18/01/2023
Day 3 The dunes
Once south of the High Atlas, you’re in the Sahara region. Sahara is the largest hot desert of our planet and extends over 11 countries.
It covers only the southern tip of Morocco but has historically had a huge impact on the country. Of course economically through the trading routes to subsahara, but also demographically and culturally: cities and ksors (fortified villages) scattered along the routes; music, handicraft and knowledge was brought together with the precious goods.
Today, tourism has taken the place of the trade as the main income, for people in this part of Morocco.
Sahara is immence and has a varied nature. Only between 5-10% of this being sanddunes.
Only two places with sanddunes are to be found in Moroccan Sahara: Erg Cheggaga south of Zagora (on the old caravan route to Timbuktu) where my longtime friend british Emma runs Camp Adounia and close to the Algerian border: Erg Chebbi where my newfound swedish friend Anna Karin and two moroccan brothers runs Beldi camp
This time we chose the eastern dunes.
We arrived at the feet of the massive dunes just after 4 pm where we met Mohamed and his two dromadaires that took us the last stretch to the camp on the other side the smaller dunes.
Yes, it really is a long trip down to the dunes but it is so worth it!
The compact stillness and soft colours at dusk is breathtakingly beautiful.
Actually, one night is far from enough! …But neither is a week’s hike, which I used to organize. It is always difficult to part from this scenery!
