You can visit Marrakech, or you can live it. The difference usually comes down to one or two experiences: hands in the semolina with our cook, a night of stars in the Agafay desert, a High Atlas ridge reached on foot. Here are the experiences we run or recommend from the Riad Mylaya, with times, prices and the season when each one is at its best.
Third-party prices are indications checked in September 2026 and vary with the season and group size. Only the Riad Mylaya prices are fixed.
A Moroccan cooking class at the riad
Year after year, this is the experience guests write to us about. In the morning you go to the market to choose vegetables and spices, then our cook shows you what matters: how to build a tagine without burning it, how to roll couscous semolina by hand, how to fold a pastilla, how to measure ras el-hanout. You cook, then you eat what you made, on the terrace. €45 per person, six participants maximum, slots from 10.30am to 2.30pm. Allow three hours. Children from about ten love it.
The Agafay desert: quads, camels and dinner under the stars
Agafay is not a sand desert but a desert of stone and clay, 40 minutes from the Medina — which makes it the realistic "desert" outing if you do not have three days for Merzouga. In late afternoon the light there is extraordinary.
We offer two private options with a driver: the Agafay, Lalla Takerkoust lake and Atlas day (8 hours, from €50 per person for four) and the sunset with camel ride (4-5 hours, from €50 per person for four). For quad bikes, buggies or dinner shows under caidal tents, a group activity is usually cheaper: see our group activities page.
The mountains: Ourika, 3 Valleys, Imlil
The Atlas begins an hour from the city and changes everything: water, shade, mud-brick villages, a different temperature. Three outings, in increasing difficulty:
- Ourika valley (7 hours, from €45 per person for four) — the easiest and greenest: the river, cafés with tables in the water, the seven Setti Fatma waterfalls for those who want to walk a little.
- The 3 Valleys (8 hours, from €50 per person for four) — Ourika, Asni and Oukaïmeden in one day, with high mountain scenery and, from January to March, snow.
- Imlil and the foot of Toubkal (8 hours, from €50 per person for four) — real hiking, 4 to 5 hours on foot with a local guide, from the village that serves as base camp for the highest summit in North Africa.
Bring proper shoes, a fleece even in summer — it is ten degrees cooler up there — and water.
Going up: hot-air ballooning
Taking off at first light, drifting for an hour over the douars and the Jbilet hills, landing for a Berber breakfast under a tent: this is the most spectacular experience in the region. It is booked several days ahead and depends on the weather. Everything is detailed in our hot-air balloon in Marrakech article.
Craft experiences: weaving, pottery, calligraphy
The Medina is a giant workshop, and several craftsmen take visitors for two or three hours. The Carpet Culture House runs weaving workshops (around 400 MAD for two hours, museum entry 80 MAD). Pottery, zellige, Arabic calligraphy and beldi soap-making workshops also exist inside and just outside the Medina. Ask us: we only send guests to craftsmen we know, with no hidden commission. To bring something home, read our shopping and crafts guide.
Experiences at the table
- A Moroccan dinner at the riad — tagines, couscous, pastilla, cooked the same day: from €15 for a main course to €25 for the full menu, up to twelve people, served 6pm to 10.30pm. Tell us about allergies and preferences the day before.
- Jemaa el-Fna street food — harira soup for a few dirhams, skewers, sfenj, snails, fresh orange juice. Choose the stalls where locals eat, not the ones calling out to you in English.
- Mint tea on a rooftop at sunset — free at the riad, a few dirhams elsewhere, and probably the best memory of your stay.
Golf, cycling, karting, water parks
Marrakech is also a sports destination. A dozen golf courses surround the city, with surprisingly accessible green fees: see our golf in Marrakech article. Mountain-bike rides in the Palmeraie or Agafay are booked by the half-day. And for families with children, the water parks on the Ourika road fill a summer afternoon effortlessly.
Which experience in which season
- October to April — the ideal season for everything: ballooning, golf, hiking, desert, Medina. Book earlier, as this is also high season.
- May and June — still very good, with perfect mornings and hot afternoons. Favour early starts.
- July and August — the city often passes 40°C. Leave at 6am or 5pm, go up in altitude, head for Essaouira and the ocean, and spend midday in the patio or the hammam.
- September — our favourite month: the heat drops, prices too, and the light is superb.
Book everything from your guest area
Transfer, dinner, cooking class, private day trip, hammam: all of it is booked from your guest area, with the total shown before you send the request, an email confirmation and payment on site in cash. You can also combine: cooking class in the morning, hammam late afternoon, dinner on the terrace. To plan your days, see our things to do in Marrakech guide and our three-day itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best experience to have in Marrakech?
If you only pick one: the Moroccan cooking class, because it leaves with you. For pure spectacle, the dawn hot-air balloon flight. For a full day, the Ourika valley or the 3 Atlas Valleys. And to recover, the hammam and massage ritual.
Which experiences fit into half a day?
The cooking class (3 hours), the Agafay sunset with camel ride (4-5 hours), a hammam and massage ritual (2 hours), a craft workshop (2-3 hours) or a guided Medina walk. Atlas day trips need 7 to 8 hours.
Should activities be booked in advance?
The cooking class, riad dinner and hammam can be booked the day before without difficulty. Ballooning needs several days, especially October to April, and private day trips 24 to 48 hours. In high season and over holidays, book before you arrive.
Are the activities suitable for children?
Yes for the cooking class from about ten, the Ouzoud waterfalls, the camel ride and the Atlas days. Balloon flights are accepted from 6 to 8 years old depending on the operator. Tell us the children's ages: we adapt times and vehicles.
