December is a low-season month with a fortnight of peak season buried inside it. Marrakech runs about 20°C by day and 6°C at night, the Sahara is at its best, Oukaïmeden opens for skiing above the city – and then Christmas and New Year arrive and riad prices jump to the highest of the year for ten days before falling straight back.
The Christmas and New Year spike
Morocco is a Muslim country and Christmas is not a public holiday – shops, souks, sites and transport all run normally on 25 December. But Marrakech has become a European winter-break city, and that shows up in one place: price.
- Roughly 20 December to 3 January, riad and hotel rates in Marrakech, Essaouira and Agadir reach their annual peak, often with compulsory gala dinners on 24, 25 and 31 December.
- Minimum-stay requirements of three to five nights are common over the holidays.
- Either side of that window – the first two weeks of December and the second week of January – the same rooms are among the cheapest of the year.
Shifting a trip by a week either way is the single biggest saving available in the Moroccan calendar.
Four climates, at their most extreme
Morocco is never one country weather-wise, and December is when the gaps are widest:
- Marrakech and the interior – about 20°C by day, 6°C at night. Warm in the sun, genuinely cold after dark, and most riads are heated only by a fireplace or a portable heater. Ask before booking.
- Agadir and the southern Atlantic – around 21°C, the most reliable winter sun in the country, with the best surf season of the year at Taghazout and Anchor Point.
- Essaouira – about 19°C, remarkably stable, windy as always.
- Tangier, Chefchaouen and the Rif – the wettest month of the year. Mild at around 17°C but genuinely rainy; pack for it.
- The High Atlas – snow; Oukaïmeden, about two hours from Marrakech, runs a small ski area when conditions allow. Passes such as the Tizi n’Tichka can close briefly after heavy snow.
- The Sahara – excellent, around 19°C by day, and close to freezing at night. Camps provide heavy blankets; bring thermals anyway.
What is actually on
Continue planning your Morocco trip
December is quiet on the festival calendar. The Marrakech International Film Festival usually falls in late November or early December, with free public screenings in Jemaa el-Fnaa – dates are announced annually. Beyond that, the appeal is the ordinary country: winter light, empty desert, short queues at Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs, and the mountains white behind the city.
Morocco has no public holiday in December. New Year’s Day on 1 January is one, along with the Amazigh new year Yennayer on 14 January.
What to pack
This is the month people get wrong. Days are mild and nights are cold, and Moroccan buildings are built to stay cool rather than warm. Bring a proper jacket, a warm layer for evenings indoors as well as out, a waterproof if the north is on the itinerary, and thermals for a desert night or the mountains. Sun protection still applies at midday. See the Morocco packing list.
The December 2027 calendar
- Late November or early December – the Marrakech International Film Festival, with free screenings in Jemaa el-Fnaa; dates announced annually.
- First two weeks of December – among the cheapest riad rates of the year.
- Through December – peak Sahara season; cold nights, perfect days.
- Through December – peak Atlantic surf season at Taghazout and Anchor Point.
- Through December – the Rif and the north at their wettest; the High Atlas gathering snow, Oukaïmeden opening when conditions allow.
- About 20 December to 3 January – annual peak rates, gala dinners and minimum stays in Marrakech, Essaouira and Agadir.
- Saturday 25 December – not a Moroccan public holiday; souks, sites and transport run normally.
- Saturday 1 January 2028 – New Year’s Day, a public holiday.
Read alongside
- Morocco in November – the quiet month before the spike.
- Morocco in January – four climates and the coldest nights.
- Marrakech in December – the city-level view.
- Best time to visit Morocco – all twelve months compared.
- Trip to Morocco cost – what the holiday fortnight does to the numbers.
- Morocco packing list – the winter version.
- Morocco travel guide – the regions and how they differ.
Frequently asked
How cold is Morocco in December?
Mild by day and cold at night. Marrakech averages about 20°C in the afternoon and 6°C after dark, Agadir around 21°C, the Rif about 17°C and wet, and the Sahara close to freezing overnight.
Is Christmas a holiday in Morocco?
No. Morocco is a Muslim country and 25 December is a normal working day – souks, sites and transport all run. Hotels and riads aimed at visitors do put on festive dinners, and prices peak.
Why are riads so expensive over Christmas?
Marrakech has become a European winter-break destination. From roughly 20 December to 3 January rates hit their annual peak, often with compulsory gala dinners and three- to five-night minimums. Either side of that fortnight is among the cheapest of the year.
Can you go to the Sahara in December?
It is the best time. Days are around 19°C and clear, and nights fall close to freezing. Camps supply heavy blankets, but bring thermals, a hat and a proper jacket.
Can you ski in Morocco?
Yes – Oukaïmeden in the High Atlas, about two hours from Marrakech, runs a small ski area from roughly December to March when the snow allows. It is basic by Alpine standards and entirely worth the drive for the novelty and the views.
Does it rain in Morocco in December?
In the north, a lot – December is the wettest month for Tangier, Chefchaouen and the Rif. Marrakech and the south see only occasional showers, and the Sahara almost none.
Are Moroccan riads heated?
Often not properly. Traditional riads are built around a courtyard to stay cool in summer, and heating may be a fireplace or a portable heater. Confirm before booking a December stay, and pack warm clothes for indoors.
Is December a good month to visit Morocco?
Yes, if you avoid the holiday fortnight. The desert is at its best, the light is excellent, the sites are quiet and prices are low – provided you pack for genuinely cold nights.
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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.
