Merzouga Desert Journey
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Start planningEvery December, travellers ask us the same question: can we spend New Year's Eve in the Sahara? Yes, and it is one of the best nights of the year to be in the desert. Here is how to plan it.
Why Morocco for the winter holidays
Winter is high season in Morocco for good reason. Marrakech is sunny and mild, usually around 18 to 20°C by day, while most of Europe is grey and cold. The Sahara is at its most comfortable for walking and camel rides, the sky is clear, and the nights are long and full of stars.
It is also only three to four hours by plane from most of Europe, so a week or ten days is enough for the cities, the mountains and the desert.
New Year's Eve in the Sahara
Spending 31 December in a desert camp is the trip many people dream about. You ride camels into the dunes at sunset, eat dinner by the fire, listen to Amazigh drums and music, and watch the new year arrive under one of the darkest skies you will ever see.
Many camps in Merzouga hold a special dinner with music that night. If you prefer a quiet night with no other guests, our mobile camps are set up only for your group, far from the big camps.
What the weather is really like
Days in the desert in December and January are pleasant, around 18 to 22°C in the sun. Nights are cold, often close to 0°C. Good camps give you heavy blankets, and many have heated tents. Bring a warm jacket, a hat and layers for the evenings.
The Tizi n'Tichka pass over the High Atlas can get snow in winter and sometimes closes for a few hours. Your driver watches the weather every day and changes the road or the timing if needed.
Book early: what fills up first
The week between Christmas and New Year is the busiest of the whole year. The best riads in Marrakech and the luxury camps in Merzouga are often full by early December, and some camps add a festive supplement for the night of 31 December.
If you know your dates, send them to us now. We hold the camp and the riads for you, and you pay a 30% deposit only when you are happy with the route.
Which journey to choose
With 3 or 4 days, go from Marrakech to Merzouga and back, with New Year's Eve in the dunes. With 5 to 7 days, cross from Marrakech to Fes through the desert, or add the Dades Valley and the Todra Gorge. If you want the quietest night possible, choose a mobile camp journey in Erg Chigaga or Jebel Saghro, where your camp is set up only for you.
Christmas in Morocco
Morocco is a Muslim country, so 25 December is a normal working day. Shops, souks and sites are open as usual, and some riads and hotels in Marrakech serve a Christmas dinner for their guests. Christmas in the desert is quieter than New Year's Eve, and a lovely way to spend the day if you want something different.
Quick answers
Can we spend New Year's Eve in the Sahara?
Yes. A 3 or 4-day trip from Marrakech, or a 7-day route to Fes, can be timed so that you sleep in a desert camp in Merzouga on 31 December. Book early, because the camps fill up.
Is it cold in the Sahara in December?
Days are warm in the sun, around 18 to 22°C, but nights are cold, often close to 0°C. Camps give you heavy blankets and many have heated tents.
When should we book a New Year trip to Morocco?
As early as possible. The best desert camps and riads are often full by early December for the week between Christmas and New Year.
Is Christmas a holiday in Morocco?
No. 25 December is a normal day in Morocco, so everything is open. Some riads and hotels serve a Christmas dinner for guests.
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