What to Pack for the Sahara

Packing for the desert is simpler than it seems, because you pack twice. Your suitcase stays in the vehicle with the driver. What you carry into the dunes is one small bag for one night. Get that small bag right and everything else follows.

The small bag for the dunes

• A warm layer. The desert loses its heat fast after dark, in every season. In winter, bring a proper jacket.
• A torch or head torch. The camp is lit, the dunes around it are not.
• Toothbrush, any medicines, contact-lens things.
• A scarf. For the sun on the ride in, and for the wind if it lifts the sand.
• Phone and a small power bank. The camp has electricity, but sockets can be busy.
• Earplugs if you sleep lightly. Camps settle early, but sound carries in the quiet.

Everything else can stay in the car until morning.

What to wear

Loose, light clothes are cooler than bare skin in the desert sun, and they are also the respectful choice in villages and old towns. Cover shoulders and knees and you will be comfortable everywhere on the route.

• Shoes: closed and comfortable. Sand gets everywhere, and in summer it is too hot for bare feet in the afternoon. Sandals are fine at camp.
• Sun: a hat, sunglasses, sun cream and lip balm. The light is bright and the air is dry.
• For the camel: long trousers are kinder on the legs than shorts.

Season by season

• Spring and autumn: light layers for the day, a jumper or fleece and a jacket for the evening.
• Summer: the lightest clothes you own, a hat, and a thin layer for the night, which stays warm.
• Winter: the days are pleasant, the nights cold. Bring a warm jacket, a hat, and something warm to sleep in. On our Erg Chebbi trips the tent is heated, but the walk to the fire is not.

Money

Bring some Moroccan dirhams in cash for drinks, tips and small purchases along the way; card machines are rare outside the towns. Cash machines are easy to find in Marrakech and the bigger towns, much less so in the villages.

What to leave at home

• A drone. Morocco does not allow drones to be brought in without prior authorisation, and customs hold or seize them on arrival.
• Too much luggage. A medium suitcase each fits comfortably in the vehicle; several large ones make the car cramped on a long drive.
• Anything you would hate to fill with sand.

A last word

There is nothing to buy in advance that you will truly regret not having. If you forget the scarf, the shops at the edge of the dunes sell them, and your guide will show you how to tie it. Tell us your dates when you book our three-day trip to Erg Chebbi or our route to Erg Chegaga, and we will tell you what the nights are likely to feel like that week.