Essaouira day trip from Marrakech: 175 km coastal tour

Ten hours to a fortified port city the trade winds built

A 10-hour day trip from Marrakech to Essaouira, the UNESCO World Heritage port city 175 km west, includes air-conditioned transport and a live guide in English or French. The route passes argan oil cooperatives and the famous argan trees where goats climb the branches to feed, and ends in the medina's white and blue alleys, the mellah's vaulted shops, and the Vauban ramparts that frame the harbor. Hotel pickup is included. Lunch is not.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech

• Travel from Marrakech to Essaouira
• Visit argan oil cooperative run by women
• See goats climbing argan trees

The experience

The drive west from Marrakech takes you through the Souss region, where argan trees grow in scattered groves: the UNESCO-classified species that only thrives between Agadir and Essaouira. The tour stops at one of the women-run argan oil cooperatives to see how the oil is pressed from the nuts, and at the trees themselves, where you'll find goats clambering up the low branches to feed, sometimes as many as twenty in a single tree. It's the kind of sight that stops a camera in your hand.

Essaouira itself sits on the Atlantic coast, a small fortified city built on Vauban ramparts and swept by the trade winds. The medina's narrow alleys are painted white and blue, lined with shops selling thuja marquetry (precious woods whose scent lingers in the air), and the mellah, the Jewish quarter, has vaulted shops where the light falls in patterns. The city has drawn artists, writers and filmmakers for decades. Orson Welles filmed Othello here in the 1950s, and the Gnaoua music festival each June brings musicians from across the region. The tour gives you time to walk, look, and bargain in the souks if the mood takes you.

You're picked up from your hotel in Marrakech and returned there at the end of the day. The vehicle is air-conditioned for the long drive, and the guide speaks English or French. Lunch is on your own. The tour covers transport and entry to the sites along the route.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle.
• live guide in English or French.
• hotel pickup and return to Marrakech.
• stops at argan oil cooperatives and argan trees.

Information

Lasts 10h, runs every day at 08:00, from US$ 23 per person, with a live guide in English and French and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

AgesAdult (18 to 29 years) · Senior (30 and older) · Youth (6 to 11 years) · Child (3 to 5 years) · Infant (1 to 2 years)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Day Out Marrakech

Is this one for you?Book this for a first or middle day in Marrakech when you want to see beyond the medina walls: the long drive and the 10-hour span work best when you're not arriving late or catching a flight the same evening. The guide and transport mean you don't navigate the coast road yourself or hunt for lunch stops. You show up at your hotel and the day unfolds on its own schedule.

Traveler reviews

4.50★★★★★★★★★★

26 verified traveler reviews

5 ★19

4 ★3

3 ★3

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 11 years); Child (3 to 5 years); Infant (1 to 2 years).

How far is Essaouira from Marrakech?

Essaouira lies about 175 km west of Marrakech, a drive of several hours through the Souss region where the argan trees grow.

What are the argan trees and why do goats climb them?

Argan trees are a UNESCO-classified species unique to the region between Agadir and Essaouira. Goats climb the low branches to feed on the nuts and leaves. The tour stops to see them, sometimes twenty or more in a single tree.

What is the mellah in Essaouira?

The mellah is the Jewish quarter of the medina, with vaulted shops selling thuja marquetry and other crafts. It's one of the main areas to explore on foot during the tour.

Is lunch included in this tour?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. You'll have time to eat in Essaouira's medina, where restaurants and cafés line the alleys, but you arrange and pay for it yourself.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes air-conditioned transport from your Marrakech hotel, a live guide in English or French, and stops at the argan cooperatives and trees. Hotel pickup and return are included. Lunch and entry fees to any paid attractions are not.

How long is the full day trip?

The tour runs 10 hours total, including the drive to Essaouira, stops along the way, and time to walk the medina and mellah before the return to Marrakech.