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Full-Day Tour to Essaouira - The Ancient Mogador City from Marrakech

Name: Full-Day Tour to Essaouira - The Ancient Mogador City from Marrakech
Brand: Morocco Inspiring Tours
SKU: 25014P14
Price: 109.75 USD
Rating: 5.0 (122 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceMarrakech, Morocco

Likely to Sell Out

From $109.75

Price varies by group size

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

10 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Visit the historic port city of Essaouira on a full-day trip from Marrakech, and spend the day exploring traditional agriculture, architecture, and Morocco’s laid-back, seaside culture. See how argan oil is extracted, and visit Essaouira’s Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This full-day Essaouira tour includes pickup and drop-off at hotels in Marrakech, a guided walking tour of Essaouira, and free time to explore on your own.

Full-day Essaouira trip from Marrakech
See a historic Moroccan city on the coast
Visit an argan oil cooperative
Guided walking tour of Essaouira
Take in a UNESCO-listed historic center
Free time to explore on your own
Pickup and drop-off at Marrakech hotels

What's Included

Hotel / Riad pickup and drop-off
Transport by comfortable air-conditioned minivan or 4WD with an English-speaking driver/guide
Guided walking tour of Essaouira city
Drinks (Bottled mineral water+Fresh mint tea)
Free time after the guided tour
All entrance fees, local taxes and fuel are included
Fuel included

Lunch
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

Marrakesh, Morocco

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

08:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

Departure Point: Hotels, Riads and Airbnbs located in Marrakech. Directions: Pickup is available from Hotels, Riads and Airbnbs located in Marrakech, please make sure to advise your accommodation information. If you are staying inside the Medina (Old city), your pickup will be from the closest point accessible to vehicles, near your accommodation. Return Point: Returns to original departure point.

What To Expect

Meet a driver at your Marrakech hotel, then make the drive to Essaouira in a climate-controlled vehicle. Enjoy views of the countryside along the way, as you pass through villages and fields, then stop at a small argan oil cooperative run by local women. Learn how the oil is extracted and used—with the option to purchase oil direct from the producers— before continuing to Essaouira.

Learn the basics of Essaouira’s history on a sightseeing walking tour of the city, taking in the distinctive blue-and-white architecture, and unique rhythm of the seaside town. Following the tour, you have the rest of the day to explore on your own: head down to the water to see the fishermen bring in the catch of the day, then sample Moroccan-style seafood in an outdoor café.

The UNESCO-listed medina is full of artists and craftsmen’s shops, and walking the city’s stone rampart is like stepping into history—watch for fishing boats on the far horizon. At the end of the afternoon, meet back up with the driver for the return trip to Marrakech, where this tour concludes.

Afous Argan

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Medina of Essaouira

5 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Infant seats available
Operated by a multi-lingual guide
Small-group tour limited to 8 people ensures more personalized attention from your guide
Wheelchair accessible

Stroller accessible
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

zvrabecracured

We highly recommend this tour. Our tour guide Abdul was very informative about the history and present life of Morocco, a relaxed and fun atmosphere. At Easoura we had a home guide. The funniest part of the trip was painting goats on argan trees. Eaossura is a beautiful seaside town and it was great because we had 3 hours to dine in peace and enjoy the beach. Super day trip

Reviews

5.0

122 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 122 reviews

Fantastic Day!!!!!

Natalie_L, Mar 2024

Abdul was incredible! He was right on time to scoop us up from our hotel and made the journey to Essaouria delightful. He shared all of the history, extremely knowledgeable, very hospitable! The tour of the city was perfect. Our guide led us through the city and showed us exactly what we had asked for. The recommended lunch spot was fantastic! If I could give this tour a 10 star I would!! Absolutely perfect! Thank you, Abdul for the best day!!

Seeing Essaouira again!

Michelle_L, Jun 2023

Returning to Essaouira after 19 years was a great pleasure. Our guide Eunice allowed us to stop often, to take pictures of boats, old walls and to meander through the Medina and around the old walls. Upon request, he took us to 2 art galleries, the thuya and jewellery coops, and found us an excellent t seafood restaurant, Il Mare, with an amazing view of the ocean. Our amazing driver, Ismail, entertained us with facts and stories, making the ride feel shorter.

A different side to Morocco

Jake_B, Mar 2023

This was a lovely trip to the coast. There were two main parts to the journey: travelling to and from the coast, and then the town itself. Our journey both ways could not have been better. The 3 hour trip flew by, as our very friendly driver, Iss, told us all about the local history and culture. By the time the trip finished, it felt like we had made a friend. In Essaouira, we were given a comprehensive walking tour of the town, and learned all about its rich history. We were also given as much time as we wanted to explore, have lunch, or visit the beach. Overall, we had a fantastic day - thank you Iss!

