November to February is the best time to visit. Daytime temperatures in Tamanrasset are comfortable — around 18–24°C — and the nights, particularly at altitude in the Hoggar, can be cold enough to require a sleeping bag. This is the season for multi-day 4x4 expeditions, hiking on the Atakor plateau, and the pre-dawn climb to Assekrem for sunrise.
From March to May temperatures rise rapidly. Sandstorms become more frequent and travel outside town more demanding. June to September is brutal in the lowland desert, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C. At altitude in the Hoggar the heat is less severe but still significant. Most serious travellers avoid the deep Sahara in summer.
October can be pleasant — the worst of the heat has passed and the light is good. It is the beginning of the high season for tours and guides.
The Nomad Festival takes place every year in the village of Tazrouk, about 160 km from Tamanrasset. It is held on the first Wednesday of August and lasts two days. Tuareg and nomadic communities travel from across the Sahara — from In Salah, Djanet, Adrar, In Guezzam, and even from Ghat in Libya and Tamasna in Niger — for camel races, traditional music, and dancing in full ceremonial dress.
Tazrouk sits at 1,900 metres, making it the highest village in Algeria. It is surrounded by gardens producing grapes, apricots, melons, and apples. You will need a local guide and a 4x4 to get there.