{"id":74991,"date":"2023-03-03T07:00:37","date_gmt":"2023-03-03T06:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/visitanddo_1790.test\/?p=74991"},"modified":"2026-09-30T23:06:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T21:06:44","slug":"travel-to-morocco-in-august","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/travel-to-morocco-in-august\/","title":{"rendered":"Travelling to Morocco in August"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"product\"><div class=\"product\">\n<p><strong>August is the hottest month of the year in Morocco<\/strong>, and whether it\u2019s worth it depends entirely on <strong>which area you visit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The disparity within the same country is staggering: whilst <strong>Marrakech exceeds 38 \u00b0C<\/strong>, in <strong>Tangier or Essaouira it is around 28<\/strong> with a sea breeze. Here\u2019s what to expect and how to get organised.<\/p>\n\n<h2>\u26a0\ufe0f First things first: the desert in August \u2013 no<\/h2>\n<p><strong>This is the most common planning mistake and the one that causes the most frustration.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In <strong>Merzouga and the Sahara, temperatures exceed 48 \u00b0C<\/strong> in August. The classic Marrakech\u2013Merzouga route at that time of year <strong>It\u2019s not just uncomfortable: it\u2019s risky<\/strong>, particularly with children or the elderly.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If your trip includes a desert, reschedule it for another month.<\/strong> October to April is the best time to enjoy the Sahara, and indeed the only time it really makes sense to visit: mild days and cool nights under the stars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/desierto_marruecos_navidades-edited.jpg\" alt=\"Dunes in the Moroccan desert under the sun\" class=\"wp-image-74990\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/desierto_marruecos_navidades-edited.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/desierto_marruecos_navidades-edited-600x263.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/desierto_marruecos_navidades-edited-300x131.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/desierto_marruecos_navidades-edited-18x8.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Temperatures in the Sahara exceed 48 \u00b0C in August: it\u2019s best to leave it until autumn or winter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2>Temperatures, area by area<\/h2>\n<p>Morocco doesn\u2019t have just one climate \u2013 it has four. These are the average figures for August:<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr><th>Area<\/th><th>Maximum average<\/th><th>Average minimum<\/th><\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr><td><strong>North coast<\/strong> (Tangier, Tetouan)<\/td><td>28\u201330 \u00b0C<\/td><td>20\u201321 \u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>Atlantic coast<\/strong> (Casablanca, Rabat, Essaouira)<\/td><td>26\u201329 \u00b0C<\/td><td>20 \u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>Mountain<\/strong> (Chefchaouen, Rif, Middle Atlas)<\/td><td>30\u201332 \u00b0C<\/td><td>18 \u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>Interior<\/strong> (Marrakech, Fez)<\/td><td>36\u201338 \u00b0C, with peaks of 42\u201345<\/td><td>19\u201321 \u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>Desert<\/strong> (Merzouga, Erg Chebbi)<\/td><td><strong>Over 45 \u00b0C, with highs of 48<\/strong><\/td><td>25\u201326 \u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Two points that change the whole picture:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Inland, the heat is dry<\/strong>, so 38 \u00b0C is more bearable in the shade than it seems. <strong>It\u2019s humid on the coast<\/strong>, and 29 \u00b0C can feel more muggy.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Inland nights bring little relief<\/strong>: The temperature in Marrakech will stay at 21 \u00b0C; it won\u2019t drop much further.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>A point of reference:<\/strong> The record for the past decade in Morocco in August was <strong>47 \u00b0C<\/strong>, recorded in 2021.<\/p>\n\n<h2>How to organise your day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/comida-marroqui-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Table laden with Moroccan dishes\" class=\"wp-image-74027\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/comida-marroqui-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/comida-marroqui-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/comida-marroqui-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/comida-marroqui-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/comida-marroqui-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/comida-marroqui-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/comida-marroqui.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At midday, shade and lunch: it\u2019s cooler indoors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The two-stripe rule:<\/strong> among the <strong>10.00 and 17.00<\/strong>, the covered souks of Marrakech or Fez are a wall of heat. Don\u2019t fight it.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>From 7.00 to 10.00.<\/strong> It\u2019s the best time of day: the medinas are coming to life, there aren\u2019t many people about, and it\u2019s lovely to walk around.<\/li>\n<li><strong>From 10.00 to 18.00.