OVERVIEW:
Our day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech will begin with a drive along the Haouz plains. Once in Chichaoua village located halfway, stop for a cup of coffee before you continue your journey. Upon approaching Essaouira, you will cross the Argan trees forest, where you will spot some goats climbing the trees. Stop and take some photos before you carry on to Essaouira.
To watch how the Argan oil (also called liquid gold, or Moroccan oil) is extracted, you will visit a local ladies’ cooperative to learn how some fine cosmetic products are locally made out of the rich Argan oil.
From here, we will carry on to Essaouira. Upon arrival, you will explore the beautiful city at your leisure. Out of experience, Exploring Essaouira is easy on your own: Locals are very friendly, the Medina is pretty small (compared to other old towns in Morocco), and its streets are in order.
You do not need a guide for the tour of the city. You can easily explore the Medina on your own as its streets are aligned opposite each other unlike every other maze-like Medina in Morocco. Should you insist on one, your driver will help you hire a local guide.
First, you can visit the harbor with its fishing port and old Portuguese fortifications. You can still see medieval war cannons aligned in order and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Continue to the Medina ( old city ) with its well-kept fortification dating to the 18th century. The major landmark of the Medina is La Scala, which was built against foreign attacks from the sea. You can continue to Bab Laalouj ( One of the main gates of Essaouira, then to the Mellah ( the old Jewish quarter.
Along the way, various art shops, galleries, souvenir shops, and Thuya woodcraft shops are aligned in order. Choose one of the local Restaurants for a delicious seafood lunch and head to Kasbah famous for having served as a military bastion.
If you are a beach lover, enjoy a walk along the sandy beach of Mogador, and maybe watch locals playing beach ball. If you are brave enough, why not join a game for a few minutes? People from Essaouira are very friendly!! If not you can sunbathe while watching waterspouts amateurs kitesurfing or windsurfing.
Late in the afternoon, drive back to Marrakech, and your full-day tour to Essaouira will end with a drop-off at your accommodation in Marrakech.
From here, we will carry on to Essaouira. Upon arrival, you will explore the beautiful city at your leisure. Out of experience, Exploring Essaouira is easy on your own: Locals are very friendly, the Medina is pretty small (compared to other old towns in Morocco), and its streets are in order.
You do not need a guide for the tour of the city. You can easily explore the Medina on your own as its streets are aligned opposite each other unlike every other maze-like Medina in Morocco. Should you insist on one, your driver will help you hire a local guide.
First, you can visit the harbor with its fishing port and old Portuguese fortifications. You can still see medieval war cannons aligned in order and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Continue to the Medina ( old city ) with its well-kept fortification dating to the 18th century. The major landmark of the Medina is La Scala, which was built against foreign attacks from the sea. You can continue to Bab Laalouj ( One of the main gates of Essaouira, then to the Mellah ( the old Jewish quarter.
Along the way, various art shops, galleries, souvenir shops, and Thuya woodcraft shops are aligned in order. Choose one of the local Restaurants for a delicious seafood lunch and head to Kasbah famous for having served as a military bastion.
If you are a beach lover, enjoy a walk along the sandy beach of Mogador, and maybe watch locals playing beach ball. If you are brave enough, why not join a game for a few minutes? People from Essaouira are very friendly!! If not you can sunbathe while watching waterspouts amateurs kitesurfing or windsurfing.
Late in the afternoon, drive back to Marrakech, and your full-day tour to Essaouira will end with a drop-off at your accommodation in Marrakech.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Medina of Essaouira – named Mogador, Unesco World Heritage
- Walk along the Essaouira ramparts
- Incredible view from Skala du Port
- Walking on the Essaouira Beach
- Essaouira fishing port- admire the blue wooden fishing boats
- Eating fresh fish and seafood
| DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | Marrakech |
| DEPARTURE TIME | 08:00 AM |
| RETURN TIME: | Approximately 06:00 PM |
INCLUDED:
- Pick up from your hotel or the nearest car-accessible point to your Riad in Marrakech
- Modern air-conditioned Minibus (Maximum 17 passengers)
- Drop off at your hotel or Marrakech city center
NOT INCLUDED:
- Lunch & Beverages
- Local guide un Essaouira
Gaby pigna –
Dounia was amazing – she helped us organize our perfect trip! This was incredibly helpful, she made a detailed itinerary, and answered all of our endless questions. She was super understanding of our minimal budget and was very helpful organizing things accordingly. This service is incredible for it’s price and I highly recommend it! Dounia was outstanding and made all of our wishes come true! Cannot recommend this enough!
Foskett Lucas –
We had a brilliant trip with Abderrahim and Mustafa. Easy pick-up locations and on time with information 24hrs in advance via WhatsApp, Whilst it’s a long drive, had a few stops on the way looking for goats in trees, at the Argan oil center to see how it is made, and with some good information from Mohammed about Morocco and Essaouira, Had 4 hours exploring Essaouira and relaxing on the beach, having fresh fish from the market was a highlight! Would recommend it as a break from the busyness of Marrakech.
