Spring
March to May is Morocco at its best, with green valleys, wildflowers in the Atlas and comfortable days for exploring the medinas. Roses bloom in the Dades Valley in May. Easter weeks are popular, so we reserve the best riads early.
Morocco
Spice-scented souks, riads wrapped around quiet courtyards, snow on the Atlas and a night under Sahara stars. Close to home, and a world away.
By the Global Escapes travel team · Updated
- Best time to go
- March to May, October to November
- Trip length
- 10 to 12 days
- From Atlanta
- About 8 hours nonstop to Marrakech (select days)
- Time difference
- 5 hours ahead of Eastern (6 in winter)
- Entry
- U.S. passport, no visa for stays up to 90 days
- Currency
- Moroccan dirham. You’ll need a plug adapter
Why Morocco casts a spell
Close enough for a ten-day trip and different enough to feel like another world: the call to prayer at dawn, mint tea poured from a height, and a new color around every corner.
A first visit usually links the imperial cities with the desert. Start on the coast in Casablanca and Rabat, head north to blue Chefchaouen and the ancient medina of Fes, cross the Middle Atlas to the dunes at Merzouga, then wind past kasbahs and gorges to finish in Marrakech. The distances are real, so we pair you with a private driver-guide who becomes part of the story.
Shorter on time? Fly into Marrakech and keep it close: the souks and gardens, a night or two in the High Atlas, and the sea breezes of Essaouira. Morocco also pairs beautifully with Spain and Portugal, a short flight away.
Getting around the classic route
- Casablanca to RabatAbout 1 hour by train
- Rabat to ChefchaouenAbout 4 hours by car
- Chefchaouen to FesAbout 4 hours by car
- Fes to MerzougaAbout 8 hours by car, over the Middle Atlas
- Merzouga to OuarzazateAbout 6 hours, via the Todra Gorge
- Ouarzazate to MarrakechAbout 4 hours over the High Atlas
- Marrakech to EssaouiraAbout 3 hours by car
When to go
Spring and fall bring warm days and cool nights almost everywhere, which is why they book first. Summer belongs to the coast and the mountains, and winter is crisp, sunny and wonderfully quiet.
- JanCool and sunny, snow on the Atlas
- FebAlmond blossom, crisp nights
- MarSpring arrives, green valleys
- AprIdeal touring weather
- MayWarm days, roses in the Dades
- JunHeat builds inland
- JulHot inland, breezy coast
- AugHottest month, coast is best
- SepHeat eases, still warm
- OctGolden light, cool nights
- NovMild days, quieter medinas
- DecSunny days, holiday week busy
Peak season Shoulder season Low season
Average temperatures and rainfall
Jan1.0″
Feb1.0″
Mar1.4″
Apr1.0″
May0.4″
Jun0.1″
Jul0.1″
Aug0.2″
Sep0.6″
Oct0.8″
Nov1.2″
Dec0.9″
Jan2.4″
Feb2.1″
Mar2.3″
Apr2.1″
May1.5″
Jun0.4″
Jul<0.1″
Aug0.2″
Sep0.9″
Oct2.1″
Nov2.6″
Dec2.4″
Average daily high and low in °F, with average monthly rainfall in inches.
Summer
Average highs in Marrakech and Fes run from the mid 90s to about 100°F in July and August, so we plan early starts, long lunches and pool time. Breezy Essaouira and the High Atlas stay comfortable, and desert stays are best kept short.
Fall
Our favorite season. October and November bring golden light, warm days and cool nights, perfect for the Sahara and the kasbah road. September can still be hot inland, and rain picks up in Fes by November.
Winter
Sunny days in the 60s, chilly nights and snow on the High Atlas peaks. Desert nights can dip close to freezing, so we choose camps with heated tents. Christmas and New Year’s weeks are busy in Marrakech.
Where to go
The places our travelers love most, and what each one does best.
Marrakech
The Red City. Storytellers and food stalls in Jemaa el-Fna, the souks, the Majorelle Garden and the Bahia Palace, and riads where the noise falls away the moment the door closes.
Best for First impressions, shopping, food
Fes
The most intact of Morocco’s imperial medinas and one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, with tanneries, madrasas and artisans at work. A local guide is essential here.
Best for History, crafts, architecture
Chefchaouen
A mountain town in the Rif washed in every shade of blue. Small, slow and photogenic, and one night is just right.
Best for Photographers, a gentle pace
The Atlas Mountains
Amazigh (Berber) villages, walnut groves and snowcapped peaks about 90 minutes from Marrakech. Stay at a mountain lodge and walk to a village for lunch.
