Moroccan Runner Rugs

Where do you find a handmade Moroccan runner for your hallway, stairs or kitchen?

In Marrakech, the best Moroccan runner rugs are in the rug shops around Rahba Kedima and the Criée Berbère, and in the cooperatives and showrooms of the Medina, where long, narrow Beni Ourain, Azilal, Boujad, kilim and Boucherouite runners hang from the walls or lie rolled in piles. A runner is usually 60 to 90 cm wide and 2 to 4 meters long, light enough to fold into a suitcase, and easier on the budget than a room-size rug. On our rug shopping tour, a local guide takes you to trusted shops, helps you check the wool and the knots, and arranges packing or shipping. Private tours from 900 MAD for 1 to 2 people, about 3 hours. Message Us On WhatsApp or use our Booking Form.

Many rug buyers walk into a shop near the Criée Berbère for a big Beni Ourain and walk out with a runner. It fits the hallway, the space by the bed, the kitchen floor or the stairs, it travels home folded in a duffel bag, and it shows the same sheep's wool, Berber symbols, diamonds and natural dyes as a large carpet. In Darija, shopkeepers often call it a "zerbiya twila", a long rug.

Visit Marrakech Medina, The Best Shopping and Walking Tour Company in Marrakech, has helped travelers buy rugs in the Marrakech souks since 2004. Our guiding is Recommended By Rick Steves, and our Medina walk was featured by Daniel Jacobs in The Rough Guide To Morocco.

Choose your tour

• Would You Rather Walk The Medina Without Rug Shops? Our best Marrakesh walking tour, history, riads and hidden derbs.

• Want Lanterns And Poufs To Go With Your Runner? Our top rated Marrakech souks shopping tour, lanterns, babouches, leather and spices.

• Who Takes You To The Best Runner Rugs In The Souks? Our best Marrakech carpets and rug shopping tour, with quality checks, fair prices and shipping.

• Looking For Vintage Runners And Rare Pieces? Our private luxury shopping tour, premium galleries, antiques and design studios.

• What Else Should You See In Marrakech? Majorelle Garden, Bahia Palace, hammams and rooftop cafés.

Which runner size fits your home?

• Hallway Leave about 10 to 15 cm of floor on each side and 20 to 30 cm at each end. A 1 meter wide corridor takes a Beni Ourain or kilim of about 70 to 80 cm

• Kitchen A flat kilim or Boucherouite, 60 to 80 cm wide, 1.5 to 2.5 meters long, along the counter or the sink

• Bedside Two soft Beni Ourain or Azilal pieces of about 70 by 150 cm, one on each side of the bed

• Entrance A short, thick wool pile runner of 80 by 200 cm, or a sturdy hanbel kilim, at the front door

• Stairs Usually woven to measure on a loom by Berber weavers, with the width of the steps and the total length, ask before your trip

Measure at home and bring the numbers, or a photo with a tape measure on the floor. Rug shops around Rahba Kedima measure in centimeters and meters, and price in MAD.

Which Moroccan runner style should you choose?

• Beni Ourain runner Thick cream sheep's wool with black or brown diamonds, from the Middle Atlas, soft for bedrooms and hallways

• Azilal runner Cream wool with bright abstract symbols in red, orange, blue and pink, from the High Atlas

• Boujad runner Pink, red and orange wool, loose shapes, faded vintage colors that warm up a long corridor

• Kilim runner Flatweave hanbel, thin and light, with stripes, zigzags and geometric bands in wool, perfect for kitchens and folding in a suitcase

• Boucherouite runner Woven from recycled cotton and fabric strips, playful colors, easy to wash and to pack

• Vintage runners Older Berber pieces from the Atlas, soft faded wool, natural dyes and real character, more expensive and one of a kind

For what the motifs mean, see What Do The Diamonds On A Beni Ourain Runner Mean?

How much does a Moroccan runner rug cost in Marrakech?

