November in Marrakech is, to put it plainly, one of the best weather windows you'll get all year. Daytime temperatures hover around 25.5°C (78°F), warm enough for shirtsleeves in the souks but cool enough that a 3-hour walk through the Medina won't leave you drenched in sweat. Nights drop to about 11.3°C (52°F). That's the kind of chill where a wool djellaba suddenly makes perfect sense. Rainfall averages a modest 12mm across roughly 3 rainy days, so you're unlikely to lose more than a single afternoon to weather.
This is the gap between the punishing July-August heat, when Jemaa el-Fnaa empties by noon and the mercury hits 40°C, and the December-January stretch that brings heavier rain and shorter days. The olive harvest is underway in the groves outside the city. Pomegranates are piled high in the Mellah quarter's fruit stalls, split open and ruby-red. The Marrakech International Film Festival typically lands in late November or early December, and when it does, Guéliz and Hivernage fill with a brief, noticeable wave of international visitors and evening screenings.
Hotel rates haven't yet climbed to their December-January peak, though riads in the Mouassine quarter and central Medina are starting to fill by mid-month. You'll likely find availability if you book 2 to 3 weeks ahead, but last-minute walk-ins at the better addresses are already getting scarce. Worth noting that November 6 (Green March Day) and November 18 (Independence Day) are national holidays, so expect some closures and celebrations on those dates.
Why visit in November
- You can walk the Medina for 5 or 6 hours straight without the heat forcing you into a café by noon, which is genuinely impossible from June through September when shade temperatures still sit above 35°C.
- The dry stretch is remarkably consistent. November typically delivers 27 clear days out of 30, and even the rare shower tends to blow through in under an hour, leaving the air smelling of wet clay and cedar.
- Shoulder-season pricing means riad rates in the Medina run 20-30% below December-January peak, with better availability at well-reviewed properties.
- The olive harvest brings fresh-pressed argan and olive oil to the souks, and the Atlas Mountains are at their most walkable, with clear skies and daytime trail temperatures around 15-20°C.
- Crowds are noticeably thinner than December through February. You can photograph the courtyard at Ben Youssef Madrasa without 40 people in every frame.
Worth knowing
- Evenings cool sharply to around 11°C (52°F), and many traditional riads have thick walls but limited heating. You might find yourself sleeping under 3 blankets in a gorgeous tiled room that holds the night cold like a cellar.
- The Marrakech International Film Festival, when it falls in late November, temporarily drives up hotel prices in Guéliz and Hivernage by 15-25% for the festival week.
- Daylight hours are shorter than summer, with sunset around 5:30 PM. Afternoon excursions to the Atlas Mountains or Ourika Valley need an earlier start than you'd plan in June.
Best for
Think twice if
November sits in that comfortable corridor between the scorching summer and the cooler, wetter winter. Expect warm, dry days with clear skies and a noticeable temperature drop after sunset. Humidity stays low at 49%, so even 25°C in direct sun feels manageable rather than sticky. The occasional rain shower tends to arrive in short bursts, clearing within an hour or two and leaving the air smelling of wet terracotta and dust. Mornings can feel cool until about 10 AM, especially in the narrow shaded alleys of the Medina where sunlight takes time to reach the ground.
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | 7 | 20 |
| Feb | 22 | 8 | 47 |
| Mar | 23 | 10 | 50 |
| Apr | 27 | 13 | 30 |
| May | 31 | 16 | 11 |
| Jun | 34 | 19 | 1 |
| Jul | 40 | 22 | 0 |
| Aug | 39 | 22 | 0 |
| Sep | 33 | 19 | 6 |
| Oct | 31 | 16 | 18 |
| Nov | 26 | 11 | 12 |
| Dec | 21 | 8 | 52 |
Headline events
Marrakech International Film Festival
Late November to early December (dates shift yearly, typically spanning 5-7 days)
Founded in 2001, this is Morocco's flagship cinema event, drawing international directors, actors, and industry figures to the city for screenings, tributes, and public outdoor projections on Jemaa el-Fnaa. The festival typically features a competitive section alongside retrospectives and tributes to major filmmakers. It's the one week of the year when Marrakech feels genuinely cosmopolitan in a film-world sense, with red-carpet events in the Palais des Congrès and free outdoor screenings open to anyone.
Best things to do in November
Atlas Mountain day hike to Imlil
outdoorThe village of Imlil sits at 1,740 meters, about 90 minutes south of Marrakech. November's clear skies and daytime trail temperatures of 15-20°C make the 2-3 hour walk up from Imlil toward the Toubkal refuge manageable without summer's heat or winter's ice. Walnut trees along the trail are turning gold, and the valley views from the Azzaden pass are some of the sharpest you'll get all year.