Maria Battarbee –
Had an amazing day in Essaouira our guide Abdou was both knowledgeable and fun. He even came to check we were alright getting food. The fish restaurant we went to was fantastic fresh fish chosen by us and cooked for us. The medina was clean and safe and the scenery was beautiful. Thank you
Dolly Carandini –
We really enjoyed this day out to Essaouira. What a beautiful town on the coast – so different from Marrakech!! We had a fabulous and informative tour when we arrived and had enough time to wander and have a meal before returning to Marrakech. We also enjoyed stopping at the Argan oil cooperative – where I bought some lovely products.
Samara Penn –
We had a great time walking around the city, lots to see. Our driver Abdou was kind and welcoming, and our local guide was amazing and very informative.
We were however incredibly disappointed and upset to see the animal cruelty, the ‘natural’ goat tree. As we were leaving we watched a man throwing a baby goat while running, and also pulling the goats down and throwing them from the tree very aggressively. We wouldn’t have gone if we’d known that they were placed there and treated so badly
Alex Arriola –
We are so happy that we decided to go to Essaouira! The tour was well organized and the walk through the city with Aziz was just magical. Aziz is a local guide who knows everybody in the town and each sentence he says shows how much he loves the city. He told and showed not only the tourist side but small, unknown corners that tourists usually do not see. Aziz was such an excellent companion to our children and we will keep him in our hearts
Neal Barber –
What a fabulous day we had in the quaint fishing village of Essaouira. We stopped at an argan oil coop, saw goats in trees, and learned the history of this charming village. Our tour guide Abdou was loaded with personality and knowledge! He set up the perfect day for us!
Lesley Mullins –
We had a wonderful day traveling to Essaouira from Marrakech with Murad as our driver. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. When we got there a local guide took us on a walking tour. His name was Mustafa and he was great. We loved our day in Essaouira.
Lorraine Bermudez –
From Abderrahim’s greeting at the riad, until we said goodbye at the end of the day, the tour was spectacular. This company makes sure you feel comfortable in a cozy Mercedes with bottled water for your journey in paradise. Abderrahim is a very easygoing, kind, and very knowledgeable guide, and it was such a pleasure learning about the cities and countryside from him. Once in Essaoira, we met Ali, a passionate man that takes great pride in showing us his gorgeous city. He walked us around all of the places where no guides take tourists, and it was glorious seeing some of the oldest parts of the city. Because Essaouira is his home, he allows us time to take it slow and feel at peace taking in the pace and energy of this beautiful city. Thank you to both Abderrahim and Arizona for such a perfect day, one that I will recall fondly for the rest of my life.
Felix Bills –
This was an exceptional private tour! Our driver, Abdou, came promptly at the agreed time to pick us up from our hotel, then drove us to Essaouira in an A/C car; bottled water is available for the entire duration of the tour. He provided informative comments about the places along the way and the country’s history and present times; not too much, not too little, just enough for us to understand and remember. Our tour guide, Ali, waited promptly for us when we arrived in Essaouira and walked at a relaxed pace through this beautiful maritime city. Ali is a native of the town and loves it deeply; this is evident in the way he talks about Essaouira, its history, and its people; he was one of the best guides we have had. The route was thoughtfully planned to offer a comprehensive picture of the past and present, and we immediately went in at each of the attractions the moment we arrived there. Also, he showed us the best places to take pictures and took pictures of us when asked. Enough time is allowed at each site; nothing is rushed. Also, the route is customizable in terms of the time spent at each attraction and what attractions you wish to include/exclude. We are very interested in local crafts. He took us to some exquisite traditional thuya and pottery workshops where we were offered detailed explanations about the craft and demonstrations of how things are done. The tour included a stop for the traditional Moroccan mint tea (with fresh mint from the local market) in a local place and a delicious Moroccan lunch (you can choose differently if you wish) at a restaurant with a great view of the Atlantic Ocean. At the end of our tour, Abdou waited for us to drive us back to Marrakech. Both Ali and Abdou went beyond the call of duty to ensure that we had a memorable experience in the beautiful seaside town of Essaouira. Highly recommended tour!!!
Katie Carmichael –
We had a wonderful excursion from Marrakech to Essaouira! Our driver Abdou was prompt in picking us up at the designated meeting spot and provided wonderful conversation throughout the ride to Essaouira. The van was spotless and spacious and his driving was excellent. We made 2 quick stops en route and upon arrival in the port city, we were met by a local guide Mustafa who brought us on a guided tour. We had a lovely time exploring the medina, harbor, and beach with Mustafa and found Essaouira to be a welcomed contrast from Marrakech. Both gentlemen were excellent hosts for the day and we could not recommend this day trip enough!