Thought we’d move a bit further down the road through Merzouga today. The dunes looked like they were higher here, so thought it might be worth looking at from a different perspective.
We de-toured along the way to a lake, but almost knew it was going to be dried up before we got there. There was a bit of bird life around though in the little bit of water that was left. Flamingoes right in the distance and some very unusual ducks – we think they were ruddy shelducks.
Merzouga itself, didn’t look like the kind of place you’d want to wander around. Lots of the Berber ‘tour guides’ (Les hommes bleus) waiting to pounce on anyone who had not yet been on a camel or quad bike (us 🤣).
We landed at Camping la Liberte at lunchtime and instantly started to regret moving. It’s ok, same price and everything, it’s just that it became very windy and we felt like we were trapped in a dusty carpark. Had to wait until about 5pm before we dare venture out without being sandblasted.
The dunes are just as spectacular here and there’s probably even more camels about. We walked up to the ridge of one of the higher ones about forty minutes before sunset. You could gradually see people dotted around on all the ridges doing the same thing. It was, again, quite spectacular.
Our trainers were packed with sand walking back. Yesterday, one of the guides said that it’s much easier barefoot as there are no scorpions about this early in the year. Well, I wasn’t really thinking scorpions, but now I am, and my trainers will stay firmly on! 😬
