Cape Spartel, Morocco
Watch this spot We email you when Cape Spartel is worth the trip.
About Cape Spartel
Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces NW, so wind from the SE blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.
Water about 20°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing NW. Wind from the NW blows onshore, wind from the SE blows out to sea, and wind from the NE or SW runs along the shore. It is exposed to the open sea. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 7). The sea is about 16°C in February, its coldest month (3/2 wetsuit), and 22°C in July, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For kitesurfing at expert level the best months are usually February, March, April and October, with about 3 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Tangier. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 17 h 05 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to TNG, changing at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS).
See flights ORD → TNG · Skyscanner from about £420 returnAdGetting there. 25 min from the airport to Cape Spartel.
Accommodation.
Stay in TangierAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Tangier (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Tangier 19 min by car · rooms from £45 a night
Places to stay in Tangier · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Kitesurfing lessons in Tangier · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Tangier · GetYourGuideAd
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Luxury Where it is
Cape Spartel on Google Maps · Directions
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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
Best on Mon 26: 14 kn gusting 19, cross-offshore. Water: chop.
The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Shore | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south, 9 knots | 14kn | offnot safe | 1.1 mwaves |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-south-west, 5 knots | 8kn | cross-off | chop |
| Tue 20Oct | 56, good | wind from the south-west, 14 knots | 18kn | side | 0.9 mwaves |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north-west, 8 knots | 12kn | on | 0.9 mwaves |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-south-west, 6 knots | 10kn | cross-off | chop |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, poor | wind from the west-north-west, 4 knots | 9kn | on | 0.8 mwaves |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, poor | wind from the west-south-west, 6 knots | 11kn | side-on | 0.8 mwaves |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-west, 5 knots | 8kn | side | chop |
| Mon 26Oct | 63, good | wind from the east-north-east, 14 knots | 19kn | cross-off | chop |
| Tue 27Oct | 48, good | wind from the east-north-east, 13 knots | 17kn | cross-off | chop |
Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.
The season
Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan2of 7
- Feb3of 7
- Mar3of 7
- Apr3of 7
- May2of 7
- Jun2of 7
- Jul2of 7
- Aug2of 7
- Sep2of 7
- Oct3of 7
- Nov2of 7
- Dec2of 7
Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to TNG, changing at LIS, then 25 min by road. About 17h 05 door to door
- Tue 20 OctKite Cape Spartel
14 kn gusting 18, side-shore. Water: waves 0.9 m.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 8 kn gusting 12, onshore. Water: waves 0.9 m.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 6 kn gusting 10, cross-offshore. Water: chop.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 9, onshore. Water: waves 0.8 m.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 6 kn gusting 11, side-onshore. Water: waves 0.8 m.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to TNG, changing at LIS, then 25 min by road. About 17h 05 door to door
Rough cost
About £695–£1,355 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.
- Flights £420–£870
- To the UK airport £35–£65
- Taxi £15–£25
- Stay £115–£195
- Food £110–£200
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.