short, a camel will tell you when they’re upset.

Check the camels in the tour—do they appear comfortable and relaxed? That is often the most important sign to look out for.

Check the camel’s equipment and relationships

Handlers will often walk in front of the camels, leading them with a rope connected to the chewing bit in their mouth. This is normal and might look familiar if you’ve ridden a horse before.

Look closely at the equipment and how the camel is behaving around its handler, and you may discover an unspoken truth. It’s a good sign if the camel is willfully following the handler without force; however, if the handler appears to be dragging the camel—that’s no good.

Take a close look at the bit in the camel’s mouth. If it seems like there is scar tissue around the camel’s mouth, it may indicate that the camel has been pulled more forcefully in the past.

Read Next: Riad vs. Hotel: Difference, pros and cons of each, and which to choose

What About Other Forms of Animal Tourism?

Many Western travelers are familiarized and comfortable with riding a horse, and may even ride themselves, but question the ethics when it involves a different animal. As mentioned, it’s safe and comfortable for the camel to be ridden.

However, elephant rides in Southeast Asia are never ethical because elephants are not domesticated in the way horses and camels are.

There is an inhumane practice that occurs in Southeast Asia to make an elephant ridable called “phajaan.” By translation, the word means elephant breaking, and true to its meaning, involves the lifelong physical torture, isolation, a psychological harm that begins in an elephant’s infancy. This practice continues until adulthood and results in a timid elephant, too terrified by its handlers to fight against rides and other tourism activities.

Phajaan is required to make an otherwise wild animal docile enough to ride, which is why elephant rides are inherently never ethical.

Burning Questions About Camel Treks in Morocco