When is the Best Time To Visit Marrakech?
As many travel guides and travelers themselves will tell you, a trip to Marrakech will take you to a different world. It’s a land full of stunning architecture, vast deserts, and dazzlingly colourful bazaars and town squares.
But of course, if you want to enjoy the best of Marrakech, you need to know when the best times to visit are. Ultimately, your best time to visit depends on what you want to see and do in Marrakech, but there are some general guidelines to follow.
Let us help ensure that your stay in Marrakech is as magical as it looks in movies and photos from social media.
Best Time To Visit Marrakech For Good Weather
Marrakech (and Morocco on the whole) has a diverse climate, which is a far cry from what many think about it due to its location in the Sahara Desert. Temperatures can get swelteringly hot, but can also get very cold. Also, the region gets very dry in the summer, but it can be quite cool in the winter months, so timing is important.
With that said, the best time to visit Marrakech for good weather is in the Spring (March to May), and Autumn (September to October). Temperatures are balanced during these months with warm days and cool nights. You won’t boil during your daytime excursions, neither will you shiver at night. Additionally, the sunshine is bright and consistent during these times of the year.
Best Time To Visit Marrakech To Avoid Crowds
Walking along crowded streets and in cramped marketplaces can greatly diminish a travel experience, and that is certainly true in Marrakech. At peak travel periods, the flux of visitors can mean long waiting times to get access to popular attractions.
The quietest times to visit Marrakech are January to early February, June to July, and most of December. The winter months can be cool, but this is also perfect if you want to be out exploring rather than soaking up the sun.
Best Time for Flight Discounts to Marrakech
In an ideal world, we’d be able to rack up enough travel rewards and fly for “free”, but that’s not a realistic expectation. The next best bet is to find discounts on flight prices. That’s the best time to find flights and more. Of course, timing is one of the biggest factors in finding more affordable ticket fees, but so is your location.
The winter months (January to early February), early-mid summer (June and July) and most of December are when flight prices can drop. This correlates with the fact that tourism slows down during these periods, so ticket prices and accommodations will naturally fall.
However, keep in mind that this varies considerably from location to location. Using a tool like Google Flights can help in this regard.
If you have flexibility in your schedule, search for multiple dates with these tools to find a schedule that works for you and your traveling partner(s).
The cheapest flights often come from budget/discount airlines or involve trips with layovers/stopovers. If that’s not your cup of tea, it is better to spend more for the sake of comfort.
Best Time to See Marrakech Events & Attractions
There are certain times of the year where must-see events are taking place in Marrakech that, you may want to schedule your visit around.
Take for example an excursion to the Atlas Mountains. Skiing on these mountains takes place during mid-January to mid-February when it snows. But if you want to see the bloom of wildflowers, blue gentians, and pink and purple scabiosa (pincushions), you’d want to wait a few months until Spring.
For Marrakech events and attractions that take place indoors, the weather might not be too much of a concern. Regardless, be sure to check out basic information such as a facility’s hours of operation, whether its open year-round or seasonally, or if there are any temporary closures or not. You wouldn’t want to arrive at an attraction you greatly anticipated only to learn that is closed.
Off-Season Travel To Marrakech
While off-season travel to Marrakech may not sound enticing, there are certain advantages. There are still lots of compelling reasons to travel here during the Winter or mid-to-late Summer.
Smaller Crowds
Due to colder or hotter temperatures, there aren’t as many visitors walking through Marrakech. If you can bear the weather, you’ll get to enjoy more of this beautiful city without feeling suffocated in large crowds of tourists.
Cheaper Flights
As is common travel knowledge, flight prices go up during peak visitation times (unfair but true). You can save by booking a flight to Marrakech during the off-season.
Marrakech Attractions
There are more opportunities for sightseeing and “off-the-beaten” path attractions during the off-season. Even popular ones come alive in a different way than they would when visiting during a time that isn’t bustling with other visitors.
Marrakech: The City Awaits You
These recommendations will give you starting points in terms of when you should visit the city. Of course, you don’t need to completely follow the rules if you’re coming here for a unique purpose or want to take advantage of the off-season.
Nevertheless, good planning will enable you to experience Marrakech to the fullest, regardless of when you go. To make the most out of your trip, be sure to pack suitable clothing for the time of year, identify attractions you’d like to visit beforehand, and also consider purchasing travel insurance for emergencies. With a little planning and spontaneity mixed in, it will be a trip you won’t regret making.
