Is the Sahara desert suitable for young children and families?

I plan a lot of family trips, and the desert is almost always the part the children remember most. Sledding and rolling down the dunes, building sandcastles the size of a car, drumming round the fire, then lying back to watch more stars than they've ever seen in their lives — it lands differently for kids than any museum or medina. So my answer is a confident yes, the Sahara is a wonderful family experience. The planning is all about smoothing the two hard edges: the drive and the camel.

The drive is the real challenge with young ones, because it's long whichever route you take. I always put families in a private car rather than a group minibus so you can stop on demand, pack snacks and entertainment, and split the journey over more days with breaks at the gorges and a palm grove or two. Carsickness on the mountain switchbacks is common, so seats up front and regular fresh-air stops matter. For the camel ride, children under about six can't safely ride alone — so for toddlers I arrange a 4x4 transfer straight to the camp, which is just as scenic and far less stressful for everyone.

Camp choice makes or breaks a family night. I steer parents of little ones to a luxury camp with a private en-suite tent — the difference between a shared squat toilet and your own flushing bathroom is enormous when there are nappies or a midnight toilet run involved. A real bed, hot water and a smaller, quieter camp all help. The camp staff, by the way, are wonderful with children; in my experience they fuss over them, teach them drumming and make them feel like guests of honour.

A few practical notes I give every family. Desert nights are genuinely cold most of the year, so pack warm layers, hats and socks even in summer — children feel the cold faster than you'd think. Daytime sun is fierce, so hats, high-SPF sunscreen and plenty of water are non-negotiable. And I steer families away from July and August, when daytime heat can top 40°C; spring and autumn are ideal, with warm days and bearable nights. Get those right and the Sahara becomes the highlight of the whole trip for the kids.