The writer Sanmao once put it this way: every time I thought of you, a grain of sand fell from the sky, and that is how the Sahara was made. For a great many people trying to get out from under a city, this is not merely the largest desert on earth — it is where the mind finally settles.
One · The camel train, and the gold curve of the dunes
On the back of a dromedary, matching its sway, you climb the Erg Chebbi dunes — 150 metres of sand at their highest point. The wind has combed the surface into something with the fineness of raw silk, and the low sun stretches the train of camels into one long, deliberate silhouette.
“The greatness of a desert is that it contains nothing, and can therefore hold all the solitude and quiet in the world.”
Budget guide — indicative, not a quote
€ 280 / day
Comfort benchmark
All-inclusive luxury desert camp€ 180 / night
4x4 and camel transfers€ 60 / day
Tagine and other meals€ 40 / day
From the take (2)
Wind texture across the dune field
A Berber cameleer at sunset
Sophie Van Der Berg
August 13, 2026 1:19 pm
Wonderful editorial layout! The EXIF data cards and the before/after comparisons make this feel like a true National Geographic magazine on WordPress.
Gu Qingchuan (travel photographer)
August 14, 2026 1:19 pm
The light in the ice-cave set is extraordinary — especially the warm-to-cool separation at 14mm and f/2.8. Is the Crystal Cave better first thing in the morning, or around midday?