Merzouga runs from 19°C in January to 43°C in July — and the nights collapse. The dunes sit at 730 m, which is why. Month by month, and what actually goes in the bag.
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:
| Month | High | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January | 19°C | Nights near freezing. Clearest skies of the year. |
| February | 21°C | Still cold after dark. |
| March | 26°C | Excellent. Some wind. |
| April | 30°C | Arguably the best month. |
| May | 34°C | Getting hot by midday. |
| June | 39°C | Hard going. |
| July | 43°C | Nights stay around 29°C. |
| August | 42°C | As above. |
| September | 37°C | Cooling. |
| October | 30°C | Excellent. |
| November | 24°C | Excellent, cold nights returning. |
| December | 20°C | Cold nights, clear skies. |
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 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 compares the drives, the dunes and the cost.
For the remote side of the Sahara, the 3-day Erg Chegaga expedition from Marrakech leaves the last paved road at M'Hamid and crosses by 4x4 to dunes rising 120 m, from €635 per person for two.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Trips that go here
Guided by the team who wrote this guide.
Merzouga Desert from Marrakech — 3-Day Shared Tour
- Tizi n'Tichka pass through the High Atlas
- UNESCO Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou
- Dades and Todra gorges
€120 / person for 2+
Merzouga Stargazing from Marrakech — 2-Day Dark Sky Desert Tour
- Naked-eye stargazing from camp — the Milky Way on clear, moonless nights
- Sunset camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes
- One night in a traditional Berber desert camp, far from any light pollution
€121 / person for 6+
Erg Chegaga from Marrakech — 3-Day Remote Desert Expedition
- Erg Chegaga — fewer tourists, 120 m dunes, profound silence
- 4x4 off-road desert crossing from M'Hamid into the dune field
- A night in a desert camp with no other camps in sight
€281 / person for 5+
Family Desert Adventure — 4-Day Marrakech to Sahara
- A full night on the Erg Chebbi dunes in a family-friendly desert camp
- Camel rides and sandboarding on the dunes for the kids
- Explore the Aït Ben Haddou kasbah — a Game of Thrones and Gladiator film set
€229 / person for 14+