T R AVEL TALK ASK THE EXPERTS


NEED ADVICE FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP? ARE YOU AFTER RECOMMENDATIONS, TIPS AND GUIDANCE? OUR EXPERTS HAVE THE ANSWERS…


THE EXPERTS


Oliver Smith Travel writer


Jarrod Kyte Product and impact director, Steppes Travel


Peter Grunert Editor, Lonely Planet’s Electric Vehicle Road Trips: Europe


Rob Stewart Founder of Ski Press and co-host of The White Out Podcast


I love desert scenery — where can I go for inspirational views? The romantic landscape of infinite sand dunes isn’t quite as common (or as accessible) as you might think. Morocco has two such regions of Saharan sand, and the UAE has some nooks in its far south. But, if it’s vast, storybook


Dr Dipti Patel Director, National Travel Health Network & Centre


Clockwise from above: The Wahiba Sands of the Arabian Desert, Oman; applying insect repellent; the Prince Albert suite at The Fife Arms in Scotland


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deserts you’re craving, the best option is Oman. The most popular desert there is Wahiba Sands, a 4,800sq-mile expanse of dunes just a two-hour drive from the capital Muscat. There’s a diverse range of camps — from the luxury pavilions of the Desert Nights Camp (from OMR56/£120 half-board) to budget camping options. Wherever you stay, the programme is broadly similar: by day you take camel treks across sandy summits, by night you listen to Bedouin storytellers and watch campfire smoke drift up to


NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL


pristine constellations. omanhotels. com/desertnightscamp For an even wilder experience,


head for the Empty Quarter: the world’s largest continuous sand desert. Serious expeditions, such as those run by Arabian Sand Tours, set out from Salalah in southern Oman — it can take many hours until you find yourself deep in the dunes. Here, in one of the most remote plots on the planet, you can learn about the nomads whose caravans once crossed these drifts, and for whom water was as precious as gold. arabiansandtoursservices. com OLIVER SMITH


Desert experiences aren’t just about rolling sand dunes. To understand the cultures that deserts help shape, it’s essential to spend time in an oasis town. These places provide a lifeline to


the steadfast communities living on the edge of such harsh conditions. On a recent visit to Morocco, I spent a few days in Skoura, biking around the outskirts of the town, darting in and out of palm groves and stopping to admire well-worn kasbahs. These heritage buildings echo the historic significance of this oasis town as a stopover on the fabled salt route from the Atlas Mountains to Timbuktu. From Skoura, the drive south


to reach M’hamid takes just over four hours; from the town, one can travel by camel to explore Erg Lehoudi, a classic desert landscape of 330ft-high dunes. For a more intrepid trip, travel by 4x4 to Erg Chigaga, stay at a remote desert camp and let the great empty space of the Sahara bring some serenity into your life. steppestravel.com JARROD KYTE


IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY; SIM CANETTY-CLARKE


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