We’ve been travelling to Morocco since 2011, chasing waves on the Atlantic, slow days in Marrakech, and starry nights in the Sahara. Over a dozen trips later, we’ve ridden Imsouane’s longest wave in Africa, slept in Berber camps, haggled for goods in the souks, and road-tripped from the High Atlas to the coast.

If you’re planning Morocco in October, this is everything we wish we’d known practical routes, honest advice, and the best places to spend your time.

Why visit Morocco in October
October marks the start of Morocco’s surf season
What’s the weather like in October
Crowds are lighter than summer but still lively
Best places to visit in October
Desert trips are more comfortable in October
You will need layers for Morocco in October
Is October a good value month to visit Morocco
Festivals and local life make October colourful

How to use this guide

Use the contents table above to jump straight to the sections you need, whether that is deciding if Morocco in October is right for you, figuring out how to get here, or planning your perfect place to stay.

This guide is based on real experiences and is designed to help you plan a flexible and responsible trip. Feel free to customise the itinerary based on your interests and travel pace. Whether you want to focus more on relaxing beach days, exploring cultural sites, or enjoying local food and festivals, this guide can help you plan a trip that suits you best.

Warm days, cooler nights, and the first real Atlantic swell. October is one of the most popular times to visit Morocco. With more than 1 million visitors during October, it is quieter than the summer months, but still one of the busiest seasons. With the surf season really kicking off In October it becomes a popular destination for the surfing community. October is a shoulder season month and a favourite time to mix souks, sand, and sea without the higher temperatures of the summer months. If you want a city and coast trip with a dash of desert, this month is a sweet spot.

Why visit Morocco in October?

October feels made for Morocco. Marrakech is warm rather than roasting. The Sahara is comfortable for overnight camps. Taghazout and Imsouane start to light up with clean lines of swell. Prices are fair, crowds are lively but manageable, and the light is beautiful for photos.

The flight options from the UK are plentiful, with affordable flight options from many major UK aiports to Marrakech and Agadir airports.

Looking for somewhere to stay in Morocco?

Use our handy interactive map below to browse hotels, riads and guesthouse options in Morocco. Zoom into where you would like to stay and see the options available.

You can also check out our specific where to stay guides for destinations such as Taghazout and Imsouane, as well as specific hotel guides for Munga Guesthouse in Taghazout, World of Waves in Taghazout, Amouage Surf Camp, The O Experience Imsouane and even our experience of staying in a luxury riad in Marrakech.

October marks the start of Morocco’s surf season

October is when the Atlantic really wakes up along Morocco’s coast. Swells arrive more consistently, winds calm down, and the points begin to come alive without feeling too heavy. It is a sweet spot for all abilities. Beginners can learn on forgiving beach breaks with soft sands and long whitewater rides.

Intermediates and advanced surfers can start eyeing the classic right-hand points breaks. A 3/2 mm wetsuit is perfect most days, with booties optional if you are sensitive to cooler mornings or rocky entries.

Planning helps a lot this month. If you are travelling over UK half term, book lessons, board hire, and accommodation ahead to secure the best slots. Keep an eye on tide times and swell periods, especially if you want Imsouane’s famous long right to run from the harbour.

For point breaks such as Anchor Point, be patient and let the sets fill in. We suggest booking a surf camp with Amouage by Surf Maroc as they will take you to all the best spots at the best times.

Ready to dive deeper? Read our Taghazout travel guide and Imsouane travel guide for location specific information, where to eat and where to stay..

What’s the Moroccan weather like in October?

Rain is uncommon, though short showers can pop up in the north and mountains. Sea temperatures on the Atlantic coast hover around 19–21°C. Daylight is roughly 11 hours, perfect for a relaxed pace. Morocco Is a year round destination and while weather can be unpredicatable, we have found that the warm sunny weather is consistant.

Marrakech: 26–30°C by day, 14–17°C at night
Agadir, Taghazout, Imsouane: 24–27°C by day, breezy evenings
Essaouira: 22–25°C with more wind
Sahara Desert: 28–32°C in the day, cool after dark
Atlas Mountains: 16–20°C in the day, crisp mornings

Crowds are lighter than summer but still lively

October feels like Morocco at its best. You still get the buzz, the colour, the evening hum of rooftop dinners, just without the congestion of peak summer.

In Marrakech, the souks are busy enough to be exciting, yet you can pause at a stall, chat, and actually hear the story behind a craft. From our experience the vendors are also less pushy for you to buy something during the shoulder seasons.

Popular sights still benefit from early starts, but queues move faster and restaurant reservations are easier to secure on the day or worst case scenario with a few days’ notice.

On the coast, Taghazout, Tamraght and Imsouane shift from sleepy to social as surf camps become busier and swells return. It is lively in the mornings around cafés and board rentals, then mellow again by mid afternoon.

