Dakhla is a lagoon about 45 km long between the Sahara and the Atlantic, in the Moroccan-controlled part of Western Sahara. The trade wind blows side-shore from the north-east at the kite camps all year: strongest from April to September, often above 30 knots in July and August, and lightest in December and January, when it still blows about 60% of the time. The lagoon is shallow and flat at low tide, choppier at high tide, and cool, at 18.5 to 21.5 °C, so pack a wetsuit.
The camps sit around the Pointe du Dragon, about 30 km from the airport. At Dakhla Attitude, the Duotone Pro Center Dakhla is on the beach about 150 m from reception; PK25, 1.7 km up the shore, has its own sports centre on its beach. Once you can ride upwind, add the Speed Spot, the White Dune downwinder and the Atlantic wave spots.
At a glance
Dakhla at a glance
Spot
A shallow lagoon about 45 km long; most kite camps around the Pointe du Dragon
Wind
N to NE trade wind, side-shore at the camps; lighter mornings, stronger afternoons
Season
All year; strongest April to September, lightest December and January
Water
18.5 °C (February to April) to 21.5 °C (September and October)
Wetsuit
3/2 mm full suit most of the year; a shorty on warm summer days
Kites
About 7 to 12 m covers most days
Best for
Learning on shallow flat water, freeride, speed and freestyle
Airport
Dakhla (VIL), about 30 km and 30 minutes from the lagoon camps
Entry
UK citizens: no visa for stays of up to 90 days; get your passport stamped
Verified with the official sites of Dakhla Attitude, PK25 and the Duotone Pro Center Dakhla, IKSURFMAG, Planet Kitesurf Holidays, Craving Adventure, Let's Kite, KBC, Climates to Travel and GOV.UK travel advice · Updated October 2026
See the place
Video
Why Kiters are Obsessed with Dakhla
Big-air coach Mike, of Get High with Mike, shows the Dakhla lagoon camps, the flat water of the Speed Spot, a clinic on an uncrowded spot and tips on the other spots.
Video: Get High with Mike - Advanced Kitesurf Coaching on YouTube
The spots
The kite spots of Dakhla
Most riders spend their week on the lagoon in front of the camps, then add the Speed Spot, a downwinder to the White Dune or a session in the Atlantic waves. The lagoon suits every level; the other spots are for riders who can stay upwind.
The lagoon at the camps
Pointe du Dragon, PK 25 to PK 28, about 30 km from the airport
Wind:
Side-shore from the north-east
Water:
Flat at low tide, choppier at high tide; shallow standing areas
Level:
All levels; the schools teach here
Good to know:
Busy at the north end: around five schools share it
This is where the kite camps are, and where Dakhla Attitude and PK25 launch. The riding zone is huge at high tide but much smaller at low tide, when sharp shells appear on the sand: wear booties. Tides are bigger around the full and new moon. On busy days, ride a little downwind to find space.
Speed Spot
Round the point from Dakhla Attitude, about 15 minutes on foot
Wind:
Offshore
Water:
Butter-flat around low tide, choppy at other times
Level:
Experienced riders only
Getting there:
On foot, by kite at the right tide, or on a school trip with boat safety
A flat strip of water just south of the main lagoon, loved for speed and freestyle. The wind is offshore and there are no facilities on the beach, so only go if you ride upwind reliably. Dakhla Attitude reserves it for experienced riders and sells a tractor ride there and back, with boat safety on site, for 165 MAD (hotel price list, October 2026).
White Dune (Dune Blanche)
About 13 to 20 km downwind of the camps, depending on where you start
Wind:
Offshore at the dune; the downwinder needs a northerly wind
Water:
Flat, shallow water in the lee of the dune
Level:
Intermediate to advanced; KBC asks for VDWS level 5
Access:
By kite only at high tide; by 4x4 at any tide
A crescent of white sand about 8 to 10 m high with flat, shallow water behind it. Schools run the downwinder only at high tide in a northerly wind and bring you back by 4x4. Dakhla Attitude's trip takes about 3 hours of riding and costs 385 MAD with boat safety, while KBC says the shallows stop its rescue boat from following, so ask what cover your school provides.
Atlantic wave spots
Ocean side of the peninsula, near Dakhla town
Waves:
Right-hand point break at Oum Lambouir
Wind:
Side- to cross-shore, gustier and often lighter than on the lagoon
Best months:
October to March or April, when the swell is bigger
Level:
Confident riders
Oum Lambouir, next to the Westpoint hotel, is the best-known kite wave: a right-hand point break with long, peeling waves that does not always work and can get heavy. Lassarga, at the southern tip of the peninsula, also has a wave, and Dakhla Attitude runs car trips to Pointe d'Or, a quiet sandy bay with a rocky point (330 MAD with beach assistance and an instructor).
