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FUN SEEKING ADVENTURE
in the Sahara Desert
By Christine Germyn
Weaving and meandering through this treeless and barren land, using a ship of the desert as my mode of transportation, I feel the same way the desert Nomads must have felt for countless generations. Clear blue sky and sand dunes surround me. I feel the sweltering sun beating against the blue turban that is wrapped around my head. I am in the Sahara Desert!
As the largest desert on earth, the Sahara encompasses an area of over 8 million square kilometers (over 3.5 million square miles), extending from the Red Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Atlas Mountains to the Sudan.
My Nomadic adventure began in Ouarzazate, central Morocco, a city with a population of 30,000 made famous by Hollywood films such as "Lawrence of Arabia", "The Sheltering Sky" and recently "The Mummy."
Upon arrival in Ouarzazate we were met by our guides, Moroccan Berbers dressed in blue turbans and long traditional jellabas, the full length garments worn by Moroccan men. From here, we drive by Land Rover a four hour trip to M'Hamid .
The countryside, a sumptuous site laced with palm oases, flowering blossoms, laurel bushes showing off their vibrant pink flowers and endless fields of red poppies cultivated for opium. High rock formations, rugged cliffs and deep gorges cut by ancient waters and numerous Kasbahs – fortified towns which are constructed basically from baked-mud lead to a virtual cornucopia of exotic and unique sites. This highway is one of the most spectacular drives in Morocco. Our driver keeps alert at all times as the road hugs high cliffs and mountain passes encountering oncoming traffic on sharp hairpin turns along the narrow roadway. This snake sleeking mountain is intimidating and I highly recommended driving only in the daytime hours as there are no street lights to aid your journey unless the driver is a Moroccan Berber.
The breathtaking drive takes us through the Jebel Sarhro range on the eastern
foothills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains. Here we wind up the mountain to the Tizi-n-Tinifft Pass 5,450 feet, then descend rapidly to Agdz, a village famous for brightly coloured carpets. Between here and Zagora the road follows down into the Draa Valley through a strip of intense cultivation with a band of vivid red throughout the desert. Palm groves evenly situated along the oases banks and countless red-earth kasbah homes dot the country side accentuating the landscape.
We arrive at Hotel Sahara in M'Hamid and are greeted by our hosts, the Na'amani family. The Na'amanis are Bedouins. They manage Hotel Sahara and organize camel safaris into the desert. Habib, the charmer who fronts the organization, is joined in business with his brothers M'Barek and Hassan and several cousins. Their father used to lead camel caravans through the desert as a trade merchant. They are known as the Blue Men of the desert, because the blue indigo dye from their turbans and robes absorbs into their skin turning it blue.
M'Hamid is located on the northern edge of the Sahara. It is the last oasis of the Draa Valley, a favorite destination of the hippies in the 70s. Today however, with recent efforts to bring peace to the region, it is once again a safe place to visit. We planned to camp about 15 kilometers from the Algerian border, which would add to the thrill of the adventure.
Don't expect deluxe accommodations. The Hotel Sahara is the best you can get in M'Hamid. The washroom has one toilet and a shower that is sometimes hot and sometimes cold. Roughing it was more than compensated for by the hospitality we received.
In the morning we were served a continental breakfast including a variety of fresh fruit, baked bread and a hot cup of sweet Berber coffee. As we entered the courtyard
into the warm still air the sounds of camels scratching at the front entrance of the hotel welcomed us. We were assigned our camels according to our weight and height. Each of us then received our learners permit class "C " to ride a one hump, large cud-chewing dromedary mammal of the genus camelus otherwise known as a camel, but only when accompanied by a licensed Nomad.
My camel greeted me with a friendly yawn and a snort. Before climbing on, the guide wrapped my head in an indigo blue turban known as a "shesh". This protects you from any blowing sand as well as keeping the sun off your face. The guide showed us how to command the camel to heel on all four knees by making a shushing sound. I straddled the padded saddle then positioned myself gripping the round metal handle. The camel screeched as it rose awkwardly on its four spindly legs raising me eight feet into the air, jerking forward and backward. This was my first camel ride, and I couldn't help but feel nervous. The guide roped the camels together and our camel caravan started out. High atop my camel, I experienced the serenity of the desert, giving me a peace of mind that set the tempo for my Sahara experience.
After four-hours we stopped at an oasis for a picnic lunch prepared by the guides including salads, a variety of fresh fruit, cold cuts, sardines, pitted olives and the traditional Moroccan flat bread known as khobz. The lush green vegetation of date palms and rugged grasses of the oasis are a stark contrasts of desert life. Our guides forbidden us to drink or even bathe our hands or feet in this clear cool water. The water contains a parasitic larvae that can penetrate the unbroken skin of humans. We were told only beasts and wild men consume oasis waters.
