Kiteboarding Xperience

Kiteboarding Xperience is a mobile kitesurfing, surfing and wingfoiling school based at 1 Avenue Abderrahim Bouabid, in the Borj 2 district of Essaouira. It belongs to Achraf BenTajar, a professional rider on the GKA Kite World Tour, who coaches freestyle and strapless himself. The team is made up of IKO-certified instructors and claims more than fifteen years of experience; lessons are taught in French, English and Arabic.

Because the school is mobile, it picks students up at their accommodation and drives them by 4x4 to the various spots around Essaouira, which opens the door to downwind sessions and day trips. A typical day is published: leave the riad at 9am, lesson from 10am to midday, lunch at the local canteen, on the beach or in a nearby restaurant, then a second session in the afternoon if conditions allow. From the water start onwards, lessons can be taught with a radio in the helmet, and the school has added jet-ski supervision. When the weather rules out kiting, the session can switch to surfing.

The equipment comes from Duotone for kitesurfing and wingfoiling — Unit and Slick wings — and from Ion for wetsuits. The school puts together all-inclusive stays with riad accommodation a short walk from the sea, and will gladly add yoga, a hammam, a massage, a camel ride, cycling or stand-up paddle to the programme. Payment is accepted in cash, in euros or dirhams, or by card.

No opening hours are published. The school does publish the shape of a typical course day: pick-up at your accommodation around 9am, kitesurf lesson from 10am to 12pm, lunch break, then a second session in the afternoon depending on conditions. Essaouira is presented as windy all year round, but the school does not state a season of its own.