Full day
Taroudant and Tiout: Walled City, Souks and a Kasbah Lunch
A walled town with seven kilometres of red earth ramparts, two souks and far fewer visitors than Marrakech, followed by lunch on a hill above the Tiout palm grove.
- Duration
- Approx. 8.5 hours
- Languages
- English / French
- Getting there
- Hotel pickup
- Group size
- Up to 30 people
The experience
About this trip
Taroudant sits inland from Agadir, in the Souss Valley, and it wears the same red mud walls as Marrakech on a smaller scale. The circuit runs for about seven kilometres and the old caravan gates are still standing. The day takes roughly eight and a half hours, which keeps it easy rather than exhausting.
On the way out we stop where the argan trees grow and the goats feed standing upright in the branches. In town the guide walks you along the ramparts and into the two souks, which trade in silver, leather and hand-knotted carpets. Prices here tend to sit below what you would pay in Agadir, and bargaining is part of the exchange.
From Taroudant the road climbs to Tiout, where lunch is served at a kasbah on the hill with the whole palm grove below: tajine, couscous, fruit in season and mint tea. Afterwards a local guide takes you through the oasis, past the old irrigation channels that feed around three thousand palms, and you can ride a donkey through the shade if you want to. We are back on the coast by late afternoon.
Why this one
Highlights
- Walk the seven kilometres of red ramparts around Taroudant
- Browse two souks known for silver, leather and carpets
- Berber lunch at a hilltop kasbah above Tiout
- A guided walk through a palm grove of about 3,000 trees
- Optional donkey ride along the old irrigation channels
- A stop for the tree-climbing goats in the argan scrub
Your day
How the day runs
08:30 Hotel pickup
We collect you from your hotel in Agadir or Taghazout and head inland.
09:15 The tree-climbing goats
A stop where the goats feed upright in the argan branches, which is worth a photograph.
11:00 The ramparts
You reach Taroudant and walk a stretch of the red earth walls and the old gates.
12:00 The souks
Into the two markets, where the stalls sell silver, leather and hand-woven carpets.
13:30 Lunch at the kasbah
Up to Tiout for a meal on the hill, with the palm grove spread out below.
14:30 The palm oasis
A guided walk among roughly three thousand palms, past the channels that water them.
15:30 Donkey ride, optional
A ride through the groves in the shade, arranged locally if you want it.
16:00 The drive back
A scenic run through the Souss Valley and its orange groves.
17:00 Drop-off
Back at your accommodation in Agadir or Taghazout.
What is included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off (Agadir, Taghazout & Tamraght)
- Travel by air-conditioned minibus
- Guide for the day
- Lunch of tajine and couscous at the kasbah
- Seasonal fruit and mint tea
What to bring
- Shoes for walking on uneven ground
- Sun cream and a hat
- Water
- Cash for the souks and the donkey ride
Know before you go
- Lunch of tajine and couscous is included
- The donkey ride at Tiout is paid locally
- The day runs about 8.5 hours in total
- Expect to bargain in the Taroudant souks
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Why do people call Taroudant Little Marrakech?
It has the same red walls, gates and working souks as Marrakech, on a smaller scale and with far fewer visitors. The pace is calmer and you are not queuing for anything.
Is lunch included?
Yes. Tajine and couscous are served at a kasbah in Tiout with a view over the palms, followed by fruit in season and mint tea.
What is there to see at Tiout?
A village sitting in a grove of about three thousand palms. A local guide walks you through it and explains the old irrigation system. There is an optional donkey ride as well.
How long is the day?
About eight and a half hours. Pickup is at 08:30 and you are back at your hotel near 17:00.
What should I bring?
Comfortable shoes, sun cream, a hat, water and cash for the souks and the donkey ride.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes. We collect and return guests in Agadir, Taghazout and Tamraght.
Ready when you are
Book Taroudant and Tiout: Walled City, Souks and a Kasbah Lunch
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