It is one of the most beautiful mountains on earth. They are golden yellow, orange, red, gray and varying in color due to the position of the sun, the wind, clouds and drought. Walking on sand dunes gives a feeling of being small. You feel the immense nature around you and you are constantly curious about what emerges behind the next dune.

Straight ahead or swinging?
For the first few hours in a desert of sand dunes, you often automatically choose the shortest route and try to cross the dunes straight ahead. You climb up and down steep slopes and sink your feet deep into the loose sand. Quite tire. To avoid these height differences, you can of course also swing around the sand dunes. But you do make more meters than when you walk in a straight line. What is the most useful now?
Nature teaches us that the water of rivers always chooses the easiest way. Roads wind around mountains to handle the gradient. Mountain goats also always zigzag upwards instead of straight ahead.

In short, walking straight up a sand dune, what our brains see as smart and fast, often turns out not to be the most efficient way. The truth lies somewhere between slanting, zigzagging and swinging.?

What is the best way to walk through the sand dunes?

• Slanting : With a dune crest that covers a large area in length, it is more convenient to slope over it. That way you spread the difference in height over more meters.
• Zigzag : Do you arrive at one large dune, which you know you have to cross straight across? Then try to keep a zigzagging movement in a slow rhythm. Depending of course on whether you have animals or things with you that can handle the slope or not. You use more energy at that moment, but the time and distance gain is much greater than if you would walk around it.
• Swinging : Do you walk in a kind of gully/valley between medium-sized steep sand dunes? Then follow the valley for as long as possible. That way you swing around these dunes.

Do you want to show your skills in the sand dunes? View our sample trips to Morocco here . Prefer to compose your own trip? We will prepare a tailor-made travel proposal without obligation and free of charge! Let us know your wishes here .