Looking for an unique art decor piece for your renovated space? Wishing to bring a piece of Morocco into your home? If you're not quite ready to pack your suitcase and hop onto a plane yet, please read on for the solutions I have for you.
 

Continuing on our Moroccan journey (if you missed the first part of the trip, you can first catch up on Casablanca, then Essaouira and Marrakech), today we're heading east to the Sahara Desert.  

In reality, the journey from Marrakech to the journey took over 2 days, but on this virtual photo journey we can arrive with the click of a button. We had a stopover in the city of Ouarzazate - here you can find the World UNESCO World Heritage Site Aït Benhaddou, a historic fortified village and an example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture. The sight of the lush palm groves brings reprieve from the heat. 

Ouarzazate is also known for its film studios. Movies filmed in this area include Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and Babel. Some episodes of The Amazing Race and Game of Thrones were filmed here as well. When I saw this scene below, I thought I had stepped onto a movie set!

We're getting closer to the desert. After watching the golden sunset over this town, we were presented with a wonderful lightning show.

And here we are, at Erg Chebbi, at the western edge of the Sahara Desert! We quickly dropped off our luggage and headed out for the camel ride. In the event of a sudden sand storm, we each had our face covered with a scarf in the style of a tagelmust. 

The vastness of the desert was immense, and the height of the dunes - it was only when I started to climb onto one that I realized how high it was, and that reaching the peak was no easy task (hint: it's easier to climb with bare feet). Everywhere I looked, a different scene emerged to be photographed. Whether you want to capture the overall landscape, or zoom in close for the abstract sand patterns, the possibilities are endless. Some of the photographers in our group even ventured out in the middle of the night to capture the Milky Way over the desert.

Between the Lines
 

The next morning, we headed out for a camel ride at sunrise. These are my two favourite photos from that morning - where the dunes are transformed into silky waves and look absolutely magical. 

Silken SaharaThe gentle morning light on sand dunes turns them into a sea of silky waves. The slightly adjusted colours adds to the soft pastel feeling.
Strolling on Silk*Rising early and making the challenging climb onto the sand dune ridge was well worth the effort, as I was rewarded with this breathtaking view. The gentle morning light turned the dunes into a sea of silky waves, and the immensity of the Sahara desert is contrasted against the person strolling across, symbolizing freedom and exploration.

(* Commended in 2018 Sony World Photo Awards, Honourable Mention in 2017 Tokyo International Foto Awards)

(The photo above was Commended in the Sony World Photography Awards Open Competition, Travel Category, 2018.)

To see more photos from the Sahara Desert, please visit this photo gallery in my travel portfolio. What did you like most about this area?
 

Friendly hint: you can buy these prints from my online shop, or contact me for customized sizes and print medium. My entire collection of photos from Morocco can be found in my photo book "Patterns of Morocco" - you can see an excerpt here. If you'd like to order a copy of the book for yourself or your family, friends or clients, please reach me via the Contact form.

I hope you've enjoyed this visit to the Sahara Desert. Follow me on my next blog post as we continue this journey through Morocco, where we'll head to the Atlas Mountains!