Guided Tours

Saadian Tombs Entry Ticket with Digital Audio Guide

Open today

9:00am - 5:00pm

Explore at your pace

Choose your entry time, stay as long as you like

Audio guide

Enhance your experience with multilingual audio guide

Guided tour

Your ticket to the Saadian Tombs grants access to a 16th-century royal necropolis that stayed sealed for nearly 250 years and was only rediscovered in 1917 via aerial photography.

Walk through three mausoleums, a garden courtyard, and over 100 royal graves, with your audio guide explaining each space as you move through at your own pace.

Stand inside the Hall of Twelve Columns, a 10-by-10-metre chamber rising 12 metres high, where Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur is buried beneath a ceiling of carved Carrara marble muqarnas.

The marble columns here are exceptional: each group of three supports muqarnas arches also carved in marble rather than the usual wood or stucco, a rare detail your audio guide unpacks.

Arrive at opening (9am) or after 4pm to move through the chambers without the tour groups that typically crowd the site between mid-morning and early afternoon.

Entry to the Saadian Tombs

Digital audio guide app

Guided tour

Transfers

Headphones

These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

Explore the Saadian Tombs in Marrakech with an entry ticket and audio guide app, moving through three mausoleums and a garden courtyard at your own pace.

Getting started

The entrance to the Saadian Tombs is through a narrow passage beside the Kasbah Mosque on Rue de la Kasbah — easy to miss, so look for the ticketing window set into the wall. Present your booking confirmation to collect your entry ticket. Once inside, open the audio guide app on your smartphone, connect your headphones, and follow the route the app maps out for you.

Saadian Tombs

What to expect

The Saadian Tombs are a 16th-century royal necropolis that stayed sealed for nearly 250 years after a rival sultan walled them off in the 1670s. They were only rediscovered in 1917. The complex is compact, and most visitors spend 30 to 45 minutes here.

Features

You move through three connected mausoleums: the Mihrab Hall, the Hall of Twelve Columns, and the Chamber of Three Niches, each with zellige tilework, carved stucco, and cedarwood ceilings at varying levels of ornamentation.

The Hall of Twelve Columns is the centrepiece: a 10-by-10-metre chamber where Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur is buried, ringed by 12 Carrara marble columns imported from Italy and topped by marble muqarnas, not the usual wood or stucco.

Between the mausoleums, a garden courtyard holds simpler mosaic-tiled graves of soldiers, servants, and court officials, arranged by proximity to the sultan according to their rank.

Your audio guide provides commentary at each of these stops, so you can pause, listen, and move on without waiting for a group.

What to bring

A wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses: The line to glimpse the famous Chamber of the Twelve Columns is completely uncovered. Many reviewers note that standing in the direct Moroccan sun for 30–45 minutes can get intense, so sun protection is a must.

A reusable bottle of cold water: Staying hydrated is key, especially during mid-day visits. However, keep it tucked away in your bag, as open drinking isn't allowed near the tombs.

Pocket change for onsite guides: While you can wander on your own, local licensed guides stand near the entrance. Pro traveler tip: Many guests recommend hiring one for about 50–100 MAD, as there is very little signage explaining the history of the tombs.

What’s not allowed

Large luggage and backpacks: The passageways inside the necropolis are incredibly narrow. Oversized bags, suitcases, and large travel backpacks are prohibited, and there are no lockers or cloakrooms onsite. Pack light for the day!

Tripods, drones, and professional gear: Standard smartphone photography and casual cameras are perfectly fine, but professional equipment, commercial filming gear, and drones are strictly forbidden without official government permits.

Smoking, vaping, and eating: To preserve the structural integrity of this 16th-century sacred burial site, food and smoking are strictly banned inside the complex.

If you are joining a guided group tour, the medina traffic can cause major delays. Tours depart exactly on time, and late arrivals frequently lose their slot without a refund. Aim to arrive 15 minutes early.

Accessibility

The Saadian Tombs feature narrow, stone-walled corridors and uneven cobblestone terrain. While some outer garden areas can be viewed, accessing the main viewpoints involves navigating steps and tight corners. Standard wheelchairs will find it highly restrictive unless using a specialized local tour agency that provides portable ramps.

Stroller difficulties: While technically allowed in the gardens, baby strollers are highly impractical due to the tight queues and narrow pathways leading to the mausoleums. Travelers strongly recommend using a baby carrier instead.

There are beautiful, shaded gardens where you can spot nesting storks, but seating options and rest benches are minimal. Expect to stand or walk for the duration of your 45-minute visit.

Additional information

When you book online, you will receive a digital voucher. You can skip the main ticket purchasing queue, but note that everyone must wait in the same internal queue to view the main tomb chambers.

The site operates rain or shine. In the event of rare heavy downpours, parts of the uncovered outdoor pathways can become slick, so wear sturdy, closed-toe walking shoes.

Amenities: Onsite amenities are incredibly basic. There are no cafés, ATMs, or Wi-Fi networks within the tombs. Public restrooms are available but basic, so it's wise to use the restroom before entering.

Transport: Located in the Kasbah district next to the Kasbah Mosque. It is a 15-minute walk from Jemaa el-Fnaa. Taxis cannot drive directly to the entrance due to the narrow streets; have them drop you at Bab Agnaou, which is a short, 5-minute walk away.

This is a sacred royal resting place holding the remains of about 60 members of the Saadi Dynasty. Visitors are asked to dress modestly (covering shoulders and knees) and maintain respectful, quiet voices while exploring the chambers.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the starting point.

Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.