What is the Sahara desert like in May?

May is the desert in transition, swinging from the gentle warmth of spring toward the serious heat of summer. The difference between the start and end of the month is real: early May still feels like a continuation of glorious April, but by the final week the Sahara is putting you on notice that summer is coming. Daytime highs through the month run roughly 31–36°C, and the midday sun develops a genuine bite.

The nights, mercifully, stay lovely — around 16–20°C, which is the most comfortable sleeping weather of the entire year. You barely need a blanket, and lying out on the warm sand at night with a soft breeze and a sky full of stars is about as good as the desert gets. For a lot of my couples, those warm May nights are the moment the trip becomes unforgettable.

The thing to respect in May is the daytime sun. It is strong, the air is dry, and dehydration creeps up on you fast if you treat it casually. The way to enjoy the desert in this month is to work with the rhythm of the day, not against it: ride the camels and climb the dunes at dawn and again at sunset when the light is golden and the heat has backed off, and spend the fierce middle of the day in the shade with plenty of water and mint tea.

My honest steer: if you can travel in early May, you get near-perfect conditions and the warm nights without the worst of the heat. Later in the month it is still very doable, just plan your activity around the cooler hours and stay properly hydrated. Bring sun protection you actually trust — hat, high-factor sunscreen, sunglasses, a chèche — and May rewards you with warm sand, easy nights and thinning crowds as the season winds down.