The short answer
August in Marrakech is very hot but not impossible. Highs average about 37 °C, often more, with almost no rain, and the medina holds the heat in the afternoon. With an early start, a long rest from late morning to late afternoon, and a riad with a pool, August works. If you hate heat, choose another month.
In more detail
Our climate table puts both July and August at highs of about 37 °C and lows of about 21 °C, and the sources agree that many days run hotter. The heat is dry rather than humid, and a thick-walled riad with a shaded courtyard stays much cooler than the open lanes. What it does is shut down comfortable walking for most of the day.
The city adapts, and so should you. Locals live early and late. Walk before 11:00 and after 18:00, and spend the middle of the day in the shade, a pool or a hammam. Sunset in mid-August is about 19:15, and the city comes back to life after that, with Jemaa el-Fnaa busy late into the night.
August is also the season when Moroccans living abroad come home, so the coast is busy. The easy escapes are Essaouira, breezy on the Atlantic and about 2 hours 45 minutes away, the Ourika valley and the High Atlas, cooler as you climb, and the Agafay at sunset. The Sahara is best left until autumn.
Good to know
- Book a riad with a pool and air conditioning.
- Carry water and wear a hat; cover shoulders for the souks.
- Plan one day on the coast or in the mountains.