Marrakech colorful souks
4.5
Marrakech colorful souks
By Marrakech Guided Experience
About
Whether you’re hunting photo opportunities or the perfect souvenir, a visit to Marrakech’s warren of souks is a must—but it’s easy to get lost in these colorful outdoor markets. Your local guide will keep you on track, steer you to the best artisans and shopkeepers, and shoo away the touts who can spoil an independent visit. Small-group tours run in the morning and afternoon: Upgrade for a private tour.
from per adult (price varies by group size)
$42.67
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-70
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: Arabic, German, English, Italian, French, Spanish
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Audio guide: English, French
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Written guide: Arabic, English, French
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
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Highlights
- Shop for spices, handicrafts, carpets, slippers, and more in Marrakech’s souks
- Local guide spares you the frustration of working with outdated paper maps
- Learn about Moroccan culture as you talk to artisans and stallholders
- Upgrade for a private tour tailored to your personal interests
- Local guide
- Professional guide
What's not included- Gratuities
- Drinks
- Departure details
- Hôtel Restaurant Café de France, J2G7+G2G jamaa el-fnna، Rue des Banques, مراكش 40000, Morocco THE MEETING WILL BE IN FRONT OF CAFE DE FRANCE IN JAMAA LAFNA SQUARE.
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 75237P2- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 75237P2
Reserve your spot
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- You'll start atHôtel Restaurant Café de FranceJ2G7+G2G jamaa el-fnna، Rue des Banques, مراكش 40000, MoroccoTHE MEETING WILL BE IN FRONT OF CAFE DE FRANCE IN JAMAA LAFNA SQUARE.See address & details
- Pass byBen Youssef MadrasaSaadian TombsKoutoubia MosqueJemaa el-FnaaMarrakech RampartsJemaa el-FnaaJardin MajorelleLa PalmeraieRahba Kedima SquareBahia PalaceBab AgnaouMarrakech Guided Experience
- You'll return to the starting point
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About the operator
- 920elliem00Great for day 1We really enjoyed the tour- it’s a great thing to do on day 1 of your trip so you can get a feel for the medina and get your whereabouts. First stop was the palace, then we walked over to the university. Our tour guide was really lovely and funny
- albertonyc100A must do tour of Marrakech Culture!Abdel was just AMAZING, very knowledgeable, perfect English and adapted to my needs of doing things a little faster. I highly recommend him and the service/tour
- beavercarr8600Great tour from a great local guideWe met our guide Karib? at the Jemaa el-Fnaa, as planned. He was early and waiting for us - we took his punctuality as a great first impression. From the outset, our guide was friendly and welcoming. He had a wealth of knowledge about Marrakech and its long history. He took time to talk at length about famous landmarks history and things you would not usually find out by exploring on your own. He gave us great advice about local restaurants and other local sites worth visiting. As it was a private guided tour, I felt we got the benefit of this, rather than being in a large group. We would highly recommend to anyone visiting Marrakech for the first time as a great way to discover the city and learn a lot about the interesting history.
- jeffd18700Always a good start to a new cityIt was a nice tour. Great getting a tour personalized so you don’t waste time with things you’re less interested in. The one recommended is to not, under any circumstance enter a rug shop unless you’re interested. That can easily be an hour lost. Saw some aspects of town the large group tours don’t show. Recommended
- Escape6798618603400Best tour guide!We would 100% recommend! Our tour guide was very friendly, informative and made sure we felt comfortable at all times. The tour lasted for 3 hours and was very enjoyable. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience
- Tigr_Ldy00Take them!Mohammed worked with our specific wants and made sure we were taken to a few "the real part of Marrakesh" souks besides the main historical sites with added personal insight. His guide, Hassan, was friendly and knowledgeable. I definitely recommend them for the private guide. It isn't much more money but worth it!
- Michelle O00Good introduction to fascinating cityGood introduction to fascinating city. Well worth booking this tour early into holiday to familiarise yourself with the city and its history. Will take you to parts of city you probably wouldn't find by yourself. Tour guide was excellent, tour length was just right, any longer and you would be flagging. Well worth it.
- Jules C00Marrakech by night, private tour with IsmailIsmail as our private guide was fabulous. He was interesting, knowledgeable and fun. He went at our pace and answered our questions. He also took us to places and areas of Marrakech we certainly wouldn't of seen. He brought the city alive and made it a great evening and experience. Would highly recommend. Many thanks Ismail. Julian and Fiona from Exeter, Devon UK
- casperdoggy00A great intro to the cityGuide was very knowledgeable (though sometimes spoke a little too fast) and kept the energy and interest. A great intro to Marrakesh - I'd go again.
