Palmeraie Quad Biking: 2-Hour Ride in Marrakech

€39 per person Book this activity
Suitable for
Up to 17

At a glance

All the key details for your experience at a glance.

  • Languages English, French, Spanish.
  • Pick-up Two departures a day, one at 09:00 and one at 14:00. Hotel pickup applies to both.

Highlights

What makes this experience special.

  • Two full hours of riding time inside the Palmeraie palm grove
  • Helmet, goggles and hood handed out before you set off
  • Ground that keeps changing: soft sand, rocky trail, dry riverbeds, open country
  • One fully automatic quad each, with no passenger seat and nobody riding pillion
  • Mint tea and crepes made in a Berber village at the halfway point
  • Your guide rides with the group from first metre to last
  • A 15-minute briefing plus a practice circuit of the yard before you hit the trail
  • No licence needed and no previous time on a quad needed either
  • Pickup and drop-off at your Marrakech hotel, both legs in the price
  • Take the 09:00 slot or the 14:00 one, whichever suits your day

Two hours on an automatic quad bike in the Palmeraie, the 13,000-hectare palm oasis that starts about 20 minutes north of Marrakech. Everyone gets a machine of their own. There are no gears to think about, so no licence and no riding history are asked for, and the minimum age is 16.

The trails keep changing under the wheels: soft sand between the palms, compacted rock, dry riverbed crossings, then open country with the Atlas ridge on the skyline. Halfway round, the group parks up at a Berber village for mint tea and crepes made in the house. Departures run every day at 09:00 and at 14:00, and the price covers your return hotel transfer, a 15-minute briefing with a practice run, and all the safety kit.

What the price covers

Clear and transparent, so you know exactly what is included.

Included

  • Hotel transfer in Marrakech, out
  • back
  • The safety briefing of 15 minutes, plus its practice run
  • Two hours of riding time on the quad
  • One fully automatic ATV per rider
  • Helmet, goggles
  • hood
  • A skilled guide out on the trail with you
  • The mint tea
  • crepes served in the Berber village

Not included

  • Photos and videos (your guide will happily use your own phone)
  • Optional tips for the guide
  • Personal insurance

How the day runs

A step-by-step look at your experience.

  1. Start time 09:00 or 14:00

    Pickup from Marrakech

    Pickup from your hotel or riad in Marrakech. If your accommodation is located down a narrow lane inaccessible by vehicle, pickup is arranged from the closest reachable point. The drive north to the Palmeraie quad base takes around 20 minutes.

  2. Arrival & equipment — About 15 minutes

    At the base, you are fitted with a helmet, goggles and hood. The guide explains how to operate the fully automatic quad: throttle on the right and brake on the left, with no gears to change. You then take a few practice laps around the yard until you feel comfortable with the machine.

  3. Start of the 2-hour quad ride

    Follow the guide out of the base and onto the off-road tracks of the Palmeraie. The route crosses sandy trails between palm trees, hard-packed rocky ground, dry riverbeds and open countryside. The riding pace is adapted to the group, with a quicker rhythm for confident riders and a calmer pace for beginners.

  4. Midway — Berber village tea stop

    Around halfway through the ride, stop at a Berber village and switch off the engines. Remove your helmets and relax in the shade while mint tea and freshly prepared crepes are served. There is time to rest, take photographs and enjoy the surroundings before continuing.

  5. Second half — Palmeraie & Atlas views

    Resume the ride along a different route through the palm grove. Wider tracks provide more space for riding, while open sections offer views towards the Atlas Mountains. The terrain gradually opens up before the route loops back towards the quad base.

  6. Return to the quad base

    Arrive back at the base after approximately two hours of riding. Take a moment to clean up and return your equipment.

  7. Transfer back to Marrakech — About 20 minutes

    Your driver takes you back to your hotel or riad in Marrakech, or to the agreed nearby drop-off point.

    Total duration: approximately 2.5 hours door to door.

Meeting point

Collection from your Marrakech hotel or riad. Where a vehicle cannot get to the door, you are picked up from the nearest point it can reach.

Good to know

  • The rate is per person and covers every service in the inclusions list. Nothing is published by way of a supplement, an upgrade or a single supplement.
  • Riders must be 16 or over. No licence is required, since the machines are fully automatic, and a disclaimer form is signed before anyone rides.
  • Top speed on these quads is 60 km/h, but the average out on the trail sits at 20-30 km/h, and the guide judges the pace by the experience in the group.
  • Riding is not possible for pregnant women, as the terrain throws the machine about a great deal. Anyone with a serious back condition should speak to their doctor first.
  • Transfer logistics: the transfer to and from your hotel in Marrakech is part of the price, roughly 20 minutes in each direction. If a vehicle cannot reach your address, pickup moves to the nearest accessible point.

Frequently asked questions

Is a licence needed to ride one of these?

None at all. The quads are fully automatic. You sign a disclaimer form before riding, and the minimum age is 16.

Will I cope if I have never ridden before?

Yes. The whole thing is built for first-timers: automatic machines, a briefing of 15 minutes with its practice run, and an expert guide beside you for the whole ride.

Does one quad carry one rider or two?

One rider per quad. The machine is yours alone, not shared, which sets this apart from a good many operators.

What clothing works best?

Closed shoes work best, trainers or boots, worn with long trousers and a top that can take some dust. The helmet, goggles and hood are handed to you on site.

Can I choose between a morning and an afternoon ride?

You can. One session leaves at 09:00, the other at 14:00, and hotel pickup comes with both. Riders often pick the afternoon for the softer light.

Which part of Marrakech does the riding happen in?

In the Palmeraie, the palm grove of 13,000 hectares that sits 20 minutes from the city, over sand, rock and dry riverbeds, in among the palms.

What sort of speed do the quads reach?

They top out at 60 km/h, though 20-30 km/h is the normal trail average. Your guide sets the pace around the experience level of the group.

Is the ride open to pregnant women?

No. The terrain produces a lot of bouncing and jolting. Anyone with a serious back condition should also check with their doctor.