The Sahara Desert
THE GREATEST DESERT
▲ The Sahara الصحراء الكبرى
The Sahara in itself covers an approximate 9 million square kilometers, coming in third place after Antarctica and the Arctic as the largest desert in the world covering over 10 countries in Africa from Algeria, to Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia. The main ethnic groups are the desert nomads which have roamed the lands for many a century past just like the sands of times.
The Sahara has its mountains and some ending with beautiful coastal view bordering the seas, there are extreme four seasons to the Sahara climates from winter winds, on high mountains where snow can be found to an extreme hot summer. Reflecting unique colors of brownish gold to reddish with rose hues, the sahara desert has many amazing facet and characters some as the scientist says reflects the planet Mars.
Morocco’s Sahara Desert
In fact a mission was held at the desert of Morocco to re-create a “Martian” surface, the Mars2013 – Morocco Mars Simulation 2013 by the Austrian Space Forum in partnership with the Ibn Battuta Centre in Marrakech. But that is not all there is to this beautiful misunderstood land.
The Moroccan Sahara has two major “erg”, they are Erg Chebbi near Merzouga and Erg Chigaga near the rural town of M’Hamid El Ghizlane. The desert has miles and miles of very fine sand dunes in waves like an ocean (erg – large areas of shifting sand dunes), shaped by the winds and the night sky comes alive by vivid dancing stars courtesy of the lack of man-made lights around. Creating an ideal picture perfect opportunity for both day and night.
To access them is by a 4×4, of course with camels! and by foot. One can experience little pockets of oasis and palm trees within the desert. Some visitors even opt for a one night experience with the Berber nomads, enjoying the traditional cuisine, song and dance …. just the way it has always been passed down from one generation to the next.
The blue skies, wide expanse of space and the quiet of the desert while experiencing a ride on camelback.