- lynndV938PN00Highly recommendedGreat cultural tour . Abdul our guide was fabulous. Shared the history of his city with passion. We never felt rushed - Would recommend
- T3509DHpatriciaf00Good, however could be more customised with less shopping if suitableWhile we did visit the historical sites as planned, there was a lot more wondering through Souks than expected. Visiting the chosen herbologist however was very interesting. Our guide was approachable and friendly. It would perhaps have been better if we were able to customise more (we had already spent several hours exploring the sook)
- acliddell00Highly recommendFantastic tour! did it with my 3 boys aged 19, 16 and 8. Our guide was great and completely flexed around what we wanted to do. Good mix of history and interesting things to look at and see. Highly recommend
- nsander21900Interesting Circular TourWe chose this tour to acquaint some of our party with Marrakech at night. This tour achieved that. As outlined in the tour description we met our guide at Cafe de France (there are a number of tours starting from that spot. Our guide was Muhammed and was good and quite flexible about itineray as we progressed. We walked around the edge of Djemaa El Fna square, which is bonkers at night, towards the Koutoubia Mosque (you cannot enter). Lots of information on its history and construction were given. We then walked into the Souk via some winding back alleys. Our experience of this area include a stop at a street cafe, nut tasting and olive tasting with a final stop overlooking the square for mint tea. The Street food stop at Hamid's Moroccan Diner was great - Energy Soup and a selection of sweet and savoury pancakes washed down with mint tea. Recommended. Good tour with a good guide.
- eatallthefoodman00Ismail was friendly and informedWell worth it. We had the private tour at 7pm. The market was very lively and Ismail helped us navigate through it as well as keeping people away from us who kept pestering us. He showed us the street games and got us playing them which was nice. He was very well informed and showed us around a wide area including some of the old town stalls, recommending certain eateries on the way (which we visited the next day and were fantastic). We tried olives and nuts and then he stayed with us to try lots of different street foods on the stalls in the town square. The next day we went in our own and it helped us know what was what and how to act. Massive thanks! Just 100% worth it
- Vanessa H00Enjoyable day visiting the medina, souk and historical sights of MarrakeshMohamed was a very knowledgeable guide and showed us the hidden sights and sounds of the medina - things we would have missed if we were on our own. The whole day was incredibly interesting and I would highly recommend.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
265 reviews
Excellent
213
Very good
42
Average
6
Poor
3
Terrible
1
Paul G
6 contributions
Pleasant stroll around the souks with Abdel our guide.
We met at Cafe de France in the Medina.
A few dirhams are probably worth taking to tip some of the stall holders who do some small demonstrations and we were also taken to a shop selling Argen oil and spices.
We met at Cafe de France in the Medina.
A few dirhams are probably worth taking to tip some of the stall holders who do some small demonstrations and we were also taken to a shop selling Argen oil and spices.
Written November 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
claire e
2 contributions
Sep 2022
With this kind of tour you need to accept that the guide will be pushing you towards certain sellers that they have agreements with, which is understandable. However, a member of my group was an experienced haggler and our guide would step in to interrupt the conversation she was having with the seller and prevent the price from lowering. So keep that in mind if you plan to buy something! It may be worth it for you to make a note of the stand location and go back and purchase your item on your own, uninterrupted. We had a lovely time negotiating with sellers on our own, so this was really an issue specific to being in a tour group with this guide. Ultimately, being scammed of a little money is just part of being a tourist, but you can give this tour a skip and explore solo, as there was not a notable amount of history or backstory that you can’t get from non souk tours.
Written February 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mohamed B
Hello,
This review is posted on the wrong page, we didn't had any experience with this customer.
We are very disappointed to receive that review, it will affect badly our services.
Thank you
Written February 12, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PHI
Fleet, UK145 contributions
My wife and I were interested in learning more about the souks of Marrakech, and having been recommended this tour, we were not left disappointed!
Mohamed, our tour guide, accompanied us around the souks, giving us a fascinating insight into the trading history of Marrakech, and the rich culture of artisan trades kept alive in the city by its talented craftspeople.
We visited several artisan trades ranging from shoemakers, to blacksmiths, to spice merchants to book binders, and their stories created a rich cultural patchwork which gave so much context and meaning for our visit into the souks.
Mohammed our tour guide was a wonderful host, very calm and supportive with lots of interesting stories to share. He has a real passion for Marrakech and is a great ambassador for the artisan trades which make for such an authentic travelling experience.
Lastly I would ask the readers of this if they book on the tour to ask Mohamed to show you the best roast lamb in town - the perfect end to the tour and you will not be disappointed....!
