disclaimer: this is based on my individual experience with the specific tour group I went with
I'll keep this short as I'm currently in the back of a van driving through the Atlas Mountains.
I took a 2 day/1 night "desert excursion" from Marrakesh to get away from the chaos of the inner city. For a total of $73 USD or 730 MAD we were shuttled through the town to palm covered town of Zagora and got to stop at the famous Ait Ben Haddou ruins on the way. Included in this trip were two ~30 minute camel rides to the camp site and a shorter return trip to our vehicle.
While the camel ride was a fanstastic, bucket list goal it's important to consider the industry you're supporting and the treatment of animals when you travel. While there was no evident abuse and the camels actually seemed to be treated fairly well, I still wonder if it was worth the discomfort caused to the animal. A shocking, but fairly normal, sight was the tying up of one of the camel's legs to prevent them from wandering during the night. Though the camels seemed fairly chill about it with one immediately searching for the freshest shrubbery when we dismounted, I cant imagine it being comfortable to have your leg tied for 10 hours straight after carrying a person for 30 minutes.
On top of this there were several smaller fees omitted from the brochure. Several $5-$10 tips from very pushy guides that we had to pay and ridiculously expensive meals(by Moroccan standards) at targeted stops along the way. All for a very "curated" experience that barely set foot in the rolling sand dunes you picture when you think Sahara.
All things considered I probably wouldn't do this again. Or anywhere for that matter. Although they were much better treated than the grotesque stories I've read from Cairo, I just don't think it was worth the discomfort caused to the animals.
Camels owned by the locals at Ait Ben Haddou
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