Trail temperatures between 15-20°C, no snow below 3,000 meters yet, and the autumn colors in the walnut groves peak in the first two weeks of November.Booking tipGrand taxis from Marrakech to Imlil cost around 500-600 dirhams for the car (up to 6 passengers). Agree the price before departure from the taxi stand near Place Youssef Tachfini.
Ourika Valley Saturday souk
marketThe weekly Berber market in Ourika fills a riverbed terrace about 45 minutes south of Marrakech. In November, the stalls carry fresh walnuts, new-season olive oil, dried herbs from the mountain villages, and woolen blankets woven in the valley. The smell of wood smoke and fresh mint tea hangs over the whole market. It tends to wind down by early afternoon.
The Saturday souk is year-round, but November's harvest season brings the widest variety of valley produce. The drive through the valley is also at its most scenic, with autumn foliage along the riverbanks.Booking tipLeave Marrakech by 8:30 AM to arrive before the stalls fill up. Shared taxis leave from Bab er-Rob.
Evening food tour of Jemaa el-Fnaa
foodThe open-air food stalls on Jemaa el-Fnaa set up around 5 PM and run until midnight. November's cooler evenings bring out the heavier dishes, including harira, tanjia (the slow-cooked meat pot), and grilled lamb chops. The smoke, the shouting vendors, the hiss of meat hitting the grill. The square at 7 PM in November is sensory overload in the best way, without the oppressive heat that makes summer evenings feel sluggish.
Cooler evening air around 15-18°C makes standing at the outdoor stalls comfortable, and the seasonal menu shifts to hearty soups and slow-cooked meats that don't appear in summer.Booking tipYou don't need a guided tour to navigate the stalls, but if you want context, Marrakech Food Tours runs a 3-hour evening walk for around 450 dirhams per person.
Bahia Palace morning visit
cultureThe 19th-century palace in the Mellah quarter covers 8,000 square meters of painted cedar ceilings, zellige tilework, and planted courtyards. In November, the morning light between 9-11 AM catches the courtyard tiles at a low angle that picks up colors you won't see under summer's overhead sun. The planted orange trees in the central garden are still carrying fruit.
November's lower sun angle produces richer light on the tilework, and visitor numbers are roughly half of what they'll be in December and January.Booking tipArrive at opening (9 AM) for the emptiest courtyards. Entry is 70 dirhams.
Hammam at Dar el-Bacha
wellnessThe restored 19th-century hammam in the Mouassine quarter reopened as a cultural space and spa. November evenings, when the temperature drops to 11-12°C after sunset, are when a traditional hammam session feels most welcome. The heat of the steam room, the rough scrub of the kessa glove, the cool rinse afterward. It's a physical reset after a day of walking.
The contrast between the cool November evening air and the hammam's steam rooms is more pronounced than in summer, making the whole experience feel more restorative.Booking tipBook 2-3 days ahead for a weekend evening slot. Sessions typically last 60-90 minutes.
Cycling the Palmeraie
outdoorThe Palmeraie stretches across roughly 13,000 hectares north of the Medina, with dirt tracks winding between date palm groves. November's temperatures make a 2-3 hour ride through the groves comfortable, with daytime highs around 24-26°C and enough breeze to keep the dust down after any rain. The light through the palm canopy in late afternoon has a warm amber quality.
Summer heat makes midday cycling dangerous. November's mild days and low humidity create a window where you can ride for 2-3 hours without overheating.Booking tipSeveral shops along Avenue Mohammed VI rent bikes for around 150-200 dirhams per day. Mountain bikes handle the Palmeraie's sandy tracks better than city bikes.
Maison de la Photographie
cultureThis private museum in the Medina houses a collection of Moroccan photographs and glass negatives dating from 1870 to 1960. The rooftop terrace offers one of the better elevated views of the Medina roofscape and the Atlas Mountains beyond. On a clear November day, the snowline on Toubkal is often visible from here, sitting white above the ochre city.
November's clear skies and low humidity make the Atlas Mountain views from the rooftop terrace sharper than the hazy summer months. Entry is 50 dirhams.What to eat in November
In season: fruit
Pomegranates
Peak season runs October through November. The stalls along Rue Bab Agnaou and inside the Mellah sell them whole or freshly juiced for around 10-15 dirhams a glass. The Moroccan Sefri variety tends to be sweeter and less acidic than what you might find in European supermarkets.
