Dakhla Main Lagoon / PK25
Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab · Cercle d'El Argoub دائرة العركوب
also known as PK25, Dakhla Lagoon, Dakhla Lagune, Dragon Island lagoon, Plage Trouke 25
Riding essentials
Season
Mar–Oct
Months riders and schools name
How windy
15-35 kt
Character: mixed · cross-shore
Room to launch
huge
access rules on record, below
Water
lagoon
21–25 °C in summerFlat to choppy lagoon water over sand, with smoother shallow edges and stronger chop in the middle when the wind is up
Hazards
14
Reported by riders
Level
Beginner to advanced
With a caveat: see Your level
Crowds
medium crowds · busy Mar Apr May Jun
Schools
15
named at this spot
From the airport
Dakhla Airport (VIL)
Transfer times under Getting there
On the clock
14:00
Seasonal. In summer it often blows from morning through to evening; in winter the wind usually starts late morning and the thermal reinforcement builds from around 14:00. Mornings are the lighter, smoother slot and that is when lessons and technical work get scheduled.
The mark is the clock time the record names, laid on a 24-hour day. The fade after it is not an end time, and not a promise of wind.
Nearbystraight-line distance
Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.
- El Argoub (Turtle Bay)
- Dragon Islandno page yet
- Oum Lbouer / Westpointno page yet
- Lassargano page yet
- El Argoub
- Turtle Bay
The spot
Facilities and conditions
Season and tide
Riding levels
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
The quiver, in words
For a 75-85 kg rider, 7 m and 9 m cover most of the main season, with 10-12 m for lighter spring and winter days and a 5-6 m in the bag for a July or August blowout. Centre quivers run 3-17 m, so there is no need to travel with the full range.
Character
Average strength
16 knots annual average at Dakhla Airport; spot guides commonly quote 15-30 or 15-35 knots on windy days
Typical strength
15-35 kt across the year. The steady middle is about 15-22 kt on a normal day, 15-25 kt through the winter, and 30 kt and up in July and August. Wind blows on something like 300-320 days a year.
Forecast
Live forecast
Month by month
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
riding season from the spot record · the wind series here holds no strength figure
No month-by-month share of windy days is held for this spot. The months riders and schools name are Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.
Measured at Dakhla Airport, Western Sahara, ~16 km from the spot (2004-06-01 to 2026-07-31 (~22 yrs, still reporting)).
How this was measuredmeasured · 2004-06-01 to 2026-07-31 (~22 yrs, still reporting)
The source named below holds no month-by-month figure for this place, so no season is drawn from it. The season is the one the spot record names.
A station this far away — often inland or at an airport — can understate accelerated local wind. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
Dakhla Airport, Western Sahara · windfinder.com · 2004-06-01 to 2026-07-31 (~22 yrs, still reporting)
The water
Type
lagoon
Standing depth
At high tide there is standing water up to about 300 m out around much of the lagoon edge. The width varies by base: roughly 100 m in front of the eastern centre beach, about 200 m in front of the western one.Some sections go over head height depending on the tide, which is why every centre expects riders to be confident swimmers rather than waders.
Tides
Atlantic tides change both the size and character of the rideable area: the riding area is huge at high tide and much smaller at low tide. Low tide can create very flat basins but less space, while high tide leaves flat edges and more chop in the middle.
Temperature
21–25 °C summer · 16–22 °C winter
Wetsuit
Summer: shorty, neoprene top or sometimes boardshorts/lycra on warm days; spring/autumn: 3/2 or 4/3 for longer sessions; winter: full suit, with 4/3 or warmer for long sessions or cold-sensitive riders.
Currents
Sheltered inside the lagoon, and no local current warning is published for PK25 itself. The tide moves a lot of water, though, so treat the deeper channels and the lagoon exits as something to ask a centre about rather than something to explore.
