10 Best Tours and Day Trips from Marrakech

Marrakech has many places to discover and enjoy, but to immerse yourself in Moroccan life and take home with you a sense of the country's nature and landscape, it is advisable to leave the city and go on an excursion.

The Medina of Marrakech is the central area of the city where social, economic and commercial life takes place. It is surrounded by long adobe walls, composed of narrow, bustling streets, and has been declared a World Heritage Site. With this description, it is easy to guess that a guided tour of this area is a must during your trip to discover the main corners of modern-day Marrakech.

The main value of this guided tour of the Medina in English is not in the places you will visit, but in the guidance of the local guide who will accompany the group during the tour. Their experience and knowledge of Marrakech and its way of life are an attraction that you will not have access to if you do this same tour on your own.

Itinerary

On this private guided tour of Marrakech in English, lasting around three hours, you will visit the Koutoubia Mosque and the Bahia Palace, and discover some of the most emblematic places in Marrakech, such as the Jewish quarter, known as "Mellah", the Kasbah Mosque, the Saadian Tombs, and Bab Agnou, one of the 19 gates that formed the entrance to the walled city.

Accompanied by an expert guide, you will explore the city's alleyways and learn about the history and culture of Marrakech. You will also have time to relax and explore the city on your own.

Itinerary

Tour enthusiasts will find this option to be the best choice. On this private tour of Marrakech, the guide is dedicated exclusively to one traveller and their companions rather than an organised group. It is the most comprehensive way to get to know the city of Marrakech because, in addition to personalised attention, it is one of the longest tours: 7 to 9 hours exploring the city and its attractions.

The length of the tour allows you to cover several aspects. Part of the tour will focus on more "traditional" tourism, i.e. you will visit the city's most important monuments and learn about their history and why they are important (please note that entrance fees are not included in the price of the tour).

Afterwards, the guide will accompany you on a tour of the different stalls in the souk, where you can talk to the traders and artisans and learn more about their profession and way of life. Finally, throughout the tour, the guide will also talk about Arab culture and tradition.

Itinerary

This tour of the souks of Marrakech focuses mainly on the stalls and the souk itself, as well as on the crafts and objects on sale: pottery, paintings, leather, tea, carpets, clothing, jewellery, spices, etc. However, three hours is plenty of time, and you will also visit other less commercial parts of the Medina and, most importantly, you will have time to chat with your local guide about the aspects that most interest you.

You will meet your guide in Yamaa el-Fna Square. If you are wondering which is the best day to book this tour, I can tell you that it doesn't matter: the centre of Marrakech is a constant weekend. You have the option of choosing a private tour, so the guide will be dedicated solely to you and your travel companions.

Why I like this tour

The heart of Marrakech is undoubtedly in the souk and its stalls selling spices, food, leather, crafts, cosmetics and much more. Walking around there, you'll be mesmerised at every turn, not because you're necessarily looking for something, but because you feel that there are thousands of objects looking for you to tell you their story.

Every spice has a purpose, every artisan has their technique, every painter has their favourite corner of the city, and every colour has its meaning. That's why, of all the tours I did during my visit, my favourite tour of Marrakech was the one that took me "shopping" in the Medina.

A word of advice: haggling is an art form in Marrakech, so don't be swayed by high prices or the shopkeepers' claims.

Food is one of the great attractions of this city, but, although it may seem otherwise, it is not always easy to find good dishes during your visit. Therefore, if you like to try new things and experiment with flavours, I recommend this guided gastronomic tour to discover the local specialities. Do it at the beginning of your trip, it will be very useful for choosing restaurants and dishes in the following days.

The most important thing to know if you are interested in Moroccan food in general and Marrakesh food in particular is that in this culture, eating and drinking is not just a formality, but a way of life, a way of sharing customs and socialising. On this tour, the guide will not only offer you some tastings (bear in mind that you will not be sitting down to eat, but rather the idea is to try different foods and flavours), but will also teach you the true meaning of Moroccan culinary culture and typical dishes.

