Things to do in the Sahara

Put it this way: you probably won’t be hanging around building sandcastles. The Sahara is a playground for all sorts of fun activities – from off road driving to sporty sand boarding, but this fragile environment should be treated with care. Use local guides and embark on traditional activities, and give the desert the respect it deserves.

Home\Africa\Chad\Sahara Desert

Things to do in the Sahara

Meet the local people

A visit to the Sahara is nothing without encountering the people who aren’t just ‘visiting’. You may meet Berber, Tuareg and Bedouin people on your trip. These groups have lived in the Sahara for centuries – what better people to introduce you to its wonders.

The Tuaregs are a Berber people who are almost entirely nomadic, and best known for their indigo-dyed clothes. If you explore the Western Sahara you may encounter Requibat nomads, while Toubou nomads drive enormous herds of camels across Chad – and you may also encounter the Woodabe if you stop in Chad’s Sahel on your way into the Sahara.

If you choose to stay with a Berber family you may see some traditional carpet weaving, be entertained my mesmeric drumming performances, and share plenty of cups of sweet mint tea and stories round the fire. Bedouin desert camps are one of the most popular ways to stay in the Sahara, but don’t expect to ‘rough it’ when you rock up. These desert camps are often ‘glamps’, with intricately woven rugs, dressing tables and four-poster beds in the rooms, and pretty serviceable bathrooms.

Camel riding

You might be tempted to use the desert as a giant sandbox, ripping up dunes under the tyres of a four wheel drive. Instead, we’d encourage you to slow down and enjoy the desert by dromedary camel. These amazing beasts are well adapted for desert life – thick eyebrows, alluring eyelashes and self-closing nostrils help them deal with any sand troubles, their legendary hump store a healthy supply of fat, and they have soft, padded hooves. They can even survive 30 percent water loss (a loss that would reduce most other wildlife to raisins).

Once used to cross from Morocco to Timbuktu in Mali in famous caravans, their usefulness makes them crucial to the survival of some desert people. In general, camels are highly prized and well cared for by their owners. Riding them is an adventure, as they walk and jog along, though you probably won’t be able to endure their awkward, swaying motion for long. Most camel riding takes place in small groups, for a couple of hours at most.

Desert trekking

Exploring the desert on foot is a surefire way to make you feel ant-like. Lots of people do short desert walks from their camps – normally no further than up to the top of the nearest dune to watch the sunset. Even this can be a test for the endurance as the dunes are never as easy as you think to climb, especially Erg Chebbi in Morocco which rises 150m above you. You’ll find that ascending Erg Chegaga – the high dunes at the edge of Morocco – can take you a whole day of climbing.

For the ultimate expedition, try desert trekking. You might love the idea of a camel trek, but be aware that it’s slow, and can get quite uncomfortable, so most people don’t travel any real distances by dromedary. Instead, they walk, leading the camels behind them. You’ll wild camp as you go, and a trusty camel will be your own personal luggage trolley. Pack a sleeping bag – and a sense of adventure.