Have We Found Kitesurfing Paradise in Morocco?
Kitesurfing, Moroccan Culture and Good Vibes: A Windy Week at White Dune Canyon
From 26 September to 3 October 2026, our kitesurf camp had a vibe of its own: Moroccan culture and activities in the morning, kiting all day long, and music, drinks and good times with the crew in the evening.
Kitesurfing in Dakhla: Off We Go from Malpensa
After a seven-hour-ish flight, with a stopover in Casablanca, we touched down in Dakhla shortly after midnight. Royal Air Maroc had got us there in one piece, and the transfer organised by White Dune Canyon was already waiting to whisk us off to the resort.
Around 40 minutes later, we arrived, got shown to our bungalows and tucked into a little snack provided by the hotel. Then it was finally time to get some sleep — a full week of kiting was waiting for us!
Waking Up at White Dune Canyon: Flat Water, 25 Knots and That Epic White Dune
The next morning, we opened the curtains and were absolutely blown away. Right in front of us: a lagoon with ridiculously flat water and a steady 25 knots, an infinity pool, palm trees and cacti dotted around the place, and, of course, the legendary White Dune — a huge mound of brilliant white sand, around 30 metres high, rising straight out of the sea.
Not a bad view to wake up to, eh?
Before Kiting: Morning Yoga and a Proper Moroccan Breakfast
Every morning at 8.30, the hotel put on a yoga session for everyone, including those of us who are about as flexible as a plank of wood.
Between the struggles of those who could barely touch their toes and the ridiculously bendy ones making it all look easy, it was the perfect way for the group to get to know each other. Plus, a nice little warm-up for the muscles and joints before hitting the water!
After about 30 minutes of yoga, we were all out on the hotel’s terrace at 9 sharp, ready to tackle the breakfast buffet. And what a spread — our first proper taste of Moroccan cuisine, and definitely one to remember.
Before a full day of kiting, you need to fuel up properly.
Luckily, White Dune Canyon’s breakfast buffet had us covered:
- Loads of colourful fresh fruit
- Dates
- Walnuts and hazelnuts
- All sorts of crêpes and Moroccan pastries, ready to be filled with whatever took your fancy
- Cheeses and cold cuts
- Yoghurt, tea and coffee
And if that wasn’t enough, there was a chef on hand to whip up a fresh omelette with whatever fillings you fancied, right there and then. Can’t argue with that!
Finally, Time to Kite: Coaching for Every Level in Dakhla!
As soon as the tide and wind lined up, we were straight in the water, making the most of every single minute of wind.
There were definitely a few nerves on that first day, but mostly everyone was buzzing and ready to stay out on the water until sunset.
Our instructors, Ettore and Omar, were on hand for the whole crew, running coaching sessions tailored to different levels, so everyone had something to work on.
- Beginners: Angie was completely new to the sport. She started off learning to fly the kite and getting to grips with her first body drags. After six days of coaching, she was up on the board and riding her first proper reaches, with some seriously good kite control!
- Taking it to the next level: Ari and Mati made cracking progress at this super-accessible spot. They managed to get out on the water every single day and, by the end of the week, both were riding independently and making great progress upwind. What a difference a week can make!
- Independent riders: The more advanced crew — Luca, Marco, Valentina, Giovanni and Alessandro — focused on pushing their riding further. Their coaching covered toe-side riding, jibes, power jibes, pops, first jumps and those all-important first back rolls.
Everyone came away having learnt loads, and by the end of the camp, they could hardly believe how much they’d improved in such a short space of time.
Kiting in Dakhla really is an incredible way to level up. The lagoon, the conditions we had all week and the coaching tailored to each rider meant everyone could focus on their own goals and make some seriously impressive progress. 💪
What If the Wind Takes Its Time? Let’s Give Aerial Yoga a Go!
Aerial yoga is a bit different from your usual yoga session. You climb into hammocks suspended from the ceiling and work through poses while hanging in the air. It gives you this amazing feeling of lightness while stretching your whole body.
When it was first suggested, none of us had the faintest idea what we were letting ourselves in for. But we thought, why not? And honestly, we were well impressed.
The exercises were accessible to everyone but still challenging enough to get the muscles working. You could really feel the toning, while the stretches reached places that ordinary stretching just doesn’t seem to touch.
Definitely worth a go!
Lunch, Dinner and Video Analysis
Lunch and dinner were buffet-style, with a chef serving up Moroccan-inspired dishes with a bit of a European twist. The quality was spot on throughout the week, the flavours were delicious, and there were different local specialities every day.
Good job we were kiting every day, otherwise we’d have come home carrying a fair bit of extra ballast! 😜
Between courses, we made the most of the downtime to go through the footage filmed on the water and work on our technique. There was plenty of feedback from the instructors, comparisons between riders, a fair few laughs at the best crashes, and some really useful pointers to take into the next session.
