Is the camel trek worth it or just touristy?

Let me be honest on both counts, because the camel trek is genuinely touristy and genuinely worth doing, and travellers tie themselves in knots trying to decide which it is. Yes, it is a set-piece — almost everyone who visits the dunes does the same plodding line of camels at sunset, and there is nothing authentically nomadic about a one-hour tourist ride; real desert people use 4x4s now. But the experience itself, swaying up over the crest of an Erg Chebbi dune as the sand turns gold and pink and the only sound is the camels' feet, is one of the most quietly magical things you will do in Morocco. Touristy and unforgettable are not mutually exclusive.

The key to it being worth it is keeping it short and timing it right. A camel is not a comfortable long-distance vehicle — the saddle is hard, the gait is rolling, and after about an hour the novelty gives way to a sore backside for most people. So the sweet spot is a short ride of an hour or so at golden hour, into the camp at sunset or out for sunrise, when the light is doing the heavy lifting and the discomfort has not set in. Travellers who sign up for long multi-hour treks expecting comfort are the ones who come back grumbling; those who treat it as a short, scenic, photogenic ritual almost always love it.

It is also fair to set expectations on the animals and the authenticity. The camels are working tourist animals; a reputable operator treats them well, and it is worth choosing one that does. And the ride is theatre, not time-travel — you are not crossing the Sahara as caravans once did, you are taking a lovely short loop near a camp. Going in with that understanding, rather than expecting a profound nomadic odyssey, is what keeps it delightful rather than disappointing. The magic is real; the romance is partly staged, and that is fine if you know it.

My honest verdict: do the camel trek, keep it to about an hour, do it at sunrise or sunset, and enjoy it for exactly what it is — a beautiful, slightly touristy ritual that produces some of your best photos and a memory you will keep. The genuine exceptions are physical: if you have back, hip or knee problems, the saddle can be real misery, and you lose nothing by walking into the dunes on foot or riding a 4x4 instead — the dunes themselves, not the camel, are the point. Operators and animal-welfare standards vary, so choose a reputable one and confirm the ride length before you go.