Growing up, I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would one day be in the Sahara desert. I knew this was something I absolutely had to do, when I booked my trip to Morocco. Although I was extremely prepared for the rest of Morocco with long, flowy, colorful dresses and scarves, I was definitely not prepared for the freezing cold desert, especially in the winter. This post covers what to pack for the Sahara Desert in Morocco during winter so you could be better prepared than I was.
Temperature in the Desert
Most, if not all desert treks in Morocco are in an area called Merzouga, near the Algerian border. While day time temperatures in the Summer exceed 100 degrees, nights can get cooler the minute the sun sets. This is especially true in the winter. I visited the desert in on the 31st of December (something I’ll never forget) and the night/early morning was below freezing.
If you are wondering what it’s like to spend a night in the Sahara desert in Morocco, check out my post where I give details on this experience
What to Pack for the Sahara Desert in Morocco
This list is assuming 1 night in the desert where you will get there in the evening and leave mid-day.
- Thick jacket for the night (anytime the sun is down)
- Light jacket (anytime the sun is out)
- 1 sweaters for the night time
- 1 long sleeve top for the day time
- Thermal wear if you generally get extra cold
- Pants or leggings – ensure they are stretchy enough to get on and off a camel if you’ve going to ride one
- Thick pajama top and bottom
- Beanie or wool hat
- Boots – if you are going climb some sand dune, highly recommend high boots as this prevents sand from going into your shoes
- Closed shoes like sneakers
- Socks
- Underwear
- Scarf
- Gloves
- Head cover – this is for a desert photo op and totally optional. If you’re on a tour they may stop at a shop before getting to the desert to buy these
Toiletries
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Deodorant
- Sunscreen
- Lotion
- Shampoo and conditioner if you want to wash your hair
- Small travel size bottle of lotion
- Bug spray
- Lip balm
Electronics
- Phone and charges
- Camera (GoPro, DSLR etc) if you have one and tripod (the desert sky is amazing at night!) – see my travel photography list HERE
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Touring more of Morocco? Check out all my posts on Morocco HERE. I toured Marrakesh on my own and joined a tour for the rest of my visit to Morocco.
