- Population
- 42,056
- 42.1K
- Elevation
- 188 m
- above sea level
- Local time
- UTC+00:00
- Africa/Casablanca · UTC+00:00
- Airports
- SMW Smara Airport1 km
- EUN Laayoune Hassan I International Airport161 km
About Smara
Smara is a town. Location: Es-Semara, Es Semara Province. Population: 42,056. Elevation: 188 m. The best months to visit are November–April. The nearest airport is Smara Airport (1 km).
Travel notes for Smara
From Wikivoyage
Smara is a town in Western Sahara. There is a strong Sahrawi presence in the town. There is an equally strong Moroccan military presence in the town. This situation creates some tension. Tourists are rare in Smara. You will therefore get some attention, but not pushy or aggressive, as in some parts of Morocco. Consider not venturing into residential neighborhoods or peripheral areas: being there and taking photographs (of anything mundane) attracts pressure and uncomfortable attention. This effort seems well coordinated. Occasionally, people do get turned away from the city, and expect not to be able to travel onward to Laayoune.
Understand+
Smara was founded as an oasis for travellers in 1869. Later, in what was then Spanish Sahara, Smara become a garrison town. In 1975, Morocco took control of Saguia Elhamra province as Spain withdrew. The Moroccan army took the city from the Polisario Front in 1976. There is a 1991 cease-fire between the Polisario Front and Morocco, overseen by the United Nations' MINURSO forces. Not an active war, not a peace settlement.
The town is enclosed by a section of the Moroccan Walls, also known as the Berm, a fortification stretching an approximately 2,700 km from Morocco trough Western Sahara. Its position, which part of it is manned and guarded, where the minefields are located; this information is for obvious reasons not handed out. If you get to close to it you will be told to turn around. Walking off the road and into the landscape could cost you a leg or your life.
Get in+
CTM, Supratours and Satas companies have daily travels to Smara to Agadir. Supratours have daily travel to Smara from Laayoune.
Source: Wikivoyage · CC BY-SA 4.0 · abridged
Climate of Smara
Best months for sightseeingBest months for sightseeing: November–April.
This month · November
A good month to visit
Day 26° · Night 14° · Rain 5 mm
- Hottest month
- August (day 34°)
- Coldest month
- January (night 10°)
- Wettest month
- December (7 mm)
- Driest month
- May (0 mm)
Bars: average monthly low and high temperature. Below: precipitation. Monthly averages for 1970–2000 at about 18 km resolution, adjusted for elevation. Highlighted months are mild and relatively dry. Source: WorldClim 2.1 (CC BY 4.0).
Show values as a table
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high (°C) | 22° | 24° | 26° | 27° | 29° | 31° | 34° | 34° | 33° | 29° | 26° | 22° |
| Average low (°C) | 10° | 12° | 14° | 15° | 16° | 18° | 21° | 21° | 20° | 18° | 14° | 11° |
| Precipitation (mm) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
Other places to visit in this season: January February March April November December
How to get to Smara
The nearest airport is Smara Airport (SMW), 1 km to the southwest as the crow flies. For international flights: Laayoune Hassan I International Airport (EUN) (161 km). The nearest large city is Telde, 396 km to the west.
Airports
- Smara Airport (SMW) Smara 1 kmsouthwest
- Laayoune Hassan I International Airport (EUN) El Aaiún 161 kmwest
- Tan Tan Airport (TTA) Tan Tan 196 kmnorth
Nearby large cities
- Telde Population: 123.3K 396 kmwest
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Population: 383.5K 400 kmnorthwest
Straight-line distances; road distances are longer. Airport data: OurAirports.
Sources & licences
Data last updated: