Planning guide
What each experience actually involves
Every activity here is private, includes pick-up from your riad or hotel, and is guided in English, French or Spanish (other languages on request).
The medina, history and gardens
On a first visit, start with the half-day Marrakech medina walking tour: about four hours taking in the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Koutoubia, the spice and leather souks and, finally, Jemaa el-Fna, the city's main square. The Majorelle and Menara gardens tour is a gentler half day, garden entry fees included. For history, give a full day to the Jewish heritage tour of the Mellah, visiting the Lazama and Slat al-Azama synagogues and the Miâara cemetery.
Food and wellness
The Marrakech street food tour runs about four hours, with more than six tasting stops (tangia, msemen, olives, pastries, mint tea) and a sit-down main meal. The hands-on Moroccan cooking class starts in a souk buying produce, then you cook a tagine and hand-rolled couscous and eat it together. After days of walking, the two-hour traditional hammam and massage combines a black-soap scrub with an argan and rose oil massage.
The Palmeraie, sunrise and after dark
The palm groves on the city's edge host three two-hour outings: a sunset camel ride in the Palmeraie finishing with mint tea, a horse ride through the palm groves open to beginners, and a quad biking and buggy ride with helmet and goggles provided. The sunrise hot-air balloon flight means a pick-up around 5 am, depending on the season, for 45 minutes to an hour aloft and a Berber breakfast. Evenings belong to the Chez Ali Fantasia dinner show (7 pm pick-up) or a night at the Agafay luxury desert camp, leaving between 4 and 6 pm.
Seasons and families
Spring and autumn suit almost everything. In July and August afternoons are fiercely hot, so plan riding early, camels at sunset and the hammam or cooking class at midday. Balloon flights need calm weather and can be postponed, so book early in your stay. Winter pre-dawn starts are cold; bring layers.
With children, the camel ride, horse ride, gardens, cooking class and Chez Ali show work best; on the quad ride a buggy is steadier. Tell us their ages when you enquire, or see our private Morocco family tours.
Pairing activities in one day
- Sunrise balloon, then the gardens in the afternoon
- Morning horse ride, then Chez Ali in the evening
- Medina walking tour, then a hammam
- Cooking class, then a sunset camel ride
With more time, add one of our day trips from Marrakech, or browse the best places to visit in Morocco for what comes next. Prices are by request; request a quote for several activities and we reply within 24 hours.
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