Quince (sfargel)
Quince season peaks in November across Morocco. In Marrakech, you'll find it cooked down into tagines, where it softens into something almost like a honeyed pear. Vendors in the Medina also sell quince paste (pâte de coing) in slabs, which pairs well with the local goat cheese from the Ourika Valley.
On menus now
Harira
This tomato-and-lentil soup appears on street stalls and restaurant menus as evenings turn cooler. November's 11°C nights make a bowl of harira at one of the Jemaa el-Fnaa food stalls feel restorative rather than heavy. It's typically served with dates and chebakia honey pastries on the side.
Street food peaks
Msemen with amlou
Msemen, the square-shaped griddle bread, is a year-round staple, but November is when fresh amlou appears alongside it. Amlou is a thick paste of argan oil, almonds, and honey. The new-harvest argan oil gives the November batch a nuttier, greener flavor than what you'll find in jars from earlier in the year. Morning stalls near Bab Doukkala sell a msemen-and-amlou combo for around 5-8 dirhams.
In markets
Fresh-pressed olive oil
November is peak olive harvest around Marrakech, and the new-season oil appears in the souks within days of pressing. It tends to have a sharper, more peppery bite than the mellowed oil from earlier months. Vendors in the Mellah and around Rahba Kedima sell it by the liter, and you can taste the difference between Picholine and Moroccan Menara varieties.
Regular events in November
Green March Day (Fête de la Marche Verte)Free
National holiday on November 6 commemorating the 1975 Green March. Government offices, banks, and some shops close. Expect flag displays and occasional parades in Guéliz. The Medina souks mostly stay open.
November 6Independence Day (Fête de l'Indépendance)Free
Morocco's independence from France in 1956 is marked on November 18 with a national holiday. Banks and government offices close, and you might encounter street celebrations or fireworks in the evening. Most tourist-facing businesses in the Medina remain open.
November 18Sunday antiques market at Bab el-KhemisFree
The flea market outside the northern gate of the Medina runs every Sunday morning, sprawling across several blocks. Vendors lay out Berber jewelry, brass lamps, old carpets, French colonial-era furniture, and assorted curiosities on ground cloths. November mornings are cool enough to browse without the summer's punishing sun. The market thins out by noon.
Every Sunday, roughly 7 AM to noonBest places this November
Ben Youssef Madrasa
historic siteThe 14th-century Koranic school near the northern edge of the Medina reopened after restoration. Its carved stucco walls and central marble courtyard are among the most photographed spaces in Morocco. November's thinner crowds mean you can sometimes stand in the courtyard alone for a full minute, which rarely happens from December through March.
MedinaJardin Majorelle
gardenThe cobalt-blue garden originally designed by Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s and later restored by Yves Saint Laurent draws around 900,000 visitors per year. November visits are noticeably calmer than peak season, with wait times at the entrance typically under 10 minutes versus 30-45 minutes in January. The adjacent Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech is worth the separate 100-dirham ticket.
GuélizSaadian Tombs
historic siteThe 16th-century royal necropolis in the Kasbah quarter was sealed for centuries before its rediscovery in 1917. The Chamber of Twelve Columns holds some of the finest carved marble in Morocco. The space is small, so even moderate crowds create bottlenecks. In November, you can typically get through without the 20-30 minute queue that forms in peak season. Entry is 70 dirhams.
KasbahLe Jardin Secret
gardenA restored 19th-century riad garden in the heart of the Medina, with an Islamic garden and an exotic garden on two levels. The rooftop offers views across Medina rooftops toward the Koutoubia minaret. In November, the garden's bougainvillea is still flowering, and the afternoon light through the banana palms creates a quieter atmosphere than the more famous Majorelle.
MedinaRahba Kedima (Spice Square)
marketThe small square near the center of the Medina souk is where vendors sell dried herbs, spices, argan oil, and traditional cosmetics. November brings fresh-harvest ras el hanout blends with that season's dried rosebuds and saffron from Taliouine. The smell of cumin, dried ginger, and cedar hits you before you reach the square.
MedinaKoutoubia Mosque gardens
landmarkThe gardens surrounding Marrakech's largest mosque are a public park open to non-Muslims. The rose beds and olive trees are well-maintained, and the 77-meter minaret is the dominant landmark from nearly every rooftop in the city. November evenings, when the call to prayer sounds as the light turns golden on the minaret's pink sandstone, are particularly atmospheric.
Medina
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Insider tips
The tanneries in the Bab Debbagh quarter smell strongest in the morning heat, but November's cooler mornings make the visit more bearable than in summer. Go before 10 AM when the dyers are actively working the vats. Vendors near the entrance will hand you fresh mint to hold under your nose.
