Our pickBoard & sunset picnic
Essaouira or Sidi Kaouki
- On the sand
- 3 hours
- Rating
- 4.69
- Price
- from $40
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Guide · Essaouira
Essaouira sandboarding: the dunes behind the windy coast
Essaouira sandboarding happens on the dunes that rise behind the beaches south of the old port, in a breeze that rarely stops. Here is the outing to book, what else rides the same sand, and when to go.
Check availabilityfrom $40 · cancellation is free
Editorial team, sandboardingmorocco.comUpdated October 26, 20266 min read32 sources
The dunes of Essaouira
Essaouira is an Atlantic port in western Morocco, midway between Safi and Agadir.3 Its walled medina, once called Mogador, has been on the World Heritage List since 2001, and the name Mogador goes back to the Phoenician word for a small fortress.45 The ramparts, the harbor and the light catch the eye first, and it is easy to miss how much sand lies just behind the town.
Britannica describes it plainly: on the land side stretch miles of sand dunes dotted with broom, with forests of argan beyond.1 On the map, the coast south of the medina leads past the villages of Diabat and El Ghazoua toward Sidi Kaouki, and the sandboarding outing picks up at both ends of that stretch. The broom shrubs hold the edges of the sand, and the open faces between them are what you ride.
The argan is part of the scenery. Essaouira lies inside the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO reserve known for the argan tree, a species Britannica calls unique to Morocco.671 On the drive to the dunes you pass the twisted, thorny trees on the dry hills, and argan oil, pressed from their nuts, is on sale in the medina.
The afternoon
A sandboarding outing from Essaouira
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Afternoon
Pickup in town
Essaouira or Sidi Kaouki, your choice.
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20 minutes
Drive to the dunes
A short drive south to the sand.
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On arrival
First runs
Seated runs first, then standing when you are ready.
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3 hours
On the sand
Sandboarding, with a sunset picnic in a Berber tent as a paid option.
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Evening
Back to town
Drop-off in Essaouira or Sidi Kaouki.
The Essaouira sandboarding outing
The outing this page recommends is a sandboarding session with a sunset picnic in a Berber tent, which the itinerary lists as an optional extra at a fee. It picks up in Essaouira or Sidi Kaouki, drives 20 minutes and spends 3 hours on the sand at a spot the listing calls a hidden gem. It runs 3 to 4 hours in total, with a small-group option and instructors who speak Arabic, French and English.
It is rated 4.69 from 53 reviews and starts from $40. That is a modest number of reviews, so read the latest ones before you book and ask about the meeting point if your riad is deep in the medina, where cars cannot reach.
Three hours on the sand is generous compared with the quad and board outings near Agadir, where the board shares 2 hours with the quad. Here the board is the whole point. Use the time well: a few easy runs seated, then a lesson in standing up, then the longer faces as the light goes golden.
Windy days
Days with strong wind at Essaouira, by month
days
Three ways onto the sand
Board, quad or camel
Our pick
No board
SlowestDecision helper
Which Essaouira afternoon is yours?
Pick by what you want to do on the sand
Board & sunset picnic
It gives 3 hours on the sand after a 20-minute drive.
Dune quad tour
3 hours of guided riding in a group of up to 5.
Camel on beach & dunes
A 2-hour camel ride with 20 minutes by van each way.
Board & sunset picnic
Sidi Kaouki is one of its two pickup points.
Stay a night
The board outing picks up only in Essaouira and Sidi Kaouki.
On the land side stretch miles of sand dunes studded with broom, and beyond are forests of argan (Morocco ironwood), a species unique to the country.
Living with the wind
Essaouira is known for its wind. Britannica notes that its ocean breezes have made it a windsurfing destination, and the long-term numbers agree.13 The World Meteorological Organization station at Essaouira counts 186.3 days a year with wind of 10 m/s or more, the most in July with 21.5 and the fewest in October with 12.1.2
On a dune, wind does two things. It moves sand off the crest and into your face, and it reshapes the slopes you ride. Britannica's numbers show how quickly that grows: the sand a wind carries rises from 13 grams per hour at 10 km/h to 274 grams at 20 km/h and 1,179 grams at 30 km/h.14 On a summer afternoon here, expect a fine spray of sand blowing off every edge.
None of that stops the outing, but it changes how you dress. Sunglasses or goggles, a scarf or buff over your mouth on the climbs, and a windproof layer for the sunset make the difference between a gritty afternoon and a great one. Keep your camera in a bag between shots.
Map
Where the sandboarding dunes are in Morocco
First the whole country from the Atlantic to Erg Chebbi, then the coast north and south of Agadir, then the shore below Essaouira.
