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Day 6: The Sahara
 You'll
awake with the sunrise (which is nearly impossible not to) and have
breakfast. Before getting on the camels, you'll get a quick lesson
in camel driving. Smart, sturdy, and generally good-tempered,
the one-humped camel (which is in fact a dromedary) is the original desert
4x4. Able to go several days
without drinking, and carrying
weight from 150 to 200 kg (330 to 440 lbs), its a ride smoother
then a horse and as comfortable as a sofa.
 The
Sahara (meaning desert in Arabic) is the largest desert on Earth,
encompassing an area of over 8 million square kilometers (over 3.5
million square miles). Many people often think the Sahara is only
rolling sand dunes, but is actually only
30% sand (known as
erg); the remaining 70% is gravel plains (known as reg).
The other aspects of the Saharan landscape include the hammadas:
vast plateaus swept by winds; and massive mountains whose altitude varies
but can exceed 3,000 meters (9843 feet).
 As
you ride along, you'll think the Sahara is lifeless, but to survive, life
adapts. One of the most surprising splashes of life and color are
the Tamarisk mounds. These mounds
are formed around the Tamarisk tree, which exudes a sticky sap that
gathers the sands pushed by the wind, building its own sand dune until
nothing but branches are visible.
 After
a half day of camel riding, you'll stop for lunch and be picked up by the
4X4 vehicle that will take you deeper into the desert. The drive
will take you over desert pistes (almost invisible tracks in the sand),
past nomadic tents, wild camels and into a sea of sand and tall dunes.
Dinner will be prepared fresh while you explore the 350'+ tall dunes of
the Erg Zhigaga. Your night will be spent at camp sleeping in a tent
or under the stars. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) |
FL
Seller of
Travel #ST3504