It’s amazing how much you can learn from watching yourself back — sometimes all it takes is spotting one little mistake to unlock a trick you’ve been struggling with.
Sunset Drinks and Evenings at the Kitesurf Camp
We stayed out kiting well into the afternoon, then, before it got dark, everyone headed out for sunset drinks.
It was the perfect time to chat through the day’s sessions, celebrate new tricks, laugh about the best wipeouts and watch the pros squeeze in their last jumps as the sun dipped towards the horizon.
Then it was back for a hot shower, a cracking dinner and a few drinks together. By this point, the group had properly gelled, and we’d regularly end up chatting late into the night, swapping stories and making memories in this little corner of paradise. 😍
The hotel also had loads of other activities up its sleeve, and one evening it really pulled out all the stops. Hidden in the canyon behind the hotel was a full-on Moroccan-style DJ set!
The whole place was lit up in an incredible display of lights, creating an almost surreal atmosphere. The rocky canyon walls formed a natural amphitheatre around us, with little tables, leather armchairs and a bar mixing cocktails on the spot.
One of those evenings you wish you could bottle up and take home with you.
What the Crew Had to Say About Our Kitesurf Camp in Dakhla
Don’t just take our word for it. The people who really know what makes a camp special are the ones who’ve experienced it for themselves.
Here’s what some of our riders had to say:
“My expectations were really high, and Ettore and Omar absolutely delivered.”
“Omar was brilliant at showing us what a great opportunity this was, even if you were starting completely from scratch.”
“I’ve been following Ettore and Omar for a while now, and they never disappoint. Their technical knowledge is spot on, but what really stands out is their sensitivity and their ability to adapt to all sorts of people, which isn’t always easy. Their passion is seriously contagious.”
“All it took was one little magic word from Ettore, and suddenly I unlocked tricks I’d been messing up because of silly posture mistakes.”
“I was a bit nervous about travelling on my own with a bunch of people I didn’t know, but it turned out to be brilliant. The guys made everything feel so relaxed. I felt at home without actually being at home.”
“It was amazing sharing that feeling of learning something new, whatever your level. Even when you were knackered, you still wanted to share everything with the guys.”
And then there was the best summary of the whole week:
“An epic spot, epic food, amazing people.”
Can’t really put it better than that.
Why Choose a Kitesurf Camp in Dakhla?
After a week like this, our verdict is pretty clear.
Dakhla is such a brilliant place to kite because it brings together three things you don’t often find all in one spot.
- Conditions that make progress so much easier. Flat lagoon water, consistent wind and an accessible spot mean you can get out on the water every day. And that’s how you improve. Nobody missed a session, and even those who started from absolute zero went home having learnt to ride their first reaches standing on the board. That’s a massive achievement in just one week, and something that’s much harder to pull off at less accessible spots.
- Coaching that’s actually tailored to you. With groups split by ability, beginners can focus on building their foundations while more experienced riders work towards their next trick. Video analysis during the breaks is a massive part of the process, because seeing yourself ride from the outside is one of the quickest ways to work out what needs changing.White Dune Canyon is pretty much perfect for this. The spot is right next to the hotel, so there’s no need for long walks or transfers. You can pop back to your room whenever you fancy, then be back on the water two minutes later. And even when you’re chilling at the bar, you can still watch everyone else riding and pick up a few ideas.
- A crew that makes all the difference. Morning yoga, Moroccan food, sunset drinks and evenings spent together — it’s what happens between sessions that turns a kitesurf camp into an experience you’ll remember for years. Even those who came on their own felt right at home, and they’re already looking forward to the next one.
Whether you’ve been kiting for years and want a spot where you can ride every day, you’ve got some experience under your belt and want to level up, you’ve only just started, or you’re keen to give kitesurfing a go for the first time somewhere the conditions are on your side, a camp like this can seriously fast-track your progress.
Not sure whether it’s your kind of thing? Drop us a message. We’ll give you an honest idea of what to expect and help you work out whether it’s the right fit for you.
Next Up: Our Kitesurf Camp in Kenya, January 2027
Fancy joining us for an experience like this? Our next kitesurf camp is heading to Watamu, Kenya, in January 2027. Exact dates are still to be confirmed, so keep an eye out for updates.
For details about the programme and upcoming availability, drop us an email at info@theridingexperience.com or give us a shout on WhatsApp at +33 7 45 50 54 43.
And if you’re keen to swap your kite for a snowboard in the meantime, we’ll be in Montgenèvre from 16 to 23 January 2027 for our snowboard camp aimed at intermediate and advanced riders.
We also run private and group snowboard lessons on the slopes throughout the season.
Coming up in our next article: a closer look at how our snowboard lessons work. Stay tuned!
