A night in a Sahara desert camp in Morocco is simpler than most travellers imagine, and usually colder. You ride in at sunset, eat well, sit by a fire, sleep in a proper bed under canvas and wake early for the sunrise. This guide covers what really happens after dark, what the camp is like inside, the best time to visit the Sahara month by month, and what to put in your overnight bag.
Most of what follows applies to the big dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga and to the smaller dunes around Zagora. For the wider picture of the region, read our Merzouga desert travel guide.
What happens on a desert night
Arrival by camel. In the late afternoon you leave your main luggage in the vehicle, take a small bag, and meet the camels at the edge of the sand. The ride takes about 1 hour, slow and quiet at walking pace, timed so the dunes turn orange and then red as you go. If you would rather not ride, you can walk with the caravan or go in by 4x4.
Tea, then free time. Mint tea is waiting when you arrive. Most people then climb the nearest dune to watch the last light. Take your time: the sand is soft, and it is steeper than it looks.
Dinner. Dinner is served in the evening, usually a soup or salads followed by a tagine and fruit. Tell us in advance about vegetarian, vegan or other diets.
alt: Tagine served for dinner on a low table at a Sahara camp
Music and stars. After dinner the camp staff often bring out drums around the fire. Join in or just listen. Then walk a few minutes away from the lights and look up: with no towns nearby, the sky is darker than almost anywhere you have stood.
Sunrise. Someone will wake you before dawn. Climb a dune, wrapped in the blanket from your bed if it is cold, and watch the light move across the sand. After breakfast you ride or drive back to the village.
Inside the camp
Camps in the dunes are not tents on the bare sand. They are fixed rows of heavy tents around a shared dining area and fire. What changes between camps is mostly comfort and bathrooms.
alt: Bed, rugs and bedside lantern inside a desert camp tent in Morocco
Standard tent
A simple tent in the standard camp. Electricity in the camp, shared bathrooms, no Wi-Fi.
Luxury tent
Each tent has its own private bathroom with hot water and charging outlets, and the camp has Wi-Fi.
Electricity
Both camps have electricity. The luxury camp has charging outlets and Wi-Fi; in the standard camp, bring a power bank. Phone signal in the dunes is often patchy.
Our tours include a night in the standard camp, and you can upgrade to the luxury camp when you book.
Best time to visit the Sahara: month by month
The best time to visit the Sahara in Morocco is spring (March to May) and autumn (late September to November): warm days, comfortable nights. Winter is sunny and quiet, but the desert night can approach 0 °C. In July and August afternoons often pass 40 °C, and you will spend the middle of the day in the shade.
| Month | Typical day | Typical night |
|---|---|---|
| January | Sunny and mild, about 15–19 °C | Cold, about 0–5 °C; can approach freezing |
| February | Sunny and mild, about 17–21 °C | Cold, about 2–7 °C |
| March | Warm, about 21–25 °C; windy days more likely | Cool, about 7–11 °C |
| April | Warm, about 25–29 °C; windy days more likely | Mild, about 11–15 °C |
| May | Hot afternoons, about 29–34 °C | Pleasant, about 15–19 °C |
| June | Hot, about 35–39 °C | Warm, about 20–24 °C |
| July | Very hot, often above 40 °C | Warm, about 24–28 °C |
| August | Very hot, often above 40 °C | Warm, about 23–27 °C |
| September | Hot, about 32–37 °C, easing later in the month | Warm, about 19–23 °C |
| October | Warm, about 25–30 °C | Mild, about 13–17 °C |
| November | Mild, about 19–23 °C | Cool to cold, about 5–10 °C |
| December | Sunny and mild, about 15–19 °C | Cold, about 0–5 °C; can approach freezing |
Two more things to check. The moon: around full moon the dunes glow silver but you see far fewer stars, so for the Milky Way pick dates near the new moon. And the long road: from Marrakech the dunes of Merzouga are about 560 km away, which is why the 3-day Merzouga desert tour splits the drive over two days.