Take this Tour, you will be more than happy that you did.

Angelo_M, Dec 2022

Our driver, Mohammed, was courteous and did an excellent job of explaining the area and history of the cities and areas we went through on our way to Essaouira. With several stops, we can enjoy the beauty of each place we pass. Once in Essaouira, our tour guide Azziz, a native of the town. He showed us every aspect of this city and explained the history of what made Essaouira such a great place to visit. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone that is considering taking it.

Good trip

Thuy_N, Jul 2022

- The arghan trees with goats and the beach in the good weather. - Bring swimsuits if you go in summer. - The price for lunch at a restaurant near the beach is reasonable. Food are good

Highly Recommended!

Michelle_W, Oct 2021

Just got back from Marrakech and had an amazing time. We were met by Abdul at our Riad in Marrakech at 8am to begin our tour in Essaouira. We were driven in a comfortable toyota hilux vehicle. Abdul was wearing a face mask throughout the journey to/from essaourica, he also gave us a couple of face masks just incase we needed them. He also carry a small hand sanitiser with him all the time just incase we needed some. Half way through the journey we stopped off on the road side to take pictures of the goats on the argan tree. This is so interesting and fascinating! Definitely one of the highlight! After 2 hours 30 mins drive, we arrived in Essaouira and met by a lovely local guide called AZIZ who lives in Essaouira for many many years. This is where we begin our walking tour in Essaouira. It is a very small city and the temperature is definitely cooler than medina. Aziz walked us around the local markets, took us to all the must see sites and also places where they filmed game of thrones. It is a slow walking tour so this trip is perfect for everyone. After Aziz shown us all the sites, he then leave us with some free time to walk around ourselves or have lunch at one of the restaurant. He also shown us the collection point where Abdul our driver will collect us at 4pm. Overall, we are very happy that we booked this tour because both Abdul and Aziz are fantastic and provide excellent service! Please remember to bring comfy walking shoes, windbreaker jacket or a jumper!

Don't skip Essaouira

Heather_B, Sep 2021

This full day tour to Essaouira was great! It included a walking tour and free time, as well as a visit to the goats in the Argan trees. After the free time, I was interested in riding a horse, so I was brought to a ranch and did a one hour horse ride. This was a great experience and the horses were well cared for. Essaouira was my favorite day trip during my time in Morocco. It was cool, breezy, and colorful. It was nice to just stroll along the ocean and enjoy the view.

The highlight of our trip to Morocco

Rawdha_A, Apr 2021

What can I say? Book this trip already! Abdulrahman our driver was on time. His driving skills were superb and took us to a lovely place on the way for some attay. He is very informative and friendly. As soon as we reached Essaouria we were greeted by Azeez who by far is the best tour guide ever! Azeez is born and raised is Essaouira his love and passion to the city reached our heart. He explained the history the culture the hidden gems and also showed us places where game of thrones was filmed. We went on this visit during Covid which means the majority of the city attractions might be closed, however!! Going with Azeez even the police opened places for us without paying anyone money. For the sake of Azeez and his goodwill. We had a lovely time!! Even when we decided to go shopping.. Azeez helped us drop the prices to more than half of what was offered. A truly remarkable guy who made us fall in love with Essaouira Mogador and it’s rich culture of tolerance and respect between people, animals and religions.

Extra

zvrabecracured, Jan 2020

Great guide, needed more time

John_M, Dec 2019

From the moment he found us waiting in the morning chaos of the Medina, our guide, Ismail, was a delight. He had more energy than anyone should have that early, was kind, professional, funny, caring, and very informative throughout the entire day. He is a walking/driving encyclopedia of Moroccan history AND American pop culture! The only negative about the tour was that even a full-day was too short! We need a Part 2.

A wonderful one-day trip to Essaouira

amelieartist, Oct 2019

I highly recommend this tour. Our driver Abdul was very kind and informative. He organized our pickup in Marrakech in a comfortable, air conditioned SUV. He stopped so that we could see the Argan trees with the goats climbing and also offered to take photos of us. We also enjoyed learning how the Argan oil was made and were able to buy a few products without feeling any pressure or hurry. When we arrived in Essaouira, we met our local guide Aziz who gave us a walking tour of the Medina and explained some of the history. Compared to Marrakech, it was such a relaxing experience and we could see how kind and friendly the locals were. After the tour, we had some free time and so we enjoyed lunch at a lovely restaurant by the beach and then walked back. Our driver picked us up and, on the way back, we stopped for a restroom break and some tea and a delicious snack on the way back. This was so well organized and we felt like we were well taken care of. I highly recommend this tour and thank you again for the wonderful day!

