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Morocco Horse Riding Holiday

This listing has one of the 10 most popular offers available in in Morocco

If you're looking for a short break with guaranteed sunshine combining the discovery of the countryside and a cavalcade along the Atlantic coast, this horse trail is for you! Two nights will be spent in a camp under a Moroccan tent, one in the countryside, and one at the seaside, far from the city so that you'll feel like you're in a different world!

Key information

  • Riders Weight Limit: 85 kilograms / 188 pounds
  • Horse Breed: Barb-Arabic Stallions (about 1.55m height)
  • Tack type: English saddles

Meet the instructors

Najib
Read more

Highlights

  • 3 horse riding days
  • Approximate daily riding time: 5 to 6 hours
  • Discover the countryside and ride along the Atlantic coast and its long deserted beaches
  • Daily breakfast and all meals during the trail are included
  • Visit a women's cooperative of argan oïl
  • Enjoy a canter on the beach
  • Roundtrip airport transfers
  • 4 nights accommodation

Skill level

  • Beginner
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced

Styles


3 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Arabic, French
Group size: 2-10 participants
Airport transfer available:
Agadir–Al Massira Airport (US$ 22 per person)
Airport transfer included: Marrakesh Menara Airport
Airport transfer included: Essaouira-Mogador Airport
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Accommodation

Your first and last nights will be spent in a riad in Essaouira, while your second and third nights will be in a camp in two different spots with hot water/shower and toilets at your disposal. The camp during the trail is on a high-standard level (pleasant dining tent, shower tent with hot water, chemical loo in a separate tent). There is a possibility to sleep in groups under the big Moroccan tent or isolated in igloo tents. Foam mattresses are supplied but you will need to bring a sleeping bag and camping pillow. There will be no electricity at the camp nights in tents at wild spots.

Horse Riding Center in Essaouira

Zouina Cheval welcomes you all year long in its facilities and offers to make you discover horse riding and camel riding with its instructors and guides who know the horses and camels perfectly. For both horse and camel rides, horse riding holidays, quad biking, or hiking, Zouina Cheval will welcome you in a pleasant setting where men, horses, camels, and dogs live in complete harmony. If you do not want to ride and prefer to wait for your family or friends at the stables, you will enjoy the shady patio.

The riding center has a pleasant setting and quality facilities. For horse riding, you will pass through the saddlery upon arrival and Zouina Cheval will provide you with helmets and mini-chaps for your safety and comfort. The center provides helmets of any size (for children and adults). You are recommended to ride with closed shoes like trainers (avoid smooth soles) and trousers (flip flops and shorts should be avoided).

Program

You will have a stop during the trail to visit a women's cooperative of argan oil and taste the local products. One of the highlights of the trail will be the long gallops on the beach, the dream of each rider! To relax before and after the trail, sleep for two nights in a charming riad in Essaouira.

Horse Riding Holidays

Horse treks are usually recommended for intermediate and experienced riders. Beginners are welcome on Zouina Cheval's short treks but the longer riding holidays should be avoided due to the related physical fatigue. If you are a beginner and would like to experience horse trekking, you are recommended to start gently with a two-day/one-night trek.

To take full advantage of your trek, you must be reasonably fit and in good health. To avoid irritations such as chafing, blisters, and bruising, you are recommended to get in the saddle regularly in the weeks leading up to your trek and that you wear good quality riding jodhpurs.

Children are welcome but they must be accompanied and supervised at all times by a parent or guardian. They must be over 14 years of age and good riders and also must be capable of spending long hours in the saddle. Zouina Cheval reminds you that helmets are obligatory for under 18s; if you have a riding helmet, please bring it along.

Day 1

Arrive at the airport, either in Essaouira (20 minutes), Marrakesh (Marrakech) (3 hours) or Agadir (3.5 hours), and you will be transferred to your riad in Essaouira for your overnight stay. Enjoy dinner (not included) with your fellow riders and discuss the trail ahead, afterward, spend the night in the riad.

Day 2

Meet at 9:45 a.m. at the riad and transfer to the stables (15 minutes). Have your first contact with the staff and horses in Diabat then depart. You will first ride along a river or oued to reach the village of El Ghazoua that you will cross, then, you will travel through the Moroccan countryside passing on small paths and crossing argan tree forests on your way. Lunch is prepared by the cook and served in a field.

After some rest, you will go back in the saddle and take the direction to Argana where the first camp is located. You will cross several traditional Berber villages; visit a women's cooperative of argan oil and have a tasting of local products (oil, honey, and amlou). You will spend the night under the oldest and largest argan tree in the area; spend the night in a tent.

