Guests often ask us what there is to actually do on a dune once the photographs are taken. More than you would expect: you can board a slope on a sandboard, sit on a sled, run down the soft face on foot, ride a camel along the ridge, or walk up for the last light. This is how dune activities work on the ergs around Zagora and Merzouga, what sandboarding really involves, when the sand is at its best, and what to bring.
What sandboarding involves
Sandboarding is a board sport close to snowboarding: you ride down a sand dune standing with both feet strapped in, or sitting on a sled with a padded seat and handles (Wikipedia). The detail that surprises everyone is that the desert has no lifts. Every run finishes with the same climb back up the dune, unless a 4×4 can shuttle you where the terrain allows.
Two things decide whether it works. The first is the board: sandboards are built for dry sand, with a hard base you wax before each run; a snowboard or a plastic saucer will simply dig in and drag (NPS). The second is the sand itself. Dry, loose sand is soft and forgiving if you fall; firm sand, the kind left after rain, is faster and harder, and that is where the injuries happen. So we do not board right after rain.
Who enjoys it
Most guests who try it are first-timers. Children do well on the short, gentle slopes near the base of the dune; adults usually want the longer runs higher up. If you have never boarded before, start small, sit down if you lose your nerve, and let the sand slow you. It is a cheerful hour, not a technical lesson.
Where we do it
The two sand seas we work with are Erg Chegaga, west of M'Hamid, and Erg Chebbi near Merzouga. Starting from Zagora, Chegaga is the nearer and quieter of the two: the camp sits in open desert and the dunes carry no crowds. Merzouga, further east, has taller, more photographed dunes and a busier camp village.
- Erg Chegaga, our default. Long soft ridges, big sky, real isolation. Pair boarding with a bivouac night at Erg Chegaga.
- Erg Chebbi, taller dunes and a lively camp scene; worth the longer drive for the classic Merzouga view.
- Camel routes, on our camel crossing of hamada and erg, you ride between the dune fields instead of boarding them, which suits anyone who prefers to move slowly.
When the sand is right
Timing is most of the game. Board early in the morning or in the last two hours before sunset, when the sand is cooler underfoot and the light is low. At midday in summer the surface can be too hot to touch, so we simply do not board then. On a July afternoon we are in the shade with tea. Spring is the windy season and afternoon haze can flatten the view, so we plan outings for the edges of the day. Autumn through spring gives the most comfortable boarding; winter days are mild and the nights cold.
Beyond the board
Boarding is one option, and often not the main event.
- Dune walking, a guided climb to a high ridge for sunset, boots on, the best view in camp.
- Dune running, running down the soft face barefoot, the free version of sandboarding and usually what children remember.
- Camel trekking, a slow ride along the ridge line, quiet except for the sand and the guide.
- Photography, low light shapes the dunes; if that is your interest, our Sahara photography checklist goes deeper.
- A night in camp, a long fire, bread baked in the embers, and the Milky Way overhead.
What to bring
Board or no board, the list is short: a light long-sleeved shirt and loose trousers, a hat and sunglasses, and sunscreen even in winter. Closed shoes are kinder than sandals for the climb, though most people end up barefoot on the way down. Sunglasses help more than you would expect once the wind lifts the top layer of sand. And bring water: a good rule in the heat is a cup every hour and at least two to three litres a day (WHO).
The honest summary
Sandboarding is fun, not extreme, and it works best as one part of a dune afternoon rather than the whole point of a trip. If you want the slopes, tell us when you book and we bring boards and wax. If you would rather walk and watch the light, that is just as good. And it is what most of our guests choose.
Sources
- Sandboarding, how the sport works, its equipment and the absence of lifts, Wikipedia
- Sandboarding and sand sledding, gear, sand conditions and safety advice, US National Park Service
- Heat and health, hydration and heat-stress guidance, World Health Organization
