One Day in the Sahara!

We drove from Tinghir visiting Todgha Gorge before arriving at Merzourga in the evening. Here we start our Desert Tour going to Erg Chebbi which is one of Morocco’s several ergs.

Ergs are large seas of dunes formed by wind blown sand. Erg Chebbi is located on the far western edge of the Sahara Desert. Pre-camel back ride preparations include keeping our personal belongings and water bottles stowed away properly and putting on the headscarf which protects your face from the scorching sun or any potential sandstorms that would send tiny sand particles stinging you in the face.

Meeting my Ship of the Moroccan Desert, the Dromedary camel which is docile and possesses gorgeous eye lashes. It has only one hump versus two in the traditional camel and the hump actually stores fat which it uses for nourishment when food is scarce. Camels are very water efficient and can go without water for long periods but they can drink up to 20 gallons at a time. The water is retained in the bloodstream through their special oval-shaped blood cells.

As this was my second time on a camel’s back, I was prepared for the forward surge movement when the camel is going to stand. I held my camera securely and also the harness tightly without getting alarmed or thrown off the camel.

The journey on camel back took about an hour and it was getting a little uncomfortable to say the least. The sun was beating down on our backs and though the air was cool, we were all still bundled up in our thick jackets. I was perspiring and wish I could remove my down feathered jacket.

Finally we caught sight of our Luxury Desert Camp for the night. Merzouga Erg Chebbi is one of the more popular Moroccan ergs that has the local Tourist centre offering desert tours and overnight trips to permanent campsites on the outer sections of the erg.

The luxury tents have got an ensuite toilet, comfortable queen sized beds and are decorated in the Moroccan style. All the meals are prepared by the guys who took us on the camel ride. I am not sure what it’s like in summer but in winter the night temperature was down to 6°C and I wore everything I had and still had to cover up with a thick blanket. Freezing cold it was!

This is the Campfire area where we were entertained by the same guys singing and playing on their traditional Berber drums.

There are several Luxury camps in Erg Chebbi and this one was the closest to us. The Dunes of Merzouga or Erg Chebbi span an area approximately 28km from north to south and 5-7km from east to west lining the Algerian border.

The desert vegetation is sparse and frankly I was surprised to find grasses thriving even in this harsh condition. Aristida pungens known in Arabic as Drinn is extremely drought resistant and can survive with as little as 70mm of rainfall per year.

The sand dunes of Erg Chebbi rise up to 150m from the surrounding rocky desert. During the hottest part of the year, some Moroccans come to Erg Chebbi to be buried neck deep in the hot sand for a few minutes at a time. They believe this is a treatment for rheumatism.

Love how the evening light transforms the sun dunes to this fiery orangey colour that is truly an awesome sight. Erg Chebbi spans an area of approximately 28km from north to south and 5km to 7km from east to west lining the Algerian border.

Merzouga the local tourist centre is located on the western lee of the dunes and together with hotels and auberges running north-south along the dunes, offer camel trips and organise overnight trips to the permanent campsites on the outer sections of the Erg.

It was a mad scramble when we realised it was almost sunset time and we had to climb up the dune from our campsite to catch the view. We now fully appreciate how it is best to be lightweight when climbing the dunes. With each step you take, you slide half a step back with feet sinking into the sand and shoes fully of superfine sand. It takes a lot more time and effort than you would imagine to get to the top of the dune.

Silhoulette of sand boarders walking along the top of the sand dune at sunset.

The beautiful brass lanterns are all lit at our campsite at sundown.

After dinner, we gathered at the Campfire to enjoy some Berber singing and Drumming just to immerse myself in the entire Sahara experience though it was very, very cold outside.

Weather conditions in the Sahara desert can be very harsh with the highest recorded temperature at 58°C and being extremely dry with about an inch of rainfall in a year. Night time temperatures can drop dramatically to a freezing low of -6°C due to the lack of humidity. Snow might fall on the mountains but not in the Sahara.

I remember scenes from movies where the camel caravans would trudge painstakingly through the desert carrying heavy loads of supplies and goods that the merchants want to trade. They would have to travel long distances before reaching a caravanserai where beasts and merchant would rest for the night.

This is definitely an exciting experience and the highlight of my trip to Morocco!