صحراء المغرب

صحراء المغرب

إلى الجنوب والشرق من جبال الأطلس يصبح المناخ شديد الحرارة والجفاف. هذا هو المكان الذي تبدأ فيه صحاري المغرب. هادئة، قليلة السكان وذات حجم لا حدود له، يحتوي جنوب البلاد على عدد قليل من المستوطنات وحتى عدد أقل من المراكز الحضرية.

Separated from busy coastal cities by mountain ridges, the Moroccan desert is extremely different from the north of the country. The Sahara in general and the Moroccan desert in particular are made up largely of the so-called Hamada: harsh, arid plateaus with little sand. The relentless winds sweep away every grain of sand, leaving behind bare rock and boulders.Morocco, however, has two regions that conform to the mental image most Europeans have of the Sahara Desert: Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga. The Arabic word Erg means “dune field” and describes large, flat areas of desert containing wind-created sand dunes with little or no vegetation.Both Ergs are located in southern Morocco, surrounded by the Hamadas Rocks, both offering stunningly beautiful sand dunes up to 150 meters (500 feet) high. It’s hard to imagine a trip to North Africa without a little excursion to the Sahara, as can be found here: the desert in its purest form! A seemingly endless sea of sand dunes stretches towards the horizon like a choppy ocean, with a warm wind gently caressing it, playfully shaping the waves, combing the crests, ever creating new shapes with its hungry breath. Just like the ocean, the desert is constantly changing.Reaching the desert is easier from Marrakech. The 560km (350 miles) to Merzouga, one of the gateways to the Sahara, gives the traveler plenty of time to get a feel for the country and its people. It’s also a great opportunity to see the contrasts in landscapes from mountains to desert.Erg Chebbi is the smallest but, thanks to its accessibility, best known sand desert. It is approximately 50 km long and 5-10 km wide. Erg Chigaga is, at 40 km long and 15 km wide, a little larger than Erg Chebbi. Because it is harder to reach, it is generally considered the wilder of the two Ergs.At sunset the Sahara offers a truly magical experience. As the day comes to an end and the colorful spectacle begins, the desert reveals all its calming and enchanting power. The Sahara sunsets are a sight to behold!The spectacle of the desert, however, does not end with the disappearance of the sun: when the weather is good, it is easy to get lost in the incredible star-studded night sky, counting the shooting stars. The sound of silence in the desert at night completes the experience and is something that will stay with you for a long time.