Perfect

valkaiandrea01, Jul 2019

Everything was very good, I loved the whole day. Our driver tell us a lot about Marocco during the journey, it was very interesting. In Essaouira the guide was very kind and took us to lots of interesting places.

Response from Host, Jul 2019

MANY THANKS for your lovely comment! We are so happy that you had a great experience with us, this encourages us to give more and to provide our customers the best services. ALL THE BEST

Awesome day!

MICHELLE_G, Jun 2019

Great day with adbul and aziz! It was a nice itinerary, knowledgeable guides, and a beautiful city to visit!

Response from Host, Jun 2019

Greetings From Morocco Inspiring Tours Team, We are so happy that you had a great experience with us, this encourages us to give more and to provide our customers the best services. You're welcome anytime with us, Kindest wishes.

Great Tour with engaging driver to a really nice town.

mikebritch, Jan 2019

There were 5 of us on this on this Private Day Tour to Essaouira. Firstly, after 4 days in the noise and bustle of Marrakech, Essaouira was a welcome calming change - the blue & white city was quiet and relaxing. We had a walking tour of the city - Ahmed, our guide was a local - it was a little lacking in history and detail, but he did recommend a fish fry stall that we had a superb meal at. However, outside of Essaouira itself, the highlight of the day was our interaction with Ismail, our driver. He has excellent English, and we had a wide-ranging and enthusiastic (pretty much non-stop) conversation throughout both drives. I recommend both the trip and Ismail.

Great service...beautiful place, nice weather and delicious food

Ira_I, Oct 2018

Ismael accompany us along the way to Essaouira. He drive carefully and diligently, and explain every detail that we passed. He is very well inform and has a lot of knowledge for everything. We got a lot of information about the history and the culture. He also recommended us, a nice restaurant on the beach with the delicious food. The journey was great and excellent. We hope we can join other tour next time. Very well recommended.

The full day excursion to Essaouira...

David O, Mar 2018

The full day excursion to Essaouira as part of our visit to Marrakech is worthy of special mention. Arrangements were confirmed the day before the trip by email and pickup at the hotel was right on schedule as advised. Our driver Abdul, arrived in a clean and modern vehicle and navigated the heavy morning traffic, briefly mentioning points of interest and answering our many questions. Along the way a stop was made to see the manufacturing of Aragan oil with no pressure to purchase any of the derivative products. On arrival to Essaouira, Abdul introduced us to Haziz, a native of the Mogador city, and seemingly known by everyone as we toured the ancient city. Haziz was a great ambassador of the city, pointing out how Jewish, Christian and Muslim faith citizens live in total harmony. The ambience of the city differs completely than the hustle and bustle of Marrakech, being much more laid back without the commercial pressures on visitors to purchase items on offer. The tour was followed by a seaside lunch and a time to relax or take a leisurely stroll. All in all, a great opportunity to experience a different lifestyle from the big city and understand the differing cultures in Morocco.

This trip was really memorable...

Mike R, Jan 2018

This trip was really memorable. Ismail was our tour guide and was extremely knowledgeable and fun to be around. On the way to Essaouira, we stopped to see goats in the Argan trees which was really cool. The medina is very touristy and modern but the beach is the star. The restaurant we ate at had the best view. I highly recommend this tour, especially with Ismail.

Trip was fantastic and we had a...

Carmen C, Dec 2017

Trip was fantastic and we had a great time with our tour guide Ahme. We recommend him for any of your future trips. He is an excellent to really cares for his customer. We would use him for any future trips to Essaouria. Great job Mr. Ahme.

This was a great trip. We actually...

Kelsey_B, Sep 2017

This was a great trip. We actually got a private tour since it was the low tourism season August. Ismael, who drove us to Essaouira, was amazing. He was friendly and knowledgeable and kept us laughing the whole time. I'd highly recommend this tour for anyone looking for a day trip from Marrakech!

loved my tour guide Ismail. He was...

Ryan B, May 2017

loved my tour guide Ismail. He was promptly waiting for me in the medina. Also enjoyed having lunch with him and chatting. turned out to be just myself and the tour guide, so it was very nice. and the tour guide Ismail, he was so informative, fun and just so much fun to be with. I highly recommend this tour, especially if Ismail is doing the tour. Essaouira is very pretty. Really enjoyed the seaside a lot. the medina was ok, but after seeing 3 other city medinas, I was bored in the Essaouira medina. Make sure you see the goats in the argan trees!