What to pack for the desert: the list that has proven itself
By the Desert Foum Zguid team · Updated 14 August 2026
Short answer: less than you think, warmer than you expect. The desert calls for a small soft bag — not a hard suitcase — with three layers for the evening, serious sun protection and a headlamp. Here is the complete list we send our guests, season by season, with what to leave at home.
The essentials, all seasons
- A soft bag (40-60 L) — hard suitcases travel badly in a 4x4 and not at all on a camel.
- A scarf (cheche) — sun, wind, evening cold: three uses, one accessory. Best bought locally.
- Sunglasses that stay on — category 3, and a cord if you climb the dunes in wind.
- SPF 50 sunscreen — even in December: altitude and sand glare take no holidays.
- Light closed shoes for the piste + sandals or bare feet for the sand — dunes walk better unshod.
- A headlamp with fresh batteries — the camp is lit by lantern, your night walks by headlamp.
- A power bank — charging exists but is shared.
- A water bottle — mineral water is provided; a bottle saves small plastic ones from the wind.
- A personal kit — your medication, blister plasters, saline solution (sand and contact lenses negotiate badly).
The evening layer, by season
| Season | Night at the camp | Add |
|---|---|---|
| October-November · March-April | 15-19 °C | A fleece, long trousers. That's all. |
| December-February | 0-8 °C | Beanie, light gloves, wool socks, a packable down jacket. Warm sleeping bags are provided — it's the wait by the fire that bites. |
| May · September | 18-24 °C | Nothing warm — but double your daytime water and pack sun-blocking long sleeves. |
Full month-by-month temperatures in our guide to the best time to visit the Sahara.
What stays at the bottom of the bag (from experience)
The umbrella. The hairdryer. Heels and city shoes. The second pair of jeans — one is plenty, the dust ennobles it. The thick guidebook to all of Morocco for three days of dunes. And the drone without a permit: drone flight is regulated in Morocco and importing one requires prior authorisation — at best it sleeps at customs, at worst it stays there. Serious photographers write to us beforehand: legal solutions exist, but they take lead time.
The special case of the trek
On foot, everything tightens a notch: 8-10 kg maximum per bag (the camels carry, but they count), spare socks for every walking day, and shoes already broken in — the desert is not the place to try new footwear. The specific list is detailed on the treks page and repeated in every booking confirmation.
Frequently asked questions
Should I buy a desert scarf before the trip?
No — buy it at the Foum Zguid souk or from our guides, who will show you how to tie it (10-15 minutes to learn, a lifetime of benefit). Four to five metres of light cotton, colour of your choice: it is the most useful accessory in the desert and the best souvenir to bring home.
Do women need to cover up in any particular way?
In the desert, no requirement at all: shorts and vest tops are no problem at the camp or on the piste. In the village, local custom appreciates covered shoulders and knees — as everywhere in rural Morocco. The real constraint is the sun, not the custom: light long sleeves protect better than sunscreen.
Can we wash clothes or charge devices at the camp?
Charge, yes: a solar battery at the camp and sockets in the 4x4s. Wash, no — desert water is for drinking, not laundry. Plan one top per day; the dust supplies the rest of the patina.