Conditions
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
15 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: huge
Somewhere else
8 spots nearby
Rescue
Launch
Sandy lagoon-edge launches in front of multiple kite hotels and centers around the PK25/north-lagoon corridor. DPC PK25 is directly on the PK25 Hotel beachfront opposite Dragon Island, with flat water and side-shore wind; other nearby centers launch from their own camp beaches.
Rules & access
1 min read
- Centres require every guest to be a confident swimmer, because parts of the lagoon are deep depending on the tide (2026).
- Renting gear to ride unsupervised normally needs a VDWS level 4 for kitesurfing and level 5 for wingfoil; guided trips to the speed spot and the Atlantic wave spots need level 5-6 (2026).
- Rescue cover follows centre hours, roughly 09:30-19:00 or 10:00-18:30 depending on the base (2026). Nothing watches the water outside them.
- Rescue allowances in storage and service packages are finite, commonly two per person per week, and the White Dune downwinder runs without boat cover (2026).
- No municipal, maritime or environmental ordinance specific to kitesurfing in the lagoon is known for 2026. The one area to keep out of is the marked oyster-farming concession in the north lagoon.
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Schools that ride here
Rider tips
- Use the morning for lessons and technical drills when the water is smoother, and expect the afternoon to build.
- Ask the school about the tide before you rig. The flat water and the standing-depth zones move up and down the lagoon during the day.
- Bring a wetsuit quiver, not boardshorts. Strong wind makes 21-23 C water feel cooler, and winter is colder than that.
- Confirm that your launch fee, storage or accommodation includes rescue before you ride on your own.
- Carry your VDWS or IKO card. Level 4 is the usual bar for kite rental, level 5 for wing.
- For butter-flat water, ask a centre about the timing at Speed Spot. It is a separate low-tide, offshore-wind spot and worth doing with support.
- Courses run about €300 (2026) for 8 hours, or around €80 an hour (2026) for private coaching, and full lesson-to-rental packages mean you can travel without gear.
- Carry sun protection, water, warm layers for the evening. The desert cools fast once you stop riding.
Getting there
Airport
Dakhla Airport (VIL)
Route
Fly to Dakhla, usually via Casablanca, Madrid, Paris or seasonal European routes depending on airline and year. Lagoon camps normally arrange airport transfers; riders staying in Dakhla town need a rental car, taxi or school shuttle to reach the north-lagoon/PK25 launches.
Transfer
20-40 minutes depending on the exact camp; Dakhla Kitesurf World cites about 20 minutes to its hotel/kite camp, while KBC cites about 40 minutes to Dakhla Club/KBC.
Cost level
mid to high for lagoon-front full-board kite camps; lower-cost options are more likely in Dakhla town but require daily transport to the lagoon.
Staying
Lagoon-front kite camps and resorts dominate the PK25/north-lagoon experience, often with full board, kite storage, lessons/rental and airport transfers. Dakhla town has guesthouses and hotels but is not walking distance from the main lagoon launches.
No-wind days
Surf or wave-check the Atlantic side, SUP/kayak/boat trips on the lagoon, White Dune or Dragon Island excursions, oyster farm/seafood outings, buggy/4x4 desert trips, hot spring visits, fishing and Dakhla town visits.
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at PK25?
The main season runs March to October, with May through September the most consistently strong months; winter is quieter but often still windy.
Is PK25 suitable for beginners?
Yes, the lagoon's shallow, sheltered water and nearby schools make it a common first-lesson spot, though independent riders should still confirm rescue coverage.
What is the wind like?
Wind is a side-shore north to northeast trade/thermal flow averaging around 16 knots annually, with typical sessions in the 15-35 knot range and stronger gusts in July-August.
Are there kite schools nearby?
Yes, several lagoon-front centers operate at PK25, including a Duotone Pro Center directly on the hotel beachfront.
How does tide affect the spot?
Tide changes both the size and character of the rideable area: low tide creates very flat, shallow basins with less space, while high tide opens more area but adds chop.
The bigger pictureEverything about Dakhla
Last updated: August 2026