Typical dishes of Marrakech

The main attraction of this day trip is an in-depth visit to the Agafay Desert, which is a desert near Marrakech (very popular for camel rides such as those included in the tour) where the plants that produce argan oil grow (if you have the opportunity, I recommend buying a bottle, as it is usually more expensive in other countries and is not always pure).

The price of the excursion also includes drinks, a guide, transport from the hotel, a camel ride and, for an additional fee, lunch.

Itinerary

Known as "the gateway to the Sahara Desert", this town is located 200 kilometres from Marrakech and is surrounded by fortified Berber settlements known as kasbahs. If this doesn't ring a bell, perhaps the names of films shot in this clay village, Ait Ban Haddou, will: The Mummy, Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and Alexander the Great.

The excursion to Ouarzazate and Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, available in Spanish, English, French, Italian and Arabic, can last around twelve hours (the site is about four and a half hours away from Marrakech) and you can hire a guide and lunch for an additional fee.

The Ourika Valley is one of the most beautiful areas in Morocco, both for the attractiveness of its landscape and for the tranquillity and calm that permeates the area. If you are looking for an excursion where you can disconnect and go at your own pace and learn a little more about the way of life of the locals, this is one of your best options.

During your visit to the Ourika Valley, you will take a group walk through the areas with the best views in the region and then you can explore the village at your leisure. Lunch is not included, nor is a local guide (although you can hire one for an additional €3); the excursion consists of transport from your hotel in Marrakech in an air-conditioned vehicle with a capacity for around 15 people.

The Ouzoud Waterfalls is one of the longer day trips (a total of about 10 hours). This landscape is about three hours' drive from Marrakech, but the spectacle you will enjoy on arrival is well worth it. Set in a landscape of arid hills, these are the highest waterfalls in North Africa, and this excursion will allow you to explore them on foot, relax on the banks, or see the monkeys that inhabit the area.

The Ouzoud Waterfalls are one of Morocco's main mountain attractions, and this plan is designed so that you can explore them at your own pace. The starting and ending point will be your hotel in Marrakech, and you can bring your own lunch (which I recommend) or buy something at the local cafés.

Essaouira is a fishing village far from the mountain landscapes and deserts, but it is still one of the most popular excursions from Marrakech. This city, known as "The Pearl of the Atlantic", is ideal for taking a day off from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech, sampling its excellent fish and, if you stay for more than a day, going on one of the hiking trails that start there.

If you want to know more about this excursion to Essaouira, you can check out this other article on Day Trips to Essaouira from Marrakech.

Beware of unofficial guides you may encounter in the Medina

It is common for locals (often children) to approach you while you are walking through the souk and offer to "show you" the city in exchange for a tip. These are not professional guides and all they will do is take you on a quick tour of the souk without explaining anything.

In fact, it can sometimes even be risky because the "tour" may take you away from the safe tourist area. Keep this in mind and be wary of such offers (better safe than sorry) and book your tour in advance to avoid disappointment or deception.

Make the most of your guided tour

Take advantage of the opportunity offered by the guided tour to ask your guide any questions you may have: whether or not you are obliged to accept mint tea if it is offered to you, the most appropriate way to dress, how to greet the locals, how to behave in sacred places, etc.

About photos

In Morocco, you may find everything so exotic that you'll want to take a thousand photos. There won't be any problems at monuments, but if you want to photograph people or handicrafts, ask for permission first.

Ana's Traveller Tip

Be wary of locals who approach you in the souk to offer you a tour on their own account.

The best thing about guided city tours, at least for me, is being able to feel like a local for a few hours and not just see the main sights, but also have information to understand them and put them in context. If you're looking for a similar experience, I recommend choosing a camel ride where you can meet the Berbers who live in villages in the desert. Here you can read my guide on Camel Rides in Marrakech.