May is the last comfortable month in Marrakech before the summer. The city climbs to about 29°C by day and 15°C at night, the rain effectively stops, and the Dades valley holds the Rose Festival at the peak of the damask rose harvest. In 2027 it also carries Eid al-Adha, expected around 17 May, which is the biggest family holiday in the Moroccan year.
Eid al-Adha
Expected around 17 May 2027, though Morocco sets the date by local moon sighting and it may shift by a day. It is a multi-day public holiday and the most significant family occasion in the country.
What it means for a visitor:
- Much of the city closes for two to three days. Shops, many restaurants and a large share of the souks shut, and the medina is quieter than at any other time.
- Domestic travel is heavy in the days before and after; buses and trains fill and intercity roads are busy.
- Riads and tourist-facing restaurants generally stay open, but confirm with your accommodation rather than assuming.
- The sacrifice is a public and visible part of the holiday in residential areas. Visitors who would find that distressing should be aware of it in advance; it is a normal and central part of the observance, conducted at home.
If your dates fall across it, plan a quiet couple of days and do the day trips instead – or shift the trip by a week.
The Rose Festival
Held in Kelaat M’Gouna in the Dades valley, usually in May at the peak of the damask rose harvest. The valley grows roses commercially for rosewater and oil, the town holds parades, music and a rose-harvest queen, and the whole area smells of it.
It is a long way from Marrakech – the Dades is on the far side of the High Atlas, typically combined with a Sahara or gorges trip rather than visited as a day trip. Dates follow the harvest and are announced annually.
Weather
May averages about 29°C by day and 15°C at night, with roughly 15 mm of rain – effectively the start of the dry season. The evenings are warm for the first time, which makes the rooftops and the riad courtyards properly usable.
It is the last month you can walk the medina through the middle of the day without it being an effort.
What May is for
- Rooftops and courtyards, now warm after dark.
- The Atlas – trekking season is fully open, the valleys are green, and it is several degrees cooler than the city.
- Essaouira, on the Atlantic, which is windy and about ten degrees cooler than Marrakech – the standard escape as the heat builds.
- The Rose Festival, if you are doing a longer Moroccan loop.
- Value, as the April peak eases.
Prices and crowds
Easing from the April peak and falling through the month as the heat becomes a deterrent. Late May is good value with weather that is still entirely workable if you plan around the middle of the day.
See the Marrakech travel budget.
What to pack
Light clothing, sun protection, a hat and a refillable bottle. A light layer for Atlas evenings, which stay cool. Modest clothing remains appropriate, particularly for women and particularly in the medina. See the Morocco packing list.
The May 2027 calendar
- Saturday 1 May – Labour Day, a public holiday.
- May – the Rose Festival at Kelaat M’Gouna in the Dades valley; dates follow the harvest.
- Around Monday 17 May – Eid al-Adha, a multi-day public holiday; much of the city closes for two to three days.
- Around Eid – heavy domestic travel before and after; confirm riad and restaurant opening.
- Through May – the rain effectively stops; evenings become warm.
- Through May – Atlas trekking fully open; Essaouira as the cool escape.
- Late May – prices ease as the summer heat approaches.
Read alongside
- Marrakech in April – the best month of the year.
- Marrakech in June – the heat arriving properly.
- Best time to visit Marrakech – all twelve months compared.
- Day trips from Marrakech – the Atlas and Essaouira.
- Marrakech travel budget – easing rates.
- Marrakech food guide – and the Eid table.
- Morocco packing list – the warm-season version.
Frequently asked
When is Eid al-Adha in Morocco in 2027?
Expected around 17 May 2027, though Morocco sets the date by local moon sighting and it may shift by a day. It is a multi-day public holiday and the biggest family occasion of the year.
What closes for Eid al-Adha?
Much of the city for two to three days – shops, many restaurants and a large share of the souks. Riads and tourist-facing restaurants generally stay open, but confirm with your accommodation rather than assuming.
Should I avoid Marrakech during Eid?
Not necessarily, but plan for it: a quiet couple of days in the city, day trips instead of souk shopping, and awareness that the sacrifice is a visible part of the holiday in residential areas.
How hot is Marrakech in May?
About 29°C by day and 15°C at night with roughly 15 mm of rain. It is the last month you can walk the medina through the middle of the day without effort.
What is the Rose Festival?
A May festival at Kelaat M’Gouna in the Dades valley, at the peak of the damask rose harvest, with parades and music. It is on the far side of the High Atlas and is normally combined with a Sahara or gorges trip rather than visited from Marrakech in a day.
Where is cooler than Marrakech in May?
Essaouira on the Atlantic, which is windy and roughly ten degrees cooler, and the Atlas valleys, which are green and several degrees down on the city.
Is May cheaper than April?
Yes, and it falls through the month as the heat builds. Late May is good value with weather that still works if you avoid the middle of the day.
Is it too hot for the desert in May?
Getting there. Early May is still workable for Agafay and Merzouga; by late May the Sahara is becoming genuinely hot, and June to August is the wrong season for it.
You Might Also Love
Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
