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I recently had the great pleasure of spending nine days exploring Morocco with Collette’s destination experts – both the local folks who help design our tours, and the Tour Managers that bring their country to life for Collette travelers.
I visited Morocco in late November to early December, and learned so much from the team about this North African country during my time there. And given how wonderful the weather was, one of my first questions was – is this the best time to visit?
Short answer: It depends on what your interests and preferences are as a traveler. Here’s the inside scoop from our team to help you find the best time for your journey to Morocco.
The Best Time of Year to Visit Morocco
Are you looking for warm weather? Hotter days? Smaller crowds? Autumn colors or bright spring flowers? Do you want to escape the cold at home? Is there only a certain time of year you can travel, and you’re ready to cross Morocco off your bucket list?
There are a number of factors that go into choosing your perfect time to visit Morocco. The good news is that Morocco does fall into a typical four-season pattern, and there are reasons to visit in almost every season.
With a diverse landscape that includes coastal cities, a mountainous region, and sections of desert, you’ll experience a variety of temperatures no matter when you go.
The Hottest Months in Morocco
Summer in Morocco gets hot. While some coastal and mountainous areas of the country get some relief from the heat, you’ll find an average high of 97°F/37°C in Marrakech.
Collette doesn’t offer tour dates in Morocco from June-August because of that heat. In addition to the hot city days, we prioritize taking time to stay in the desert on our Colors of Morocco tour. The average high in the Sahara Desert is 104°F/40°C during the summer months. Temperatures can get up to 117°F/47°C!
The Best Time to See the Sahara Desert
The Sahara is one of the world's hottest and driest regions, so you have to visit at the right time for comfortability.
The Best Time to See the Sahara Desert
The Sahara is one of the world's hottest and driest regions, so you have to visit at the right time for comfortability.
The desert’s high temperatures are caused by the low humidity, lack of rainfall and vegetation, and the dry air, which also causes the heat to escape rapidly and cause colder conditions at night.
So when should you go? Spring, fall, or winter.
Spring and fall offer the mildest full day temperatures. In spring, the temperature ranges from 72-82°F/22-28°C and 50-59°F/10-15°C at night. In fall, you’ll experience temperatures 77-86°F/ 25- 30°C during the day and 59-68°F/15-20°C at night.
While winter evenings in the Sahara can be chilly, overnighting in the desert is still perfectly doable if you pack layers and prepare for the temperature shift. Winter evenings in the Sahara can drop down to 41°F/5°C. Those who want to escape the cold weather at home, but dislike extreme heat can find comfort in the daytime Sahara temperatures in the winter: 64-75°F/18-24°C.
What’s the Best Season to Travel to Morocco?
The best season to visit Morocco is deeply dependent on your personal preferences and interests. As someone who dislikes the heat and enjoys getting closer to culture, I’m personally team low season.
But there are perks to Morocco travel throughout the year!
Morocco in the Fall
Typical fall weather in Morocco falls between September and November, and there are many perks to visiting in this season. Many tout that this is the best season to visit, in fact.
During this time of year, the weather begins to cool, and the landscape transforms with autumn colors – especially in places rich with foliage, like the Middle Atlas Mountains. The average temperature in Morocco in autumn falls between 63°F/17°C and 77°F/25°C.
September and October are a compromise for crowds – these months are slightly busier for tourism, but are still not as busy as the summer months. November begins to offer smaller crowds.
This time of year is a great opportunity to get closer to culture, escape the summer heat, and explore a new country during a popular travel season.
Morocco in the Winter
I visited Morocco in the winter, and I highly recommend it. For a country that is renowned for extending its hospitality with a cup of hot mint tea, it feels fitting to explore during the chillier months of December – February.
You’ll see very few crowds in December. Culturally curious travelers who want to get an authentic view of culture and spend quality time with locals will thrive traveling to Morocco in the winter.
While these months are colder, chilly in Northern Africa is still quite mild compared to places with severe winter weather; average temperatures in Morocco in winter fall between 50°F/10°C and C 68°F/20°.
Morocco is generally sunny, but the rain the country does see tends to fall this time of year. You can consider this when packing, but also keep in mind that the concept of a rainy season in Morocco should be taken with a grain of salt; November averages less than 2 inches/41milimeters of rain in Morocco.
Morocco in Spring
As winter gives way to spring, yellow flowers begin to sprout on cacti that grow in the Middle Atlas Mountains. Their striking beauty also signifies the turning of the seasons.
During my trip I learned that the spicy honey from the resin spurge cactus is one of the region’s most significant exports. But aside from seeing beautiful blooms and securing some delicious honey, what benefits are there to traveling to Morocco between March and May?
Temperatures are on the rise after winter, between 50°F/10°C and 86°F/30°C, depending on the region and time of day. As spring continues, the days get warmer without being unbearably hot. No matter where you go in the country – from the desert, to the mountains, to the coast, the weather is favorable.
As spring progresses, the tourism season picks up and you’ll notice more travelers exploring alongside you.
Explore Collette’s Morocco Tour Packages
Figured out the right season to travel, but need to learn more about our tours to Morocco? Check out this webpage for even more information and content from our destination experts.
This page features a video from Mohamed Merri, one of our Tour Managers and in-destination Morocco experts who taught me all about his beautiful country during my own travels there.
When you’re ready to book that tour, call us, or see your travel professional and ask for Collette.
