When to Go to Western Sahara
To get the most out of your next adventure it makes sense to consider some of the very local factors that combine to make up what you feel is the best time to travel to a destination. Many of these factors are very personal - some people prefer to travel when the weather is not too hot, or sites too crowded - others prefer to travel when a traditional local event is taking place. Taking into account the dates of public holidays can also make sense as these may have an impact on opening times of attractions, shops and restaurants, or might affect public transport or other services. Conversely public holidays can be a time of great local festivities and celebrations providing a feast of local expressionism and culture.
Climate
Hot, dry desert where rain is rare. Cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew. Typically the climate gets hotter and drier the further south you go in the Sahara and travellers to the southern desert areas should prepare for cold nights, particularly in December and January. The winter in the south is dry and bitterly cold. Sunshine hours build up throughout the year from around 5 hours a day in January to 11 hours a day in July, falling back to 5 hours a day in December.
Seasonality
August is traditionally the month that locals take their main annual holidays - coastal resorts are literally heaving during this period and accommodation can be scarce unless you book early - particularly as there are so few hotels available in the region.
National Holidays
| Date |
Description |
| 21 Mar 08 |
The Prophet's Birthday (Muslim) |
| 01 May 08 |
Labour Day |
| 30 Jul 08 |
Throne Day |
| 14 Aug 08 |
Oued Eddahab Day |
| 20 Aug 08 |
Revolution Day |
| 21 Aug 08 |
Youth Day |
| 02 Oct 08 |
Eid al Fitr - end of Ramadan (Muslim) |
| 06 Nov 08 |
Green March Day |
| 18 Nov 08 |
Independence Day |
| 09 Dec 08 |
Eid al Adha - Feast of Sacrifice (Muslim) |
| 29 Dec 08 |
Islamic New Year |
| 01 Jan 09 |
New Year's Day |
| 10 Jan 09 |
Islamic New Year (Muslim) |
| 11 Jan 09 |
Independence Manifesto Day |
