Back to our journey across the Moroccan desert and through the Sahara Desert from Erg chebbi.
As we crossed the Atlas Mountains in southeastern Morocco, it began to feel as if the entire country was made of sand, and that sand was constantly being blown onto the roads.
Everywhere we turned, there were magnificent landscapes that looked like something out of a movie: deep valleys, palm trees, orchards, and blooming rose gardens. The town of Ouarzazate, on the way from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert, was our last stop to refuel the car and get supplies.
This town was not very impressive, so we did not stop there more than necessary and continued on National Route N10 to the picturesque Todra Valley.
TODRA GORgES
On our way into the desert, we came upon Todra Gorge, which separates the High Atlas from the Jbel Sagro Mountains, a few kilometers beyond the dusty and empty town of Tinerhir. Looking out over the gorge, I heard the band singing “Hallelujah.”
It was a beautiful sight.
High walls of pink and gray rocks, seemingly endless, framed the N10 highway. At one of the stops, the crystal-clear river meandered among the rocks and seemed to merge with the horizon. A perfect place for hiking.
ERG-CHEBBI – A JOURNEY INTO THE MOROCCAN DESERT AND THE SAHARA
From the town of Merzouga we will reach Erg Chebbi, one of the largest dune landscapes in the Moroccan Sahara.
Legend has it that a rich family refused to shelter a poor woman and her child, after which God was so angry that he buried the family under a mound of sand in Erg Chebbi.
The village on the border with Algeria was as good as dead, until some traders offered to show us the desert. Now I’m glad I already booked a Moroccan desert tour in Ouarzazate. Because here it seemed like the end of the world was waiting for us. The road ended in the nothingness of the red glowing sand of the endless desert.
This is where our adventure began.
While we were resting, drinking mint tea, the Berbers were loading their camels with everything they needed for the next few days.
Suddenly the caravan came to life again, and the camels trotted toward us.
Camel trekking is one of our activities
ON THE CAMELS.
I tried to remain calm as I sat on the camel, which began to sway quietly. However, I was surprised by the size of such an animal and almost fell over.
As everyone sat on their camels in the desert, we slowly and silently entered the red desert. The animals were tethered behind each other and led by our two guides. I couldn’t hear a sound and felt like I was in a sea of sand with dunes up to 160 meters high.
Even in the bright afternoon light, the dunes glowed a beautiful golden pink color.
CAMPING UNDER A STARRY SKY
After several hours of quiet walking, which had an almost hypnotic effect on me, we reached the campground in the shade of the dune that would become our camp for the night. We quickly unloaded our camels and found a place to camp before the sun went down.
As the sun went down, the dunes turned red and the weather suddenly became very cold and windy.
A NIGHT IN THE Golden DESERT
The camp consisted of mats on which we spread out our compact sleeping bags. We sat in the center of the room on another mat, ate couscous, drank tea, and watched the stars. They were so bright, I almost wanted to catch them.
ICY SANDSTORM
Soon after, the desert showed us what it was capable of and a sandstorm sent us fleeing to our makeshift tents.
The sand swirled on the ground, making us grind our teeth and drum against our bodies.
It was difficult to sleep peacefully. It was freezing cold and the wind was howling against the tents. I was happy to be in my warm sleeping bag.
ON THE WAY TO THE SAHARA
The next day, everything was very quiet and we continued through the desert landscape.
From time to time, we stopped on particularly beautiful sand dunes and enjoyed a breathtaking view of the endless expanse under the burning sun.
CONCLUSION
I really enjoyed this trip to the Moroccan desert. It is an incredible discovery that deserves to be experienced. We had many conversations with the Moroccan guide who told us many anecdotes. I recommend this type of short trip if you go to the area.