<\/strong> Indoors, shade, a long meal and a nap. The <strong>riads with a courtyard<\/strong> are designed specifically for this purpose.<\/li>\n<li><strong>From 6.00 pm onwards.<\/strong> The city comes to life and stays up late.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3>The sun is the problem, not just the heat<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The UV index in Marrakech reaches 11 or 12 in August<\/strong>, the top of the scale. At that level, unprotected skin gets burnt in just over ten minutes.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>SPF 50 sun cream<\/strong>, reapplied <strong>every 90 minutes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A hat or cap and sunglasses<\/strong>, not optional.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Always keep water to hand<\/strong>, and drink before you feel thirsty.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>What to pack<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Lightweight, loose-fitting and made from natural fibres<\/strong>: cotton or linen, which are breathable. And in light colours.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Even if it\u2019s hot, cover your arms and shoulders<\/strong> with light clothing. For two reasons: it protects you from direct sunlight and respects local customs, particularly outside tourist areas and at religious sites.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Closed, comfortable footwear:<\/strong> The ground in the medinas is uneven and sloping.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A thin long-sleeved top<\/strong> for interiors with powerful air conditioning.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A handkerchief<\/strong>, which protects you from the sun and dust, and which you can use to cover yourself when entering a building.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>Where to go in August<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Excursion-a-Tetuan-desde-malaga-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"A town in northern Morocco, where the summers are milder\" class=\"wp-image-72445\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Excursion-a-Tetuan-desde-malaga-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Excursion-a-Tetuan-desde-malaga-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Excursion-a-Tetuan-desde-malaga-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Excursion-a-Tetuan-desde-malaga-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Excursion-a-Tetuan-desde-malaga-16x12.jpg 16w, https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Excursion-a-Tetuan-desde-malaga.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>August is the month of the north and the coast.<\/strong> These are the places where you can really enjoy the summer:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The north coast.<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/que-ver-en-tanger-en-3-dias\/\">Tangier<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/what-see-in-tetuan\/\">Tetuan<\/a> remain at 28\u201330 \u00b0C, and furthermore <strong>You can get there by ferry from Spain in an hour<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Essaouira<\/strong>, on the Atlantic coast. Famous for its constant wind: it is probably the coolest place in the country in summer.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chefchaouen and the Rif.<\/strong> The altitude brings the temperature down by several degrees. You can find it at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/ciudades-azules-de-marruecos\/\">the blue cities of Morocco<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Middle Atlas<\/strong>, with the cedar groves of Ifrane, which is where Moroccans themselves go to escape the heat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What about Marrakech and Fez?<\/strong> You can see them perfectly well, but <strong>just using the two-strip rule<\/strong> and knowing that the middle of the day is not put to good use.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Eating in summer<\/h2>\n<p>The kitchen tidies itself up: <strong>salads, seasonal fruit<\/strong> \u2014melon, watermelon, figs\u2014 and <strong>fresh juices<\/strong> at the stalls in the souks, which save the day in the middle of the afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>tajine<\/strong> You\u2019re less likely to fancy dishes that take a long time to cook when it\u2019s 38 \u00b0C; save the hearty meals for the evening, which is when everyone eats. And the <strong>mint tea<\/strong> It\u2019s drunk hot even in August: it sounds strange, but it works.<\/p>\n<p>You can find more at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/bebidas-tipicas-de-marruecos\/\">traditional drinks<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/sweets-arabes-artisan-crafts-from-morocco\/\">Moroccan sweets<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Two notices to mariners<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>August is the peak season<\/strong>, particularly along the coast, and coincides with the Moroccan diaspora\u2019s holiday period. <strong>Book accommodation and transport in advance<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check whether it falls during Ramadan.<\/strong> That\u2019s not the case at the moment \u2014 the one in 2027 will be in February \u2014 but the Islamic calendar moves forward by about ten days each year, so it\u2019s worth checking it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Before you go, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/travel-to-morocco-from-spain\/\">how to travel to Morocco from Spain<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/?p=9534\">Is it safe to travel at the moment?