A desert trip throws bigger temperature swings at you than almost any other kind of travel: a single twenty-four hours can run from 40°C of midday glare on the dunes to a night cold enough for a down jacket, with a gateway-city medina and a mountain pass in between. Getting the packing right means thinking in layers, not outfits — and packing a second, smaller bag for the camel leg. Here is what we recommend across the year.
What season are you crossing the desert in?
The Sahara season shapes your packing more than anything else. The swing between day heat and night cold is the constant; the season sets how extreme it gets:
- Spring (March–May): The best all-round window for the dunes. Warm, clear days, comfortable evenings, fewer sandstorms. Pack light layers plus one warm fleece for the camp night.
- Summer (June–August): The desert is punishing by day — 45°C is possible at Erg Chebbi. Pack loose, breathable linen and cotton that covers your skin, SPF 50+ and a wide-brimmed hat. Camps shift activity to dawn and dusk; midday is for shade.
- Autumn (September–November): Second-best season. Heat eases, skies stay clear for stargazing. Pack as for spring; add a mid-layer fleece from late October as the nights sharpen.
- Winter (December–February): Glorious clear days (15–20°C) but the dune nights are genuinely cold, sometimes near freezing. Pack a warm down layer, hat and gloves for the camp, plus a layer for the snow-dusted Tizi n'Tichka crossing.
What to wear in the gateway medinas
Most desert trips start and finish in Marrakech or Fes, and a day in the medina bookends the dunes. There are no strict laws on tourist dress, but modest clothing changes the quality of your experience: cover shoulders and knees in the souks and near mosques, equally for all genders. A light linen shirt over a vest, or loose trousers rather than shorts, is all it takes — and that same loose, covering layer is exactly what protects you from the sun once you reach the sand.
Shoes: comfortable, closed-toe walking shoes do double duty. Medina alleyways are uneven, often damp in autumn and winter, and strewn with motorbikes; the dunes want closed shoes against hot sand by day and cold sand at night. Trainers with a grip sole cover both.
What to pack for the mountain crossing en route
The drive to the dunes climbs the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka (2,260 m), and many guests add a half-day walk among the Berber villages or the kasbahs along the way. For the road and any short trek, the essentials are:
- Layering system: base layer, mid-layer fleece, windproof outer shell
- Warm hat and gloves (the pass is cold even in summer, and snowbound in winter)
- Comfortable walking shoes with a worn-in grip sole
- A small daypack for stops, snacks and a water bottle
- High-SPF sunscreen and UV-protection sunglasses (altitude intensifies UV)
- Refillable water bottles for the long road; the heat dehydrates fast
- A small first-aid kit including blister plasters and ibuprofen
What to pack for the Sahara overnight
The Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga and the Erg Chigaga sea of sand near M'Hamid are the heart of the trip — and the camel leg means you carry only a small bag, leaving the rest at the transfer point. Pack this daypack with care:
- Layers: a warm fleece and even a down jacket for the camp night — temperatures can approach 0°C from November to February.
- Scarf or shemagh: doubles as sun protection and keeps blowing sand out of your face on the camel ride.
- Closed shoes for the evening fireside — sand cools quickly after sunset
- Headtorch with fresh batteries (the stargazing is the whole point — keep your phone for photos)
- Zip-lock dust bags for your phone, camera and passport
- Lip balm and nasal saline spray — the desert air is extremely dry
- Power bank; camps often run on limited solar power with no reliable sockets
What to buy locally rather than pack
Some items are better picked up on the ground — cheaper, better suited to the desert, and a souvenir into the bargain. A cotton or silk djellaba is a perfect loose layer for cool camp evenings. A local scarf or cheche, wound desert-style by your camel guide, beats anything you'll bring from home for keeping sand off. Argan oil-based sunscreen costs a fraction of European prices in pharmacies. A local SIM from Maroc Télécom or Orange gives solid data across the gateways for around US$5–8 — though the signal still fades out by the dunes.
Documents, money and tech essentials
- Passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates
- Travel insurance documents that cover camel trekking and remote-area evacuation (print a copy and save a PDF offline — there's no signal at the camp)
- A debit card with low foreign transaction fees (Wise, Revolut and Charles Schwab all work well in Moroccan ATMs)
- A cash float of MAD — withdraw US$100–150 worth in the gateway city, plus small notes for the camp crew and camel handlers, since ATMs vanish past Erfoud
- A universal power adapter (Morocco uses European type C/E plugs, 220V)
- A power bank for the dune night, where charging is limited or solar-only
- Downloaded offline maps (Maps.me or Google Maps offline) for the gateway medinas and the desert stretch, where the signal drops out entirely
For a packing list tuned to your exact dates and dune destination, or a custom pre-trip document for your itinerary, see our Morocco travel guides or explore our private tour options.
Frequently asked
Can I wear shorts and vest tops on a desert trip?
Around a pool or on the coast, yes. But the desert sun is fierce and the sand reflects it, so loose long sleeves and trousers actually keep you cooler and protect your skin better than shorts. In the gateway medinas of Marrakech and Fes, and in the small villages near the dunes, covering shoulders and knees draws far less attention and is genuinely respectful to local communities. A light linen layer takes up almost no luggage space and earns its keep on the camel ride.
What shoes work best for the dunes and the medina?
Pack closed walking shoes for both. The medina's stone alleys turn slippery when damp, and flip-flops are useless on uneven paving. For the dunes, closed shoes keep hot sand out by day and your feet warm round the campfire at night — though many people kick them off to climb a soft dune barefoot. A pair of trainers covers the whole trip; sandals are a bonus for the camp, not the main act.
Do I need cash for a desert tour, or do cards work?
Bring a mix, but lean on cash once you head south. Major hotels and city riads take Visa and Mastercard; desert camps, camel guides, village shops, drivers and taxis are cash-only, and ATMs vanish past Erfoud and Zagora. Withdraw a working float in the gateway city before you leave — aim for the equivalent of US$100–150 in dirhams, plus small notes for tips to the camp crew and camel handlers.
How much luggage should I bring for a desert trip?
Less than you think, and split it. Morocco is easy for laundry — most riads wash and return overnight, and linen and cotton dry fast. A medium carry-on or soft duffel covers two weeks. Crucially, pack a small daypack for the dune overnight: you leave the main bag at the camp's transfer point and carry only what you need for one night on the camel leg, so keep the essentials compact.
What should I pack for a Sahara overnight specifically?
Layers are everything: Erg Chebbi can hit 40°C by day and fall to 10°C — or near freezing in midwinter — after midnight. A warm fleece or down layer, a hat and closed shoes for the evening are essential. Bring a headtorch rather than relying on your phone, lip balm and nasal saline for the dry air, high-SPF sunscreen, a scarf or shemagh against blowing sand, and a zip-lock dust bag for your phone and camera — fine sand finds its way into everything.
Is there anything I should definitely not pack?
Alcohol in quantities that look like commercial import can be confiscated at customs (personal amounts are generally waved through). Don't bring a drone without a Moroccan civil aviation permit — they are controlled and seized at airports without paperwork, and the open desert is exactly where people are tempted to fly one. Prescription medication is fine; carry the original box and a GP letter for anything that might look controlled.
One less thing to worry about
We send every guest a bespoke desert briefing.
It includes a packing checklist tuned to your dune destination, the forecast night lows at the camp for your travel window, and our current on-the-ground notes. Just ask.
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