Travel Ideas

The Sahara Desert is one of the most breathtaking places in the world. Sweeping dunes of sand look like an ocean frozen in time and the shadows cast at sunset and dawn are like living art.

It’s not an easy place to hang out though and you may need to persuade some Bedouin to take you out and make sure your ass stays alive. You can get a guide to take you out on a camel and make camp under the glittering desert skies.

The Sahara spreads all across North Africa but Libya and Algeria are inadvisable these days and Tunisia and Morocco are full of touts ready to hustle travelers. There are some smaller villages where things are more relaxed though. Take some time to build up relationships with the locals though and maybe you can persuade them to help you set up a tent by some oasis – and then deliver you water and food once a week.

The desert is one tough place to live and is utterly unforgiving of any mistake or forgotten supply. It’s freezing at night and sweltering by day and you’ll need to drink around 5 litres of water a day, have sufficient shade by day and enough blankets to hold off death by exposure.

Road Junky is getting interactive!

Ever wanted to be a travel writer?

We’ve launched Road Junky Guides – a new site where you can write the Road Junky travel guides and share your tips and insights.

What are you waiting for?

Follow Road Junky on Twitter for live updates @roadjunky

Back to Top - More Travel Ideas Articles - Print this page