On the spot
Where to stay right on the spot
Dakhla Attitude has the Duotone Pro Center on the beach about 150 m from reception and the Dragon Camp bungalows; its Windhunter rooms are 500 m away, about 5 minutes on foot, and the Speed Spot rooms 5 to 10 minutes. PK25, about 1.7 km up the shore, has 42 lagoon-view bungalows, an all-inclusive formula and its own sports centre on the hotel beach, about 100 m from the rooms.
The Duotone Pro Center Dakhla teaches on Dakhla Attitude's beach with IKO or VDWS certified instructors, in private lessons or with two students per instructor. KBC runs the water sports centre at Dakhla Club, at PK 28 on the same shore.
GO16–24 ktsOK12–15 ktsSTRONG25 kts and moreLIGHTunder 12 kts
Strongest wind and gusts of the day, in knots. Kite sizes are a rough guide for a rider of about 75 kg. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
Season
Is Dakhla windy? Wind and water month by month
Yes, all year. The trade wind blows from the north to north-east and is strongest from April to September: the Duotone Pro Center gives 15 to 25 knots on typical winter days and more than 30 knots in July and August. December and January are the lightest months, yet Planet Kitesurf Holidays still counts on wind about 60% of the time. Mornings are often lighter, and the wind usually builds in the early afternoon. Long-term averages for Dakhla rise from about 9 knots (averaged over 24 hours) in December to about 16 knots in June and July (Climates to Travel).
Dakhla kitesurf season month by month
Month
Wind
Water
Air (max)
Wetsuit
January
Lightest month, still windy on many days
19 °C
22 °C
3/2 mm full suit, 4/3 mm if you feel the cold
February
Picking up
18.5 °C
22.5 °C
3/2 mm full suit, 4/3 mm if you feel the cold
March
Picking up, more windy days
18.5 °C
23 °C
3/2 mm full suit
April
Strong season begins
18.5 °C
22.5 °C
3/2 mm full suit
May
Strong and steady
19.5 °C
23.5 °C
3/2 mm full suit
June
Strong and steady
20 °C
24.5 °C
3/2 mm full suit
July
Peak, often over 30 knots
20.5 °C
25.5 °C
3/2 mm, or a shorty on warm days
August
Peak, often over 30 knots
21 °C
26.5 °C
3/2 mm, or a shorty on warm days
September
Strong season continues
21.5 °C
26.5 °C
3/2 mm, or a shorty on warm days
October
Lighter than summer; a good month for wave kiting
21.5 °C
26.5 °C
3/2 mm full suit
November
Lighter, more calm days
21 °C
25 °C
3/2 mm full suit
December
Lightest, with January
20 °C
23 °C
3/2 mm full suit, 4/3 mm if you feel the cold
Water and air temperatures are monthly averages for Dakhla, 1991 to 2020 (Climates to Travel). Wind: IKSURFMAG, Planet Kitesurf Holidays, Craving Adventure and the Duotone Pro Center. The centre quotes warmer water, 23 to 25 °C from June to November, than the climate averages.
Gear
What size kite for Dakhla
Most riders use kites between about 7 and 12 m here (Planet Kitesurf Holidays, Let's Kite). In July and August, when the Duotone Pro Center reports more than 30 knots, the small end of your quiver does most of the work; in December and January, the lightest months, bring a bigger kite for the softer days. If you would rather not fly with a quiver, the centre at Dakhla Attitude rents Duotone's 2026 range, with the premium SLS and D-LAB kites for a 15% and 20% supplement.
Lessons
Kite lessons in Dakhla: schools and prices
At Dakhla Attitude, the Duotone Pro Center Dakhla teaches only private or semi-private lessons, with two students per instructor, mainly in English and French. On its current price list, a 2-hour semi-private lesson costs 1,144 MAD in low season and 1,580 MAD in high season, a 2-hour private lesson 1,672 to 2,390 MAD, and a week of equipment rental 2,288 to 3,150 MAD; booking and paying at least 30 days ahead saves 10%. Planet Kitesurf Holidays suggests allowing at least 10 hours of lessons to get up and riding.
Children under 15 take private lessons with a parent on site, and children under 14 get 30% off. Riders who bring their own gear pay a compulsory station fee of 110 MAD a day, which covers storage, the compressor, beach help and boat safety. Prices change by season: check with the centre when you book.
Families
Dakhla for families and non-kiters
The lagoon is shallow and sheltered, but the Atlantic here stays cool, at 18.5 to 21.5 °C, and the wind blows most afternoons, so plan swims for the calmer mornings. Pack layers too: nights and early mornings get chilly, even in summer. The camps are about 30 km from town, so most families stay put and use the hotel's facilities: Dakhla Attitude has a kids club, babysitting on request, a spa, a gym and padel courts.
