It is one of the first questions we get: winter or summer? The two seasons are not better and worse versions of the same trip. They are two different trips, and the right one depends on what you want. Here is how each works on the ground, in Zagora and out among the dunes.
Winter: mild days, cold nights
From December to February the days are genuinely pleasant. Zagora's average daily high in January is about 20 °C, and the sky is clear for weeks (Wikipedia). This is walking and photography weather, and the low sun keeps the light golden far longer than in summer.
The catch is the night. Out at the ergs there is nothing to hold the day's heat, and the temperature drops hard after sunset; M'Hamid, the gate to Erg Chegaga, sees some of the coldest winter nights in the region (meteoblue). Pack a thermal layer, a fleece and a windproof jacket. You will wear them every evening. The reward is the clearest skies of the year and the best conditions for long dune walks.
Winter is also the busy season, especially the weeks around Christmas and New Year and the European half-term holidays. The desert never feels crowded at camp, but the popular routes and good camps fill up, so book early if your dates are fixed.
Why people choose winter
- Comfortable daytime temperatures for everyone, including children and older travellers.
- Long, clear days and the best light for photography.
- The only season when a lunch outside is a pleasure rather than a test.
Summer: extreme heat, empty dunes
July is the hottest month of the year in Zagora, with an average daily high near 45 °C (Wikipedia). The sand itself becomes too hot to cross barefoot at midday, and heat stress is a real risk if you treat the day as usual (WHO). We do not close in summer. We invert the day.
- Dawn and dusk. Camel treks, dune walks and most photography happen at sunrise and again after five in the afternoon; the middle of the day belongs to shade, tea and sleep.
- Nights are warm. Around 25 °C, summer is the one time a camp night needs no blanket at all.
- The sky is at its best. Clear, dry air and long dark nights make this the finest season to watch the Milky Way from the dunes.
- Fewest people, lowest prices. If solitude is the point, summer delivers it.
Who should not choose summer
It is not the trip for young children, for anyone with heart or breathing conditions, or for travellers who want long midday hikes. If that is you, come in the shoulder season instead.
The in-between seasons
March to April and October to November are the compromise most guests actually book: warm days, cool nights, and light that is good all day. If you want one sentence of advice, it is this: aim for those windows, and treat winter or summer as a deliberate choice with a clear reason.
One practical note: whichever window you pick, the nights are always much cooler than the day, so pack for two temperatures, not one. And if the Milky Way is the point, plan around the new moon, a full moon gives the desert so much light that the stars fade.
How the season changes the tour
The season changes when you do things more than where you go. In the cool months we run relaxed, later starts and full camp programmes. In summer everything shifts to the edges of the day. On the tracks between Zagora and Chegaga, the driving is the same; it is the hours around it that move.
Our bivouac night at Erg Chegaga and our camel crossing of hamada and erg run all year, with departure times set to the month, and our five-day High Atlas crossing is at its best in the shoulder seasons. For the month-by-month picture, see our guide to the best time to visit the Moroccan Sahara. Whatever you choose, tell us your dates and we will build the days around the season.
Sources
- Zagora, climate and average temperatures, Wikipedia
- M'Hamid El Ghizlane, modelled climate and winter night temperatures, meteoblue
- Heat and health, hydration and heat-stress guidance, World Health Organization