Day 2 (Alternative for Beginners)

Meeting at 9:45 a.m. at the riad and transfer to the stables (15 minutes). Have your first contact with the staff and horses in Diabat then depart. You will first ride along a river or oued to reach the village of El Ghazoua that you will cross, then, you will travel through the Moroccan countryside passing on small paths and crossing argan tree forests on your way. Lunch is prepared by our cook and served in a field.

After some rest, you will go back in the saddle and take the direction of the small village of Sidi Kaouki. To do so, you will cross several small Berber villages and forests. You will arrive in Sidi Kaouki by the upper side which dominates the sea and the long beach. Arrive at the camp in the late afternoon.

After a good snack and some mint tea, you may enjoy the beach. The evening meal will be served in a traditional tent and prepared by the cook and spend the night in camp.

Day 3

Through the countryside, you will continue the trail across small Berber villages, valleys, and fields. The ground is full of beautiful colors in this area. You will have lunch near a place called "The Source" where the horses can drink. The afternoon will show you other Berber villages but the ground is now changing and becomes sandier, as you have taken the direction of the ocean and cascades of Sidi Embark.

The view of the sea between the dunes is magnificent. You will then arrive on the beach and enjoy galloping. The views will mix cliffs and beaches and you will finally arrive in the late afternoon at the camp located in Sidi Kaouki; spend the night in a tent.

Day 3 (Alternative for Beginners)

After a breakfast with view on the beach, you will begin the trail. Go along beautiful desert beaches and huge sand dunes. You will cross a small very picturesque fishing village. You will take the direction of the natural cascades of Sidi Embark where you will have lunch. The cascades flow directly into the sea.

After lunch (2-hour break and time for swimming), you will go back to Sidi Kaouki by the beaches or by the fields and small villages along the beaches. Arrive at the camp based in Sidi Kaouki in the mid-afternoon. You will have some time to swim before dinner and spend the night in a tent.

Day 4

After a generous breakfast taken in front of the ocean, you will go back in the saddle and ride along the beach towards Essaouira. In the second part of Sidi Kaouki, you will see the Marabout. You will then cross huge sand dunes that are unique to the region, enjoying at the same time, some gallops. You will cross a small fishing village and then take the direction of a small Berber village on a cliff facing the Atlantic.

After a picnic in a small creek where you can swim, you will go towards the lighthouse of Cap Sim, then, you will take a small sandy path and go down the dunes. You will have the feeling to be in the desert but the sea is just behind them. You will see some very small fishing villages on the beachside.

After some gallops on the beach, you will enter the forest of eucalyptus and mimosas located between the beach and Diabat and see the ruins of the former palace of the Sultan. Arrive at the stables in the late afternoon and transfer to Essaouira; spend the night in the riad have dinner (not included).

Day 5

Meet at the riad and transfer to the airport in Essaouira (20 minutes), Marrakesh/Marrakech (3 hours) or Agadir (3.5 hours).

Included with Zouina Cheval

  • High standard level in the camps during the trek (pleasant dining tent, shower tent with hot water, chemical loo in a separate tent).
  • Possibility to sleep in groups under the big Moroccan tent or isolated in igloo tents. The camp is moved on each day. Foam mattresses are supplied but you will need to bring a sleeping bag and camping pillow.
  • At lunch, the meals will be served by the cook (except on the last day where there is a picnic) in the shade. The break is long enough to recover. Bottles of water are provided daily by the staff.
  • Saddlebags will be provided to keep personal equipment (camera, sun cream, etc.) during the rides. Transportation of materials and equipment with a support vehicle. You will have access to your luggage each day for lunch (except on the last day).

The Horses

All of Zouina Cheval's horses are Arab-Barbs perfectly adapted for the Moroccan paths. They are surefooted and at ease on both the beaches of the Atlantic coast or the narrow, steep paths of the Atlas. The Arab-Barbs are gentle by nature and wish to be neither beaten nor threatened, they prefer to be ridden with care and respect. The horses are not castrated in accordance with Islam religion.

The stallions all have their own character but are nevertheless gentle and adapt their behavior according to each rider and are very docile with children and beginners; it’s a pleasure to ride them! Our stables, located in Diabat, at 3 km from Essaouira, are a pleasant and welcome environment for your comfort and that of the horses. All the horses are in individual spacious stalls, well-sheltered from the sun and wind, allowing them to relax between two rides.