These are rough ranges in MAD after a friendly negotiation over mint tea, for decent handmade wool or cotton. Vintage and fine pieces cost more.

• Boucherouite runner, about 400 to 1,000 MAD

• Kilim runner, about 500 to 1,500 MAD

• Azilal or Boujad runner, about 1,200 to 3,500 MAD

• Beni Ourain runner, about 1,500 to 4,500 MAD, depending on length and pile

• Vintage runner, from about 3,000 MAD and up

• Made to measure, priced by the square meter, usually a few weeks of weaving in an Atlas cooperative

For full rug prices by size, see How Is A Moroccan Rug Priced By The Square Meter?

How do you check the quality of a runner?

• Turn it over. On a hand-knotted Beni Ourain or Azilal, the back shows the same pattern and knots, slightly uneven. A perfect machine grid means factory-made

• Feel the wool. Good sheep's wool is soft and a little oily, with lanolin. Synthetic fiber feels dry and shiny

• Check the edges and fringes. On a real runner, the fringes are the ends of the warp threads, not sewn on

• Lay it flat. A long runner should lie straight on the shop's zellige floor. Some wave is normal on a hand loom, but a strong curve is hard to fix

• Rub with a damp white tissue to check the dye doesn't run

More checks in How Do You Spot A Machine-Made Copy In The Souks?

How do you take a runner home?

A runner is the easiest Moroccan rug to travel with. Kilim and Boucherouite runners fold flat into a suitcase. Beni Ourain and Azilal runners fold or roll tightly and can be vacuum-packed in the shop. Longer pieces travel as an extra checked bag, tied and wrapped in plastic. If you'd rather ship, the shop arranges tracked delivery with DHL or a freight service. For customs at home, see Do You Pay Customs On A Moroccan Rug At Home?

Our rug shopping tour prices

Private carpets and rug shopping tour, every day at 9 am or 2 pm, about 3 hours

• 1 to 2 people, 900 MAD

• 3 to 4 people, 1,200 MAD

• 5 to 6 people, 1,500 MAD

• 7 or more, on request

Group tour with shopping

• 250 MAD per person

• Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 10 am, from the Café de France on Jemaa el-Fna

• Pickup at your riad or hotel in the Medina or Gueliz, or near Jemaa el-Fna for hotels far away

• Payment nothing in advance, you pay in dirhams at the end

• Cancellation free up to 24 hours before

• Languages English and French

What do travelers ask about Moroccan runner rugs?

What is a standard Moroccan runner size?

Most runners in the Marrakech souks are 60 to 90 cm wide and 2 to 4 meters long. Longer pieces exist, and weavers can make one to your size.

Is a Beni Ourain runner good for a hallway?

Yes, if it isn't too thick for your door. Its deep wool pile is soft underfoot. For busy corridors, a flat kilim or a low-pile Azilal is easier to clean.

Can I get a runner made to measure for my stairs?

Yes. Bring the width of the steps and the total length, choose the wool, the colors and the Berber symbols, and the weavers usually need a few weeks. It can be shipped to you by DHL.

How do I keep a runner from slipping?

Use a thin non-slip rug pad under the wool or kilim, cut to the size of the runner, especially on tiles and wooden floors.

How do I clean a Moroccan wool runner?

Shake it outside, vacuum the wool pile without the brush, and spot-clean with cold water and a little wool soap. For deep cleaning, use a rug specialist.

Ready for the best Marrakech carpets and rug shopping tour, runner included? Book On WhatsApp for a fast reply, or use our Booking Form.

Still comparing shops? Read Which Marrakech Rug Shops Have The Best Runners?

Who Wrote This Guide?

This guide was written by the Local Team of Visit Marrakech Medina, Marrakchis who were born and raised in the city and have guided travelers through the Medina since 2004. Our Medina walk is featured in The Rough Guide to Morocco, and our guiding is recommended by Rick Steves. Everything here comes from what we see and hear on our rug shopping tours every day.

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