Mohamed, our tour guide, accompanied us around the souks, giving us a fascinating insight into the trading history of Marrakech, and the rich culture of artisan trades kept alive in the city by its talented craftspeople.
We visited several artisan trades ranging from shoemakers, to blacksmiths, to spice merchants to book binders, and their stories created a rich cultural patchwork which gave so much context and meaning for our visit into the souks.
Mohammed our tour guide was a wonderful host, very calm and supportive with lots of interesting stories to share. He has a real passion for Marrakech and is a great ambassador for the artisan trades which make for such an authentic travelling experience.
Lastly I would ask the readers of this if they book on the tour to ask Mohamed to show you the best roast lamb in town - the perfect end to the tour and you will not be disappointed....!
Written November 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChefCliveM
London, UK2,112 contributions
Visit Marrakesh, as an absolute must, is the visit the souks from the place Jemaa el Fna or The Medina. One word of warning you need to be prepared. The souks are crowded and can be very intimidating to some as traders often step out and try and talk you into buying merchandise from their store and they always start at quite a high price. Don’t negotiate with sterling dollars or euros just the local currency dirhams. Most of the time I negotiated less than half price and don’t be afraid of just walking away because the trader will normally follow you asking you to meet him halfway. The area is colourful, vibrant exciting and challenging. Be careful of your bags and your phones and if you visit at night time you will enjoy the colourful views of the market stalls and the wonderful smells from the food stalls. Don’t take any pictures of the snakes or the monkeys because the handlers gophers will rush after you and demand money.
Written March 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trowster68
13 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
We had a wonderful morning getting lost in the winding aromatic streets of the Medina Souks. Our guide Aziz immersed us into life in the Souks; the people, their working lives, how they lived how they ate. He didn’t try and force the history of the area on us but was always ready to add context if you wanted it. He had excellent relationships with some local traders but you never felt this was pressed on you, more that those relationships helped provide the narrative for the tour. I was particularly grateful to Aziz as we’d found some purchases that we liked and as it was our first day we hadn’t got our Dirham so he negotiated with the traders to return later with our cash…thankfully the ATM (cow) provided the milk he required at the end of the tour!! Thank you Aziz!!!
Written April 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neale1810
Kingston-upon-Hull, UK2,699 contributions
We’ve just finished our afternoon tour of the Souqs with Mohammed and have had an excellent time.
We met in front of the Cafe de France (careful as there are other trips starting from the same location) and started the tour from there with Mohammed and another couple from Belgium.
We were shown not only the shops and stores in the souqs but also the trades represented there - great to see carpets and metal lamps being made in the back streets. It wasn’t a shopping trip as such (but I’m sure you can shop if you ask) but more of an education of the area, it’s history and it’s people.
At 3 hours it’s a long walk although you are sheltered from the direct sun much if the time. Mohammed gave a great commentary without bombarding us with too much unnecessary detail. We stopped for tea at the half time point which was nice.
Overall it gave us an excellent insight into the souqs and meshed well with the tour of the gardens, mosques and palace we did in the morning.
We met in front of the Cafe de France (careful as there are other trips starting from the same location) and started the tour from there with Mohammed and another couple from Belgium.
We were shown not only the shops and stores in the souqs but also the trades represented there - great to see carpets and metal lamps being made in the back streets. It wasn’t a shopping trip as such (but I’m sure you can shop if you ask) but more of an education of the area, it’s history and it’s people.
At 3 hours it’s a long walk although you are sheltered from the direct sun much if the time. Mohammed gave a great commentary without bombarding us with too much unnecessary detail. We stopped for tea at the half time point which was nice.
Overall it gave us an excellent insight into the souqs and meshed well with the tour of the gardens, mosques and palace we did in the morning.
Written November 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Estes
Ashland, OR14 contributions
Sep 2021 • Solo
Highly recommend this experience! As a solo traveler, I was anxious about entering the souks on my own but didn’t want to miss the the sights, sounds, and colors. I was able to see a lot - to be honest, there is a sales presentation in the markets, but the guide made it clear I wasn’t under pressure to buy anything, and I was able to learn a lot about how the products are made. In addition, he he shared a ton of information about the history and culture of Morocco, and I saw lots of spaces I would never have entered on my own. I felt safe and comfortable. Highly recommend if you are looking for a guided shopping experience, or if like myself you just want to take it all in.
Written September 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ian C
Palma de Mallorca, Spain12 contributions
Mar 2023
What did I enjoy?... Well if you like feeling pushed and shoved, buying cheap and mass produced (overpriced) goods, being cheated out of your money, breathing in exhaust fumes, having monkeys and snakes thrown at you, seeing tortoises kept on their backs to encourage you to help them (then pay for touching them) , I guess you would enjoy Marrakech and its souks.
