Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech
Traveler rating
3.7/5
Based on 7 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech worth booking?
Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech is a 8-hour experience in Marrakech, Morocco, from $24 per person. It scores 56 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 3.7/5 rating across 7 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 56 / 100
- Rating
- 3.7/5 (7)
- Duration
- 8 hours
- From
- $24 per person
Take a full-day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech and spend time in the laid-back fishing town. En-route, stop to visit an an Argan Women’s Co-operative to see the women at work extracting oil from argan nuts, and then co
What you get
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
About this experience
Take a full-day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech and spend time in the laid-back fishing town. En-route, stop to visit an an Argan Women’s Co-operative to see the women at work extracting oil from argan nuts, and then continue your journey westward. Essaouira is fortunate to have an excellent climate, with cool sea breezes in the summer and warming lowland air in winter. This lovely climate, together with its beautiful Portuguese architecture, has always attracted artists and poets, but it continues to be a traditional fishing port at its heart to this day. Essaouira is the perfect destination for a day trip away from the hustle and bustle of busy Marrakech, with a vast array of things to do and try including: shopping in the souks for leatherwork, metalwork, glazed pottery, jewellery, brightly colored carpets, original art, olives, spices, rare argan oil and more. Visit the port and watch fishermen landing their catch or learn how boats are crafted using centuries-old techniques.
What's included
Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Not included
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks, unless specified
What you'll see and do
Essaouira
Join a full-day guided tour of Essaouira, former Phoenician trading port. Baptized “Mogador” by the Portuguese, the city is a unique citadel and cultural melting pot fostering artists of all types and known for its fishing, amazing market..
480 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 15 minutes before departure.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en, fr, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Argania Travel
Know before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- This tour must be booked at least 24 hours in advance of your travel date
- Confirmation of this tour will be received at time of booking
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required for the private tour option
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 7 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
3 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Small groups
2 mentionsThe group size is repeatedly described as intimate rather than packed.
Value for money
1 mentionTravelers feel they got more than they paid for.
Pace and timing
1 mentionSeveral reviewers found the schedule tight or the day long.
Traveler reviews
7 verified traveler reviews for Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
NOT a guided tour
driver was ok. pick up was a little late. we were picked up and then transferred to a different van. besides making a stop to take pics of goats in argan trees and stopping at the argan oil co-op that was as far as the "tour" went. we were dropped off in essaouira around maybe 11am and told to meet up at same location at 4:30. we were completely on our own in essaouira. nice town we managed on our own.
via Viator
Not worth it
The small group tour was not worth the extra $$ as compared to just taking the public bus down and back. I had to call/email the company multiple times the day before the trip to find out where they would be picking me up. I was then transferred between a few busses as all the drivers seemed to be trying to figure out seats. The driver stopped to pick up a friend as we were leaving Marrakech, whom he talked to the entire way to Essaouira. No "guided" narration as we went. Despite the fact that all of us on the bus stated we did not want to stop at the argan cooperative, he did anyways. Nobody left the car and he came back 15min later. The tour in Essaouira was in Spanish, despite the fact that I had signed up for a tour in English. That guide did spend some extra time talking to me in his limited English, which I appreciated. On the way home, the driver dropped us all off at the main square. The tour stated we would get hotel drop-offs. I then found out he couldn't see to read directions or Riad/street names so he was unable to even help any of us figure out where to go. Essaouira itself was a beautiful and fun city to enjoy and explore. I am glad I went. I just wouldn't recommend this tour. CynthWu's review was fairly spot on to my experience. I had booked through Viator and didn't know about it being on TripAdvisor as well. Viator asked me to review it here as their review site is down.
via Tripadvisor
Don’t bother with the small group tour.
