Desert Trekking in Morocco: Camel Treks in the Sahara
Camel treks across ergs, regs and dry riverbeds.
- Trips
- 3
- Length
- 4 to 6 days
- Highest point
- 800 m
- Ideal
- Feb–Mar, Oct–Nov
The Sahara, month by month
The full guide: when to go- Ideal
- Good
- Possible with care
- We would tell you to wait
Good
Sahara in January
Mild, luminous days, but nights near freezing under canvas. Bring a proper sleeping bag.
Ideal
Sahara in February
Ideal daytime temperatures, cool but manageable nights, and empty dunes.
Ideal
Sahara in March
The year’s best balance: gentle warmth, kind nights and very clear skies.
Good
Sahara in April
Still very pleasant, though spring sandstorms can blow for several days at a stretch.
Possible with care
Sahara in May
Heat settles in, above 40 °C in the afternoon. Walking only in the early morning and late in the day.
We would tell you to wait
Sahara in June
Crushing heat, dangerous for walking in the dunes. We would tell you to wait for autumn.
We would tell you to wait
Sahara in July
The hottest month, often past 45 °C. No comfortable bivouac is possible.
We would tell you to wait
Sahara in August
Still excessive, with nights that no longer cool down. The desert is best avoided.
Possible with care
Sahara in September
The heat slowly recedes; workable late in the month with short stages.
Ideal
Sahara in October
The season reopens: pleasant warmth, mild nights and the finest window for bivouac.
Ideal
Sahara in November
Perfect conditions day and night, with superb low light across the dunes.
Good
Sahara in December
Mild, very bright days but genuinely cold nights. Excellent with the right kit.
3 treks in the Sahara
The agencies of this desert
What to expect.
A trek in the Moroccan desert is nothing like a 4x4 excursion with a night in a luxury camp. You walk for several days with a camel caravan carrying the gear, across ergs (dune fields), regs (stony plains) and dry riverbeds, and sleep at camp, in a tent or under the stars.
Two main dune areas lend themselves to trekking. Erg Chebbi, starting from Merzouga, is reachable by road and has some of the highest dunes in Morocco. Further south-west, Erg Chegaga and Erg Zahar are reached from M'Hamid, at the end of the Draa valley: more remote, they take longer to get to but offer far more solitude.
The season runs from October to April. The best months are October–November and February–March; winter nights are cold, and from May to September the heat makes walking dangerous. See November or March. Nothing fits your dates? Tell us about your trip and a local agency will reply directly.
Asked before every departure.
Do you ride the camels on a camel trek?
Mostly, you walk: the camels carry the luggage, water and camp equipment. Depending on the agency and the group, you can often ride a camel for some stretches. If that matters to you, ask when you book.
How fit do you need to be to walk in the dunes?
No particular technique is needed and there is little climbing. Walking in soft sand is more tiring than on a trail, though, and the midday heat means walking in the morning and late afternoon. Reasonable fitness for several hours of walking a day is enough.
Explore another way
Other regions
The Sahara in season
Themes