Full of vivid colors and enchanting scents, take a glimpse at the Medina’s local life comfortably seated in our vintage sidecars. You can also choose to take a break from this frenziness while riding in the mythical palm grove with its thousands of palm trees and beautiful viewpoints on the Jbilets mountains. The old French neighborhood of Gueliz is also of great interest with its art deco buildings and remainings of the 1930’s local life.
Your insider will meet you at our starting point close to Bab Doukkala, along the walls of the Medina on the new town side. Look for the brown gate, which should be open when you show up and a long ochre wall. You can enjoy a coffee or tea if you arrive early and maybe take a sneak peek in our garage.
Perusing a vintage map together, your Insider will familiarize you with the city’s layout, and discuss your itinerary with you, as well as any specific interests or requests. Just as each client is individual, so too is each Insider, so you can expect a highly engaging experience, personalized with memories, anecdotes and tidbits of knowledge – making every ride utterly unique, removed from well-trodden tourist trails and respectful of locals and their culture.
You’ll be provided with a helmet and given a safety briefing, before setting off on your sidecar adventure. Afterwards, your Insider will deliver you back to your hotel, or to a location of your choice in downtown Marrakech.
All that’s left to do is to choose your ride…
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Even if you have visited Marrakech in the past, this 90-minute journey will reveal aspects of the city you’ve not witnessed before. Your Insider will show you the three main parts of the city, namely the non-touristy Medina (old city), the Guéliz district and its surroundings forming the new town, as well as the Palmeraie (palm grove).
Get ready to discover these places in a different light, thanks to the expert knowledge of your Insider who knows the city in every nook and cranny.
The Palmeraie is an oasis over 900 years old, lushly planted with hundreds of thousands of palm trees. Thanks to an ingenious ancestral underground irrigation system, this 15,000 hectares area was once the garden of Marrakech and is currently undergoing a program of protection and reforestation. On this leg of your Insiders journey, you’ll learn about the methods traditionally used to keep the area verdant, why the Palmeraie lost so many of its distinctive date palm trees, and how it is being regenerated. You’ll also see why it’s now known as Marrakech’s ‘Beverly Hills’, as you ride past imposing entrance ways and sprawling properties, owned by an international and local jetsetter community.
Depending on the route chosen by your Insider, you will have the opportunity to discover different districts of the new city, which emerged in the 20th century during the French protectorate from 1912. Between bustling modern life, art-deco style buildings, street art, popular, chic or even middle class neighborhoods, they overlap and mix eras from one street to another. No alley is unknown to the Insiders, even more so if it contains anecdotes that are as surprising as they are amusing.
You will also explore the lesser known corners of the Medina, rarely visited by tourists because they are out of the way and not intended for tourist purposes but simply normal and real.. Here, you’ll see people going about their daily and traditional lives. Numerous ancient secrets will be revealed. You will uncover the significance of some of the first Medina’s impressive gates. Depending on the chosen route, you’ll learn the true meaning of the word ‘kasbah’ and how this fortress was once occupied by employees of the Royal Palace, as well as visiting the Mellah – formerly the Jewish neighborhood – and seeking out signs heralding the official reintroduction of the Berber language. Unless your ride takes place on a Friday, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Bab El Khemis flea market, a riot of colors, sounds, and, if the luck is with you, valuable forgotten treasures. Likewise, the tanners’ district, existing since the creation of the Medina at the end of the 11th century, as well as the mausoleums of certain saints venerated by the residents will be revealed and explained to you.
NB: This itinerary is subject to change due to passengers’ requests, holidays or weather conditions.
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Your ride is tailor-made, off the beaten path and designed according to your level of knowledge of the area and your centers of interests, respectful of the local culture and all inclusive to offer you a memorable experience. Custom rides and multi-day expeditions are also available in China, Morocco and Beaujolais (France)
CONTACT US: If you are trying to book a last-minute ride within 24 hours or if you have any questions and just prefer talking to a human being we understand – you can email us at the Contact us link or you can call us at +212 (0)5 25 81 40 40. We try to get back to everyone within 24 hours.
As this is a private ride, you set the pace. Your insider will accompany you based upon what you want to see and how long you want to stop. And if you see something you like along the route, just yell STOP! Your wish is our command. Expect to spend about 70% of the time driving and 30% exploring on foot.
STANDARD MEETING POINT: Your insider will meet you at our starting point close to Bab Doukkala, along the walls of the Medina on the new town side. Look for the brown gate, which should be open when you show up and a long ochre wall. 5 minutes drive from Jemaa el Fna square.
We offer rides in different languages. When you send us your booking form you can ask for an insider who speaks a language other than English (subject to availability)
Visit our help page to find answers to your questions or contact us by email at in**@****************ce.com
From 204 € or 235 $
per sidecar