1Marrakech2Agadir3Essaouira4Timlalin dunes5Erg Chebbi
2Agadir6Inezgane7Taghazout8Tamraght9Imi Ouaddar10Aghroud11Tamri4Timlalin dunes12Sidi Toual13Tifnit
3Essaouira14Diabat15El Ghazoua16Sidi Kaouki
- 1Marrakech
The red city on the Haouz Plain, about 200 km from Agadir in a straight line; its medina is a World Heritage site since 1985.1516
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Agadir
The Atlantic port 10 km north of the mouth of the Sous valley, rebuilt after the earthquakes of 1960.1718
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Essaouira
A port founded in 1765, with sand dunes on its land side and an ocean breeze that brings windsurfers.19113
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Timlalin dunes
The dunes by the ocean north of Tamri, about 50 km from Agadir in a straight line; several half-day sandboarding trips stop here.20
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Erg Chebbi
The sand sea near Merzouga, with star dunes over 100 m high, about 385 km from Marrakech as the crow flies.2122
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Inezgane
Where the Agadir Inezgane weather station stands, 23 m above sea level; our climate tables are its normals.23
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Taghazout
The surf village about 27 km by straight line from the Timlalin dunes; one canyon and sandboarding trip picks up here.24
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Tamraght
One of four pickup points of the guided sandboarding trip with a canyon visit.
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Imi Ouaddar
The pickup point of the 5-hour trip to the Timlalin dunes, 70 minutes away by van.
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Aghroud
Several Timlalin trips stop 15 minutes at Plage Aghroud on the way north.
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Tamri
The village where one trip stops 40 minutes for tea and lunch after the dunes.
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Sidi Toual
The beach where the site's quad and sandboarding outing spends its 2 hours, 45 minutes by van from Agadir.
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Tifnit
One quad outing from Agadir and Taghazout rides here, 45 minutes from Agadir by van.
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Diabat
A village on the shore just south of Essaouira, on the side of town where the sand dunes begin.1
In Google Maps ↗ - 15El Ghazoua
A village inland from the Essaouira dunes, among the dunes and argan country behind the coast.1
In Google Maps ↗ - 16Sidi Kaouki
One of two pickup points of the Essaouira sandboarding outing with a sunset picnic.
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
For the Essaouira dunes
01
Against the wind
- Sunglasses or goggles
- A scarf or buff for the climbs
- A windproof layer for the picnic
02
On the sand
- Water
- Closed shoes or bare feet on dry sand
- A bag for your camera
03
Before you go
- Confirm the pickup point in the medina
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Cost calculator
Price an Essaouira afternoon for your group
Enter your group size to compare three ways onto the dunes.
People
Total from$79
per person from $40
Check availabilityfree cancellationYour group size multiplied by each GetYourGuide from-price, then converted with the ECB rate of the day; checkout has the exact total.
Video
A day in Essaouira, the seaside town west of Marrakech
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Cooler than Agadir, wetter in winter
Essaouira is cooler than you might expect. Its mean daily maximum is 18.4 °C in January and only 21.9 °C in July, peaking at 22.6 °C in September.8 At Agadir Inezgane, further south, July averages 26.7 °C.9 For dune climbs in summer, Essaouira's mild afternoons are a real advantage.
Winter is the wet season. Essaouira's normal precipitation is 299.7 mm a year, with 55.7 mm in December and 0.0 mm in July.10 Damp sand is firmer and harder to land on; at Great Sand Dunes in Colorado the Park Service sees more injuries after rain packs the surface.25 After a wet day, give the dunes time to dry or ride the gentler faces.
Nights are mild all year. The mean daily minimum runs from 11.1 °C in January to 18.1 °C in August.26 Even so, the sunset is in the wind, and a fleece or light jacket in your bag will be welcome once the sun has gone into the sea.
Quads and camels on the same sand
The dunes behind Essaouira are also ridden by quad and walked by camel. A 3-hour quad tour of the sand dunes runs as a small group of up to 5, with a 20-minute safety briefing, 3 hours of guided riding and a short beach stop. Children aged 12 and older can drive their own quad if an adult is in the group, and long trousers, closed shoes and sunglasses are recommended.
It is rated 4.94 from 356 reviews and starts from $78. It does not list sandboarding, so treat it as a separate afternoon rather than an alternative to the board.
For something slower, a 2-hour camel ride follows the beach and dunes, with 20 minutes by van each way and about 3 hours in total. It is rated 4.79 from 128 reviews and starts from $35. Camel at sunset on one day and the board on another is a fine way to see this coast.
