Celebrating New Year in Morocco is a unique experience that combines fascinating culture, beautiful landscapes, delicious Moroccan cuisine and unforgettable desert adventures. Instead of spending New Year’s Eve at home or in a crowded city, imagine welcoming the new year beneath a sky full of stars in the Sahara Desert, surrounded by golden dunes, traditional music and a warm campfire.
Morocco is an excellent destination for a winter holiday, offering a combination of historic cities, mountains, traditional villages and spectacular desert landscapes. Whether you are travelling as a couple, with family, with friends or as a small private group, New Year can be a wonderful time to discover Morocco.
Morocco offers something different from the typical New Year’s celebration. During the day, you can explore ancient medinas, visit historic kasbahs and travel through the Atlas Mountains. In the evening, you can enjoy Moroccan cuisine and traditional entertainment.
One of the most memorable ways to celebrate is with a New Year desert experience in Merzouga. After travelling across Morocco, you arrive at the Sahara Desert, ride camels through the Erg Chebbi dunes and watch the sunset before reaching your desert camp.
As midnight approaches, you can enjoy a traditional Moroccan dinner, listen to local music around the campfire and celebrate the arrival of the new year beneath the stars.
For many travelers, spending New Year’s Eve in the Sahara Desert is the highlight of their Morocco trip.
The experience usually begins with a camel ride into the dunes around sunset. The golden light across the Erg Chebbi dunes creates a spectacular atmosphere as you make your way towards the desert camp.
At the camp, you can enjoy a traditional Moroccan dinner followed by music and entertainment around the fire. Depending on the camp and program, the evening may include traditional Berber/Amazigh music, dancing and other cultural activities.
When midnight arrives, you can celebrate the new year in one of the most peaceful environments imaginable, surrounded by the Sahara and thousands of stars.
Merzouga is one of the best places in Morocco for travelers looking for a memorable desert New Year’s experience.
Located on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes, Merzouga is the gateway to the Sahara. It is particularly popular for camel trekking, desert camps, 4×4 excursions and overnight stays in the dunes.
A typical New Year experience in Merzouga may include:
If you are planning to spend New Year’s Eve in Merzouga, it is important to reserve your accommodation well in advance because desert camps can become very busy around December 31.
Marrakech is another popular destination for New Year’s Eve.
The city offers a completely different atmosphere from the Sahara. You can spend the day exploring the medina, visiting historic monuments, shopping in the souks and enjoying Moroccan food.
In the evening, Marrakech offers restaurants, hotels, riads and entertainment venues where travelers can celebrate New Year’s Eve.
For travelers who want to combine city life with the Sahara, Marrakech is also an excellent starting point for a private Morocco desert tour.
A popular route is:
Marrakech → High Atlas Mountains → Aït Ben Haddou → Dades Valley → Merzouga → Fès → Marrakech
This allows you to combine the highlights of southern Morocco with an unforgettable New Year’s celebration in the desert.
f you have approximately one week available, we recommend a route that combines Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara.
7-Day Morocco New Year Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech
Day 2: Marrakech → Aït Ben Haddou → Dades Valley
Day 3: Dades Valley → Todra Gorge → Merzouga
Day 4: Merzouga Sahara Desert experience and New Year’s Eve
Day 5: Merzouga → Ziz Valley → Midelt → Fès
Day 6: Explore Fès
Day 7: Fès → Marrakech
For travelers with more time, the itinerary can be extended to include Chefchaouen, Rabat and Casablanca. or starting 7 days tour from Casablanca to Marrakech.
December and January are winter months in Morocco, but temperatures vary considerably depending on where you travel.
Marrakech and other southern cities generally have pleasant daytime temperatures, while evenings and early mornings can be cool.
The Sahara Desert can be surprisingly cold at night, especially in December and January. Even though the desert can be pleasant during the day, temperatures drop significantly after sunset.
If you are staying overnight in a desert camp, we recommend bringing:
Layering is particularly useful because temperatures can change significantly between daytime and nighttime.
A Morocco New Year holiday does not have to be only about New Year’s Eve. You can combine the celebration with a complete Moroccan adventure.
Some of the best experiences include:
Discover Jemaa el-Fnaa, the souks, traditional riads and the historic medina.
Travel through the spectacular High Atlas Mountains and enjoy views of traditional Amazigh villages.
Explore one of Morocco’s most famous fortified villages and discover its impressive earthen architecture.
Discover dramatic mountain landscapes, palm-filled oases and impressive canyon scenery.
Ride camels through the Erg Chebbi dunes, watch the sunset and spend the night in a desert camp.
Explore the historic medina of Fès and discover traditional crafts, architecture and Moroccan culture.
If you have additional time, add the famous Blue City to your itinerary and explore its beautiful blue-painted streets.
Yes. Morocco is an excellent choice for travelers looking for a different kind of New Year’s holiday.
You can combine:
Culture + Adventure + Sahara + Food + History + Relaxation
Instead of spending your entire holiday in one destination, a private Morocco tour allows you to experience several different regions during the same trip.
For travelers who want flexibility, a private Morocco tour is often the best option.
A private tour allows you to travel with your own vehicle and driver and adjust the journey according to your interests. You are not required to follow the schedule of a large group, and you can stop for photographs, spend more time at places you enjoy and have a more relaxed travel experience.
At Tour To Morocco, we specialize in private and customized Morocco tours. We can arrange journeys starting and ending in Marrakech, Casablanca, Fès or other Moroccan cities.
Our tours can include:
We strongly recommend booking your New Year trip as early as possible.
December 31 is one of the busiest nights of the year for popular desert camps, and availability can become limited. This is particularly important if you want a specific type of camp, such as a luxury desert camp or a private tent.
Booking early also gives you more choice regarding hotels, riads, desert camps and transportation.
If you already know your travel dates, we recommend securing your flights first and then contacting us with your exact dates and number of travelers.
Travelers sometimes ask whether they should join a group or book a private tour.
For New Year, a private tour can be particularly convenient because itineraries and travel dates are often very specific. Finding another group traveling the exact same route on the exact same dates can be difficult.
With a private tour, you can choose your preferred itinerary and travel at your own pace.
This is especially useful for couples, families and small groups of friends.
Whether you dream of celebrating midnight beneath the stars in the Sahara, exploring the colorful streets of Marrakech or discovering the historic cities of Fès and Chefchaouen, New Year in Morocco can be an unforgettable experience.
The combination of Moroccan culture, spectacular landscapes, traditional food and Sahara adventure makes Morocco a wonderful destination for starting the new year.
If you are planning to visit Morocco for New Year’s Eve, contact Tour To Morocco with your travel dates, number of travelers and preferred starting city. We can create a private Morocco itinerary tailored to your trip.
Start the new year with an adventure you will never forget — in Morocco.
Recent Comments