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Guide · Marrakech
Sandboarding from Marrakech: where the nearest dunes are
Sandboarding from Marrakech takes planning, because the city sits on a farmed plain with no dunes of its own. Here is how far the nearest sand is, and which trips put a board in your hands.
Check availabilityfrom $137 · cancellation is free
Editorial team, sandboardingmorocco.comUpdated October 26, 20267 min read18 sources
Quick answer
- 01Nearest coast dunes
- Essaouira, about 166 km away as the crow flies.1
- 02Agadir coast
- About 200 km in a straight line.2
- 03Sahara dunes
- Erg Chebbi, about 385 km in a straight line.3
- 04Easiest way
- A 3-day desert tour that lists sandboarding among its inclusions.
- 05Avoid
- July and August heat in the city, with many days over 40 °C.4
Why the city of Marrakech has no dunes to ride
Marrakech is a desert city in the imagination and a garden city on the map. It lies in the middle of the irrigated Haouz Plain, farmland watered from the mountains, and UNESCO listed its medina as World Heritage in 1985.5 There are dry, stony hills within reach of the city, but no field of loose sand dunes of the kind you need for a board.
The honest answer to anyone searching for sand surfing near Marrakech is that the sand is a drive away. Among the listings we checked, we found no outing from the city that names sandboarding on a dune close to town. What you can do is pick one of three directions: west to the Atlantic dunes near Essaouira, south-west to the dunes on the Agadir coast, or south-east over the Atlas to the Sahara.
Each direction suits a different trip. The coast is a day or a short stay, with sea air and lower temperatures. The Sahara is a journey of several days with a night in a camp. Below, we measure the distances, set out the trips that list a board, and help you decide which fits the time you have, the season you travel in and the people you travel with. A teenager who wants speed and a grandparent who wants a view will not want the same trip.
One-way to the coast
Marrakech, the Sahara, then Agadir
-
Day 1, 7:00 AM
Leave Marrakech
Pickup at your hotel or riad if a car can reach it.
-
Day 2 evening
Into the dunes
Camel ride and a night in a standard or luxury tent.
-
At camp
Board the dunes
Sandboarding is included with the camel ride and meals.
-
Ouarzazate
Split from the group
Guests continue to Agadir by taxi from here.
-
Day 3, 8:30 PM
Arrive on the coast
The tour ends around 8:30 PM on the third day.
How far the dunes are from Marrakech
Straight-line distances are a fair first guide, and we calculated them ourselves from the official coordinates of the weather stations and from NASA's position for the Sahara dunes. Essaouira is about 166 km from Marrakech, Agadir about 200 km, and the sand sea of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga about 385 km.123 Roads are longer than straight lines, and the road to the Sahara climbs over the High Atlas.
Travel times from the listings tell the rest. A full-day trip from Marrakech to Agadir lists 2.83 hours in the van each way. A 3-day desert tour with sandboarding sets off at 7:00 AM and gets in around 8:30 PM on its last day. The Sahara is not a day trip; the coast can be.
Use those numbers to set your expectations. A day out to the coast gives you a few hours on the sand and a lot of road. A night or two in Essaouira or Taghazout gives you an unhurried session at sunset. The desert gives you dunes on a far bigger scale, but only as part of a longer circuit.
Side by side
Ways to sandboard from Marrakech
| Trip | Dunes | Length | Reviews | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merzouga round trip | Erg Chebbi | 3 days | 22,054 | from $137 |
| Safari with food | Erg Chebbi | 3 days | 14,306 | from $120 |
| Sahara to Agadir | The Sahara | 3 days | 799 | from $212 |
| Camel, quad & board | Merzouga | 3 days | 11 | from $227 |
| Essaouira board & picnic | Essaouira | 3-4 hours | 53 | from $40 |
Lengths and review counts from each GetYourGuide listing; the Essaouira outing starts in Essaouira, not Marrakech. Prices are from-prices only.
Three routes to the sand
Via the gorges, with a quad, or one-way
Board at camp
Fewest reviews
One-wayDecision helper
Desert, Essaouira or Agadir?
