The Saharan Dunes

Beyond the Atlantic coast, the interior of Western Sahara opens into one of the vast, timeless heartlands of the great Sahara, an immense expanse of golden dunes, endless gravel plains, rocky plateaus and huge, star-filled skies. This is elemental desert country, silent and empty, long the realm of nomadic peoples and their camel caravans, where the horizon dissolves into shimmering heat by day and the Milky Way blazes overhead at night. Sculpted dunes, dramatic light at dawn and dusk, and the profound stillness of the sands make the desert here a place of stark, meditative beauty, offering the classic Saharan experience of vast space and profound solitude.

What you actually see

• The golden dunes - the sculpted seas of sand.
• The gravel plains - the immense flat desert expanses.
• The night skies - the brilliant star-filled Saharan nights.
• The desert light - the dramatic colours of dawn and dusk.

When to go

October to April, the cooler months, are far more comfortable for exploring the desert, avoiding the extreme summer heat; the winter desert is mild by day and cold at night, ideal for guided trips into the dunes. The sands are most beautiful in the low golden light of dawn and dusk.

Honest expectations

The desert interior is remote and harsh, safely experienced only on organised trips with local guides and proper preparation, so it demands respect and planning rather than casual wandering. As an immense, silent ocean of golden dunes and star-filled skies, offering the classic Saharan experience of vast space and solitude, though, the desert here is a place of stark, elemental beauty.

Nearby

The coastal towns of Laâyoune and Dakhla are gateways to the interior.