Why the desert for 31 December
Because it is the exact opposite of a city New Year. No crowds, no music turned up to the ceiling, no painful bill the next morning. Instead: dinner cooked over a wood fire, drums from the camp crew, scalding tea, and at midnight the clearest winter sky of the year. December gives Erg Chigaga its purest nights, and at this season the Milky Way gives way to Orion, standing directly over the tents.
Late-December days are mild, 18 to 22 °C, ideal for walking the dunes or sandboarding. It is the nights that are cold, around 0 to 5 °C. We equip the camp accordingly, and the fire does not go out before the last guest turns in.
How the night of the 31st runs
- 5:30 pm — arrival at camp, welcome tea, sunset from the ridge.
- 8 pm — festive dinner: tajine, mechoui depending on the group, sand-baked bread, Moroccan pastries.
- 10 pm — music and drums around the fire with the nomad crew.
- Midnight — countdown under the stars, on the dune or by the fire, as you prefer.
- 1 am — the silence returns. That is the part nobody forgets.
- 1 January — sunrise over the erg, an unhurried breakfast, and no rush to leave.
Formats for New Year
All our tours run on 31 December at the usual rates: we apply no festive supplement. The only difference is that you must book early.
- From Foum Zguid, 2 days / 1 night — depart early afternoon on the 31st, New Year at the camp, return on 1 January. The simplest format, from €140/person.
- From Foum Zguid, 3 days / 2 nights — arrive on the 30th, New Year at camp, a full day in the erg on 1 January. Our recommendation: start the year with no schedule.
- From Marrakech, 4 days / 3 nights — depart 29 or 30 December, New Year in the dunes, return through the Draa valley. Everything included from your riad.
New Year bookings open from September
The Erg Chigaga camps are full well before Christmas, and the night of the 31st goes first. Send us your dates and group size and we will confirm real availability the same day.
Ask about 31 DecemberFrequently asked questions
When should I book for 31 December?
As early as you can: the Erg Chigaga camps fill from autumn onwards, and the night of the 31st is the first to go. We open bookings in September. After mid-November there are usually only places left on the 30 December or 1 January departures.
Is it very cold in late December?
Days are mild, 18 to 22 °C, and perfectly comfortable. Nights drop to around 0 to 5 °C. The camp is equipped for it: closed tents, heavy blankets, warm sleeping bags and a large fire. Bring a warm hat, a fleece and wool socks, and you are set.
What is the evening of the 31st actually like?
A real desert evening, not a nightclub under canvas. A festive dinner cooked at camp, gnawa music and drums around the fire, tea and pastries, and the countdown under the stars. Some climb the dune for midnight, others stay by the fire. There are no fireworks and no sound system: at Chigaga, the silence comes back at one minute past midnight.
Can we have a private camp for a group?
Yes, from about 8 people, and it is much requested for New Year. We then raise a camp dedicated to your group, with your own fire and your own crew. Write early: we can only privatise a limited number of camps on that date.
What about Christmas?
Same format, quieter atmosphere, and far more availability. The night of 24 to 25 December at the camp is one of the finest of the year: the winter sky is at its clearest, and the desert is almost empty between 20 and 28 December.
Worth reading before a winter trip: when to visit the Moroccan Sahara and what a night at the camp is like. Other big dates: Christmas in the desert · the desert honeymoon.
