We live here all year, and the question we are asked more than any other is when to come. The honest answer is that Merzouga is worth the journey in every month — but what you get in January is a very different desert to what you get in July, and it is better to choose deliberately.
Spring: March to May
This is the season we would pick if someone gave us the choice. Days are warm rather than hot, evenings are mild enough to sit outside without a coat, and the light in the two hours before sunset is extraordinary.
Spring also brings the occasional sandstorm, usually in late March and April, when the wind picks up for half a day and the horizon disappears. It passes, and it is one of the more memorable things you can witness out here.
Summer: June to August
Summer is hot — genuinely hot, often above 40°C in the afternoon. This does not make Merzouga off-limits, it makes it a different rhythm. Guests get up early for sunrise, spend the middle of the day resting in an air-conditioned tent, and come back out at five when the sand has cooled.
There is one strong argument for summer: the Milky Way core is high in the sky, and the nights are warm enough to lie on the sand for an hour without a blanket. Summer is also quieter, and prices across Morocco are lower.
Autumn: September to November
By late September the heat breaks and the desert becomes almost perfect again. October and November are our busiest months for a reason: comfortable days, cool nights, stable weather and dunes that photograph beautifully.
If you want the best conditions with the fewest compromises, book October and book early.
Winter: December to February
Winter surprises people. Days are bright, clear and pleasantly warm in the sun — often 18 to 22°C — while nights drop close to freezing. Every tent is heated, so this is far less of a problem than it sounds, and the sky on a cold, dry January night is the clearest of the year.
Bring a proper jacket, a hat and something warm for your feet. Guests who pack for winter enjoy it enormously; guests who pack for a Moroccan beach do not.
A quick summary
- Most comfortable overall: October, November, March, April
- Best stargazing: June to September for the Milky Way core, December to February for clarity
- Fewest visitors: July, August, January
- Sandstorm risk: highest in late March and April
- Coldest nights: December and January, close to 0°C before dawn
Whichever month you choose, tell us your dates when you write and we will tell you honestly what to expect — including the moon phase, which matters more than most people realise if the stars are your reason for coming.
Stay with us in Merzouga
Private ensuite tents with air conditioning and heating, dinner and breakfast, the sunset camel ride and sandboarding — all included.
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