Day trip · private vehicle and driver
Day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech.
The Atlantic port with its ramparts, its blue boats and its UNESCO medina. Two and a half hours of argan country, then the wind.
The itinerary
- Leave early, west across the argan forest.
- A women’s argan cooperative on the way.
- The ramparts, the Skala and the fishing port.
- Free time in the medina, and grilled fish on the quay.
- Back to Marrakech in the evening.
Practical details
The day is accompanied by your private tour guide in Marrakech, with a driver and vehicle kept for your group alone.
Cancellation terms depend on the bookings already made and appear on your quote, before any payment.
What you actually see
Essaouira is two and a half hours from Marrakech, on the Atlantic, and the change is complete: the air turns cool and salty, the walls go from ochre to white and blue, and the wind blows almost every day. It is the trip to suggest in summer, when Marrakech becomes hard going.
The medina, a UNESCO site, was laid out in the eighteenth century by a European architect, which explains its grid plan, unique in Morocco. You walk the ramparts facing the ocean, go down to the port where the blue boats come in late morning, and cross the fish market, loud and unvarnished.
The drive is part of the day. You cross the argan forest, where the goats really do climb the trees, and stop at a women’s cooperative that presses argan oil by hand. Adil separates the genuine cooperatives from the shops that borrow the name.
Questions about this tour
Is one day enough?
It is enough for the medina, the ramparts and the port, but with five hours of driving in total. Many prefer to stay a night, and that can be arranged.
Can we swim?
The beach is vast but the Atlantic is cold and the wind almost constant. It is a surfing and kitesurfing place more than a quiet swimming one.
Is it really that windy?
Yes, Essaouira is known as the city of wind. Bring a jacket even in summer, and something to tie your hair back. It is also what makes the climate bearable in August.
