Private Tour: Essaouira Day Trip from Marrakech

Your private full-day trip to the charming seaport of Essaouira begins with morning pickup at your Marrakech hotel. Enjoy a leisurely scenic drive in an air-conditioned vehicle as you peer out of the window at Morocco’s breathtaking landscape and villages — and maybe even some camels and goats peacefully grazing in the countryside.

Choose whether to make a pit stop at a local co-op where Berber women make coveted argan oil for cooking and cosmetics with extract from the nearby trees. Argan trees only grow in the wild, and you might also see local goats climbing the trees to eat the berries they produce.

Next, arrive at your destination: the blue-and-white fishing town of Essaouira. The time here is yours to use for exploring at your leisure. Stroll the quays as the fishermen pull in with the catch of the day. Photograph the candy-colored fishing boats. Pull up a seat at one of the many authentic restaurants serving freshly caught seafood with views of the sea (own expense).

Walk off lunch with a visit to the medina, where local artists sell their crafts and wares, including marquetry, a craft in which different woods are inlaid on boxes or other objects to make beautiful patterns. Marquetry is an Essaouira specialty. Be sure to save some time toward the end of the day to relax on the tranquil beach before returning to Marrakech in the early evening.