Ouarzazate in September

September marks the turn back toward the prime season at the desert gateway. The fiercest summer heat begins to ease — daytime highs settle to a more manageable 32°C and keep falling through the month — while the nights grow pleasantly mild. The high-desert skies stay dry and brilliant, and full-day sightseeing at the kasbahs, the Atlas Film Studios and the great ksar of Ait Benhaddou becomes comfortable again, especially in the cooler mornings and late afternoons.

As the heat relaxes, the wider south reopens to easy travel. The Dades and Draa valleys and the gorges are pleasant once more, and the road on toward the Sahara grows comfortable as the month progresses — particularly by late September. The clear, dry weather makes sightseeing reliable, and the warm, golden light on the ochre kasbahs and ksour is at its photogenic best as the season softens into autumn.

September sits in the comfortable shoulder, with the gateway still quiet and the headline crowds yet to build. For travellers who want warm, bright days and dramatic light without midsummer's extreme heat, it is one of the most rewarding months — and an excellent base for the high-desert leg of a southern circuit, linking Marrakech, the valleys and the Sahara beyond.