The Souks of Marrakech can be a daunting prospect for even the most street wise of travellers. The sights, the smells, the sounds, the ambience and the sheer weight of new and different things can be dazzling. There are local crafts, there are products from all over Morocco and further afield. There is leather and lamps. There are bags, baskets and babouches and sometimes you need someone who knows the souks to help you find that one special thing. Haggling is a way of life in Marrakech but where do you start? Who has that carpet or Kilim that you want and does this bag come in orange?

One solution is to hire your own shopping guide for half a day, who will show you around the intricacies of the souk and will help you buy the things that you really want so you can return from Marrakech with purchases you are proud of. Find out where local people buy their dates, stop for a tea in a local café and maybe get a good recommendation for a local lunch. Your guide can tell you all of these things and give you the confidence to enjoy the souk on your own terms. See where the handicrafts are fabricated whether it be brass lamps or a man making chess pieces, and for a truly memorable experience see where the leather is cured and dyed to make the luggage for which Morocco is very famous. A half a day with a local guide can take you through the myriad of shopping experiences very different from anywhere else.