Best time to visit Morocco

The best months for Morocco are April, May, October and November. Which period suits you best depends on where you are going and what you want to do. On the same day it can be 40 °C (104 °F) in Marrakesh, 24 °C (75 °F) on the coast in Essaouira and cool enough for a sweater up in the Atlas Mountains.

In short

• Best months for everything: April, May, October and November.
• Best months for the Sahara: October to April (during the day).
• Best months for the coast: May to October.
• Best months for the Atlas: April to June and September to October.
• Avoid: July and August in Marrakesh and the desert, unless you handle heat well.

By region

Marrakesh and the interior

Marrakesh lies on a dry plain and has a desert climate. Winters are mild and sunny, summers are hot. In spring and fall it is warm enough for the pool during the day and pleasant enough to eat outside in the evening. In summer, count on 38 to 45 °C (100 to 113 °F). The medina is hard to bear between noon and 4 pm. Moroccans go indoors during those hours too.

The Atlantic coast

Essaouira and the rest of the coast have a moderate climate all year because of the ocean. It rarely gets warmer than 28 °C (82 °F) and rarely colder than 15 °C (59 °F). There is almost always wind. In summer that is pleasant; in winter it makes the coast chillier than you expect. The sea is cold all year. That makes a day trip to Essaouira a good escape when Marrakesh is too hot.

The Atlas Mountains

In the Atlas Mountains there is snow on the high peaks from December to March. Toubkal is then only for experienced winter hikers. The villages around Imlil and the Ourika valley can be reached all year. Hiking is at its best in April, May, September and October. In summer the mountains are about 10 °C (18 °F) cooler than Marrakesh, so you can escape the heat there.

The Sahara

In the desert around Merzouga, days are 20 to 30 °C (68 to 86 °F) from October to April. That is comfortable weather for a camel ride, but once the sun is down the temperature drops fast. In December and January, nights can be around freezing. From June to September days reach 40 °C (104 °F) or more, and that is dangerously hot. This is why we prefer to plan the desert trip to Merzouga between October and April. The Agafay desert close to Marrakesh is milder and a good alternative for a short trip.

The north: Fes, Chefchaouen, Tangier

The north is greener and wetter. Fes has hot summers and cold winters. Chefchaouen is in the mountains and gets a fair amount of rain in winter. Here too, spring and fall are the best seasons.

By month

• January: sunny and cool, 15 to 18 °C (59 to 64 °F) in Marrakesh, cold nights. Quiet and cheap. Snow in the Atlas.
• February: similar, with almond blossom in the valleys around the Atlas. Check the dates of Ramadan.
• March: it gets warmer, 20 to 24 °C (68 to 75 °F). An occasional shower. A good month.
• April: one of the best months. 25 °C (77 °F), gardens in bloom, pleasant evenings.
• May: warm, 28 to 32 °C (82 to 90 °F). Early in the month the desert is still doable.
• June: the interior gets hot. The coast and the Atlas are the most comfortable places then.
• July and August: heat in Marrakesh and the desert, 40 °C (104 °F) or more. Many Moroccans living abroad come home on vacation, so the coast is busy.
• September: still warm, but the peak has passed. By the end of the month the desert is possible again.
• October: the other best month. 25 to 30 °C (77 to 86 °F), dry, everything open.
• November: pleasant, 20 to 24 °C (68 to 75 °F). The first rain may fall. Good for the desert.
• December: sunny and cool during the day, cold in the evening. Busy around Christmas and New Year.

School holidays and public holidays

During European school holidays (spring break, May, summer, fall break, Christmas) it is noticeably busier and more expensive, especially for flights. A week just before or after a holiday period often makes a big difference. Also keep two Moroccan holidays in mind: Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice), when almost everything is closed for two days, and Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan. The dates move forward by about eleven days every year.

Ramadan

You can travel well during Ramadan, but the rhythm changes. During the day many restaurants are closed or quieter, and after sunset the streets get busy. In 2027 Ramadan falls roughly from early February to early March. Read the guide on traveling during Ramadan before you book in that period.

The season per trip

Soukayna drives all year round and knows which route is at its best in which season. On the trips pages you can check per trip which season suits it.