Conscious Travel Episodes - Morocco: On The Search For Freedom At The North Gate Of Africa

“I sit near the camp to observe in silence the Sahara unique, breathtaking beauty. I had never seen anything like this anywhere else I’ve been in the world so far. Those majestic dunes moving like sand waves as an ocean frozen in time. They cast shadows of the sun and the moon in an endless game of lights. Tiny beetles, ants, mice and camels leave their tracks in the sand until the wind covers them up. If you look careful, you can follow their tracks in the dunes until you no longer remember where the camp is…”

Sahara Desert - Morocco

The Berber people are considered the 'native people' of this region of North Africa. The nomadic life is an important part of their culture. These people have spent centuries exploring the Sahara Desert. I'm talking about the world's largest desert, with an impressive 9 million square kilometers.

They are well known as the Imazighen, or Amazigh (in singular), a word that states the meaning of 'free men'. And this was why, to spend the night in this desert then became part of my goal:

the search for the feeling of what it is like to be 'free', like an Amazigh.

Two days traveling in a small van, listening to a lot of Brazilian music. We have a so-called driver driving at a doubtful speed. In this van, we crossed Morocco from east to west. The guide shows himself to be very proud throughout this journey on the road, and I can understand why.

At every blink of an eye, this tourist route known as The thousand Kasbahs Road, shows me the beauty of nature in every possible way.

Ait Ben Haddou

Kasbahs are ancient Berber strongholds built from a mixture of clay, manure and straw. Some are listed by UNESCO as in the city of Ouarzazate, the Moroccan Hollywood. From Marrakech to Ouarzazate, there are about five hours of asphalted roads, where there is an overnight stay. And a good part of this path is to leave anyone with their stomach rolled up.

Guess a journey for freedom wouldn’t come from a straight path right?

Road by the Atlas Mountains

The air is thick, and a warm breeze enters the windows of the van. These two days of travel that lead to the desert fill my eyes with the diversity of the landscape. At every blick, I think to myself about how wrong I was in stereotyping this country.

There are no signs of dunes or camels. All I see are green fields, valleys, rivers, mountains and, of course, oasis. Specially this time of the year, olive trees and date palms can be seen at the roadside. At the top, little did I know that Morocco is known for geographical diversity. This part of the hinterland is the heart of the Atlas Mountains. The largest mountain range in North Africa, separating the green side of the desert. It is the birthplace of the Berber civilization.

Atlas Mountains - Morocco

“So, if you are lucky enough, you’ll be able to spot nomads who still live like the ancient inhabitants of the country” - says the guide. “At the slightest sign of smoke bulbs on the mountains, believe me, it's them.”

In the second part of the trip, we start another six-hours drive to Erfoud. This is one of the gateways to the Moroccan Sahara. It is time to leave our tiny (not so comfortable) van and continue on the back of a camel until our final stop. A line of dromedaries flutters on the reddish sand floor of the Sahara. They leave behind another sunset on the Erg Chebbi dune. This is the most sought spot in southern Morocco.

The sky is already darkening as we balance on the backs of the animals. We go towards the most expected point of this trip: to camp one night in the biggest desert in the world.

Berber Camp at the Sahara Desert

Now, forget about all those glamorous pictures you see on Instagram of people riding camels in the desert. Just like my own picture down here. Like if it was the most comfortable means of transportation out there. Truth is, after one hour, you just want to be able to move your legs out of that position.

But you can’t deny the feeling on how unique the whole experience is. And only because of that feeling, any discomfort you might have simply fades away. The back-and-forth and the slow steps. The only sound that is heard is the camel's line walking through the sand and the group's laughter. I look everywhere. All I see is an infinite immensity of sand dunes being colored by the tones of the sun that slowly sets on the horizon.

I could try to put this sunset into words, but they would never live up to what my eyes could see that evening. And then, when all that explosion of color disappears behind those never-ending dunes, there comes the starriest sky I've ever seen. I sit near the camp to observe in silence the Sahara unique, breathtaking beauty. I had never seen anything like this anywhere else I’ve been in the world so far. Those majestic dunes moving like sand waves as an ocean frozen in time. They cast shadows of the sun and the moon in an endless game of lights. Tiny beetles, ants, mice and camels leave their tracks in the sand until the wind covers them up. If you look careful, you can follow their tracks in the dunes until you no longer remember where the camp is.

Camel Ride at the Sahara Desert

In that night, the food was prepared there, in the sand. A little soup before every meal. The fire roasted the chicken and heated the tea-water . And that fire was also the center of the wheel we formed at night to sing, dance, hear stories and admire the stars. They tell us stories. I know that the local Berbers largely abandoned their nomadic way of life to live in fixed villages now. Yet they maintain close contact with the wilderness. It is an element that taught them patience, humility and kindness to strangers. I wonder what ultimately led them to abandon their walker lifestyle. Without a definite place to call home. And in the back of my mind, like a desert beetle buzzing in my ear, the question that really does not leave my head is:

is the freedom I came looking for, something that was already lost?