What to Wear in Morocco in December: Winter Packing List

Morocco in December is mild by day and cold at night: Marrakech reaches around 17–20°C (63–68°F) in the afternoon, while the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara drop to freezing after dark. Morocco in December therefore calls for layers you can add and remove, not one heavy coat. I learned this the hard way when I flew out to visit my friend Amanda from MarocMama.com, expecting sunshine after a grey Belgian winter, and ended up needing my winter coat.

The weather in Morocco in winter

The weather in Morocco in winter is mild during the day and cold at night, and how cold depends on where you are. The winter weather in Marrakech stays moderate, with afternoons around 17–20°C (63–68°F) and nights around 6–10°C (43–50°F). The Atlas Mountains and the Sahara are a different story, with nights at or below 3°C (37°F).

We saw that swing ourselves: on a drive into the Atlas Mountains the car’s thermometer dropped to 0°C (32°F) and there was snow beside the road. In Essaouira, on the Atlantic coast, the air felt warmer, but the wind had me glad of a scarf; inside the medina walls you barely notice it.

Indoor heating is the part most visitors do not expect. Moroccan riads and hotels rarely have central heating; a gas heater or a reversible air-conditioning unit is the usual substitute, so pack something warm for the evenings even if you plan to stay in.

Temperature by region in December: Marrakech, Essaouira, Fes, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara

December temperatures in Morocco range from around 20°C (68°F) on a Marrakech afternoon to below freezing on a mountain pass, so pack for the coldest place on your itinerary. The typical December ranges by region are listed below.

These ranges combine my own December trip with published regional averages, so check a live forecast for each stop before you leave. Morocco still gets 6–8 hours of sunshine a day in December; the rain that does fall lands mostly in the north and on the coast, so pack a water-resistant outer layer or a compact umbrella.

How to layer for Morocco’s day-night temperature swing

To dress for Morocco’s day-night temperature swing, wear 3 layers and peel them off as the day warms up: a breathable base layer, a warm mid-layer and a wind- or water-resistant outer layer. Layering beats one heavy coat because a Marrakech day can start below 10°C (50°F), reach 20°C (68°F) at lunch and fall back to single digits by dinner. The 3 layers are described below.

1. Base layer: the layer against your skin, such as a merino or cotton t-shirt or a thin thermal.
2. Mid-layer: the warm layer, such as a sweater, a fleece or a cardigan, which comes off at midday and goes back on at sunset.
3. Outer layer: the windproof or waterproof layer, such as a ski jacket for the Atlas and the Sahara or a light shell for Marrakech and Essaouira.

What to wear in Morocco in December: the dress code

The dress code in Morocco for visitors comes down to one rule: cover your shoulders, knees and chest. The dress code is not a law for tourists, but a modest outfit gets you fewer stares and, in December, keeps you warmer anyway.

What to wear in Morocco as a woman

Women in Morocco in December should wear long trousers or a maxi skirt, a long-sleeved top and a scarf, with a warm coat for the evenings. Women who follow that modest formula get fewer stares and feel more comfortable, as I noticed in the Medina of Marrakech. The 4 rules I follow are listed below.

1. Cover your legs, shoulders and cleavage.
2. Avoid very tight or see-through clothing, but feel free to wear skinny jeans.
3. Carry a large scarf, because it covers your shoulders, warms your neck on the windy Essaouira seafront and doubles as a head covering at a religious site.
4. Skip the head covering otherwise, because tourists are not expected to cover their hair and non-Muslims cannot enter most mosques anyway (the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is the usual exception).

Summer in Morocco gets blazing hot and makes modesty harder, but in winter I never once felt the urge to grab a pair of shorts or a tank top.

What men should wear in Morocco in December

Men in Morocco in December should wear long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt or sweater and a warm jacket for the evenings. Men are held to a looser standard than women, but shorts and vest tops still look out of place and leave you cold after sunset. Jeans or chinos with a fleece cover a Marrakech evening; thermals and a beanie cover a desert night.

Traditional vs modern Moroccan clothing

Moroccan clothing in daily life is functional and comfortable rather than showy. Moroccan women and men alike wear the hooded djellaba, a long outer robe, and in the Medina of Marrakech nobody seemed to give clothing much thought. The small boutiques tell a different story, with kaftan dresses in bright colours and intricate embroidery.

Amanda explained the pattern to me: the Medina, where tourists spend most of their time, is the most conservative part of Marrakech, so traditional dress is more common there, while the new town and the centre of Essaouira mix Moroccan outfits with western wear such as jeans.

Buying Moroccan clothing: kaftans and djellabas

Buying a kaftan or djellaba in the Medina is tempting, and worth doing only if you will wear it at home. Ask yourself the 2 questions below before you reach for your wallet.

1. Will you wear this once you leave Morocco?
2. Does it fit in your suitcase?

Chances are you answer “no” to one or both.

What to wear in Marrakech in December

In Marrakech in December, wear light layers by day and a warm coat at night: afternoons run around 17–20°C (63–68°F) and evenings cool to around 6–10°C (43–50°F). Marrakech was where I spent most of that week, and a typical day went from a t-shirt and cardigan in the souks to a sweater, scarf and jacket for dinner on a rooftop. The Marrakech outfit plan I would pack again is listed below.

• Daytime: a long-sleeved top with a cardigan, loose trousers or a maxi skirt, and sneakers for the uneven medina streets.
• Evening: a sweater, a scarf and a proper coat, because rooftop restaurants and riad courtyards are open to the sky.
• Day trips: the full 3 layers plus a hat for the colder Atlas Mountains and the windier Essaouira coast.