Included excursions

  • 3 days on horseback (1.5 days in the countryside and 1.5 days on the beachside)
  • Visit and tasting of an argan oïl cooperative on Day 2

What you will like

  • Horse riding holiday to do with family and/or friends (Accessible from 12 years old for riders and from 14 years old for beginners)
  • A horse trek suitable for all riding levels
  • A horse trail running all year long from two participants
  • The tough and gentle Arab-barb horses
  • A trek mixing one day and a half in the countryside and one day and a half on the Atlantic coast and its beaches to show you different landscapes
  • The nights in camp in Argana and Sidi Kaouki
  • Swimming with the horses between May and September
  • Canter on the beach

Instructors

Najib Es-Samlaly

Location

Nights one and four will be in a charming riad at the old medina of Essaouira. You will have some free time before and after the trail to discover the charm of Essaouira, its shops and its fortifications.

Nights two and three will be at a camp in the countryside and on the seaside, in the surroundings of Essaouira.

The departure and end of the horse trail will be from the stables, located in Diabat, a small Berber village located at three kilometers from Essaouira.

Food

All the meals will be prepared by a Moroccan cook; he will make you discover the tasty local dishes including tagines, couscous, Moroccan salads, etc.

The following meals are included:

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Snacks
  • Drinks

The following drinks are included:

  • Water
  • Coffee
  • Tea

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten Free
  • Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
  • Hallal
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

Things to do (optional)

Quad Biking Tour in Essaouira

Quad biking with departure from Diabat, a small Berber village three kilometers from Essaouira. Notice to the thrill-seekers: Zouina Cheval also offers quad biking tours to discover the surroundings of Essaouira. From the introduction or training essential for the beginners to the confirmed practice, there is something for everyone!

For this purpose, Zouina Cheval created another company, Quad Attitude, specialized in quad biking in Essaouira. You can book directly via Zouina Cheval to avail of this activity. You will be coached by an instructor who will teach you the basics of the quad so you can enjoy your activity.

The instructors will adjust to your level and they will accompany you on all your rides. You will drive your quad in the forests, on the beaches, and in the heart of the beautiful dunes along the coast between Essaouira and Sidi Kaouki through Diabat and the Cap Sim. For the most passionate of you, you can also enjoy treks with nights in a camp that will give you the opportunity to discover the charms of the countryside as well as the traditional Berber villages.

Zouina Cheval can organize personalized programs on demand. If you fancy a sporting adventure, feel free to book for a training, a ride, or a trek on a quad. You have the choice to be one or two persons in the same quad. For one or two persons per quad, here are the rates:

  • 1-hour quad biking: 1 person 30 EUR | 2 persons 50 EUR
  • 2-hour quad biking: 1 person 50 EUR | 2 persons 70 EUR
  • 3-hour quad biking: 1 person 60 EUR | 2 persons 85 EUR
  • 4-hour quad biking: 1 person 75 EUR/770 DHR | 2 persons 100 EUR
  • Day in Sidi Kaouki quad biking + lunch: 1 person 105 EUR | 2 persons 145 EUR
  • Day in Sidi Kaouki and falls quad biking + lunch: 1 person 135 EUR | 2 persons 165 EUR

Camel riding in Essaouira

  • 1-hour ride: 15 EUR
  • 2-hour ride: 25 EUR
  • 3-hour ride: 35 EUR

What's included

  • 3 horse riding days
  • Roundtrip airport transfers
  • 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 2 dinners
  • 4 nights' accommodation (2 in a riad and 2 in a camp)
  • Helmets may be provided

What's not included

  • Lunch and dinner (Day 1 and Day 5)
  • Dinner (Day 4)
  • Airfare
  • Personal expenses

How to get there

Recommended Airports

Arrival by airplane

Please arrange your flight to arrive at Essaouira AIrport (ESU), Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK). From this airport, you will be picked up and transported to Essaouira according to your flight schedule, transfers are already included in the package. Please provide your flight number and exact arrival and departure time.

Airport: Agadir–Al Massira Airport Airport transfer available: Agadir–Al Massira Airport (US$ 22 per person) Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Airport: Marrakesh Menara Airport Airport transfer included: Marrakesh Menara Airport No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.
Airport: Essaouira-Mogador Airport Airport transfer included: Essaouira-Mogador Airport No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.

Cancellation Policy

  • A reservation requires a deposit of 100% of the total price.
  • The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.

Value for money
Accommodation & facilities
Food
Location
Quality of activity
5 days / 4 nights
from --

Please confirm booking 16 days before the desired date as Zouina Cheval must apply for camp approval and provide the authorities with the names of all participants.

Minimum group size

This trip requires a minimum of 2 participants

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