Marrakech to Agadir Day Trip: Kasbah Ruins, Crocoparc & Beach Lunch

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What’s the experience like?

We left Marrakech before the city really woke up—still a bit groggy, honestly—and watched the countryside flicker past in that soft morning haze. Our driver was quiet at first but grinned when I asked about the Berber word “Agadir.” He explained it means something like “collective attic,” which sounded poetic to me. We stopped for coffee somewhere along the way—can’t remember the name, but I do remember the smell of cardamom and a guy waving at us from his fruit cart. It’s funny what sticks with you.

By late morning, we were standing in front of Crocoparc. I didn’t expect to see 300 Nile crocodiles on a day trip from Marrakech to Agadir, but there they were—sunbathing like they owned the place. The guide told us how they’re protected here; he even joked that they’re better fed than most people he knows (not sure if he was serious). The air was thick and warm, and you could hear kids squealing somewhere behind us. And then, suddenly, we were climbing up to the Kasbah Ouflah—wind tugging at our sleeves and that wild view over Agadir spilling out below. My photos don’t do it justice.

Lunch was down by the marina—grilled fish so fresh it tasted almost sweet. There was this old man selling shells nearby who kept winking at us; my friend tried to bargain for a tiny carved turtle and got totally fleeced (she laughed about it all afternoon). Afterward we wandered along Agadir’s beach, toes in cool sand, just watching families play and listening to gulls argue overhead. The sun felt different here than back in Marrakech—less sharp somehow.

Later we ducked into an argan oil cooperative—the smell inside was nutty and earthy—and then wandered through the Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions. I got lost staring at these ancient Berber jewels behind glass; something about them made time feel slow. The ride back was quiet except for someone softly humming in the row behind me. I still think about that view from the Kasbah sometimes, especially when things get noisy at home.