Packing for the Moroccan Sahara is not the same as packing for a beach or a city. The desert has its own logic: extreme sun during the day, real cold after dark, dust that finds its way into everything, and nights so dark that a torch becomes as important as sunscreen.
After hosting hundreds of guests at Umnya Desert Camp in Erg Chegaga, we have seen every packing mistake, and every well-prepared arrival. This is the list that makes a desert stay genuinely comfortable.
What to Wear in the Sahara: Clothing
Layering is everything
The Erg Chegaga sits at around 700m altitude. In winter (December to February), daytime temperatures reach 18 to 24°C but drop to 5 to 10°C after sunset. In spring and autumn (March to May, September to November), nights are cool: 10 to 16°C. Even in summer, evenings are significantly cooler than days.
Pack in layers, not bulk.
Daytime:
- 2 to 3 lightweight long-sleeved shirts or linen shirts (long sleeves protect from sun, not from heat, they keep you cooler than bare arms in direct sun)
- 1 to 2 pairs of light trousers or loose cotton/linen pants (avoid tight jeans, they are uncomfortable in heat and restrictive on dunes)
- A light sun hat with full brim, not a cap (a cap leaves your neck and ears exposed)
Evening / night:
- A mid-weight fleece or merino wool sweater
- A windproof jacket or thin down jacket (in winter: a proper down jacket)
- 1 pair of trousers warmer than your daytime pair
- Warm socks, feet get cold faster than the rest of the body on cold desert nights
What to skip:
- Shorts (uncomfortable in the sun; the local culture also prefers covered legs, especially in villages)
- Heavy denim, it traps heat and dries slowly if it rains
- Anything white (beautiful for one day, impractical after the first dune walk)
Shoes for the Sahara
This is where the biggest packing mistake happens.
Best: closed-toe sandals or trail runners. You will be walking on sand frequently. Sand gets into everything. Closed-toe protects your feet; trail runners with good grip help on steep dune faces.
Also good: light hiking boots for those who want ankle support on longer walks.
Avoid: flip-flops (they fill with sand and slip on dune faces), stilettos or dressy shoes (sand ruins them in minutes), heavy hiking boots (overkill for Umnya-style desert walking, and they trap heat).
One pair of socks specifically for the desert: merino wool socks wick moisture and reduce blister risk on sand walks.
Sun Protection in the Desert
The Sahara sun is intense at all elevations. In M’Hamid and Erg Chegaga, you are at lower altitude than the Atlas Mountains, but the UV index is high year-round and the reflected light from white sand amplifies exposure.
- Sunscreen SPF 50+ minimum, bring more than you think you’ll need. Reapply every two hours.
- UV-protective sunglasses, a non-negotiable. Cheap sunglasses without UV protection are worse than nothing (your pupils dilate behind tinted lenses, admitting more UV). Buy rated UV400 lenses.
- Full-brim hat, protects your face, ears, and the back of your neck.
- Lip balm with SPF, lips dry and crack quickly in desert air.
Optional but excellent: a lightweight desert scarf (chèche) or buff. In addition to sun protection, it shields your face from sand during windy moments and doubles as extra warmth at night. You can buy these in M’Hamid for €5 to 10.
Staying Hydrated in the Desert
Dehydration happens faster than you notice it in dry desert air. The rule we give all guests:
Drink before you feel thirsty. By the time you feel thirst in the Sahara, you are already mildly dehydrated.
- A reusable water bottle (1.5L minimum), we refill from filtered camp water
- Electrolyte tablets or sachets, particularly important in summer or after long dune walks
- Avoid alcohol during the hottest part of the day (it accelerates dehydration)
At Umnya Desert Camp, filtered water is provided throughout your stay. You do not need to bring a full water supply, but having your own bottle is more comfortable than relying on shared camp supplies throughout the day.
Electronics and Power in the Desert
Umnya Desert Camp runs on solar power. We have charging points available, but power is a shared resource, think of it like charging on a long-haul flight. Plan accordingly.
- Power bank (at least 10,000 mAh), essential for recharging phones between activity periods
- Portable solar charger, an excellent addition for those staying multiple nights or doing multi-day treks
- Universal travel adapter, Morocco uses the two-pin European standard (Type C/E)
- Waterproof phone case or dry bag, dust and light sand can infiltrate standard pockets
Camera gear (see astrophotography section below for specifics):
- Extra batteries, cold nights drain lithium batteries fast
- Memory cards, bring more than you expect to need; desert light is extraordinary
- A soft bag for lenses (not hard cases, they are heavy and sand doesn’t care about hard cases)
What to Pack for Stargazing in the Sahara
Erg Chegaga is a Bortle Class 1 dark sky site, the darkest class on the scale. If you are coming for stargazing, pack accordingly.
- Red-light headtorch, a white torch destroys night vision; a red-light torch lets your eyes stay adapted to the dark. Essential.
