Autumn is the season we recommend most often, and the one visitors ask about most: “is October a good time to visit Morocco?” is one of the questions we receive every week. The short answer is yes, and October is probably the single best month of the year.
Is October a good time to visit Morocco?
Yes. Marrakech averages 31°C in the day and 16°C at night in October, which is warm without being punishing. Merzouga drops to 30°C from 41°C in August, so desert tours become comfortable again. The sea is at its warmest of the year after a summer of heating, and the spring crowds are gone.
September is warmer and still good, particularly on the coast. November is cooler and the first rain returns, but it is quiet and the light is excellent.
The temperatures, month by month
| City | September | October | November |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marrakech | 33° / 18° | 31° / 16° | 26° / 11° |
| Merzouga | 35° / 22° | 30° / 17° | 24° / 10° |
| Ouarzazate | 33° / 17° | 27° / 13° | 22° / 8° |
| Essaouira | 25° / 19° | 25° / 18° | 23° / 15° |
| Agadir | 26° / 18° | 28° / 18° | 25° / 15° |
| Fes | 32° / 18° | 29° / 16° | 22° / 10° |
Note Agadir at 28°C in October, warmer than in July. The Atlantic coast runs a season behind the rest of the country, which makes autumn its best window rather than summer.
Where autumn is the best choice
The desert. This is the season. Merzouga and Zagora are comfortable in the day and cool at night without being cold. If you are coming for the Sahara, come now.
The kasbah route. Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate are exposed and shadeless, which makes them hard in summer and pleasant in October.
The coast. Warmest sea of the year, fewer people, and the wind drops.
What autumn does not give you
The waterfalls are at their lowest. Ouzoud after a dry summer is a fraction of its spring self, and the Ourika river runs thin. If waterfalls are on your list, that is a spring trip.
November also brings the first real rain, particularly in the north. Chefchaouen takes around 61 mm that month and 158 mm in December.
September, October, November: which one
September is a warm month, still close to summer inland, and the best of the three for the sea. Marrakech at 33°C is hot but manageable, and the coast is at its peak.
October is the balanced month, and the one we recommend if you are choosing blind. Everything works at once: desert, mountains, cities and coast.
November is quieter and cooler, with the first rain in the north. It is the cheapest of the three and the emptiest, and the light for photography is the best of the year.
What to pack for a Moroccan autumn
Summer clothes for the day and one warm layer for the evening, particularly in the desert where October nights drop to 17°C and November nights to 10°C. In November add a light waterproof if you are going north.
An autumn week, if you want one
This is the season to give the desert its proper time. Four days to Merzouga through Ait Ben Haddou and the gorges, then three days between Marrakech and the coast. In spring that same route is a race against the heat. In October it is not.
In short
Autumn is the best all-round season in Morocco, and October is its best month. The only thing you give up is the water.
Common questions
Is October a good time to visit Morocco?
Yes, it is the best month of the year for most trips. Marrakech is at 31°C, the desert has dropped to 30°C, the sea is at its warmest after the summer and the spring crowds are gone.
Is Morocco warm in September?
Yes. Marrakech averages 33°C, Merzouga 35°C and the coast around 25 to 26°C. September is the warmest of the three autumn months and the best for swimming.
What is Morocco like in November?
Cooler and quieter. Marrakech at 26°C, Merzouga at 24°C, and the first real rain returns to the north. It is the cheapest autumn month, and the light is the best of the year.
