Meeting the Sahara – LIFE AS A HUMAN

We are racing across flat scrub land, the drivers of a dozen SUVs playfully jockeying for the lead as we approach what look like mountains looming in the distance. These mountains, however, are not made of stone, but are rather the massive Erg Chigaga sand dunes of the Sahara desert. Many of the dunes are over one thousand feet in height. Our destination is a Berber encampment, tucked in the dunes, and waiting to host our group for a night of dining, traditional Berber gnawa music, and a night “glamping” in the desert.

Our home in the desert

We arrive at sunset, just in time to trade our SUVs for the more traditional conveyance of the Sahara, the camel. Exceeding six feet in height at the shoulder, I wondered how the heck I was going to get on board this so-called “ship of the desert” that bore the exotic name of… Charlie. There wasn’t a ladder in sight. Fortunately, the camel driver got Charlie to kneel for an easy mount and then up I went, following my wife and several others of our group. It was off into the dunes. Our goal was to reach the highest summit and watch the sun set over the desert. A metal T-bar set in the saddle (likely just for tourists) proved useful when the camels negotiated an incline, but otherwise the ride was surprisingly comfortable, more so than horses I’ve ridden. Nobody fell off and we dismounted at the apex of a nearby dune to enjoy the sun’s last rays silhouetting the fortress-like kasbahs off in the distance. I felt like an extra in an old Hollywood movie!

Camel riders enjoying a rest

After sunset, we remounted, and Charlie ably brought me back to the encampment. Stella and I entered our tent, a large, sumptuously furnished space floored with exotic rugs and featuring a full bathroom and shower. I’ve seen shabbier rooms in five-star hotels.

Our tent in Morocco

We dined in an equally sumptuous dining tent on a buffet of couscous, Moroccan tajine, salads and fruit. Just FYI, the Bedouins not only ride their camels but also feature them on their menu. Though wine is not served due to religious considerations of the country, nobody minded if you brought a bottle or two of your own stash to the table.

After dinner, we gathered round a campfire and enjoyed gnawa, traditional Berber music, and admired the glittering starry canopy of the Saharan sky. Then it was off to the night “roughing it” in our tent. Maybe some people intended to “Rock the Kasbah” that evening, but Stella and I just crashed, as we planned to get up and enjoy the desert sunrise.

A young camel driver

Waking early, we climbed the dunes (on foot this time) and watched the rosy hues of the sunrise, after which it was time for a hearty Bedouin breakfast featuring tasty medjool dates and exquisite kiln-baked Moroccan bread. Then it was back aboard our bus, which we dubbed “The Marrakesh Express” because our next stop was indeed Marrakesh.

Here are a few more photos from our trip.