<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<h2>August\u2019s choice: the north by day<\/h2>\n<p>We are a local tour operator based in M\u00e1laga with over 50 years\u2019 experience organising trips around Andalusia and northern Morocco. <strong>In August, the best option is to cross the Strait and come back<\/strong>: you get to see the whole country without the heat of the interior or the hassle of long journeys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>And to prepare for the trip, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/que-comprar-en-tanger\/\">what to buy<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/las-8-puertas-de-la-medina-de-tetuan\/\">the gates of the medina of Tetouan<\/a>. The entire destination, in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/marruecos\/\">The Morocco Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n<h3>Is it worth travelling to Morocco in August?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, if you choose the right area. The north coast, the Atlantic and the Rif Mountains have temperatures of between 26 and 32 degrees, making them perfect for a visit. The interior, including Marrakech and Fez, requires you to plan for two different time zones, and it\u2019s best to avoid the desert. With that in mind, August is a brilliant month for the north of the country.<\/p>\n\n<h3>Is it possible to visit the Sahara Desert in August?<\/h3>\n<p>It is strongly discouraged. In Merzouga and Erg Chebbi, temperatures exceed 48 degrees in August, which makes the classic tour from Marrakech a risky undertaking, not just an uncomfortable one, especially with children or elderly people. It makes sense to reschedule the desert part of the trip to the months of October to April.<\/p>\n\n<h3>What is the temperature like in Marrakech in August?<\/h3>\n<p>Average maximum temperatures hover around 36 to 38 degrees, with peaks of 42 to 45 during heatwaves, whilst minimum temperatures remain around 21, so the nights offer little relief. It is a dry heat, which makes it somewhat more bearable in the shade than the humidity of the coast, but the UV index reaches 11 or 12, the maximum on the scale.<\/p>\n\n<h3>Which are the coolest areas of Morocco in summer?<\/h3>\n<p>The north coast, with Tangier and Tetouan recording temperatures of between 28 and 30 degrees; the Atlantic coast, particularly Essaouira, famous for its constant winds; and the mountains, with Chefchaouen and the Rif or the Middle Atlas, and the cedar forests of Ifrane, where the altitude brings temperatures down by several degrees. These are the areas where Moroccans themselves head in summer.<\/p>\n\n<h3>What clothes should I pack for Morocco in August?<\/h3>\n<p>Lightweight, loose-fitting clothing made from natural fibres such as cotton or linen, in light colours. It is advisable to cover your arms and shoulders with light garments, as this protects you from direct sunlight and respects local customs. Wear a hat, sunglasses, closed-toe, comfortable shoes for the medinas, and a light long-sleeved top for air-conditioned indoor spaces.<\/p>\n\n<h3>What are the best times to visit the medinas in August?<\/h3>\n<p>From seven to ten in the morning and from six in the evening. Between 10 am and 5 pm, the covered souks of Marrakech or Fez become an oven. The best approach is to split the day into two parts and spend the middle hours eating and resting, preferably in a riad with an inner courtyard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/travel-to-morocco-in-august\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Morocco\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/marruecos\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Travelling to Morocco in August\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/travel-to-morocco-in-august\/#articulo\",\"headline\":\"Visiting Morocco in August: what to expect and where to go\",\"description\":\"A guide to the weather in Morocco in August: temperatures by region, what to pack, how to plan your day and why you should avoid the desert in summer.\",\"about\":{\"@type\":\"Country\",\"name\":\"Morocco\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Visitanddo\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/travel-to-morocco-in-august\/#faq\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is it worth travelling to Morocco in August?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes, if you choose the right area. 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The disparity within the same country is staggering: whilst Marrakech exceeds 38 \u00b0C, in Tangier or Essaouira it is around 28 with a sea breeze. Here\u2019s what to expect and how to get [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":72682,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[307],"tags":[700],"class_list":["post-74991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-unkategorisiert","tag-morocco"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74991","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74991"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74991\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74991"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74991"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74991"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}