Sahara Weather in Morocco: 43°C Days, Near-Freezing Nights, and What That Means for Packing

The single most common mistake on a Moroccan desert trip is packing for a

desert. People bring shorts and a sun hat, and then spend the night awake and

cold. Erg Chebbi sits at 730 metres of altitude in extremely dry air, and

once the sun drops there is nothing to hold the heat in.

Merzouga, month by month

Average daytime highs at Merzouga:

Night-time lows run from about 6°C in January to 29°C in July on the

averages — and on a still, cloudless winter night the reading at the camp can

be several degrees below that January figure. Different sources put it

anywhere from 6°C down to below zero, which tells you something in itself:

pack for the cold end, not the average.

What the swing actually feels like

In November you can be walking a dune ridge in a t-shirt at four in the

afternoon, and reaching for a fleece, a hat and a second blanket by eight in

the evening. The drop is fast — most of it happens in the hour around sunset.

This is also why the winter desert is so good for stars. Cold, dry, still air

is exactly what you want, and there is no light pollution for a hundred

kilometres. Our

Merzouga stargazing tour exists

because those winter nights are genuinely exceptional.

The best months

October, November, March, April. Days of 24–30°C, nights cool but not

punishing. This is when we run the most departures and when the camps are

fullest — book earlier than you think.

December to February. Cold nights, but the clearest skies, the emptiest

dunes and the sharpest light for photography. Entirely worth it if you bring

the right layers.

May and September. Shoulder months. Hot at midday, fine morning and

evening.

July and August. 42–43°C. Tours run — camel treks move to dawn and dusk,

the middle of the day is for shade — but it is not the season for a first

visit, and it is difficult with young children. If you are travelling with

kids, see our family desert tour and

aim for spring or autumn.

Wind and sand

Spring brings the chergui, the hot dry wind off the interior. Most days it

is just wind. Occasionally it lifts enough sand to cut visibility properly, at

which point camps stop and wait it out.

A sandstorm is uncomfortable rather than dangerous when you are with people who

know the terrain. Sand gets into cameras, bags and hair regardless. The

cotton scarf every guide wears is not decorative — wrapped over the nose and

mouth it is the single most useful thing you will own that day.

Rain is rare but real, mostly spring and autumn. When it comes it can be

sudden, and dry riverbeds flood quickly. That is why a good guide never camps

in a wadi, whatever the forecast says.

What to actually pack

For the daytime, all year: loose long sleeves and long trousers (more

comfortable than shorts in real heat, and they stop you burning), a brimmed

hat, high-factor sunscreen, sunglasses, and more water than you think.

For the nights, October through April, this is the part people get wrong:

• A proper insulating layer — fleece or down, not a hoodie
• A windproof outer layer
• A hat and thin gloves for December to February
• Warm socks; camp floors are cold sand
• Closed shoes for the evening

Camps provide thick blankets and most have heaters in winter, but you will be

outside for dinner, for the stars, and for sunrise. That is when the cold

finds you.

For the full list, including what to leave behind, see

what to pack for a desert tour.

Choosing your dates

If the weather is what decides your trip, aim for late October, November, March

or early April, and book the camp early because everyone else has worked this

out too. Our [three-day Merzouga

departure](/en/tours/shared-merzouga-3day-marrakech) runs daily year-round at

€120 per person, and we will tell you honestly if the month you are

considering is a bad one.

Not sure which desert to choose? [Merzouga versus

Zagora](/en/blog/merzouga-vs-zagora-which-desert-tour) compares the drives, the

dunes and the cost.