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Day 8: 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
than 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
