What to Do in Marrakech in October: Weather, Events and Ideas

October weather: warm by day, mild in the evening

Sources: NOAA normals for the Marrakech-Menara station for temperatures and rain; sunshine from the weather-and-climate.com averages. Temperatures ease gradually through the month. Rain is rare and usually falls in brief showers. In the morning and evening, a light layer becomes useful.

Crowds and prices in October

Visitor numbers rise compared with summer, without reaching the winter high season. Three things affect prices and crowds:

• 7 to 10 October: the Marrakech Air Show takes up part of the city's large hotels.
• 17 October to 2 November: the French All Saints school holidays, on the same dates for zones A, B and C, bring French families.
• The weekend of 31 October: Unity Day is a public holiday, falling on a Saturday this year.

Book the best-rated riads early for holiday dates. Our guide to where to stay in Marrakech compares the neighborhoods.

Events in October 2026

Marrakech Air Show: 7 to 10 October

From 7 to 10 October 2026, the Marrakech military air base hosts the 8th edition of the Marrakech Air Show, an aerospace and defense trade show. It is a professional event, with exhibitors and official delegations, not a public festival: it matters to you mainly because it takes up rooms at the start of the month.

Unity Day: Saturday 31 October

31 October is now a national public holiday: Unity Day (Aid Al Wahda), established by royal decision and added to the official calendar in January 2026. Government offices and banks close; monuments and souks generally stay open.

All Saints school holidays

The French school holidays begin on Saturday 17 October and end on the morning of Monday 2 November. The best-known sites, such as the Majorelle Garden, are busier; arrive at opening time. For ideas with children, see Marrakech with children.

What to wear in October

• Light, breathable clothes for the day, covering shoulders and knees in the medina.
• A thin jacket or sweater for the evenings, cooler late in the month and in the desert or mountains.
• Comfortable walking shoes for the medina's paving stones.
• A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen: the sun is still strong.
• A small light raincoat for brief showers. See what to wear in Marrakech.

The best things to do in October

• Walk the medina: this is the right time for the souks, palaces such as Bahia and the alleys; our guide to the Marrakech medina suggests routes.
• The gardens: the Majorelle Garden, open from 8 am, and the other places in the guide to the gardens of Marrakech.
• Evening terraces: the evenings allow outdoor dining; see the panoramic terraces of Marrakech.
• The water park: Oasiria stays open from 10 am to 6 pm until early November.
• Jemaa el-Fna: it comes alive at sunset.

For a full program, start from our Marrakech in 3 days itinerary.

Day trips: the right season

• The Agafay desert: a stony plateau some forty kilometers away, for a sunset and a night in a camp, with milder evenings than in summer.
• The Ourika Valley and Imlil: hikes in good conditions, with cool nights at altitude.
• Essaouira: about 190 km and 3 hours by bus.

To compare the outings, see day trips from Marrakech.

October 2026 in Marrakech at a glance

Going further

October follows what to do in Marrakech in September and comes before what to do in Marrakech in November. Our calendar of events in Marrakech lists all the dates of the year.