Families and half term travellers add a friendly energy, so book lessons and hire ahead if your dates land in late October.

In the Sahara, cooler temperatures make desert camps more popular, yet sunsets feel unhurried and there is space to wander the dunes in near silence.

Overall, October brings balance. Enough people to feel the warmth of Moroccan hospitality, enough calm to travel at your own pace.

Best places to visit in October?

Marrakech
A burst of colour, calm courtyards, and sunset rooftops. Tick off Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef, the Jardin Majorelle, and the souks early, then linger over mint tea. Book popular restaurants and riads in advance.

The highlight of any visit to Marrakech is staying in a luxury riad with a courtyard pool. Riads were orginally the homes of of the wealthy, offering privacy from the busier streets outside of their walls.

Taghazout, Tamraght and Imsouane
Surf towns with easy-going vibes. Anchor Point can switch on in October. Imsouane’s long right-hander, the longest wave in Africa can feel endless on a good day.

Non-surfers can beach hop, laze by a pool, enjoy a golden sunset, or join a yoga retreat in any of these towns.

Agadir
A simple base for coast days with a modern promenade, seafood spots, and easy access to Taghazout and Paradise Valley and the coast.

This is our preffered arrival point in Morocco because of the easy access to the coast. Agadir was virtually destroyed by an earthquake in 1960, but has made a comeback and is now home to Moroccos largest Souk. Souk El Had in Agadir is also the largest urban market in all of Africa, making it worthy of exploring.

Essaouira
Whitewashed lanes, art galleries, a breezy harbour, and a mellow medina. Great food, great photos, and a slower rhythm.

We had one of the best fish food BBQ’s of our life over looking the harbour in Essaouira.

Sahara Desert
Our first visit to Morocco in 2011 consisted of a 4x4 tour for several days from the Atlas mountains to the Sahara. We drove through historic beauitful villages and then trekked into the Shara on camel back. That even we watched the stars, before awaking to a beautiful sunrise over the dunes.

October is the right mix of warm days and comfortable nights. to still spend time camping in the deseret and something we would highly recommend.

Atlas Mountains
Starting from Imlil for hikes into the high Atlas mountains. Toubkal takes on average between 2-3 days to summit and return. October is a comfortable month for trekking in the mountains with slighly cooler temperatures before the winter weather arrives from November.

Desert trips are more comfortable in October

If you have always dreamed of a night under Saharan stars, October is one of the best times to go. Summer heat makes long camel treks and dune walks tough, while winter nights can be freezing. In October, days average a manageable 28–32°C, warm enough to feel the desert glow without the exhaustion of high summer. By evening, temperatures drop to a comfortable 15–18°C, perfect for sitting by a campfire, sharing mint tea, and listening to drums under the Milky Way.

Camps at Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga often sell out during this period, so booking in advance is wise. You can choose between luxury tents with hot showers and simple Berber-style bivouacs with lantern light.

We stayed overnight in a simple Berber style camp which was perfect for resting after a long journey the day before and enjoying the best of what the desert has to offer.

The journeys to reach the dunes also feel easier this month. Stops in the High Atlas or Draa Valley are pleasant rather than draining, and roadside cafés become welcome pauses rather than survival breaks. October strikes a balance between the desert being alive with colour and warmth, yet comfortable enough to enjoy every moment.

You will need layers for Morocco in October

While not cold in October, the warm days can make the cooler evenings feel a little bit chilly, especially by the coast with the sea breeze. A jumper is enough in most cases to stay warm in the evenings.

For treks into the Sahara we suggest longer trouser and jumpers in the evening as we woke in the night feeling cold.

Is October a good value month to visit Morocco?

October is one of the most popular times of year to visit Morocco. The weather is cooler, the desert is more comfortable, and the surf season kicks off along the Atlantic coast. Because of this, prices are generally higher than the hot summer months. Riads in Marrakech, desert camps, and surf lodges on the coast all tend to fill quickly, especially around UK half term, so it pays to book ahead if you want the best options.

Festivals and local life make October colourful

October hums with music, markets, and celebration. Date harvest parades sweep through Saharan towns, Tbourida horse displays thunder along the coast, and Marrakech fills with open air performances. Warm evenings, lantern lit squares, and busy souks create a lively rhythm that pairs perfectly with cooler days and surf season.

Erfoud Date Festival | Sahara date harvest party with music, parades, souks, tastings, and camel races under big desert skies.

El Jadida Horse Festival (Tbourida) | Thunderous cavalry charges, traditional costumes, and synchronized gunpowder displays celebrating Morocco’s equestrian heritage.

Marrakech Popular Arts Festival | Open-air music, dance, theatre, and folklore shows lighting up squares, gardens, and riads across the city.

If you have found this guide useful then don’t forget to check out our other guides to Morocco that are linked below.