Best Time to Visit Merzouga and the Sahara Desert

The Sahara can be visited all year round, but each season gives a different desert. Here is what we have learned from living at the foot of Erg Chebbi.

October to April: the best months

Days are warm and sunny, between 20 and 28 °C, perfect for camel rides, quad and walks in the dunes. The light is soft and golden, ideal for photos. Nights are cool: in December and January they can drop close to 0 °C, but our tents have thick blankets and the fire in the camp is lit every evening.

March and April: spring in the desert

Spring is one of the most beautiful moments. After winter rains, the seasonal lake of Dayet Srji can fill with water and attract flamingos, and the palm groves are green. Sometimes the wind brings small sandstorms in the afternoon; they rarely last long.

May, June and September

It is hot in the middle of the day (30 to 38 °C), so we organise activities at sunrise and sunset, which are the most beautiful hours anyway. Nights in the camp are pleasant, and many travellers sleep outside the tent under the stars.

July and August

The heat at midday can reach 45 °C. The desert is still beautiful, but you must adapt: arrive in Merzouga in the late afternoon, ride a camel at sunset, sleep in the camp and leave after sunrise. Many Moroccan families come in summer for the famous sand baths, a traditional treatment against rheumatism.

Moon and stars

If stars are important to you, check the moon calendar: around the new moon the sky is completely dark and the Milky Way is spectacular. With a full moon the dunes shine silver, which is also magical. Read our guide to stargazing in the Sahara on this blog.

Our advice

• Best overall: October, November, March and April.
• Best for stars: nights around the new moon.
• Best for low prices and few people: January and February (bring warm clothes).

Whenever you come, the camel trek and night in our camp is possible every day of the year.