From Roads to Dunes

We left Foum-Zguid after breakfast, just as the sun was rising. The colors of the houses, the mountains, and the sand were breathtaking, creating a picture-perfect start to the day. We had another four hours of driving ahead of us, but the stunning landscapes made the time fly by. David and Hamsa shared stories about the country and its people, giving us insight into life here. In one valley, we passed many nomads with their sheep, goats, and camels. At one point, we even had to stop as a group of camels casually crossed the road - desert traffic jam.
We stopped for coffee in Zagora, a pleasant city in the Draa Valley. The others picked up pastries from a bakery, while I bought an avocado from a small market on the side of the road. We continued driving, stopping at a few viewpoints along the way. Each one was more beautiful than the last. By around 2:30, we reached M’hamid, the last village before the desert begins. I ate my avocado with rice crackers that David had kindly bought for me, while the others enjoyed their bread. In M’hamid, the road simply ends, giving way to the vast expanse of the desert.
There, we met Iahia, our cook, and Mubarak, the camel driver. By the time the camels were loaded and everything was ready, it was already 4 p.m. It felt so surreal—I had to remind myself several times that I wasn’t dreaming. I turned around to take it all in: there I was, walking beside camels through rolling dunes under the bright January sun.
At around 6, we stopped at a shaded spot where Iahia and Mubarak set up the main cooking and eating tents. While they worked, we pitched our own tents, drank hot Moroccan tea (a mix of green tea, mint, and plenty of sugar), and watched the sunset. The view was incredible, and I’m pretty sure the photos I took would hold their own in National Geographic.
Dinner was soup and tajine served in the main tent. Unfortunately, I couldn’t have the soup because, although it didn’t contain wheat flour, Iahia had added spaghetti noodles without realizing. Thankfully, the tajine was gluten-free and so delicious that I didn’t mind missing the soup.
Sleeping in the Sahara was an experience in itself. Our sleeping bags, rated for temperatures between -5 and -20 degrees, were absolutely necessary. By 3 a.m., the air was so cold that every part of my body not fully tucked into the sleeping bag (mostly my face) felt frozen. Despite this, I slept surprisingly well. Nadja, however, didn’t sleep as much, but we figured there was still time to get used to sleeping in the desert.Read more