Just before lunch was finished a hot and dry windy simoom began blowing. Luckily we were able to find protection under a large grove of palm trees to wait out this warm sultry wind. Over the next two days we were to experience primitive conditions that are the Nomadic way of life: no showers, no baths, no toilets, no spa treatments, just hot burning sun and sand.
We arrived at the first campsite early that evening. Our desert guides pitched our tents as the sun set and we settled in watching the guides prepare dinner, as we socialized and reflected upon daily events.
In the desert, it is quite rare to see animals during the day light hours. In order to survive animals avoid any unnecessary loss of water and reduce their activity during the daytime. After the sun sets, you might see a fennec (Sahara Fox), gerbil like rodents, several varieties of birds, reptiles (lizards and snakes) and insects such as scarabs and scorpions. During the evening, I heard jackals calling in the distance.
During dinner in the tent, the guides entertained us by playing traditional instruments and sang songs passed down through generations. After a great night of fun, blankets were passed around as desert evenings become chilly. Soon I turned in for the night and fell asleep, the desert's sublime darkness and silence enveloped me.
I woke with sun shining in my eyes and a view of curvaceous wind swept dunes. A great time for photo opportunities! I asked the guide to take a photo of me riding my camel. I mounted my camel and we proceeded up a high dune. As the guide dismounted to take my picture, suddenly without any provocation or warning my camel raced down the dune at a frantic speed with me hanging on for dear life. No amount of screaming would stop the beast. When it reached the bottom of the dune another guide grabbed the reins and stopped it. Thank goodness, I wasn't thrown off or I wouldn't have seen more of the desert.
Completing our desert adventure we exchanged our camels for 4x4 Land Rovers and were on our way to conquer the 300 foot high sand dunes, known as Zhigaga- "The Big Sahara".
The drive was long, bumpy and dusty with temperatures soaring in the high 90F range. Dust parched my mouth and I couldn't wait for a drink of cold bottled water as the heat was so unbearable, what would anyone do without water…?
Along the way we rendezvoused with our supply truck for a picnic lunch. After lunch we started for our second campsite. A few hours later we arrived. The Zhigaga is the world's most famous desert with a combination of deep red mountains of sand piled high complementing the smaller golden sand dune formations. These dunes, with a texture like talcum powder are constantly being sculpted into an undulating masterpiece of ripples and shadows.
The Sahara manifests itself through various forms, although many may perceive it as only a rich tapestry of sand dunes. Contrary to this misconception the desert is actually only 30% pure sand with the remaining 70% comprised of gravel plains, sand and dunes.
For my daily workout, I challenged the highest dune for a strenuous but short hike. It was like running along a beach where the sand falls away from your feet leaving you with little traction. The reward however, is a once in a lifetime moment. As you reach the top, the scenery is truly spectacular with a view of the many high barren dunes surrounding me. My fantasies are fulfilled as I am far away from every day life, enjoying the serenity and the warm hospitality of the Nomads. To lose all sense of time is a luxury easily accomplished in the Sahara.
The red sun sets in the west; the sky turns purple-pink sprinkled with wall to wall stars; the campfire dances in the breeze, and the gas lanterns flicker as warm strong mint tea is passed around permeating the air. Along with delicious homemade Moroccan food including "harira"(lamb meat), lentil and chickpea broth, Tajine(a rich ragout of lamb/beef with fruits and nuts) and traditional couscous, our dinner was complemented by our guides who provided musical entertainment.
After dinner I walked to a high dune and sat down to view the Algerian border in the distance. Behind me the orange sunset, enveloped moments after by darkness in a sky set with a vast collage of stars. I turned in for the night laying on the dunes watching shooting stars overhead and listening to scarab beetles scurrying across the sand until I fell asleep.
At sunrise, I woke, ready to explore my last day of the high dunes. In this short time I too had learned something about the ways of the desert and I will forever carry lasting memories of the Sahara, so harsh yet so beautiful.
This experience of being immersed in an ancient culture has made me more aware of the differences between our modern culture and that of the traditional Moroccan Nomad. The desert's open spaces create a feeling of well-being. The sand dunes meet the stars in the dark of the night. In the day, the camels and Nomads travel the desert as they have been for centuries. I have learned to respect the way of life that the Nomads cherish and preserve.
Information for Guides:
Habib Naamani in M'Hamid (Morocco)
Telephone 212 – 4 84-80-09 (Time difference eight hours).
Sahara Trek
Telephone: 1-888-849-4464
Outside of the United States (727) 421-0218
www.saharatrek.com
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