Marrakech Caleche Rides

The caleches are part of the furniture of Marrakech - green-painted horse carriages that have worked the city for over a century, ranked at the Jemaa el-Fna and in Gueliz, and the standard tour circles the ramparts, the Menara or Agdal gardens, the Koutoubia and back. It is a pleasant hour and it shows you the walls, which are hard to see from a car. Two practical points. First, official rates are set by the city and are posted on a board at the ranks; the figure a driver opens with is usually a multiple of it, so agree the price and the route before getting in rather than after. Second, the welfare of the horses has been a live issue for years, with campaigns and periodic municipal action on water, shade, rest and veterinary checks - conditions vary widely between drivers, and looking at the animal before choosing a carriage is the practical response.

What you actually see

• The ramparts from outside - the earth walls at a pace that lets you look at them.
• A posted official rate - fixed by the city and displayed at the ranks.
• The standard circuit - walls, Menara or Agdal gardens, Koutoubia and back.
• A welfare question - conditions varying between drivers, with campaigns ongoing.

When to go

October to April; late afternoon rather than midday heat. An hour or two.

Honest expectations

Quoted prices are routinely several times the official rate - check the board and agree first. Horse condition varies and midday heat is hard on the animals; look before choosing. Routes get shortened without warning. Summer afternoons are unpleasant for everyone involved.

Nearby

The Jemaa el-Fna and Koutoubia are the usual start; the ramparts circle the medina.