The short answer
October, November, March and April are the easiest months: warm days, cool nights and good light on the dunes. December to February is colder at night but clearer and quieter. May and September work with early starts. June to August is the season to avoid, when the heat is severe and many camps close.
In more detail
The season runs from October to April. In autumn the summer heat has gone, the days are warm and the evening light on the sand is gold. Spring is just as good and lines up with the best weather for the drive over the Atlas. Our own planning note marks the Easter weeks as the year's best weather for the Sahara, which is also why camps fill then.
Midwinter is a trade. December and January bring cold nights, near freezing, but the skies are often at their clearest and the camps at their calmest. If you do not mind a jacket by the fire, it can be the best time of all. Late December is the exception for crowds: New Year is the busiest week in the camps.
May and September sit on the edges. Both are hot in the middle of the day but fine for sunrise and sunset, and the dunes are quieter. From June the heat climbs fast, and July and August are best left alone.
Good to know
- Best balance: October, November, March, April.
- Clearest skies and fewest people: January and February.
- Book ahead: Easter and New Year.