Hotels, riads, and hostels in Es-smara

Es-Smara , also called Smara or Semara, is a city located inland in Western Sahara, in a vast desert region currently administered by Morocco. Far from the Atlantic coast, it offers an environment of arid plateaus and wide open Saharan spaces.

The city developed at the end of the 19th century around Ma El Aïnin , an important religious and political figure in Saharan history. Es-Smara notably preserves a zawiya and traces of this past, which testify to its historical role in trade and travel across the desert.

For travelers, Es-Smara is primarily a stopover for discovering a less touristy side of the Sahara, marked by nomadic traditions and vast landscapes. To the west, Laâyoune provides access to the Atlantic coast, while further north, Guelmim marks the transition between the pre-Saharan regions and the southern Atlantic coast.