alt: Traveller wrapped in a blanket on a Sahara dune at a cold winter sunrise
Packing list for a night in the desert
You only carry one small bag to camp, so pack it separately before you leave in the morning. A soft backpack is easier on a camel than a hard case.
alt: Packing list for a Sahara desert night laid out: scarf, head torch, fleece, sunscreen and water bottle
Clothing
- Long, loose trousers for the camel
- A fleece or warm jumper, all year
- A down jacket and hat, November to February
- Socks for the cold sand at dawn
- Sandals or trainers you can empty easily
Protection
- A large cotton scarf against sun and sand
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Sunglasses
- A refillable water bottle
Comfort
- Wet wipes and a small towel
- Toilet paper and hand gel
- Earplugs, if you sleep lightly
- Any medicines you take daily
Tech
- A head torch, ideally with a red-light mode
- A charged power bank
- A zip bag to keep sand off your phone
- A small tripod for the stars
Photographing stars and dunes
- Dunes look best in low light. The hour after sunrise and before sunset gives sharp ridges and long shadows. At midday the sand looks flat.
- Keep the camera still for stars. Use a tripod, or rest the camera on a bag in the sand. Try a wide lens, ISO 1600–3200, an exposure of 15–20 seconds and manual focus on a bright star.
- Phones work too. Night mode, a steady surface and a three-second timer give surprisingly good results.
- Use the tents. A lit tent in the foreground makes a sky photo come alive. Ask the staff before you move any lanterns.
- Protect your gear. Do not change lenses in the wind, and keep everything in a bag when you are not shooting.
- Ask before photographing people. Camel handlers and camp staff are usually happy to pose, but always ask first.
Health and safety
The desert is dry, and you lose water without noticing. Drink regularly through the day, even when it is cool, and keep a bottle by your bed. Cover your head and neck on the camel; the sun reflects off the sand. On a hot day, rest in the shade until late afternoon.
Scorpions and snakes live in the Sahara, but travellers rarely see them, and in the cold months they are hardly active at all. Simple habits are enough: wear shoes when you walk around at night, use your head torch, and shake out shoes left outside the tent. If you have a medical condition, tell us when you book so we can plan around it.
Respect the desert and the people who live there
- Leave nothing behind. Bring your rubbish back to camp, including tissues and cigarette ends. Plastic stays in the sand for years.
- Use water carefully. Water is brought to the camps from outside. Keep showers short.
- Keep the volume down. Leave your speaker in your bag. The silence is what other guests came for.
- Dress with care in the villages. Covering shoulders and knees is polite, and practical in the sun.
Sahara desert camp: your questions
Is it cold at night in the Sahara?
From November to February, yes: nights can approach 0 °C. Beds come with thick blankets, but bring a warm jacket and a hat for the evening outside and the sunrise. Even in summer the sand cools quickly after dark.
Can I shower at the desert camp?
In the standard camp the bathrooms are shared; in the luxury camp each tent has its own private bathroom with hot water. On most tours you can also shower the next morning when you return to the village, before the drive.
Is a desert camp safe for solo women travellers?
Women travelling alone are a common sight in the Merzouga camps. Camps are staffed all night, you have your own tent, and you can reach us on WhatsApp throughout the trip. Use the same common sense you would anywhere, and tell us if anything makes you uncomfortable.
Can I charge my phone in the camp?
In the luxury camp, yes: it has charging outlets. The standard camp has electricity too, but bring a charged power bank, and switch your phone to flight mode to save battery where there is no signal.
What happens if it is windy or there is a sandstorm?
Strong wind is more frequent in spring. Usually it drops by evening. If it does not, the camel ride may be shortened or replaced by a 4x4 transfer, and dinner moves inside. Keep a scarf handy to cover your face.
Can I sleep in the desert without a long drive from Marrakech?
The 2-day Zagora desert trip is the shortest overnight option. With only one evening, the Agafay desert day trip gives you sunset and dinner in a stony desert about 45 minutes from Marrakech. From Fes, take the 2-day Fes desert tour.