The boat rides on the Bouregreg River in Rabat offer a premium experience for those who want to discover this city in a different way than usual. In this post, we tell you everything you need to know about it, especially what boats are used and what route they take. Take note of the plan and don’t hesitate to contact us if you want to organize an activity of this type… or any other.
The Bouregreg River: the Route
It’s true that the Bouregreg River is not as mighty as the great rivers of other continents, but it is one of the most important in the country, navigable for small vessels in its final stretch. At its mouth, it divides the space between the capital, Rabat, and neighboring Salé. And from its course, the views of the surroundings are most interesting.
The boat rides on this river usually cover a relatively short distance, often from the Hassan II Bridge to the river mouth at the Atlantic Ocean. Or in other words: from the vicinity of the Hassan II Tower to the Kasbah of the Oudayas. Both monuments are visible from the river and have docks for boats nearby, so it’s possible to moor momentarily to disembark and take photos of these places, which are among the city’s most prominent monuments due to their history and architecture (11th-16th centuries)
A longer version of these boat tours allows you to reach the two great modern icons of the city: the Royal Theater and the Mohammed VI Tower. As of May 2025, the date of writing this blog, work was still being done in their surroundings to finish and improve their access, but over time they will undoubtedly become tourist hubs for any traveler: the theater is a great work by Anglo-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, and the tower is the tallest skyscraper in the country, designed by the Spanish team of Rafael de la Hoz Castanys.
What the Boats for these Rides are Like
Due to the low water flow of the Bouregreg River, the vessels navigating its final stretch cannot have a deep draft. For this reason, the boats available on this route tend to be small. The most traditional ones are small boats that don’t fall into the premium vessel category, although younger and more carefree visitors often board them for this route.
On the other hand, there are better-equipped motorboats where drinks and snacks are also offered on board to enjoy the tour, with capacity for family members. In other cases, the motorboats (often with a canopy for sun protection) have a larger capacity (about a dozen passengers), with comfortable seats around a table, where different tasting menus can be offered.
Both this option and the previous one are not only used for tourist rides, but are also rented for events such as birthdays or romantic evenings. All of this shows us that the Bouregreg River, traditionally relegated to a mere waterway separating Rabat and Salé, is now another tourist attraction, where the prestigious Marina Bouregreg is also located, one of the best-equipped marinas in the entire country.