Start from the time you have
Merzouga round trip
It lists sandboarding, a camel ride and a camp night in Erg Chebbi.
Essaouira
A local outing gives 3 hours on the dunes after a 20-minute drive.
Sahara to Agadir
It ends in Agadir after a taxi from Ouarzazate.
The Agadir coast
Our pick lets under-16s ride as passengers; under 3 cannot join.
A coast day trip
A day trip to Agadir lists 2.83 hours in the van each way.
Using luminescence dating techniques, the dunes were found to have formed over 13,000 years ago.
Option one: a 3-day desert tour that includes the board
The simplest way to sandboard from Marrakech is to let a desert tour take you to the sand. The most reviewed 3-day round trip to Merzouga, with 22,054 reviews and a 4.87 rating, lists sandboarding among its inclusions, along with camel rides or a 4x4 transfer and a night at a desert camp in Erg Chebbi. It starts from $137.
A second big seller, with 14,306 reviews, lists sandboarding as free in Merzouga, next to paid options such as quad biking and a buggy. It starts from $120; the first day begins at 7:00 AM and the third ends close to 8:00 PM. A smaller listing has sandboarding and a quad ride in its title, but only 11 reviews so far. A third, with 2,203 reviews, lists sandboarding among the activities at its Sahara camp but adds a candid note: ask at the lodge whether boards are available to take to the camp.
The listings give no length or format for the sandboarding, and none mentions lessons: treat it as a bonus at camp, a board and a slope with a view, rather than a session you can plan your trip around. The dunes there are serious: NASA records star dunes over 100 m high in Erg Chebbi.6
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 1985.25
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Agadir
The Atlantic port 10 km north of the mouth of the Sous valley, rebuilt after the earthquakes of 1960.78
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Essaouira
A port founded in 1765, with sand dunes on its land side and an ocean breeze that brings windsurfers.91011
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.12
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.63
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Inezgane
Where the Agadir Inezgane weather station stands, 23 m above sea level; our climate tables are its normals.13
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.14
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.10
In Google Maps ↗ - 15El Ghazoua
A village inland from the Essaouira dunes, among the dunes and argan country behind the coast.10
In Google Maps ↗ - 16Sidi Kaouki
One of two pickup points of the Essaouira sandboarding outing with a sunset picnic.
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
Before you leave Marrakech
01
For a desert tour
- Warm layers for winter nights in camp
- A small backpack for the camp night
- Cash for lunches and tips
02
For the coast
- Sunglasses against wind and sand
- Water for the dune climbs
- Your own transport to Essaouira
03
Timing
- Avoid the July and August heat
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Cost calculator
Price a sandboarding trip for your group
Tell us how many are going and see four desert routes priced side by side.
People
Total from$274
per person from $137
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
Sandboarding in the Sahara desert
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Option two: the Atlantic dunes near Essaouira
Essaouira is the nearest coast to Marrakech, and Britannica describes miles of sand dunes on its land side, with argan forests beyond.10 The town's ocean breezes have made it a windsurfing destination, and the wind is a constant companion on the dunes too.11
A local sandboarding outing with a sunset picnic in a Berber tent picks up in Essaouira or Sidi Kaouki, drives 20 minutes and spends 3 hours on the sand. It is rated 4.69 from 53 reviews and starts from $40. You need to get yourself to Essaouira first; it does not pick up in Marrakech.
That makes Essaouira a good fit for a short stay rather than a day trip. Spend a night in the walled medina, a World Heritage site since 2001, and ride the dunes the next afternoon.15 Our Essaouira page goes into the dunes and the wind in detail, including the months when the breeze is strongest and the sand blows hardest across the crests.
Option three: the Agadir coast
Agadir is further than Essaouira but has far more sandboarding on offer, from quad and board outings at Sidi Toual Beach to half-day trips to the Timlalin dunes above the ocean. The tour this site recommends spends 2 hours at Sidi Toual with a quad ride and sandboarding, 45 minutes by van from Agadir.
