Whether your trip will be mostly in the High Atlas Mountains for trekking or in the major cities to explore the history and culture of Morocco, you should not miss the Sahara Desert.
Located approximately two days worth of travel away from Marrakesh, the journey from the city to the desert takes travelers through a number of interesting towns along the way. After your travels, you’ll discover Zagora, situated on the edge of the Sahara. Zagora acts as a gateway of sorts to the mighty Sahara Desert, but before you steep yourself in sand, take some time to explore this city.
Zagora‘s main attraction is Jebel Zagora, a mountain rising over the Draa Valley. Jebel Zagora can be summited, but only well-conditioned people willing to start early in the morning should attempt the summit climb. The sun is intense, and the climb will take a good portion of the day, so come prepared with sunblock and plenty of water. You may also trek to the foot of Jebel Zagora; this will take two to three hours.
About halfway up the mountain, there are faint ruins dating to the 11th century, which sit in the mountain side. The ruins belonged to the Almoravid fortress for the early military. You are not allowed into the site, but take the time to look at it as you continue your climb to the summit. From the summit, you can look back at the High Atlas Mountains or toward the Sahara Desert.
In Zagora, you can make decisions about how you’d like to explore the desert. If you’re short on time, consider finding a guide that offers short tours into the desert.
However, if you have more time to spend in the Sahara, move on to M’Hamid as your gateway to Erg Chigaga. M’Hamid was once a popular stop for those traveling the desert, but border wars and other conflicts closed the area to visitors until the 1990s. Today it is once again a caravan stop for visitors and has accommodations for those interested in seeing the sand dunes of the Sahara. You may think the sand dunes are like any other desert, but this is not true. Morocco has a different ecosystem than what you might be used to in the desert states of America. In states like Arizona, for example, desert sand has a reddish hue; in the Sahara, the sand is golden.
In M’Hamid, the main attractions are the buildings, which form a barrier from the sand storms. There are also palm barriers which have been woven together in order to block the desert’s harsh weather.
Finally, you will reach Erg Chigaga, which sets you in the Sahara Desert. Erg Chigaga consists of 40 kilometers of Saharan dunes; some of which reach 300 meters in height! You can take a tour of the dunes by 4×4 or camel. If you go by Jeep, the tour will take only a few hours. By camel, you will need five days to see the entire Saharan landscape of Erg Chigaga. Add to the adventure by going sand boarding, which is allowed when the winds permit.
Of course, a trek through the desert isn’t complete without a cultural lesson as well. As you journey throughout the Sahara, you’ll notice Berber camps and small villages. Within these camps you can learn about the nomadic culture of Morocco by joining the locals for dinner and music by the fire. If you take a multi-day tour through the desert, don’t forget to spend some time stargazing as well, while you contemplate the incredible enormity and diversity packed into the elusive Sahara Desert.
Written by Sam Mitchell.
Photo by duimdog.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
NICE I WANT TO GO TO SAHARA
OMG the guy i fancie has just come back from the sahara desert and he was really tanned wich made him even fitter. his name it Matt.k he says its really nice over there!