Two Nights in the Sahara Desert

Kristiana Cozort is a student at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville and an ISA Featured Blogger. She is studying abroad with ISA in Valencia, Spain

Kristiana traveled to Morocco as part of an ISA optional excursion to Morocco.

Although we spent five nights in the beautiful Northern African country of Morocco, I would like to specifically share my experience of our two nights spent in the Sahara Desert. From seeing the first few spots of sand break up the beautiful green of Northern Morocco to watching the sand fade away as we reentered the lush mountains and faced the windy, stunning Sahara Desert.

Riding camels, climbing sand dunes, and camping in Haimas under the Sahara stars have been some of my favorite memories studying abroad so far. This trip was unlike any other I’ve been on, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up a little waving goodbye to sand dunes that had begun to feel so much like home.

At our first stop in the desert we ran into two sweet puppies relaxing near some fossils and old pottery!

Traditional Moroccan food from our first night in the desert. This was just the appetizer!

Climbing the sand dunes at night was easy thanks to the bright moon!

One of the haimas at night under the Sahara stars. Besides sleeping with piles of sand on our beds, the haimas were very comfortable and warm!

My camel, Fred! We really bonded over our 2 hour ride, and it was so hard to say goodbye to him after.

What’s more beautiful: the sand dunes, the camels, or their shadows? I can’t decide.

The ridge of the “Big Dune” that we climbed during our camel ride.

The sunrise over the dunes on our last morning in the Sahara. While we were watching, a local told us that Algeria was just on the other side of the biggest dune- if only we had known sooner!

Playing with our phone flashlights under the beautiful stars!

Your Discovery. Our People… The World Awaits. 

 

 

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