Horse holidays abroad · Morocco
Horse Riding in Morocco: the Atlas, the Agafay and the Atlantic Coast
Horse riding in Morocco combines desert, mountain and Atlantic beach on point-to-point trails on Barb and Arab horses, typically over 5 to 7 nights.
- Best monthsOct to Apr
- Level
Confident to expert - Typical trip5 to 7 nights
- Price guide
Higher
At a glance
What does a riding holiday in Morocco involve?
- Best monthsOctober to April; October, November, March and April are the best
- Riding level
Confident at all paces in open country, including canter and gallop - Hours in the saddle5 to 7 hours a day on the desert and point-to-point weeks
- Typical trip5 to 7 nights, with 5 or 6 riding days
- Weight limit89 to 90kg, depending on the operator
- Group sizeUp to 8 riders on the Agafay route; not published for the others
- HorsesBarb and Arab-Barb crosses, mostly stallions with some geldings
- TackEnglish leather saddles with saddle bags; snaffle or pelham bridles and a martingale for climbs
- AccommodationA mix of guesthouse, desert camp and lodge nights; a hotel or riad on centre-based weeks
- Price guide
Higher for this kind of holiday, per person, before flights
The riding
What is horse riding in Morocco like?
Morocco is usually ridden point to point with a support vehicle, and the ground can change from stony foothills to open desert in a single day.
The Agafay, the stone desert south of Marrakesh, is ridden long and fast over hard pale rock and scrub, with the High Atlas on the skyline.
The High Atlas is ridden mostly at a walk, on narrow mule tracks through Berber villages and terraced valleys.
On the Atlantic coast near Essaouira the rides cross firm sand beaches and eucalyptus and argan forest, with a steady onshore wind.
The Agafay desert
The High Atlas
The Atlantic coast
When to go
When is the best time to ride in Morocco?
The season runs from October to April, the opposite of the European season, so you can ride in Morocco in the months when France and Spain have stopped.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
October, November, March and April are the best months, when the daytime heat is manageable and the Atlas passes are open.
High summer, June to September, is too hot for the horses, and reputable operators do not run desert weeks then.
Your level
What riding level do you need for Morocco?
You need to be confident at every pace on a forward horse in open country, including canter and gallop without a fence in sight.
Novice
Intermediate
Experienced
It suits you if
- You are secure at canter and gallop in open country
- You are happy with several hours a day in heat and dust
- You want desert, mountain and coast in a single week
It is not for you if
- You are still learning to canter
- You find long, hot days hard going
- You want the same room every night
On the desert and point-to-point weeks you spend 5 to 7 hours in the saddle each day.
A centre-based week on the coast near Essaouira is gentler, with shorter days, and some yards there take less experienced riders.
The horses
What are the horses and tack like in Morocco?
Most of the horses are Barbs, Arabs or Barb-Arab crosses, mainly stallions with some geldings. The Barb has a rounded profile, unlike the dished face of the Arab.
They are forward and need little encouragement, so you may find the first hour brisk. That is normal for horses kept on open, hot ground, and says nothing about their training.
You usually ride in an English leather saddle with saddle bags, with a snaffle or pelham bridle and a martingale for climbing ground.
Where you stay
Where do you stay on a riding holiday in Morocco?
On a typical week on the Agafay and desert routes, you spend the nights in a mix of guesthouse, tented camp and lodge.
In the High Atlas you camp between Berber villages, and the nights are cold and clear.
The centre-based weeks on the Atlantic coast use a hotel or a riad instead of a camp.
The cost
How much does a riding holiday in Morocco cost?
A riding holiday in Morocco is a higher price throughout, from a week in the High Atlas to a week in the Agafay.
Agafay desert week
Price guide
Higher
High Atlas trail
Price guide
Higher
Essaouira Coastal Trail
Price guide
Higher
Sahara desert ride
Price guide
Higher
The desert crossing is a higher price for a camping week and for a route with more lodge nights, and the Atlas Mountains programme has other route options at similar prices.
Rides we can arrange
Which rides do we recommend in Morocco?
We know horses, and we know the people who run these rides. Tell us how you ride and where you want to go, and we will put you with the right one.
Agafay desert week
Five nights in the Agafay desert and the foothills of the High Atlas near Marrakesh, on Barbs and Arab-Barb crosses, with four or five hours in the saddle each day.
High Atlas mountain trail
Six days over the high passes of the Atlas, camping between Berber villages, with Toubkal in view. Only experienced riders are accepted.
Essaouira Coastal Trail
The Atlantic coast south of Essaouira, with gallops on the beach and rides through argan forest, on Barb and Barb-Arab stallions.
Sahara desert ride
Six days from Ouarzazate across dunes and between oases, on forward-going desert horses, with plenty of canters and gallops.
Common questions
Morocco riding questions
Is riding in Morocco suitable for a beginner?
Mostly not, because the desert and point-to-point weeks need you to be secure at every pace on a forward horse. The exception is a centre-based week on the Atlantic coast near Essaouira, where some yards take less experienced riders.
What is a Barb horse like to ride?
It is compact, sure footed and forward, with a rounded profile rather than the dished face of an Arab. It holds condition on little feed and moves off quickly, with far less leg than a heavier horse needs.
What should you wear riding in Morocco?
You need long sleeves and long trousers for sun and dust, and a hat all day. Evening layers matter too, because the desert loses its heat quickly after sunset.
Do you camp on a Moroccan riding holiday?
On the desert and point-to-point weeks, yes, in tents put up by the support crew. Coastal and centre-based weeks use a hotel or a riad instead.
How much does the Agafay desert route cost?
The Agafay desert week is a higher price per person for five nights, for a group of three or more riders.
When should you avoid riding in Morocco?
In high summer, June to September. The heat is hard on the horses, and you will not find a desert week running then.
Where to go next
Nearby, and next
Tell us how you ride
Tell us your level, your dates and the country you have in mind, and we will point you to the ride that fits.