Essaouira Beach: Kitesurfing Lessons & Gear Included

4.99

(212 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to feel that nervous just holding the kite lines — Essaouira’s wind is real, not just some travel blog hype. We met our instructor, Youssef, right on the beach (no long walk lugging stuff). He grinned when I fumbled with the harness and said, “Don’t worry, everyone does that.” The salty air stung my nose a bit and there was this constant soft roar from the waves — kind of soothing once you settle in.

The lesson itself was way more hands-on than I thought. We started with basics on the sand, but before I knew it, we were wading out into the water. Youssef kept shouting encouragement over the wind (“Lean back! Trust it!”) and at one point I swallowed a mouthful of sea spray trying to stand up. Not my most graceful moment. My friend took a group lesson so they shared one kite — lots of laughing and yelling directions at each other. It actually looked fun watching them try to coordinate.

I liked that everything was included — no weird extra fees or old gear. The kite felt solid and new (I’m picky about that stuff). There were a few other locals around, mostly kids watching us wipe out and cheering when someone finally managed a few meters upright. I still think about that first second of gliding forward — not far, but enough to make me want to come back for a longer course next time.