You picked Essaouira. One question is left: which surf camp, which format, which budget. The town doesn’t have the surf camp density of Taghazout or the Imsouane surf houses, but the options are solid and the spots less crowded. If you’re still hesitating with its northern neighbor, also check out our Imsouane surfcamps comparison. Here are the five spots worth a look.
You can read everything on surf in Essaouira in our complete guide.
Quick comparison
| Surf camp | Location | Level | Price | Strong point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Zin | Essaouira | Beginner → Intermediate | From €225 ($245) / 4 days | Small group, personalized coaching |
| Essaouira Watersports | Essaouira | Beginner → Intermediate | From €276 ($301) / 7 days | Best value over 7 days |
| Holy Surf Camp | Sidi Kaouki (25 km south) | Beginner → Intermediate | From €580 ($632) / week | Surf + yoga, home-cooked meals, shuttle available |
| Loving Surf | Essaouira (Salty) | Beginner → Intermediate | From €350 ($382) / 7 days (group) | Group rates, Moroccan breakfast included |
| Mogasurf | Essaouira (a few km out) | All levels | From €400 ($436) / stay | Active since 2004, villas with pool, TripAdvisor Best of the Best |
Atlantic Zin — The boutique surf camp
Atlantic Zin is a small-scale operation based in Essaouira, focused on small groups and personalized coaching. The 4-day package starts at €225 ($245), the most accessible entry point to test Essaouira without committing to a full week.
This school welcomes beginners and intermediates with a focus on progress: few students per instructor, sessions reviewed, personal feedback. Accommodation is included in the week-long packages.
For who: first trip to Essaouira, beginner or intermediate, small groups.
| Duration | Price | Included | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 days | From €225 ($245) | Lessons, board, wetsuit | Beginner → Intermediate |
Essaouira Watersports — Best value over 7 days
Essaouira Watersports offers the most accessible weekly format: 7 days from €276 ($301), the cheapest per-day rate among the area’s surf camps. The place focuses on surf and water sports, a good pick if you want to mix surf with other activities during the week.
Beginner and intermediate levels welcome, with direct access to Essaouira’s main beach where the waves are steady and well-suited to learning.
For who: one-week trip, tight budget, want to mix surf with other water sports.
| Duration | Price | Included | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | From €276 ($301) | Lessons, gear, accommodation | Beginner → Intermediate |
Holy Surf Camp — Surf and yoga in Sidi Kaouki
Holy Surf Camp is set up in Sidi Kaouki, 25 km south of Essaouira. The village is one of Morocco’s favorite spots: steady waves, fewer people in the water than at the main beach, an authentic fishing-village atmosphere.
The camp offers three formats over 7 nights / 8 days: surf coaching from €580 ($632), surf coaching + yoga from €680 ($741), and surf guiding from €580 ($632). Accommodation is in a villa or guesthouse. Meals are home-cooked, the vibe mixes solo travelers, couples and friends.
Getting there: Essaouira-Mogador airport (ESU) is around 40 km from Sidi Kaouki. Holy Surf Camp organizes airport transfers, to confirm at booking. If you arrive on your own, a taxi from downtown Essaouira costs around 100 to 150 MAD (€10 ($11)-15).
For who: beginner or intermediate who wants to combine surf and yoga, an authentic setting without needing a car.
| Format | Duration | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surf Coaching | 7 nights / 8 days | From €580 ($632)/person | Accommodation, lessons, home-cooked meals |
| Surf Coaching + Yoga | 7 nights / 8 days | From €680 ($741)/person | Accommodation, surf + yoga lessons, home-cooked meals |
| Surf Guiding | 7 nights / 8 days | From €580 ($632)/person | Accommodation, spot guiding, home-cooked meals |
Loving Surf — The surf camp to learn at your own pace
Loving Surf is set up in the Salty district of Essaouira. The school offers two main formats: 4 days or 7 days, with accommodation, gear, Moroccan breakfast and group lessons included. What sets it apart: rates drop with the number of people. For two, the 7-day package goes down to €370 ($403)/person. In a group of three or more, €350 ($382)/person.