Best for Walking, scenery, a quiet reset
The Sahara at Merzouga
The Erg Chebbi dunes rise close to 500 feet above the desert floor. Ride out at sunset and spend a night at a desert camp under an enormous sky.
Best for Bucket-list moments, stargazing
Ouarzazate & Aït Benhaddou
The road of a thousand kasbahs, with the earthen fortified village of Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a favorite film location.
Best for Architecture, film buffs, road-trippers
Essaouira
A whitewashed, wind-cooled port on the Atlantic, with blue fishing boats, art galleries and grilled fish by the harbor, about three hours from Marrakech.
Best for Slowing down, seafood, summer
Casablanca & Rabat
The soaring Hassan II Mosque, open to visitors of all faiths on guided tours, and Rabat, the calm, elegant capital with its seaside Kasbah of the Udayas.
Best for Architecture, arrival days
A night to remember
Sleeping in the Sahara
Late in the afternoon you leave the road at the edge of Erg Chebbi and ride out by camel or 4x4 as the dunes turn from gold to copper. Climb a ridge for sunset, then wander down to a ring of canvas tents with proper beds, private bathrooms and lanterns along the sand.
Dinner is a slow-cooked tagine under the stars, often with Gnawa drumming by the fire, and the sky is darker than almost anywhere back home. Set an alarm for sunrise from the dunes; it’s worth it.
One night is magic, and two lets you settle in. We choose the camp for the season, with heated tents in winter and shaded lounges in spring and fall, and we break up the long drive from Fes or Marrakech with stays in the Middle Atlas, the Ziz Valley or the Dades Gorge, so getting there feels like part of the journey.
Good to know
The small things that make a big difference once you land.
Planning around Ramadan
During Ramadan, many Moroccans fast from dawn to sunset. Hotels and sights stay open, some shops keep shorter hours, and the evenings are festive. In 2027 it’s expected to begin around February 8 and last about a month. Morocco also sets its clocks back an hour during Ramadan, and we adjust your timings to match.
Dress for respect and sun
Light, loose layers that cover shoulders and knees are respectful everywhere and practical in the heat. Most mosques are open only to Muslims, with the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca a beautiful exception.
Dirhams are local only
The dirham can’t be bought before you go or taken out of the country, so we’ll point you to ATMs or exchange desks on arrival. Cash helps in the souks and for small tips; hotels and nicer restaurants take cards.
A guide makes the medina
Licensed local guides open doors to artisan workshops and family-run spice shops in Fes and Marrakech, and keep you from getting lost. In the souks, friendly bargaining is part of the fun.
Tipping is customary
Round up or leave about 10 percent at restaurants, and plan small tips for porters, guides and drivers. We’ll send a simple tipping guide before you go.
Pack for two climates
Desert and mountain nights are cool even in spring and fall, and cold in winter. Bring a warm layer, a scarf for sun and dust, and comfortable shoes for cobblestones. Ask before photographing people.
Questions we hear a lot
Do U.S. citizens need a visa for Morocco?
No. With a U.S. passport you can visit Morocco as a tourist for up to 90 days without a visa. Your passport needs at least six months of validity when you arrive and a blank page for the entry stamp. Rules can change, so check current requirements before you travel; we’ll remind you.
When is the best time to visit Morocco?
Spring (March to May) and fall (October and November) bring warm days and cool nights almost everywhere. Summer is very hot inland, so it’s the season for the coast and the mountains, and winter is sunny, quiet and cool, with cold nights in the desert.
Can we travel during Ramadan?
Yes, and many travelers love it. Hotels, riads and the major sights stay open, and evenings come alive once the fast is broken at sunset. Some cafés and shops keep shorter hours, and it’s respectful not to eat, drink or smoke in public during the day. Ramadan follows the lunar calendar and moves about 11 days earlier each year; in 2027 it’s expected to begin around February 8.
What is a luxury desert camp like?
Think spacious canvas tents with proper beds, private bathrooms with hot showers, and dinner by lantern light, tucked among the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. You arrive by 4x4 or camel, and the best camps add heated tents and thick blankets for cool winter nights.
How long should we plan for a first trip?
Ten to twelve days covers the imperial cities, a night or two in the Sahara and a proper stay in Marrakech without rushing. With a week, we’d focus on Marrakech, the High Atlas and Essaouira.
Is Morocco comfortable for first-time visitors?
Very much so. With a private driver, licensed local guides and riads with attentive staff, Morocco is easy to enjoy. We also check the U.S. State Department’s current travel advisory for Morocco and share it with you before you go.
Let’s plan your Morocco trip
Tell us when you’re thinking of going and who’s coming along. An advisor will take it from there.