Ouarzazate in February

February eases the chill a little in the high desert. Daytime highs climb toward 19°C under the same dry, brilliant skies, comfortable for full days at the kasbahs, the Atlas Film Studios and Ait Benhaddou. Nights remain cold, dropping toward 3°C, so warm layers are still essential after dark, but the bite of midwinter has begun to soften and the lengthening days give more daylight for sightseeing in the clear, sharp light.

It is a fine, quiet month to explore the film-and-kasbah trail before the spring crowds arrive. The great ksar of Ait Benhaddou and the Taourirt Kasbah photograph beautifully in the low, clean winter sun, and the studios — where many famous desert epics were shot — are comfortable to tour by day. With almost no rain, sightseeing runs uninterrupted, and the calm of the off-season makes for an unhurried visit.

February works well as the high-desert leg of a southern circuit, linking Marrakech over the Tizi n'Tichka with the Dades and Draa valleys and the Sahara beyond. Daytime conditions are pleasant and dry; nights, especially out toward the desert, stay sharply cold. For travellers who want dramatic light, clear skies and few crowds — and who pack for genuine cold after sunset — late winter is rewarding here.