Aloe varimaculata has an ascending to decumbent growth habit, branching from the base and forming clusters of several stems up to 500 mm tall, with erect to spreading stems up to 600 mm long; the lower stems are 12–15 m in diameter, whitish grey, the younger stems are mottled and with vertical purplish stripes (part of the amplexicaul leaf base). The leaves are succulent and in lax rosettes (inter nodes 8–10 mm apart), ascending and gracefully curving downwards, and although flattened convex on both sides in the rainy season, becoming more flat in the dry season. Usually with up to 10 functional leaves, 130–230 × 15–20 mm, becoming withered from below; the leaf blade is linear-lanceolate, tapering to a sharp point, curving downwards; the upper surface, convex to slightly convex, dull to pale green to faintly maroon-green, with prominent whitish spots, 1–2 mm in diameter; the leaf margins with prominent spine-tipped teeth, 5–7 mm apart, about 4 × 4 mm pointing to the sides and slightly ascending, the tips orange.

The inflorescence is ascending and simple, up to 200 mm tall; peduncle rounded at the base, about 4 mm in diameter; the racemes 60–70 mm long, somewhat subdensely flowered, about 24 to 28 flowers, the buds ascending, open flowers pendent; the sterile, broadly triangular bracts on the peduncle are 3.5 mm long and 4 mm wide at the base, clasping and with translucent margins. The floral bracts are triangular, 3 mm long and 2 mm in diameter, at the base the margins translucent. The pedicles are 9–10 mm long, orange. Perianth is orange-red, 23–25 × 5 mm, shortly stipitate; tepals fused into a tube, slightly bulbous at the base and 5 mm in diameter, narrowing to 4 mm and expanding again, in bud, the apex green-tipped, when open whitish to yellowish; outer segments free for about 7 mm long, at the tips, 4.5 mm in diameter, the inner slightly broader; filaments pale yellow, 20 mm long; anthers exserted, up to 2.5 mm long 0.5 mm in diameter. Ovary pale orange, 3.5 × 2 mm; style pale yellow, 20–22 mm long.

Flowering occurs mainly in late autumn to early winter (May in the southern hemisphere).