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You can visit the desert all year round, but not every month feels the same. From March to May and from September to November temperatures are mild by day and pleasant at night: it is the most balanced season and also the most popular.

In winter (December to February) skies are usually clear and the light is beautiful, but once the sun sets the temperature drops sharply; bring thermal layers and, if you can, choose a luxury camp. In summer (June to August) the midday heat is fierce: we start early, do the camel trek late in the day, and you will be glad of the air-conditioned vehicle.

In April and May the Valley of Roses, near Kelaat M’Gouna, is in bloom, and in autumn dates are harvested in the palm groves of the Ziz and the Draa. If your dates are flexible, those are two good reasons to pick a month.

Merzouga (Erg Chebbi) is the desert of the postcards: dunes of fine sand over a hundred metres high, stretching to the horizon. It is a long way from Marrakech, so you need at least three days for a comfortable round trip, or two if you start from Fez or Ouarzazate.

Zagora is closer to Marrakech and can be reached in a day through the Draa Valley, the longest palm grove in Morocco. The dunes are lower and the landscape stonier, but it is the best option if you only have two days. You can see both in our 2-day trip to Zagora and our 3-day tour to Merzouga.

You reach the camp by camel, so your large suitcase stays in the vehicle or at the hotel in Merzouga. A small backpack with the essentials is all you need:

• Comfortable layers and something warm for the night.
• Closed shoes or sandals that hold your foot firmly.
• Sun cream, sunglasses and lip balm.
• Scarf or turban (if you do not have one, we will lend you one).
• Head torch or phone torch and a power bank.
• Basic toiletries and wet wipes.
• Some cash in dirhams for drinks and tips.

We provide the mineral water, the blankets and the sandboard.

2 or 3 days are enough for a desert getaway from Marrakech, Fez or Ouarzazate. Between 4 and 6 days let you link Marrakech and Fez via Merzouga, with time for the Todra and Dades Gorges. With 8 to 12 days you can do a complete circuit including the imperial cities, Chefchaouen, the Sahara and the coast at Essaouira.

One tip: distances in Morocco are deceptive. They look short on the map, but mountain roads are slow. It is better to see fewer places and enjoy them than to spend the trip inside the car. On our tours page you can filter the tours by duration.

Morocco is a hospitable country, well used to welcoming visitors. A few small gestures will make your trip even better: dress modestly in villages and medinas, ask permission before photographing someone and accept tea when it is offered — refusing is considered impolite.

In the souks, haggling is part of the game; do it with a smile and without hurrying. During the month of Ramadan many restaurants close during the day outside tourist areas, but the evenings have a unique atmosphere. And in the desert the rule is simple: whatever goes into the dunes comes back out with you.

From Marrakech it is around nine or ten hours by road over the Tizi n’Tichka, so the journey is usually split with a night in the Dades Valley. From Fez it is around seven or eight hours across the Middle Atlas and the Ziz Valley. From Ouarzazate, about five or six.

If you are travelling independently, CTM and Supratours buses run as far as Merzouga and Rissani. And if you are already there, you can book just the night in the camp with camel trek.