Reaching Agadir from Marrakech is easy enough by road, and one 3-day desert tour even ends there. It includes the camel ride, sandboarding and meals, and in Ouarzazate guests leave the group and continue to Agadir by taxi. It starts from $212 and is rated 4.75 from 799 reviews.
That one-way route is worth a thought if you are flying home from Agadir anyway. You see the Sahara and board its dunes, then finish on the coast for a beach day or a second session at Timlalin. Our page on the trip from Marrakech to Agadir covers the road and the timings.
Heat, cold and the month you go
Marrakech itself gets very hot. The World Meteorological Organization station there averages 22.3 days a year reaching 40 °C or more, 8.8 of them in July and 8.2 in August.4 Its mean daily maximum is 37.7 °C in July and 19.1 °C in January.16 A long drive in that heat, followed by a climb up a dune, is hard work.
The desert is colder than people expect in winter. At Errachidia, the nearest long-term station to Erg Chebbi, the January mean minimum is 2.0 °C and nights fall below 0 °C on 11.0 nights a year.1718 Between November and February, the 3-day tour this page recommends expects 0 °C to 5 °C at night in the desert and heats only its luxury tents.
The coast is milder all year. Spring and fall give you the best balance for any of the three options: tolerable heat in the city, warm days on the sand and nights that do not need a down jacket. Our page on the best month for sandboarding in Morocco sets out the coastal figures month by month.
Which option fits your trip
If you have several days and want the Sahara anyway, take the 3-day desert tour and treat the board as a bonus at camp. It puts you on a sand sea with star dunes over 100 m high without organizing anything yourself.6
If you have a night or two and want the sea, go to Essaouira and book the local sandboarding outing, or go on to Agadir or Taghazout where the choice of trips is much wider. The coast also suits families better, with shorter sessions, no overnight in a camp and a hotel bed at the end of the day. You can also repeat a session if the first afternoon is too windy.
If you are flying out of Agadir, the one-way desert tour that ends there lets you combine both worlds. Whatever you choose, check the cancellation terms: the tours on this page list free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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.
Is there anywhere to sandboard inside Marrakech?
Not in the city itself. Marrakech lies on the irrigated Haouz Plain; the nearest dunes are a drive away.5
What are the closest dunes to Marrakech for sandboarding?
The dunes near Essaouira. Essaouira is about 166 km from Marrakech in a straight line.1
Is sandboarding included on desert tours from Marrakech?
On some, yes. The most reviewed 3-day Merzouga tour lists sandboarding among its inclusions.
How far is the Sahara from Marrakech?
About 385 km to Erg Chebbi. That is our straight-line figure; the road crosses the High Atlas.3
Can I do a day trip from Marrakech to sandboard?
Only to the coast, with long drives. A full-day trip to Agadir lists 2.83 hours in the van each way.
When is it too hot to travel from Marrakech?
July and August. Marrakech averages 8.8 days at 40 °C or more in July and 8.2 in August.4
Are desert nights cold on a sandboarding tour?
Yes, in winter. The most reviewed 3-day Merzouga tour puts winter nights in the dunes, November to February, between 0 °C and 5 °C.
Sources
The sources for this guide
- 1World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: MARRAKECH, WMO 60230↩
- 2World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: MARRAKECH, WMO 60230↩
- 3World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: MARRAKECH, WMO 60230↩
- 4World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: MARRAKECH, WMO 60230↩
- 5Encyclopaedia BritannicaMarrakech↩
- 6NASA Photojournal (NASA/JPL, Terra ASTER)Star Dunes, Morocco (PIA26287)↩
- 7Encyclopaedia BritannicaAgadir↩
- 8Encyclopaedia BritannicaAgadir↩
- 9Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
- 10Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
- 11Encyclopaedia BritannicaEssaouira↩
- 12World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 13World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 14World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: AGADIR INEZGANNE, WMO 60250↩
- 15UNESCO World Heritage CentreMedina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)↩
- 16World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: MARRAKECH, WMO 60230↩
- 17World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: ERRACHIDIA, WMO 60210↩
- 18World Meteorological Organization (Climate Normals 1991-2020, archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information)Single station data sheet: ERRACHIDIA, WMO 60210↩
