Why start a tour in Agadir
Tours from Agadir suit a particular kind of trip: you are already on the Atlantic coast, probably on a beach holiday, and you want to see the Morocco that exists beyond the seafront. Agadir is a modern resort city — rebuilt entirely after the 1960 earthquake — with a long sheltered bay, reliable sunshine and very little that is old.
What makes it a good departure point is what surrounds it. The Anti-Atlas rises immediately inland. The argan forests of the Souss grow almost nowhere else on earth. Paradise Valley, Imouzzer and the Tafraoute massif are all half-day drives. And Marrakech, Essaouira and the edge of the Sahara are within reach of a two or three-day trip.
What leaves from here
- Paradise Valley and Imouzzer. A day inland into a palm-lined gorge with natural rock pools, stopping at a women’s argan cooperative on the way. The easiest possible break from the beach.
- Marrakech. Two days over the Atlas foothills to the medina, Jemaa el-Fna and the palaces, with a night in a riad rather than a rushed round trip.
- The desert. Three days south and east to the dunes at Zagora, through the Anti-Atlas and the Draa valley, which is the realistic Sahara option from this side of the country.
Every tour is private, so the pace is yours. If you would rather start somewhere else entirely, our Morocco tours cover the whole country.
When to come
Agadir is the mildest place in Morocco and works all year. It gets around 300 days of sunshine, summers are tempered by the Atlantic and rarely become oppressive, and winter days sit comfortably in the high teens and low twenties — which is why it fills with European visitors between November and March.
The one thing to know is that the coast and the interior behave differently. A pleasant 22°C on the beach can be 38°C two hours inland in summer, and a mild coastal winter night is close to freezing in a desert camp. Pack for both if your trip goes inland.
Getting here
Agadir–Al Massira Airport (AGA) takes direct flights from across Europe, and is about 25 minutes from the main hotel strip. We collect from the airport, from any hotel in Agadir or Taghazout, and from the Tamraght and Aourir surf villages just up the coast.
Frequently asked questions
Is Agadir a good base for exploring Morocco?
It is a good base for the south and west: Paradise Valley, the argan forests, Taroudant, Tafraoute and Essaouira are all easy from here, and Marrakech is a comfortable two-day trip. For the Sahara and the imperial cities, starting from Marrakech or Fes saves a lot of driving.
How far is Marrakech from Agadir?
About 250 kilometres, three hours by road on a good motorway. It can be done as a very long day trip, but two days with a night in the medina is a far better use of the journey.
Can you visit the Sahara desert from Agadir?
Yes. The realistic route runs south-east through the Anti-Atlas and the Draa valley to the dunes near Zagora, which needs three days. Merzouga, with the tall Erg Chebbi dunes, is much further and works better as part of a longer trip across the country.
What is Paradise Valley?
A gorge in the High Atlas foothills about an hour north-east of Agadir, where the Tamraght river has cut through rock to form a run of natural pools shaded by palms. It is the most popular half-day trip from the coast, and best in spring when the water is high.
Is Agadir suitable for a family beach and touring holiday?
Very much so. The bay is sheltered and shallow, the promenade is easy with children, and the inland trips are short enough that nobody spends a whole day in a vehicle. It is the least demanding part of Morocco to travel in with young children.