A boat trip to Dragon Island, home to fiddler crabs and flamingos (220 MAD from Dakhla Attitude)
The White Dune by 4x4, at any tide
Fresh oysters at the oyster farms on the edge of the lagoon
A catamaran trip in the bay
Camel rides, horse riding and quad trips into the desert
Dakhla town for its markets and seafood, about 30 minutes by road
Travel
Getting there and getting around
Fly to Dakhla airport (VIL). Royal Air Maroc flies in from Casablanca, about 2 hours away, and from Agadir, Laayoune, Marrakech and Rabat; direct flights from Europe include Paris Orly (Royal Air Maroc and Transavia), Madrid (Ryanair) and Gran Canaria (Binter). There is no direct flight from the UK, so British riders connect in Casablanca or Madrid. Schedules change by season: check before you book.
The lagoon camps are about 30 km from the airport, roughly 30 minutes by road. Dakhla Attitude includes airport transfers in its rates, and booking sites list a free airport shuttle at PK25. You do not need a car to kite at the camps, but the wave spots and the White Dune by land need a 4x4 or a school trip.
Dakhla is in Western Sahara, a disputed territory. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to areas within 40 km of 'the Berm', the militarised line that separates Moroccan-controlled territory from the area to the east, and beyond it: check the current advice and your travel insurance before you go. More about kitesurfing in Morocco.
Tides shape every session: the riding area is huge at high tide and much smaller at low tide, and the White Dune is reachable by kite only at high tide.
The Speed Spot and the White Dune have offshore wind: go only if you can ride upwind, or with a school.
Nights and early mornings are cool, even in summer: pack warm layers and a windproof jacket.
Wi-Fi at the camps can be slow: download maps and films before you travel.
Our take
Our verdict
Great for
Beginners and improvers who want shallow flat water and wind on most days of the year
Freeride, speed and freestyle riders: the Speed Spot and the White Dune are close to the camps
Families who want a kite school, a kids club and full board in one place, as at Dakhla Attitude
Think twice if you are
Anyone who wants a warm sea for long swims: the water stays at 18.5 to 21.5 °C
Travellers who want towns, restaurants and sightseeing on the doorstep: the camps are about 30 km from Dakhla
Riders who hate company at the launch: the north end of the lagoon is busy
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Kitesurfing in Dakhla
Is Dakhla good for kitesurfing?
Yes. Dakhla has wind all year, strongest from April to September, and a shallow lagoon that is flat at low tide, so beginners learn quickly while experienced riders get the Speed Spot, the White Dune downwinder and Atlantic waves nearby. The trade-offs are cool water, 18.5 to 21.5 °C, and a busy north end of the lagoon.
When is the best time to kitesurf in Dakhla?
April to September for the strongest, most reliable wind; July and August often bring more than 30 knots. December and January are the lightest months but still windy on many days, and October to March is the season for Atlantic waves.
Where to stay in Dakhla for kitesurfing?
On the lagoon, so you can walk to the launch. At Dakhla Attitude, the Duotone Pro Center is on the beach about 150 m from reception, and PK25, about 1.7 km up the shore, has its own sports centre about 100 m from its bungalows and an all-inclusive formula. Hotels in Dakhla town are about 30 minutes from the lagoon by road.
Is Dakhla good for beginners?
Yes, with a school. The lagoon is shallow, with standing areas, flat at low tide, and the wind is side-shore. If you are nervous, take lessons in the lighter mornings and avoid the strongest weeks of July and August, when the wind can top 30 knots.
Can you swim in Dakhla in December?
Yes, but the sea is cool: about 20 °C in December and 19 °C in January (Climates to Travel), so most people swim briefly or wear a wetsuit. The lagoon is shallow and sheltered, and calmer in the morning before the wind builds.
What size kite do I need in Dakhla?
Most riders use kites between about 7 and 12 m. Bring your smallest kite for July and August, when the wind often tops 30 knots, and a bigger one for the lighter days of December and January.
How do I get to Dakhla?
Fly to Dakhla airport (VIL): Royal Air Maroc flies from Casablanca and other Moroccan cities, and there are direct flights from Paris Orly, Madrid and Gran Canaria, but none from the UK. The lagoon camps are about 30 km from the airport, roughly 30 minutes by road.
Who controls Dakhla?
Dakhla is in Western Sahara, a disputed territory. The city is in the part controlled and administered by Morocco, so you fly in on Moroccan and European airlines, pay in Moroccan dirhams and follow Moroccan entry rules. Governments' advice differs: the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel within 40 km of the Berm, the militarised line between Moroccan-controlled territory and the area to the east, and beyond it, while Germany's Foreign Office advises against travel to Western Sahara altogether. Check your own government's advice and your travel insurance before you book.
We only publish facts we could confirm with the official website or two independent sources. Spotted something out of date? Write to info@kitesurf.holiday.