Marrakech is where most of the eating happens, and the food stalls of the Medina come alive after dark. A guided Marrakech food tour is the easiest way to try real local food in one evening, so wear the evening layers for it.

What to pack for Morocco in December: the full checklist

Everything I packed for one week in Morocco in December is listed below by category, and all of it fit in a carry-on trolley plus my Eastpak laptop backpack. I needed no socket adapter from Belgium; check the plug type for your country.

1. Clothes and accessories, layer by layer

The clothes and accessories I packed for Morocco in December are listed below, most-used first.

1. Outer layer: 1 ski jacket, my North Face ski jacket, worn every evening and all day in the mountains.
2. Fleece: 1 zip-up Quechua fleece jumper, the mid-layer I wore most.
3. Sweaters: 2 sweaters and 1 light cardigan.
4. Base layers: 3 base-layer tops and 5 t-shirts.
5. Merino thermals: 1 pair of Icebreaker Lightweight 200 g leggings and 1 Icebreaker Oasis Henley 200 g base layer, both worn for dinner in the desert.
6. Trousers: 2 pairs of loose trousers and 1 pair of sweatpants.
7. Socks: fresh socks daily, including 1 pair of Icebreaker merino wool socks for the desert night, plus compression socks for the flight.
8. Underwear and pyjamas: basic underwear, bras and warm pyjamas for unheated bedrooms.
9. Winter hat: 1 for the desert.
10. Scarf: 1 large scarf that matched all my outfits.
11. Sunglasses: 1 pair, my Ray-Ban sunglasses.
12. Shoes: 1 pair of sneakers for the medina and 1 pair of leather Moroccan slippers (babouches) from Amanda, which double as indoor slippers on cold tile floors.

Footwear needs 1 upgrade if your itinerary includes the Atlas or the Sahara: closed shoes or light hiking boots handle dunes, rocky paths and wet cobbles better than sneakers.

The exact products I packed, in case you want the same ones, are the Icebreaker merino leggings, the Nurse Mates compression socks and the Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses.

2. Medication and toiletries

The medication and toiletries I packed for Morocco are listed below; add your own prescriptions on top.

• Medication: travel basics such as an anti-diarrhoeal (Imodium), an allergy tablet, a painkiller and cold medicine, in quantities for the whole trip.
• Blister plasters and regular bandages, because a medina day is a long walk.
• Facial cream and lip balm, because Morocco’s winter air is dry, especially inland and in the desert.
• Deodorant, hairbrush, toothpaste and toothbrush, basic make-up and make-up remover.
• Toiletry containers: a set of travel-sized toiletry containers keeps liquids carry-on legal.
• Paper tissues: 3 packs.

3. Electronics and other essentials

The electronics and bags I carried in Morocco are listed below.

• Handbag: my Pacsafe Citysafe travel handbag, an anti-theft bag.
• Daypack: a daypack that holds the Pacsafe bag on day trips.
• Flight pillow: my favourite flight pillow.
• Laptop and charger.
• E-reader: my Kindle.
• Phone and charger: at the time a Samsung S8; any current phone does the job.
• USB cables for all the electronics.
• Portable WiFi: my Airalo eSIM, a blogger habit since every riad had WiFi; an eSIM does the same job today.
• Notebook and 2 pens.

Don’t forget travel insurance

Buy travel insurance before you leave for Morocco, because it covers medical care abroad, cancelled trips and stolen or broken electronics. I have had ongoing travel insurance since I started travelling, so every trip is covered.

SafetyWing is the insurer I use. The SafetyWing Nomad Insurance plans are flexible enough to sign up for while you are already on the road, and when I got COVID they reimbursed all of my expenses without making a fuss. I can personally recommend them.

FAQ: what to wear in Morocco in winter

The 5 most common questions about what to wear in Morocco in December, January and February are answered below.

Is Morocco cold in December?

Yes, Morocco is cold in December at night and in the mountains, and mild by day in the cities. Marrakech afternoons reach around 17–20°C (63–68°F), while nights in the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara fall to 0–5°C (32–41°F). January and February follow the same pattern.

Can you wear shorts in Morocco?

No, shorts are not a good idea in Morocco: they show your knees and, in December, leave you cold. Wear long trousers, a maxi skirt or a dress over leggings instead.

What should a woman wear in Marrakech in December?

A woman in Marrakech in December should wear long trousers or a maxi skirt, a long-sleeved top, a scarf and closed shoes by day, plus a sweater and a warm coat for the evening.

Do I need a coat in Morocco in December?

Yes, you need a coat in Morocco in December: a warm jacket for evenings in Marrakech, Fes and Essaouira, and a winter coat or down jacket if you sleep in the desert or cross the Atlas. Choose a waterproof one, because December brings some rain in the north and on the coast.

What shoes should I pack for Morocco?

Pack 3 pairs of shoes for Morocco in winter: sneakers for the uneven medina streets, closed shoes or light hiking boots for the Atlas and the Sahara, and slippers or rubber sandals. The slippers keep your feet warm on cold riad tile floors; the sandals go to the hammam, where the floors are wet.

More Morocco guides for a winter trip

The guides below cover the rest of a winter trip to Morocco.

• Hub: all our Morocco guides in one place.
• Itinerary: our one-week Morocco itinerary for Marrakech and Essaouira splits the days between the two cities.
• Food: the Marrakech Food Tours review covers the evening food tour.
• Background: the 48 surprising facts about Morocco explain the history behind the dress code.

About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and the first-hand notes in this post come from her December trip to Marrakech, Essaouira and the Atlas Mountains. The team covers Morocco for independent travellers, including the winter packing gear, the Marrakech tours and the travel insurance worth booking, and updates this page when prices, dates and rules change.