What is the best time to visit the Draa Valley?

The Draa Valley — that long ribbon of date palms, kasbahs and ksour winding south from Ouarzazate toward the desert at M'hamid — follows classic pre-Sahara timing, so my answer is October to April, and within that I'd single out October and March–April. Through these months you get warm, dry, sunny days running from the low 20s in midwinter to the high 20s°C in spring and autumn, perfect for the slow drive down the valley, climbing kasbahs and wandering the palm groves, while the desert nights stay cool to genuinely cold.

October is special in the Draa because it's date country at harvest. This is one of Morocco's great palmeries, and through September into October the palms are heavy with fruit, the oases lush and green after the growing season, and the roadside stalls overflowing with fresh dates of every variety. Driving the valley with the harvest in full swing, the green canopy thick against the bare desert hills, is the Draa at its most abundant and atmospheric — my favourite way to see it.

Spring runs it close. After the winter rains and Atlas snowmelt feed the river, the Draa's oases are at their greenest and freshest, almond trees blossoming early in the season, and the whole valley feels alive — a vivid green serpent through stark ochre country, with comfortable warm days for exploring. Both shoulder seasons let you continue cleanly onward to the dunes at M'hamid or Zagora, since the desert beyond is equally pleasant then.

What to avoid, and how to prepare: high summer is brutal in the Draa, with valley temperatures regularly topping 38°C and the open kasbahs offering little shade — only worth it if you stick rigidly to dawn and dusk. Deep winter days are lovely and mild but the nights get cold, so pack warm layers whatever the season, plus serious sun protection and plenty of water for the strong daytime sun. Time your kasbah and palmery walks for morning and late afternoon. Travel the Draa in October or spring and it's one of the most rewarding desert-gateway drives in Morocco.