Sahara Desert in Morocco

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Geo: 31.1106, -4.0187

The Sahara Desert is probably the most well known desert in the world. A harsh environment for humans and animals alike and a desert of huge proportions, second only to Antarctica. A desert is one form of traveling that I hadn't experienced and I was very keen to experience it.
After two long and hot days in the van we finally reached the Merzouga Dunes, a big almost egg shaped random patch of sand (see Google maps satellite image) not far from the Algerian border. Everyone donned their scarfs wrapped over their heads but I had to settle for my tee shirt. One of the British guys obviously had bought a non genuine scarf because as he wet the scarf for extra relief, the dye came out and covered his face and shoulders blue.
We packed all the gear we needed for the one night and took a little rest which included a try at sand boarding down some small dunes at a guesthouse with a sand dune backyard.

Then it was ready to get on the camels. I had never been on a camel either so I wasn't too sure how comfortable it would be. Staying on the camel while it gets up and down is probably the hardest thing about camel riding, oh and trying to take photos while you're been flung in all directions.
We were all divided in to groups of three and set off to the campsite.
The scenery was fantastic in every direction you looked, big dunes and small dunes, carved over thousands of years of wind manipulation.
The temperature had dropped considerably and was very pleasant, making the trip and the camel rash more bearable.
Our Berber guides were quite nice, stopping to fulfill photography requirements and fallen sandles.
Towards the end of the trip the silence was interrupted by a 4*4 display on some of the bigger dunes.

The sun was setting as we pulled in to our campsite for the night. We stopped in a minefield of camel poo and instantly wanted to explore. The camp was at the bottom of several large dunes so Anna and I and the two French girls set upon climbing to the top to check out the view. After a little while we got to the top with amazing 360 degree views. You distinguish the line from sand to barren land looking in the direction of Algeria and on the other side was a lake reflecting the last of the daylight.
Anna and I stayed up there for about 20 minutes taking photos and enjoying the views.
The only way to get down a big sand dune is to run and jump and you will be down the bottom in no time. If only it didn't take 20 minutes getting up because it takes 3 minutes getting down.
We got back to camp and rested while dinner was being prepared. We received a chicken Tajine which was soooo good, a high contender for one of the best meals I have ever had. Then it was back to relaxing under the sky in the warm temperature. Somehow as the group was lying and talking, the conversation turned to murders and deaths, not the best conversation as you are trying to sleep.

Sleeping outside in the desert was a great experience, under the stars, although not as plentiful as I had hoped due to the moon being very bright and up most of the night. It took me quite a while to fall asleep and at some point beetles and other insects were crawling around adding to the nervousness. The French girls had been up all night as we woke up before sunrise and quickly packed and hopped back on the camels to enjoy the sunrise.
I found the camel rash a bit more annoying this time. On the brochure it says about an hour and a half on the camels from the guesthouse accommodation to the camp in the dunes but it seemed so quick and must have been at least 45 minutes. Never the less we were back at the guesthouse enjoying some breakfast and for some a shower.
We all drove back to Rissani where we got out to catch the taxi to Fez while the rest endured an all day drive back to Marrakech.

A desert trek is a must, the whole experience was great from start to finish and what better way to do it in a fantastic country like Morocco. We were glad we chose to change our train ticket so that we were able to enjoy the three day trip. And it was worth it. great people, great landscape, great food and great Memories.

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