Morocco · HORSE RIDING IN ESSAOUIRA
Every Moroccan trip has a day too few. These 12 horse riding in Essaouira justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get on with the rest of it.
Ride for one hour from Ranch de Diabat, about 3 kilometres south of Essaouira. Guides such as Khalid, Hassan, and Hassim match horses and pace to your ability, from a quiet walk through dunes to a beach canter. Pickup is arranged near Bab Marrakech, and lockers plus guide-taken photos make the outing easy.
“Professional stables with very helpful staff. Lovely estuary, beach, scrubland trek.”
Travel from Marrakech to Essaouira in an air-conditioned minibus, with hotel pickup, a stop at an argan oil cooperative, and about four hours to explore the port, medina, beach, shops, and optional camel, horse, or quad rides. Drivers such as Hakim, Bijad, Idriss, and Amin are praised for friendly, careful service.
“The driver was so lovely and amazing. He really took care of us. He has the best playlist too that’s also a win. Definitely do recommend, he is absolutely wonderful”
Leave Essaouira by hotel pickup for a two-hour horseback ride through forest, dunes, and Atlantic beach. Beginners receive a short lesson, while confident riders can trot, canter, or gallop on the sand. Guides such as Med and Karim are praised for patient instruction, careful horse handling, and a calm approach to nervous riders.
“This tour made our Essaouira stay sooo much better! Horses are beautiful and the way they are taken care of is on a whole another level :) Our guide Med was helpful and knowledgeable, so much so that we even galloped for the first time ever! We booked them for the second day as well, for a sunset ride, just because we had so much fun the first day. Cannot recommend them enough!”
Ride for two hours from Diabat with Cheval Essaouira, passing the Sultan’s palace, eucalyptus woods, dunes, and a broad wild beach. Calm horses suit beginners, while experienced riders may trot or gallop with a guide. Small groups are offered, and guides such as Mohamed, Youssef, and Ayoub have helped riders at mixed skill levels.
“Merci pour ce super moment, les guides étaient top, plusieurs guide car plusieurs niveaux durant la balade, ce qui nous a permis de faire de joli galop sur la plage au couché de soleil, et un guide au top qui nous a pris en photo et filmé pour immortaliser cette super balade”
You’ll ride from Diabat with a small group of up to 10, guided in Arabic, English, or French. Expect wide beaches, sea views, sand dunes, and Mimosa and Tuja forest. Mustapha, Ismael, and Hassan have guided recent rides. Beginners receive an introduction, and experienced riders may canter on the beach.
“Une expérience formidable! Mon mari et moi n’étant jamais monté à cheval, nous avons été encadrés pendant deux heures par Mustapha et Ismael qui ont su nous mettre en confiance et nous faire profiter pleinement de ce moment inoubliable. Ils ont pris de magnifiques photos et vidéos de l’excursion et du coucher de soleil. Les animaux du ranch de Diabat sont bien traités, merci à nos montures Amir et Yamrousi pour leur gentillesse 😉”
Ride for about an hour from Diabat on an Arabian-Barb horse, following a professional guide beside Essaouira’s Atlantic beach before returning through eucalyptus and mimosa forest. Hotel transfers from select Essaouira locations are included. Morning rides begin at 9:00, and departures run until sunset. Maximum rider weight is 90 kg.
“My tour guide Ayoub was amazing today 😆 I had a wonderful time riding the horse and Ayoub always made sure I was enjoying the experience💯 I hope to do this tour again soon😊 highly suggested !!!!!”
Ride from Essaouira to Diabat on a reliable Arabian-Berber horse, crossing broad beaches, sand dunes, ocean viewpoints, and sparse mimosa and thuja forest. A French or Arabic-speaking instructor matches horses to ability and may include a supervised canter for experienced riders. Pickup, drop-off, and horse rental are included.
“It was a great excursion, I loved every moment of it. The Ranch is beautiful. the horses well-kept and the service was top! Our guide Khalid made sure that we would ride in safety and was attentive and helpful all through the ride. We were given horses according to our level of experience and we all felt satisfied (from beginners to experts). The trail in the dunes and on the beach is wonderful and the 2-hour ride flew! Totally recommended *****”
Ride from Diabat across Essaouira’s beach and dunes on an Arabian-Barb horse with a professional guide. The route passes the sea, eucalyptus and mimosa forest, and may reach the water. Morning and sunset departures are available, with helmets, small groups, and transfers from designated points included.
“Our visit to Ranch de Diabat was both disappointing and unsafe. During the ride, my daughter’s horse suddenly dropped and rolled twice while she was still mounted. She jumped off just in time, avoiding serious injury. Later, the same horse tried to bolt after galloping horses Read more”
Ride for two hours from Diabat with guides such as Mohammed, Jamal, or Hassan, crossing beach, dunes, eucalyptus forest, and the Sultan’s palace area. Calm horses suit beginners, while experienced riders may trot or gallop on the beach. Groups are limited to five, with private rides available.
“El chico que nos guio fue super atento y agradable durante toda la caminata. Recomendable 100%, repetiriamos sin duda.”
Travel from Marrakech to Essaouira by air-conditioned minivan or minibus, stopping at an argan oil cooperative before several hours in the old Medina, harbor, ramparts, fish market, and beach. Optional 20-minute camel, horse, or quad rides are available. Drivers speak Arabic, English, or French, with names such as Alae, Faysal, and Astar noted for some departures.
“You get what you pay for. The transportation was average but it had very good AC, essential for such hot days. For the amount of hours we spent on the road we should have been able to spend more time in Essaouira. The beach town is beautiful.”
Ride from Diabat on an Arabian-Barb horse with a professional guide. The route follows Essaouira’s beach to dunes and a small fishing village, then returns through eucalyptus and mimosa forest. You can ride at a calm pace, or trot and gallop if your ability allows. Hotel pickup, helmets, equipment, and transport are included.
“It was a beautiful activity and great way to see the beaches. Id recommend it if youve ridden a few times. I am not the best rider, but managed. Read more on my blog.”
Spend one hour on a calm Barb Arabian horse near Essaouira. Your Arabic- or French-speaking guide adjusts the pace to your skill, from a gentle walk to a beach gallop. The route passes the old sultan’s palace ruins and offers views toward Mogador Island. Guide Mustafa has been praised for his patience and photos, though quad bikes may share part of the route.
“Une expérience magique du début à la fin ! 🐎 Nous avons fait une randonnée à cheval au couché du soleil avec notre guide Mustafa, et c’était tout simplement incroyable. Tout s’est parfaitement bien passé : les chevaux étaient calmes et bien entretenus, le parcours magnifique, et Mustafa a été d’une grande gentillesse, très attentif et passionné. 🌞 Le couché du soleil a rendu l’expérience encore plus belle et unique — un moment suspendu dans le temps, rempli de sérénité et d’émotion. 💛 Un souvenir inoubliable que je recommande à 100 % à tous les amoureux de nature et d’aventure. Merci Mustafa pour cette balade hors du temps ! 🌿✨”
Pick a dune, a medina, a valley or a hammam.
