Once you consider Morocco, you instantly think about  camel caravans crossing the dunes of the Sahara at sundown. So what should you spend your evening in Merzouga on the gates of the one Saharan Erg Chebbi.

Our street journey by way of southern Morocco from Marrakech to Merzouga is coming to an finish. The journey turned out to be a compendium of landscapes and enriching encounters, definitely some of the lovely street journeys to do in Morocco. We at the moment are in Merzouga, a small, windswept village on the gateway to the Sahara. The vacationers who come right here all hope to see these Regs flooded with gentle, these Wadis invaded by sand, and naturally these majestic ocher dunes that make us dream a lot. I’ve this particular reference to the desert. Possibly I used to be a Bedouin in one other life, which would definitely clarify my alternative of being a travelholic right now. After visiting the Thar Desert in India, the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, the Ocucaje Desert in Peru, and the Simpson Desert in Australia, the time has lastly come to find a tiny little a part of the biggest scorching desert on this planet: The Sahara.

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Discovering Erg Chebbi in Merzouga

Erg Chebbi within the Tafilalet valley on the outskirts of Merzouga is, together with Chigaga, the one Saharan erg in Morocco with immense sand dunes (150 meters excessive on common). For hundreds of years the area of Merzouga has been an actual crossroads between the civilizations of the African desert. From the terrace of our Kasbah resort, we are able to already see the primary sand dunes with voluptuous shapes stretching out in the direction of what appears to be infinity. The desert calls us. Mama Africa is looking us. As quickly because the overwhelming warmth subsides, we get on our camels for a 2-hour camel trek within the desert to achieve our camp on the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes.

My Dromedaries Caravan within the Merzouga Desert

Our dromedaries slowly entered the desert in single file, slowly and swaying. The play of shadows on the sand dunes mesmerizes me and virtually makes me overlook the discomfort of my mount. I really feel alive once more on this virgin wild nature that doesn’t lie. Sand dunes stretch throughout the horizon no matter borders. Over there, someplace is Algeria, however the dunes and the wind cross by way of the nations. In the course of this house which appears infinite, we really feel infinitely small. We lose all our bearings the higher to search out them. It’s solely the current second that issues. The previous is straight away swept away by the wind just like the footprints of our camels on the sand. I consider these nomads who selected this easy, decluttered lifestyle in an atmosphere that appears so inhospitable. What an unimaginable show of resilience and endurance! Two hours and some aches within the buttocks later, we’re removed from Merzouga. Our Berber tent camp is positioned within the hole of a monumental sand dune which serves as a pure barrier.

Sundown over the Dunes of the Sahara

Not a minute to lose. You completely must climb to the highest of this dune in order to not miss any of the sundown expertise. Simpler mentioned than carried out. For each step we take on this quicksand, we take two steps again. You find yourself getting on all fours to get to the highest. Problem met. We’re out of breath, soaked in sweat, very silted up, however our efforts are rewarded by an impressive spectacle of sunshine on these mounds completely sculpted by the wind. The dunes gentle up with golden shades earlier than igniting in crimson, fuchsia, pale pink, a complete palette of shapes and colours drawn by the final gentle of day. With our small group of pals, we out of the blue really feel the urge to sing on the high of our lungs. The sound echoes endlessly, however nobody can hear our flawed notes, besides maybe our camel drivers who should by now be fairly used to the euphoric reactions of holiday makers to Merzouga.

Evening within the Camp underneath Starry Sky within the Center of a Dune Ocean

Again to the camp, a tagine washed down with mint tea welcomes us. Our hosts then take out “Guembri” (a type of three-string guitar), “Djembé” (drum) and “rattlesnakes” (type of castanets) for a small live performance of conventional music and songs, the chance to strive these humorous devices and share some giggles. Earlier than mattress, we climb again as much as our dune to admire the sky riddled with stars and taking pictures stars. By no means has the Milky Manner been so sensible, removed from the visible air pollution of massive cities. Stretched out on the sand on this absolute darkness, I consider this desert that surrounds us and all that it conceals of the unknown, to what it as soon as was, an ocean or maybe a savannah the place prehistoric species nonetheless lived. Greater than a easy absence of noise, the silence that reigns sharpens all our senses and our perceptions and plunges us deeply into the current second. Eyes open or closed, it virtually appears to the touch the sky. And that’s how we spent our evening in Merzouga completely.

After all, the Sahara solely provides uniform sand so far as the attention can see … It’s at all times bathed in circumstances of utmost boredom. And but invisible divinities construct for it a community of instructions, slopes and indicators, a secret and dwelling musculature. There isn’t any extra uniformity. All the pieces is oriented … And because the desert provides no tangible wealth, as there may be nothing to see or hear within the desert, we’re compelled to acknowledge, since inside life, removed from it. sleep, is strengthened there, that man is first animated by invisible solicitations. Man is dominated by the Spirit. I’m value within the desert what my gods are value.

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