Africa

Morocco in November

Still excellent with thinning crowds. Desert nights turn cold late month; pack accordingly.

BestMild, Marrakech highs near 73F (23C)

Blue stairway in Chefchaouen, Morocco — MoroccoPhoto: Fbrandao.1963, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

November is one of the best months of the year to visit Morocco. Still excellent with thinning crowds. Desert nights turn cold late month; pack accordingly.

Weather: Mild, Marrakech highs near 73F (23C)
Crowds: 3 of 5
Prices: 3 of 5

What November is like in Morocco

November is still excellent. Marrakech highs are around 73F (23C), days are sunny, and crowds thin after October. Desert nights turn cold late in the month, and snow can start to appear on the Atlas peaks. Prices ease a little, and everything is open.

This month suits travelers who want near-prime weather with fewer people, including families happy to bundle up for a desert night. Late November is one of the smartest times to go. Film fans may find Marrakech busy during its international film festival, which usually runs late in the year.

Make the most of November

What is especially good about Morocco this month.

Quieter prime season

Early November keeps October's weather with more space in the souks and better riad choice.

Marrakech International Film Festival

This major festival usually lands late in the year and brings red-carpet energy to the city, so book hotels early if it overlaps.

Crisp desert skies

Cool, dry air makes for some of the clearest star-filled nights over the dunes.

What to pack for November

A warm jacket for evenings and the desert
Light layers for sunny days
A beanie for camp nights
Comfortable shoes for long medina walks

Our timing tip

Go in the first half of November for warmer desert nights, and pick a camp with real beds and blankets.

Book Morocco for November.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Morocco
Opens a hotel search for Morocco in November, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for November
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Morocco
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Morocco
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Morocco for November. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in November

Ramadan in Morocco

Dates shift about 11 days earlier each year; check the current window

The country stays open to visitors: riads, tourist restaurants, and sights operate, while many local cafes close until sunset and daytime medina energy dips. Evenings after iftar are festive and late. Alcohol availability shrinks for the month.

Marrakech International Film Festival

Usually late in the year

A major film festival that brings red-carpet energy, and full hotels, to Marrakech.

Things to do in Morocco

Full guide

Jemaa el-Fnaa and the Marrakech souks

The famous square ramps from juice stalls by day to food-stall theatre at night. Enter the souks with time to get lost; haggling is expected and good-natured.

Tickets and tours →

Fes el-Bali medina

The world's largest car-free urban area. Hire a licensed guide for the first pass, then wander; the Chouara tannery terraces and medersa courtyards are the headliners.

Tickets and tours →

A Sahara camp at Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga

Merzouga's Erg Chebbi is the accessible classic; Erg Chigaga beyond Zagora is wilder and farther. Sunset camel ride, drum fire, dawn over the dunes: do the overnight, not the day trip.

Tickets and tours →

The Tizi n'Tichka pass and Ait Benhaddou

The High Atlas crossing en route to the desert, with the fortified mud-brick ksar of Ait Benhaddou, a longtime film location, on the far side. Best light in late afternoon.

Tickets and tours →

Essaouira

The Atlantic counterweight: a fortified white-and-blue port town with a working fish harbor, steady breezes, and a laid-back arts scene. Two nights reset any itinerary.

Tickets and tours →

Majorelle Garden and Marrakech's museums

The cobalt-blue garden restored by Yves Saint Laurent, with the YSL museum next door. Book the first timed slot; midday queues are real in season.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Work the medinas at the edges of the day: souks are calmest in the early morning, and Jemaa el-Fnaa's food-stall spectacle is the evening reward. Midday is for riad courtyards and long lunches.
Book Majorelle Garden's first slot of the morning and any high-profile restaurants a week or more ahead in spring and fall; both queue hard in season.
Sleep inside the medinas rather than day-tripping into them: riad guests get the quiet hours before the tour groups arrive and after they leave.
Choose Erg Chigaga over Erg Chebbi if you want dunes with almost nobody on them; the extra drive past Zagora filters the crowds out.

Know before you go

Morocco has no seasonal shutdown: medinas, souks, and sights run year-round, and the real seasonal variable is heat, not access. The desert circuit operates in every month, but July and August overnights are only for the heat-hardened, and December through February camp nights need serious bedding.
During Ramadan, tourist infrastructure stays open (riads, tourist restaurants, guides, camps), while many local cafes and eateries close until sunset, some sites shorten hours, and alcohol becomes scarce outside hotels. Evenings turn festive. Dates shift about 11 days earlier each year.
Non-Muslims cannot enter mosques in Morocco with few exceptions, most notably the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca by guided tour; plan around exteriors, medersas, and museums instead.
On Fridays, the holy day, many souk stalls and local businesses close for midday prayers and family couscous, and parts of the medinas go quiet until late afternoon; sights generally remain open.

Morocco in November, quick answers

Is November a good time to visit Morocco?

November is one of the best months of the year to visit Morocco. Still excellent with thinning crowds. Desert nights turn cold late month; pack accordingly.

What is the weather like in Morocco in November?

Mild, Marrakech highs near 73F (23C).

Is Morocco crowded in November?

Crowds in Morocco are moderate in November; timed bookings still help at the biggest sights.

What is happening in Morocco in November?

Ramadan in Morocco (dates shift about 11 days earlier each year; check the current window); Marrakech International Film Festival (usually late in the year).