one day to erg zahar

.Desert Safari Introduction
M’hamid represents the last village in the Draa valley and the starting point of the absolute desertification of the last oasis of the Draa valley. This area was once lush and green but with climate change, it is becoming more dry than ever before.

Our desert safari drive is a guided experience of natural spaces where you will enjoy the beauty of the desert away from other tourists.  With an eco-conscious perspective in mind, we will deliberately avoid the over touristic places where there are many fixed camps and instead, you will be driven through a variety of landscapes.  All through the trip you will have the chance to stop in different areas for refreshment and photography and of course to learn about the terrain, the nomads,  climate change and most importantly, sustainability.

Desert Safari Outline
Your safari drive will take you through a variety of landscapes with stops in different areas where we will break for tea and lunch, ending at a portable camping spot in complete privacy at Erg Zahar where you will stay overnight.

Lbour

This morning, after enjoying a delicious breakfast at our camp,  a morning camel ride   on canel back around the  Sahara  will start .

Later at the morning you will be  joined by a  4×4 and the safari drive will start by going off-road in the Sahara through the Draa Valley towards Lbour, and a stunning view of the Bani Mountains.  “Lbour region” is a collection of wild lush desert valleys and you will have the opportunity to see native camel and goat herders here.

Kasbah
Right after reaching Lbour,  we will stop to walk a while in order to see the camels grazing and if lucky, we will meet with the nomads. A cup of mint tea, prepared by your guides, will be served under the shade of a tamarisk tree at a beautiful place among the white dunes in a very special spot where you can walk and learn about different plants and trees growing around.

After the tea break, we will stop for a visit to Erg Smar Kasbah (a dilapidated nomad farmer’s settlement) which will tell much about how life once was, in this part of the world. The drive to this place, is in itself, a chance to discover more scenery all along the way because this part of M’hamid is very remote and it is witnessing so much desertification including the death of trees and long empty flatlands.

The Oasis of Erg Smar
Here we will set for a long lunch on the eco-camp at  the oasis of Erg Smar in order to learn about the farming and the animals and how this oasis project is helping the ecosystem. The small oasis is surrounded by beautiful red dunes which make it a little paradise in the middle of nowhere. Here you will discover how magical the desert can be. After enjoying our lunch and visit at the oasis, we  will be driven in the middle of the deep Draa Valley to reach the eastern bank, where the undulating dunes of Erg Zahar are located.

Erg Zahar
After a while, several unique dunes, with dramatically different shapes, will be in front of you to hike in order to reach the other side. What is not expected is how you will feel after you see the surrounding dunes from the top of the furthest dune of Zahar.

Now the day draws to a close and here we will set camp, cocooned by the dunes all around us and after some time to relax and soak up the sunset, dinner will be served around the camp-fire.

note: Erg Zahar is the best alternative for those who want to enjoy the remote beauty of the Sahara Desert without sharing their experience with other people.