Travel guide
What to Wear and Pack for the Desert, Season by Season
The list we send our own guests — essentials, seasonal layers, trek rules, and the things people regret bringing.
The essentials, whatever the month
A soft bag of 40–60 litres, never a rigid suitcase — it has to travel in a 4x4 or on a camel. A chèche (desert scarf) for sun, wind and evening cold; category-3 sunglasses with a cord; SPF 50 sunscreen; lightweight closed shoes plus sandals for the dunes; a headtorch with fresh batteries; a power bank; a water bottle; and a small personal medical kit.
The chèche is not a costume. Ask your guide to tie it properly on the first day — the technique matters when the wind picks up, and it does most of the work of keeping sun off your neck and sand out of your face.
Night layers by season
October–November and March–April, nights of 15–19 °C: a fleece and long trousers are enough. December–February, nights of 0–8 °C: add a hat, light gloves, wool socks and a compressible down jacket. We provide warm sleeping bags in those months — the real discomfort is not in bed, it is waiting by the fire. May and September, nights of 18–24 °C: no warm clothing needed; carry more water in the day and long sleeves against the sun.
Whatever the forecast says, the difference between day and night in the dunes regularly exceeds 15 °C: sand holds no heat. Pack for both in the same bag.
If you are trekking
Eight to ten kilos maximum in a soft bag — it rides on a camel. Fresh socks for every walking day. Only shoes you have already broken in; the desert is not the place to discover a blister. Light walking shoes for the stony stretches and sandals for the sand, a fleece and a winter hat for camp, the headtorch and the water bottle within reach.
Leave at home
Umbrellas, hairdryers, heels, several pairs of jeans (one will do, and it will come back with a patina), heavy guidebooks — and drones without authorisation: bringing one into Morocco requires prior approval, and flying one in the erg without it is a problem you do not want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are sleeping bags provided?
Yes — on our excursions and treks, warm sleeping bags, blankets and mattresses are included. Bring your own only if you prefer it.
Can I wear shorts?
For the 4x4 stages, yes. On a camel or walking in the dunes, long loose trousers are far more comfortable — sun by day, cold by night, and sand everywhere.
What about children?
The same rules, scaled down: long and loose, closed shoes, a hat with a strap, and one more warm layer than you think they need — children feel the night cold first.