- Warm layers for sitting still, the observatory cold is different from walking cold. When you’re stationary for 45 minutes watching stars, temperatures feel 4 to 5°C lower than when you’re moving.
- A star map app, download offline before you leave (Google Sky Map, SkySafari, Stellarium)
- Camera with manual mode, for astrophotography: a wide-angle lens (24mm or wider), f/2.8 or faster, ISO capability of 3200+, and a tripod
Astrophotography settings that work at Erg Chegaga:
- ISO 3200 to 6400
- f/2.8 (or widest aperture your lens allows)
- Exposure: 15 to 25 seconds (apply the 500 rule: 500 ÷ focal length = max seconds before star trails)
We set up telescopes each evening at Umnya, no equipment required. But a personal camera and tripod let you capture what you see.
Toiletries and Health
Desert air is extraordinarily dry. Your skin, lips and sinuses will notice within 24 hours.
Essentials:
- Moisturiser (face and body), you will go through it faster than usual
- Eye drops, dry desert air irritates eyes, especially for contact lens wearers
- Nasal saline spray, helpful for dust and dryness
- Insect repellent, the desert has very few insects compared to green zones, but mosquitoes appear near palmeries (M’Hamid town)
- Personal medications, including any prescriptions. The nearest pharmacy is in M’Hamid; the nearest hospital is in Zagora (2h away)
- Antihistamines, dust and plant pollen can cause unexpected reactions
- Imodium and rehydration sachets, standard travel precaution for any Morocco trip
What not to worry about:
- Snakes and scorpions are occasionally present in the Sahara, but encounters at camp are extremely rare. Umnya’s tents are closed and secured. Shake out shoes left outside overnight, standard desert practice.
How to Pack: Bags and Cases
Use a soft-sided bag, not a hard suitcase. The last stretch to Erg Chegaga is a 60km piste (unpaved track) by 4×4. Hard cases take up more boot space and are harder to strap onto roof racks.
A daypack (20 to 25L) for daily use: camera, water, sun protection, layers. Leave your main bag at camp.
Drybags or ziplock bags for electronics, documents and clothing you want to keep completely dust-free. Desert dust is fine and pervasive, it does not damage fabric but will coat electronics if left unprotected.
Weight: Travel light. You are coming to the desert, not a city. You will wear the same clothes for two or three days and it will feel completely natural.
Documents and Practicalities
- Passport, always carry it in Morocco
- Travel insurance documents, recommended; cover for activities and medical evacuation is sensible
- Cash (MAD, Moroccan Dirhams), M’Hamid has limited ATM availability. Withdraw in Zagora (2h before M’Hamid) or in Marrakech before departure. Cards are not widely accepted in the region
- Emergency contacts, save your camp’s number, your country’s embassy in Morocco, and your travel insurance hotline
What to Leave at Home
- Heavy books, download your reading; weight matters
- Excessive jewellery, the desert is not a place for it
- Anything dry-clean only, even without sand, the desert lifestyle doesn’t suit delicate fabrics
- Perfume or heavily scented products, they attract insects near oases; they can also be culturally inappropriate in the villages you pass through
- Drone without registration, drones require authorisation in Morocco; unregistered use is illegal
The Seasonal Packing Adjustment
Your base list stays the same year-round. Adjust the warmth level based on when you travel:
| Season | Extra items to add |
|---|---|
| December to February | Heavy down jacket, thermal base layer, extra warm socks, gloves |
| March to May | Light fleece, windproof jacket |
| June | Maximum sun protection, electrolytes, plan activities for early AM and PM |
| September to November | Light fleece, windproof jacket |
October to April gives you the ideal combination of warmth and comfort. If in doubt about timing, read our guide on the best time to visit the Sahara.
The Single Most Underrated Item
A Moroccan chèche, the traditional desert scarf. You can buy one in M’Hamid for €5 to 10. It serves as sun protection for your neck and face, dust shield during windy moments, improvised blanket if you get cold at a dune top, and a souvenir that actually gets used.
Guests who arrive at Umnya without one can buy one in M’Hamid, and it tends to stay on until departure.
At Umnya Desert Camp in Erg Chegaga, we provide: bedding, towels, filtered water, all meals, and all activity equipment (telescopes for stargazing, saddles for camel rides). You do not need to bring sleeping bags, camping equipment or food supplies. Find out more about what’s included →
Packing for a family is a different exercise: several bags to think through instead of one, children’s layers for nights that drop sharply, and a single arrival for everyone. If that is your situation, taking the whole camp for one family explains how the eight tents work when no other guests are expected.
One thing you will not need is a plan for staying online. There is no wifi and no network in the camp, and the only usable signal is 4G at the top of the big dune, twenty minutes there and back on foot. Some people come precisely for that: see the digital detox retreat.
