Life Abundant

While in Morocco we wanted more than anything to travel to the Sahara desert, and although it was a good 7+ hour drive south from Fez, we were determined to do it.  A number of people recommended that we hire a tour company to take us from Fez to Merzouga (the closest town to the Sahara) from which we would camel trek overnight into the massive dunes and camp under the vast starry sky.  Tours were extremely expensive, and we like our independence and ability to stop and explore off the beaten path when desired.  It is more than possible to navigate the roads by yourself and book your own camel trek outside of a tour company if you are up for an adventure.

After our incredible drive through the plains, valleys, and cliffs of the Atlas Mountains we spotted our first glimpse of the massive sand dunes glowing orange in the afternoon sun.  Soon enough we mounted our camels and were trekking into the sunset over the great Sahara.  We spent the night in a Berber desert camp, the Berber people have been nomads of the Sahara for centuries and know the desert like the back of their hand.  We, of course, enjoyed Moroccan tea upon our arrival, a delicious 4-course meal, and spent hours with our new Berber friends singing, dancing, and playing drums around the fire as we welcomed the night and watched the stars appear one by one in the midnight sky.

One of my favorite moments in the Sahara was our early morning hike up one of the largest dunes to watch the sunrise over the Algerian/Moroccan border.  The suns orange rays warmed our hearts and reflected purples and pinks in our surroundings.  Nothing compares to that moment, in the stillness of the morning, standing in awe of creation and the majesty of the creator.