Marrakech in October: weather, temperatures and tips
Alongside April, the steadiest month of the year: 29°C (84°F) by day, 16°C at night, crisp sun and an autumn light that gilds the ramparts. The flipside is well known: peak high season, high prices, especially over half-term.
October is, with April, one of the two steadiest months of the year. The average high drops back to 29°C (84°F), the low to 16°C, and summer heat gives way to a mild, stable climate. The sun stays crisp, the evenings cool just enough for a light jumper, and the autumn light lays a warm ochre over the ramparts in late afternoon. Well-known flipside: it’s the heart of the second high season and one of the priciest months.
Marrakech weather in October
At 29°C average high and 16°C low, October offers a climate almost identical to April’s but in reverse: you exit the heat rather than enter it. Early October holds a summer edge, with possible peaks at 35°C, then mildness settles and the evenings gradually cool. The day-night gap stays moderate, around thirteen degrees.
Rain returns, five to six days for 19 mm, sometimes as an autumn thunderstorm, often followed by clearer spells. Sun still dominates, eight hours a day. On the Atlas, the peaks stay bare. The first snow usually only lands in November.
Your day, hour by hour
| Time | Feel | What you do with it |
|---|---|---|
| 8-11am | 17-23°C | Medina and souks, T-shirt |
| noon-5pm | 27-29°C, sharp sun | Gardens, palaces, pool, shade at the peak hours |
| 6-8pm | 20-23°C | Rooftops, terraces, the golden hour |
| night | 16°C | A light layer in the evening |
What to pack
October calls, like April, for a mixed but light case. Light-coloured pieces for the day, a warm layer - jumper or jacket - for the evenings which cool, especially late in the month. Hat, sunglasses and SPF still earn their keep, the midday sun still bites. Closed shoes for the medina, and a foldable umbrella for the autumn showers. A swimsuit works in the first fortnight, pool water still pleasant. Later in the month, a heated pool becomes preferable.
Crowds and prices in October
October is the peak of the autumn high season. The near-perfect climate and the school holidays - UK autumn half-term and French All Saints’, running from mid-October to early November - converge: riads fill up and rates climb. Reckon on £88-£128 a night double in a boutique riad, more over half-term. For those dates, book the flight and accommodation two to three months ahead. For the same climate with fewer people, look at late September or the second half of November. To compare, see our riads and hotels.
What to do in Marrakech in October
October brings the finest light of the year alongside April: a warm, low autumn sun that gilds the ochre of the ramparts at the end of the day, with no weather cap on visits. It’s the month for long walks in the medina, then gardens, palaces and rooftops at sunset. It’s also the return of the full day-trip season, the heat now down.
The Agafay desert recovers mild nights, perfect for a dinner under canvas, and further-desert circuits become comfortable again. The Ourika valley and the Ouzoud waterfalls are doable in a day, and the Essaouira coast still holds a lukewarm sea.
Our verdict on October
October, like April, earns its reputation: a near-flawless climate, the pool still on the cards early in the month and every door open for visits and day trips. The price is known: crowds and high rates, especially over half-term.
If the date is fixed, book early. If you’re free, the second half of November offers a still-decent climate for much less.
The twelve months compare on our best time to visit, and the packing brief is on what to pack.