1st driver 40mins late. 2nd driver rude and non-communicative. English guide? What English guide? Oh and don’t bother pre-booking before arrival. It’s cheaper to book whilst at Morocco. I booked this small-group tour in UK. We were told in the confirmation email 1) pick up at 7:30am 2) pick up at the Riad that we’re staying at 1) Driver turned up at 8:10am, a whopping 40mins late! I tried calling the number on the voucher, but it was probably “too early” and the line went straight to voice mail. I ended up calling the Spanish number for the same company, and was then advised that the driver was on his way. 2) He came on foot, and took us back to his vehicle through the narrow uneven alleys, which took an extra 15-20mins! Bearing in mind that my father is 80 with mobility issues (using walking stick and needing to put one hand on one of our shoulders to help stabilise him while he walks), we were not best pleased. The description of the package mentioned English guide even for small group, and the voucher said so too! Was there one? Nope. If the driver was meant to give brief introduction as to where we were going, he failed miserably. He was silent all along the drive If there isn’t one, it shouldn’t be listed as part of the information for this day trip! By the time the driver parked up near the square, we thought we parked up to wait for the rest of the group. But after waiting a little while, we were advised to disembark the original vehicle and board a different mini bus. For some reason there were a great deal of confusion between drivers of different minibuses and someone who appeared to be a manager/owner. None of them introduced themselves to us, nor did they explain briefly what was going on or what the schedule would be like for the day. The driver did not start the trip to Essaouira till around 9:15am. Along the way, when we stopped to look at the goats in the tree and Argan oil cooperative, the driver did not say anything to any of us to advise how long we were stopping for. By the time we got to Essaouira, he finally spoke to us in English, saying he’d be leaving at 4:30. Someone else (a couple) in the group was not impressed, saying the information provided indicated it should be a 5-hour stay at Essaouira. The driver very rudely suggested that they could, and they should take a bus back to Marrakech at their own expense. On the way back to Marrakech, we had a pit stop, or that was what we guessed, because once again, none of us were told what it was for or for how long. Language barrier should not be an excuse, because we could have use simple words like “toilet” or raise his palm(s) to suggest 5-10mins... in all fairness, the fact that he was able to say 4:30pm at Essaouira, it showed us that he had an attitude problem, and not a language problem. My father has mobility issue, so climbing on and off the minibus was a task. The driver did not press the button to extend the extra step to help my father get on and off the minibus. The only thing we were grateful was that he did take us back to our Riad first after dropping some guests off at Jamaa el Fna. Again, at that point, because he wasn’t the original driver who picked us all up, he asked where we needed dropping off. He was rude to some guests, suggesting it would take 1hr or more to take them back to the hotel. When the guests protested, he quickly suggested they could get off the minibus, find and pay for their own transport. At first he seemed to be a competent driver. Making many overtakes in what appeared to be a safe manner. On the return journey his braking was aggressive and he used the pedal as a switch On or Off. We became very concerned when most of his attention was taken up by chatting with the pretty girl sat on the middle front seat next to him. He kept looking at her whilst chatting and we felt very unsafe with the speed and the overtaking coupled with the stabbing of the brake pedal. All in all, apart from the fact that we ticked all the “main things to see” for the trip (the only thing that worth a star for this day tour) A) goats in tree B) argan oil cooperative C) Essaouira the customer service was worse than non-existent. As it turned out, pre-booking in U.K. meant we paid at least 100 dirham per person more than other group members who booked at their Moroccan hotels/riads.
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- 2+
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $24 to $266
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 2
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Who runs this experience
Operated by Argania Travel, who run 26 experiences we rank across 7 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 46.7.
See everything Argania Travel runsWhy this scores 56
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Marrakech.
How much does Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech cost?
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Prices start at $24 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Marrakech usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech take?
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Plan for about 8 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Marrakech is not rushed.
Is Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 56 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (3.7/5 across 7 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Marrakech, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech suitable for kids and families?
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The operator sets a minimum age of 2. Older children generally do well here, and families should factor in the 8-hour running time when deciding.
How far in advance should I book Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech?
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Around 2 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Marrakech can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Marrakech and add a light layer if any part of the 8-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Essaouira Private Tour from Marrakech start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Marrakech within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Marrakech?
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On Outty we rank every Marrakech experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Agafay Desert Quad Bike Camel Ride and Dinner Show, Best Marrakech to Fes Sahara Desert Tour with Camp & Camel Trek, 3 Day Marrakech to Merzouga Desert Tour Camel Rides and Overnight. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Marrakech?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Marrakech?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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