What is Ouarzazate like in autumn?

Autumn is a superb time to base yourself in Ouarzazate, and like spring it threads the needle between the summer furnace and the winter chill. September still carries the heat's tail with highs of 32–36°C, then October mellows into a beautiful 26–29°C, and November cools further to the low 20s by day with distinctly cold nights as the desert winter approaches. Across the whole stretch the air is dry and the skies are reliably clear, which is exactly what you want for the big-sky landscapes down here.

The pre-Sahara light in autumn is gorgeous and, unlike summer, you can actually be out in it all day by October. The kasbahs of Ait Ben Haddou and the Skoura oasis, the Atlas Studios, the long ramparts and earthen towers — all of it glows in the lower autumn sun without scorching you, and the photography is some of the best of the year. As November sets in, the first snow can return to the High Atlas peaks behind the town, giving you that magical white-and-ochre contrast against a warm desert foreground.

I particularly like early autumn here for the date harvest. The palmeries of the Draa and the surrounding oases are heavy with dates through September and into October, the valleys still green and productive after the summer growing season, and the roadside markets pile high with fresh dates and produce. Touring out from Ouarzazate into the valleys is rich and abundant now, the oases at their most lush before the deep cool of winter strips things back.

My practical advice centres on the night-time swing, which sharpens fast as autumn goes on. September evenings are mild, but by late October and especially November the desert nights turn genuinely cold — single digits aren't unusual — even as the days stay warm and sunny. So pack a proper warm layer and something for the chilly mornings and nights, alongside your summer kit for midday. For the best all-round balance of warm comfortable days, cold-but-clear nights and that date-harvest abundance, mid-October is my pick of the autumn for Ouarzazate.