Day 8: Sahara

After breakfast you'll depart by camel to the Kasbah M'hamid.  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), it's a ride smoother than a horse and as comfortable as a sofa.

When your caravan arrives to Kasbah M'hamid, your guide will take you inside the Kasbah for a rare look at a disappearing way of life.  Originally built in the 17th Century, its narrow, dark, sand streets are lined with traditional homes built of thick earthen bricks made from a mixture of clay and straw.  This clay, like the narrow shaded street, keeps out the relentless sun and heat of the Sahara, an application as practical as it is traditional. We ask that you put your cameras away when venturing into the Kasbah.  The inhabitants much prefer that you "create memories rather than pictures."  Then by camel back to the Hamada du Draa for lunch.

After lunch you'll travel deep into the Sahara by 4x4.  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).

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.  After you arrive at camp, 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.

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