Essaouira is an eighteenth-century walled port on the Atlantic, laid out by a French architect for a Moroccan sultan, and it feels quite unlike anywhere else in the country. The ramparts are Portuguese in character, the medina is a grid rather than a labyrinth, the fishing harbour still works for a living, and the wind almost never stops.
That wind is the whole point. It has made Essaouira one of the best kitesurfing and windsurfing spots in Africa, and it keeps the town near 22C while Marrakech sits above 40. For anyone spending a week in Marrakech, a day or two out here is the standard pressure valve.
The way here runs through the argan forest, where the goats genuinely do climb the trees, on good road the whole distance. Every booking is private, so you can stop for the goats, stop at a cooperative, or drive straight through. The rate is agreed in advance and covers fuel, tolls and the driver.
Why hire a driver here
- Two and a half hours west of Marrakech, all of it through argan country
- The medina is walled and pedestrian - vehicles halt at the gates
- The town runs about twenty degrees cooler than Marrakech in summer
- Boards and kite gear need a vehicle that genuinely fits them
- The southbound coast road to Agadir earns the detour on its own merits
Included in every booking
- Fuel, tolls and the driver's fee for the agreed route
- Marrakech hotel, riad or airport pickup
- English or French-speaking drivers, your choice
- Photo stops at the argan trees and cooperatives
- Surfboard, kite and extra luggage space on request, at no charge
