Sunset in the Sahara Desert, Merzouga, Morocco

Riding a camel through the Sahara Desert is something I've always wanted to experience at least once in my life! The sand and dust can be quite intense, so a scarf and sunglasses are essential! (I bought a cactus silk scarf in Fez.) A Berber man helped me wrap the scarf around my head. I stayed at a camp within the Sahara Desert and booked the tour through the camp (hotel). From the camp, I was driven to the camel riding spot, and from there, we crossed the desert to reach the hotel. A Berber man guided the camel for me. At one point, he asked if I wanted to stop to watch the sunset, so we paused for about 15 minutes to take photos and explore. However, since the sunset seemed like it would take a while, we decided to set off early. I've ridden camels in Egypt before, and as long as you're careful when they stand up and sit down, the ride is fairly comfortable. (For reference, I've also ridden horses, donkeys, elephants, and camels!) Opportunities to visit Merzouga might be rare, but it's completely different from the Tottori Sand Dunes in Japan, so I highly recommend trying a camel ride if you get the chance! By the way, since there are many camel tours overlapping in the area, the paths are often littered with camel droppings. 😂