The desert is a temperature machine. Mid-afternoon on the dunes can feel like a beach; 4 a.m. in camp in January can feel like a mountain. Pack layers you can add without unpacking a suitcase in the sand.
Closed shoes matter more than people think — sand, thorns, gorge paths. A scarf helps with wind. Sunscreen, lip balm, a small torch, any personal medication. Camps provide blankets; luxury camps provide more than that.
You do not need a full Berber costume. You do not need a tripod unless you are a photographer who already knows why. You do need a duffel or backpack that can move from a van to a camel rendezvous without drama. Hard roll-aboard suitcases are possible; they are not kind.
If you skip the camel, say so in advance so we plan the 4x4. If you have never ridden, the animals are led; you are not expected to command a caravan.
Related reading: our 4-day Marrakech desert tour is the packing-list itinerary we have in mind — two climates, one bag.
Further reading from an official source: Visit Morocco notes on the Sahara and the Great South (Visit Morocco — the Moroccan desert).
