Tarouddant sits 80 kilometers inland from Agadir, ringed by ochre pisé ramparts that make it easy to see why it’s nicknamed the Grandmother of Marrakech: it was a walled, fortified town centuries before Marrakech existed, and the Almoravid dynasty that later founded Marrakech first ruled from here. Unlike Marrakech’s medina, Tarouddant’s alleys are compact enough that you genuinely won’t get lost.
Highlights
- Private, licensed English-speaking guide for the 6-hour excursion
- Tarouddant’s 7.5km ochre ramparts, among the best-preserved in Morocco
- Place Assaraq and the souqs — spices, leatherwork, Berber jewelry, carpets and thuya wood
- A visit to a women’s argan oil cooperative to see the oil hand-pressed
- The drive through the Souss Valley, past citrus groves and argan trees
- Light refreshment and Moroccan pastries
Your Day in Tarouddant
We leave Agadir Port and follow the Souss River Valley inland, past citrus orchards, tomato greenhouses and fields of alfalfa. Watch the argan trees along the road — it’s not unusual to spot goats standing in their branches, browsing the leaves and fruit, a sight that’s become one of the region’s best-known curiosities.
Tarouddant itself was a fortified town as far back as the 8th century, and later became the base from which the Almoravid dynasty, under Youssef Ibn Tachfine, expanded south before his son went on to found Marrakech — hence the nickname. Its 7.5km of ochre-pink ramparts, up to 8 meters high with 19 bastions and five gates, are among the best preserved in the country, and we’ll take them in before heading into the old town on foot.
From Place Assaraq, the town’s main square, we walk into the souqs — a working Berber market rather than a tourist set-piece. We’ll stop at a spice stall to talk through the paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and saffron used in Berber cooking, and pass stalls selling tooled leather, Berber silver jewelry, hand-woven carpets, and boxes carved from thuya, a fragrant burl wood native to the nearby Atlas foothills.
From the souqs we visit a women’s argan oil cooperative, where you can watch the full hand process — washing, roasting and milling the kernels, then working the paste by hand to press out the oil. It’s slow work: a single liter takes around eight hours to produce. Before heading back to the ship, we’ll stop for mint tea and Moroccan pastries.
What’s Included
- Private round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, port to port
- Guided sightseeing with entrance fees as listed
- Light refreshment
- Bottled or gaseous water
- An English-speaking licensed national guide
- Medical and accident insurance
Not Included
- Gratuities to your guide, driver and the women at the argan cooperative
- Personal expenses
What to Bring
- A pullover (seasonal)
- A hat
- A day pack
- Hygienic wipes
- Camera, with a Ziploc bag to protect the lens
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
Book This Excursion
Send us your ship and port call time and we’ll confirm your private Tarouddant excursion. Reach us on WhatsApp at +212 677 365 730 or send an inquiry to get a quote.