Eclectic Kim Review: Into the Sahara: A Sunset Camel Caravan Trek over the Erg Chebbi Dunes with Takojt Camel Treks

When the group arrived at Hotel Takojt, we arrived excited for our camel ride into the desert (A 10 Day Moroccan Adventure with Kim Larkin Adventures). After spending the morning on the Erg Chebbi dunes riding 4×4 quad bikes (Riding 4×4 Quad Bikes on the Sahara with Merzouga Trails Quads & Buggy Excursion), I felt more than ready to settle into the calm beauty of the Sahara.

There was a quiet sense of anticipation in our group as we were driven toward the waiting camels. I couldn’t help recalling my last camel ride in Dubai (Evening Desert Safari in Dubai with Arabian Adventures Experience). This wouldn’t be a simple loop around the sand like that was. This would be a real journey – a long, beautiful dream finally coming true.

When it was my turn to climb onto Pablo – who seemed undeniably the tallest of the herd – I felt a ton of nerves. I followed the guide’s instructions, bracing for the unmistakable heave of the camel rising beneath me. Then, suddenly, I was perched high above the ground.

However, it didn’t take me long to settle in to the methodical moment of the camel’s trek forward.

As we moved across the sand, a strange familiarity washed over me, as though I had traveled this path in another lifetime. The seven mile stretch from our starting point to the desert camp unfolded at a slow, meditative pace. The dunes shifted color as the light framed our experience.

Sunset In the Sahara

When we paused for sunset, I once again braced myself for the jolt of the camel sitting down. The motion is oddly abrupt, almost violent – and Melaine even fell off hers, though thankfully it was a short fall.

Once my feet were on the ground, I immediately began taking photos, eager to capture even a fraction of what the moment felt like.

We shared champagne and posed for group photos as the sky deepened into hues so vivid they felt unreal. I stood there in awe, overwhelmed by beauty and a sudden sense of connection to the endless space around us.

The sunset – as I stood upon the dune – was life affirming.

As we got back up on our camels to continue the ride to the desert camp, I was in deep gratitude for saying yes to this adventure.

Riding at the front of the caravan meant I spent much of the journey beside Abdul, our camel guide – a true man of the desert, full of quiet wisdom and surprising humor. He told me how some camels occasionally slip free and wander toward Algeria in search of female companions, laughing as he said it. I found myself laughing with him, realizing at the same time that this was the closest I had ever been to Algeria.

He spoke of how Sahara water is sweet, unlike the harsher water of the Black Desert across the border. We also made light talk about the ongoing tension between Algeria and Morocco over the Western Sahara. It was a profound conversation as the camel caravan moved forward.

We reached Tiziri Desert Camp a little after 7pm. By the time we arrived, I felt a steady mix of tiredness and appreciation. The long ride, the conversations along the way, and the shifting colors of the dunes made the journey feel meaningful without needing anything extra added to it. It was a straightforward end to a day that had been full, memorable, and unlike anything I’d experienced before.