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andrewmorrisey

How cool is this - tenting in the Sahara Desert

African Land Excursion – April 20-23, 2023

We took the high-speed and low-speed trains to Marrakesh and spent a night there (separate blog on that day). We met our guide Younes early in the morning of Apr 20th to drive us on a four day adventure that included to the desert’s edge. From there it was a 1 ½ hour camel ride to the base camp Tiziri. The Sahara is a desert on the African continent. The name "Sahara" is derived from the Arabic word for "desert" .With an area of 9 million square kilometres (3,500,000 sq mi), amounting to 31% of Africa, it is the largest hot desert in the world and the third-largest desert overall, smaller only than the deserts of Antarctica and the northern Arctic. Going in we did not know that the Sahara is mainly rocky hamada (stone plateaus); ergs (sand seas – large areas covered with red sand dunes) form only a minor part, but many of the sand dunes are over 180 metres (590 ft) high. As we drove the landscape changed several times from the High Atlas mountains (13,665 ft high) with the low-lands flat with boulders that eventually became flat lands with smaller rocks until we finally reached the Red Dunes of the Sahara. It was a spectacular experience. Check out some our highlights.

Each Moroccan province is marked with entrance gates.

Very interesting landscape on the mountains. The Berber's call this formation Monkey Fingers.

The buildings are all made out of local materials. In this region because there is very little precipitation most homes are made out of mud and straw for the walls. So each city color blends in with the landscape color. But why is it so lush and green. There was a river that ran the distance from the High Atlas mountains towards the desert and this was the only area that held vegitation. So all the cities and towns were located along the rivers route.

As we head up the different sections of the Atlas mountains this section was the most twisted with switch-backs on top of each other. Makes for a very cool picture when you get to the top.

As we get closer to the red desert the rock cliffs turn red.

Expecting for a possible sand storm when we hit the desert we stop into a local shop to pick-up proper desert head-dress. Go figure they dolled us both out for a photo-shoot on site. We are Canadian movie stars - Jasmine and Aladdin.

Yup. Caution Camels Ahead.

After three full days of made it to the desert edge. Our driver Younes (in blue) is happy to have brought us to our dream destination but even more happy that Ramadan is all over. He and all the other Muslims have been fasting for the past month. No food or water during the day-light hours and only water and dates eaten at sunset and after morning prayers at 4am.

And before you hop on a camel for the journey you need to get your safety gear on.

Introductions to our new mode of transport. "Hey dude let me take you to your camp. Hold on for a ride of your life."

We rode through the desert on a camel with no name.... It felt good to be out of the [Halifax] rain. In the desert you can't remember your name because there aint no-one for to give you no pain. ♫♬

Staged photo op. Complements of our guide Mohamad.

Did you know that the first born male is named Mohamed. The first born female is named Fatima. The stuff you learn exploring our planet.

And after a short break.....

Yah. Sand boarding in the dunes.


Swoosh..... Surprised to keep upright on the snow-board in sand when he can't on snow.

Welcome to our base camp Tiziri.

And our "luxury" Tent home for the weekend.

Dunes as far as you can see.

Sunrise.

What an amazing adventure. Thank you to Desert Majesty tours and Tiziri Luxury Camp in the Sahara Desert. A week to remember forever.




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