The best time to visit the Moroccan desert

Season by season

Spring: March to May

Spring is gentle. The palm groves and oases are at their greenest, the almond trees have flowered in the Atlas valleys, and the days in the desert are warm without being hot. March and April can bring wind that raises sand in the afternoons; it rarely spoils a trip, but a scarf becomes your best friend. In May, the Valley of Roses around Kelaat M'Gouna celebrates its rose harvest with a festival.

Summer: June to August

Summer is hot in the south of Morocco, often above 40 °C at midday. That does not mean you cannot go: tours leave early, rest in the shade during the hottest hours and ride into the dunes in the late afternoon, when the heat breaks. Desert nights in summer are one of the great pleasures of Morocco: warm enough to sleep outside under the stars. If heat bothers you, choose the mountains, the coast or another season.

Autumn: September to November

Autumn is our favourite. The summer heat has gone, the air is calm and clear, the skies at night are sharp, and the dates are being harvested in the palm groves of the Draa and the Tafilalet. Days are warm, nights are cool, and the light at sunset is extraordinary.

Winter: December to February

Winter in the desert is sunny, calm and surprisingly cold at night. Days are pleasant, often around 18 to 22 °C, but nights in the dunes can drop close to 0 °C. The stars are at their sharpest. Tents have thick blankets; bring a warm jacket, a hat and socks for the evening. Snow can fall on the High Atlas and close the Tizi n'Tichka pass for a few hours; your driver knows the alternatives.

Full moon or new moon?

It is a question almost nobody asks, and it changes the night. A new moon gives the darkest sky and the best view of the Milky Way. A full moon turns the dunes silver and lets you walk on the sand without a torch. Tiziri means moonlight in Tamazight: tell us your dates and we tell you what the sky will look like.

Ramadan and holidays

During Ramadan, tours run normally. Some cafés on the road close during the day, but restaurants for travellers stay open, and the evenings, after sunset, are warm and festive. Around Christmas, New Year and Easter, the desert is at its busiest: book the camp early.

Our advice

If you can choose, go between late September and November, or between March and May. If your dates are fixed, go anyway, and pack for the season: a warm layer in winter, a hat and water in summer, a scarf in spring.

Month by month, in one line each

• January: sunny, crisp days, the coldest nights of the year; perfect stars.
• February: still cold at night, almond blossom in the Atlas valleys.
• March: warmer days, some wind; the oases turn green.
• April: one of the best months; occasional sand in the air in the afternoon.
• May: warm, the roses of Kelaat M'Gouna, long golden evenings.
• June: hot days, early starts; nights warm enough to sleep outside.
• July: the hottest month, often above 40 °C at midday.
• August: hot, with the occasional summer storm in the Atlas.
• September: the heat breaks, dates ripen, the light softens.
• October: our favourite month in the dunes: warm, calm and clear.
• November: cool nights return, a full moon near the end of the month in some years.
• December: sunny days, cold nights; busy around Christmas and New Year.

What to pack for each season

In winter, a warm jacket, a hat, gloves and socks for the camp night, plus layers for the day. In summer, light long sleeves, a wide hat, sun cream and a refillable water bottle. In spring and autumn, layers and a scarf. In every season, sunglasses and a warm layer for the evening: the desert always cools down after sunset.

Booking ahead

The desert is busiest around Christmas, New Year, Easter and the European spring holidays. At those times, book two to four weeks ahead to get the camp you want, especially the luxury tents.