Personally, i didn't enjoy this. Like most of Marrakech, things have changed over the last 5 years. Now its expensive and you come away feeling cheated.
I strongly recommend keeping a handful of 10 dirham coins on you, you can tell the cheats that this is all you have, Seriously, if they open a door for you or help you down a step, or they encourage their monkey onto you, YOU HAVE TO PAY!!!
Personally, i didn't enjoy this. Like most of Marrakech, things have changed over the last 5 years. Now its expensive and you come away feeling cheated.
I strongly recommend keeping a handful of 10 dirham coins on you, you can tell the cheats that this is all you have, Seriously, if they open a door for you or help you down a step, or they encourage their monkey onto you, YOU HAVE TO PAY!!!
Written March 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mohamed B
This review is posted by mistake on the wrong page.
We didn't had any experience with this customer.
We invite the technical support to solve this problem.
Thank you
Written March 9, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Arturcor79
Aveiro, Portugal1,066 contributions
I just don't give it 5 stars, because of the dirt and sometimes nauseating smells, but one of the must-see sights for anyone visiting Marrakech. It is one of those tours that we must do with an accredited guide (they recognize each other through a badge they wear around their necks) and I will leave the contact of ours, who speaks Arabic, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish, fluently, in addition to being a connoisseur of all Moroccan history, as well as Arab and African, Yussef (+212672911257). Full of labyrinthine paths, full of cafes and shops for everything and anything, you really immerse yourself in the tradition and day-to-day life of Marrakech. Get ready to think you made a bad deal at any time, but you never lose a lot of money, it will always be between 2 to 3 €uros. I strongly recommend to buy anything that are souvenirs and take comfortable shoes...
Written September 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary O
1 contribution
Mar 2020
Thanks to Md Aziz for a really informative tour of the souks. It was meant to be 3 hours but ended up being 4, we visited several of the surrounding streets as well as a few shops (carpet, leather and herbalists). If there's somewhere you particularly want to visit, just mention it to your guide.
Written March 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Philipritzy
8 contributions
What time is the tour starting? Is there a morning or an afternoon tour? We’ll be there in April and would like to do a food tour in the afternoon. Thank you.
andreaJ9341YI
Doral, FL2 contributions
The pass by mean that no enter to the attractions?
Dream779126
1 contribution
The question is totally unclear.
Explore60050419130
Rosny-sous-Bois, France
Bonjour je recherche un baume pour le psoriasis du cuir chevelu merci de me renseigner
HumberHen
Grimsby, UK52 contributions
Hi there
Try Koutoubia herbs on Rue Lakssour no 45. We went as part of the colourful souks tour. They are very knowledgeable and sell a huge range of herbs lotions and oils. We bought some oils and can recommend them.
Shandamarie F
1 contribution
Does this include a visit to the Saadian Tombs?
Frazer87
14 contributions
No it didn’t
Alison B
Bothwell, UK33 contributions
I am staying in Agadir on holiday. Do you make your own way to Marrakech for this trip or can you get picked up from your hotel and brought back? Many thanks.
Nicola
Andover, UK12 contributions
no, you have to make your own way. We only found the meeting point because we Google mapped it first. It was our first time and we didn't want to ask for directions (as people expect money) but it wasn't difficult.
Hello, I am intrested in visiting the souks... if i join your tour. Where is the meeting point? I'll be staying near menara mall
Nicola
Andover, UK12 contributions
Cafe de France. it's a tall building with a big sign, so it's easy to spot. it's in the main square.
MVJ
12 contributions
Hey there, do you also offer that tour incl.shuttle from and to Essaouira ? Thank you very much!
Véronique B
Cote d'Or, France76 contributions
Bonjour, je ne sais pas si ce circuit avec la navette se passe aussi bien, puisque je l'ai fait en privé avec Arcencieltour. Je pense qu'avec la navette, vous devrez vous arrêter voir les chèvres dans les arbres, et à la fabrique d'huile d'argan, mais je n'en suis pas certaine. Dans le cas où la navette vous arrête sur ces 2 sites, sachez que si vous voulez prendre des photos des chèvres, vous devrez donner des dirhams et à la fabrique, on vous incitera à acheter. A Essaouira, on vous imposera un horaire de retour. Comme nous ne voulions pas ces contraintes, nous avons préféré une agence de transport touristique privée. Bonne journée.
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Marrakech colorful souks provided by Marrakech Guided Experience
Product Overview: Marrakech colorful souks
Prices From | $43 |
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Number of Reviews | 265 |
Number of Photos | 286 |
Duration | 180 minutes |