Your first runs on the Essaouira dunes
Start sitting down. A seated or lying run, feet first, needs no skill and shows you how fast the sand is that day. The US National Park Service, which looks after the tallest dunes in North America, warns that sliding head first raises the risk of injury, and the same caution applies here.2728 Use your heels as brakes and lean back to slow down.
Then try standing. Strap in or put your feet on the board sideways, bend your knees, keep your weight over the back foot and look down the slope rather than at your feet. The slope you ride is the slip face, held at the angle of repose of dry sand, about 32 degrees according to Britannica.29 It looks steeper from the top than it is; commit to the first turn and the board will follow.
Pace the climbs. Each run ends with a walk back up in soft sand, and the wind does not make it easier. Take a break every few runs, drink water, and save your last climb for the light just before sunset, when the dunes glow. The 3 hours on the sand go faster than you think.
Getting to Essaouira for the dunes
Essaouira is about 166 km from Marrakech and about 127 km from Agadir in a straight line, by our calculation from the coordinates of the weather stations.3031 The town is linked by road with Safi, Marrakech and Agadir.32 The sandboarding outing does not pick up outside Essaouira and Sidi Kaouki, so plan to stay at least a night.
A night or two is the right length anyway. Arrive in the afternoon, walk the ramparts and the harbor at sunset, and ride the dunes the next day. If you have a third day, Sidi Kaouki to the south is a quieter base with the dunes closer, and it is one of the outing's two pickup points.
If you are also visiting Agadir or Taghazout, the dunes there are a different experience: the Timlalin dunes north of Tamri drop toward the ocean and are sold as half-day trips with pickups along the coast. Our pages on Agadir and Taghazout compare them.
Your dune outing
Quad, board and tea in 4 hours.
Pick a date, get collected at your Agadir hotel, and cancel free up to 24 hours ahead.
You ask,we answer.
Where are the sandboarding dunes in Essaouira?
Behind the beaches south of town. Britannica describes miles of sand dunes on Essaouira's land side.1
How long is the Essaouira sandboarding outing?
3 to 4 hours. The outing drives 20 minutes from town and spends 3 hours on the sand; a sunset picnic can be added for a fee.
Does the outing pick up in Marrakech?
No. It picks up in Essaouira or Sidi Kaouki only, so stay a night in town if you come from Marrakech.
Is Essaouira too windy for sandboarding?
No, but bring sunglasses. Its station counts 186.3 windy days a year; the outing still runs, and sand blows off the crests.2
Is Essaouira cooler than Agadir in summer?
Yes, noticeably. July highs average 21.9 °C in Essaouira against 26.7 °C at Agadir Inezgane.89
Can I ride a quad on the Essaouira dunes?
Yes, on a separate tour. A 3-hour quad tour of the dunes lets children aged 12 and older drive with an adult in the group.
When does it rain most in Essaouira?
In December. December averages 55.7 mm of rain at the Essaouira station; July averages 0.0 mm.10
Sources
The sources for this guide
- 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
- 2World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: ESSAOUIRA, WMO 60220↩
- 3Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
- 4UNESCO World Heritage CentreMedina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)↩
- 5UNESCO World Heritage CentreMedina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)↩
- 6UNESCO Man and the Biosphere ProgrammeArganeraie Biosphere Reserve↩
- 7UNESCO Man and the Biosphere ProgrammeArganeraie Biosphere Reserve↩
- 8World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: ESSAOUIRA, WMO 60220↩
- 9World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 10World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: ESSAOUIRA, WMO 60220↩
- 11World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 12World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 13Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
- 14Encyclopaedia BritannicaSand dune↩
- 15World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: MARRAKECH, WMO 60230↩
- 16Encyclopaedia BritannicaMarrakech↩
- 17Encyclopaedia BritannicaAgadir↩
- 18Encyclopaedia BritannicaAgadir↩
- 19Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
- 20World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 21NASA Photojournal (NASA/JPL, Terra ASTER)Star Dunes, Morocco (PIA26287)↩
- 22World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: MARRAKECH, WMO 60230↩
- 23World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 24World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 25US National Park ServiceGreat Sand Dunes: Sandboarding and Sand Sledding↩
- 26World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: ESSAOUIRA, WMO 60220↩
- 27US National Park ServiceGreat Sand Dunes: Frequently Asked Questions↩
- 28US National Park ServiceWhite Sands National Park: Sledding↩
- 29Encyclopaedia BritannicaSand dune↩
- 30World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: MARRAKECH, WMO 60230↩
- 31World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 32Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