Lessons run 2 hours per session with afternoon supervision included for free practice. The camp also welcomes digital nomads on longer formats, with custom packages for those who want to combine surf and remote work in Essaouira.
For who: beginners or intermediates, travelers in pairs or in a group, flexible 4 or 7-day stay.
| Format | Solo | Duo | Group (3+) | Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 days | €250 ($272)/person | €180 ($196)/person | €170 ($185)/person | Accommodation, lessons, gear, breakfast |
| 7 days | €480 ($523)/person | €370 ($403)/person | €350 ($382)/person | Accommodation, lessons, gear, breakfast |
Mogasurf — The local reference since 2004
Mogasurf is one of the longest-running surf camps in the Essaouira area, active since 2004. The camp earned the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best label, one of the hardest distinctions to get on the platform.
The camp offers formats for all levels: intro lessons, advanced lessons and supervised free practice. For a full stay, two formats: the surf coaching trip (from €400 ($436)) or the surf explorer trip combining coaching and spot exploration (from €600 ($654)). Drop-in lessons are also available if you want to test before committing.
Accommodation is in two villas with private pool, Villa Sunset and Villa Zephyr, a few kilometers from Essaouira. Two double bedrooms, outdoor outbuilding, terrace and garden. It’s the most upscale option in this selection.
For who: all levels, surfers who want villa accommodation with pool, families or couples wanting a flexible format.
| Format | Price | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Surf Coaching Stay | From €400 ($436)/person | Beginner → Advanced |
| Surf Explorer Stay | From €600 ($654)/person | Intermediate → Advanced |
How to pick your surf camp
For a first trip to Essaouira, Atlantic Zin or Essaouira Watersports are the two simplest starting points. Atlantic Zin for a short stay (4 days) with tight coaching, Essaouira Watersports if you go for a week and want to optimize your budget.
Going as a pair or group? Loving Surf is the only place to offer group rates: €350 ($382)/person for three over 7 days, the best price in this selection for groups.
If you want to combine surf and yoga in an authentic village outside Essaouira, Holy Surf Camp in Sidi Kaouki is built for that, no rental car needed. Mogasurf is the right pick if you want villa accommodation with pool and personalized coaching.
On timing: Essaouira works well year-round. May to September the waves are small and steady, ideal to start. October to April the Atlantic swells come in stronger. Wind can be heavy in summer, so surf in the morning. Where to surf in October.
You can also check our dedicated guide on surf in Morocco.
Think about insurance before you go
In Morocco, medical fees may require a substantial upfront payment, and standard credit-card insurance often excludes surf. Before booking your stay in Essaouira, check that your coverage includes board sports and on-site hospital costs. Here’s what Chapka covers for a surf trip in Morocco, the insurance I use and recommend to my readers.
Prefer to surf without a surf camp?
Essaouira works well for a self-organized trip: you stay in a riad in the medina or a guesthouse near the beach, take hourly lessons with Mogasurf or a local school, and run your own schedule. The town is small, everything is walkable or by taxi. Renting a board directly on the beach costs around €10 ($11)-15 per half-day.
FAQ
May to September for beginners: soft waves, water 20-22°C, stable conditions. October to April for intermediate and advanced: stronger Atlantic swells, water between 16 and 19°C. In summer, wind on the main beach is strong in the afternoon, so sessions happen early in the morning.
No. Atlantic Zin, Essaouira Watersports, Loving Surf and Mogasurf welcome complete beginners. The first lessons take place on the main beach, sandy bottom, ideal conditions to learn.
Taghazout has more surf camps and a more developed surf infrastructure. Essaouira is less saturated with surf tourists, with real city life (UNESCO-listed medina, markets, restaurants). If you want a 100% surf trip, Taghazout. If you want to combine surf and Morocco discovery, Essaouira.
Not necessarily. All surf camps in central Essaouira are accessible without a car. For Sidi Kaouki (Holy Surf Camp), the shuttle is organized by the camp; a taxi from town costs €10 ($11)-15 if you prefer to handle it yourself. To reach Moulay Bouzerktoun (20 km north), a car or taxi is required.
The surf camps provide wetsuits. If you bring your own: shorty or 2mm from June to September, 3/2 mm from October to May.