Riad heating is genuinely inconsistent. Before booking, message the property directly and ask whether they have portable heaters for November stays. The thick pisé walls that keep rooms cool in summer do the same with cold air in winter. A hot water bottle from the riad kitchen solves most of the problem.
The Mellah's spice vendors quote higher prices to anyone carrying a camera or guidebook. Put both away, greet in Arabic (salam alaikum), and you'll likely hear a price closer to what locals pay. For reference, a small bag of ras el hanout typically runs 15-25 dirhams.
Grand taxis to the Atlas Mountains leave from a stand near Place Youssef Tachfini. The posted fare to Imlil is around 100 dirhams per seat (shared, 6 passengers), but drivers often try to charge 150-200 for tourists. Having exact change and stating the local price in French tends to settle it.
The rooftop terrace of Café des Épices in Rahba Kedima fills up by 11 AM in peak season, but in November you can usually get a table without waiting. The mint tea is standard, but the view over the spice market rooftops is one of the best free vantage points in the Medina.
Avoid these mistakes
- Underestimating the evening temperature drop. The 14-degree swing from afternoon to midnight catches people off guard. Dinner at an open-air rooftop restaurant at 8 PM in November can feel cold if you're dressed for the 25°C afternoon.
- Skipping the Atlas Mountains because they seem too far. Imlil is only 90 minutes by taxi, and a day hike in November's mild weather is one of the best contrasts to the density of the Medina. You don't need a guide for the marked trail to the Toubkal refuge.
- Assuming the Medina souks have fixed prices. Virtually nothing in the traditional souks has a price tag. A reasonable opening counter-offer is typically 40-50% of the first quoted price, and you'll usually settle around 60-70%. Only the pharmacies and some modern shops in Guéliz have fixed pricing.
- Planning outdoor activities after 4 PM. With sunset at 5:30 PM, late-afternoon light fades fast, and the Medina's narrow streets go dark quickly. If you're visiting the tanneries, gardens, or outlying palaces, schedule them for the morning.
- Booking a riad too deep in the Medina without considering access. Some riads are a 15-minute walk through narrow, unmarked alleys from the nearest road where a taxi can drop you. With luggage on arrival day, that walk is far less charming than it sounds. Ask the riad for a porter or meet-and-greet service.
Practical tips for November
November sits at the transition from shoulder to high season, so booking 2-3 weeks ahead for popular Medina riads is a good baseline. The two national holidays (November 6 and 18) close banks and government offices but leave most tourist-facing businesses open. Currency exchange is easier at the bureaux de change on Avenue Mohammed V in Guéliz than at the airport, where rates tend to be 3-5% worse. Sunset prayer times shift slightly through the month, currently landing around 5:25-5:35 PM. Some restaurants in the Medina close briefly during evening prayers. Carry cash in smaller denominations (20 and 50 dirham notes) for the souks and food stalls, as most traditional vendors don't accept cards. Uber does not operate in Marrakech. Petit taxis (beige with a meter) are the standard for in-city transport. Insist on the meter. A ride from Guéliz to the Medina typically runs 15-25 dirhams.
FAQ
Is November a good time to visit Marrakech?
November is one of the 2 or 3 best months to visit. Daytime highs around 25°C make walking the Medina comfortable, rain is minimal at roughly 12mm for the whole month, and crowds are lighter than the December-February peak. The main trade-off is cooler evenings around 11°C, which can feel cold in riads without heating.
What should I wear in Marrakech in November?
Light cotton layers for daytime, when temperatures sit around 20-25°C. A warm jacket or fleece for evenings, when it drops to 11-12°C. Long trousers and covered shoulders are appreciated at religious sites and in more conservative neighborhoods of the Medina. Comfortable walking shoes with grip are more important than style on the uneven stone streets.
Does it rain much in Marrakech in November?
November averages about 12mm of rain across 3 days. When it does rain, showers tend to be brief, typically lasting an hour or two before clearing. It's one of the drier months, sitting well below December's 25mm and January's 32mm averages.
How crowded is Marrakech in November?
Moderate. Visitor numbers are noticeably lower than the December-February peak, and you'll find shorter queues at Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, and Jardin Majorelle. The exception is if the Marrakech International Film Festival falls in late November, which brings a temporary spike to Guéliz and Hivernage hotels.
Can I do a Sahara desert trip from Marrakech in November?
Yes, but plan for cold nights. The drive from Marrakech to Merzouga's Erg Chebbi dunes takes about 9-10 hours each way, so most visitors book a 2 or 3-night tour. November nights in the desert can drop below 5°C, and standard camp packages often don't include adequate cold-weather bedding. Confirm the sleeping gear situation with your tour operator before booking.
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