Questions tagged [deserts]

A landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Deserts can also be described as areas where more water is lost by evapotranspiration than falls as precipitation.

Desert.

21 questions
18
votes
1 answer

What are these things in the desert near Fallon, Nevada?

I was playing with Google Earth and was looking for Fallon Range Training Complex after I read this question. So I typed "Fallon" and I dragged the cursor all along and spotted some really curious things. Well, it was a number of circles that…
18
votes
1 answer

Where is the closest to western Europe to see desert mountains with slot canyons?

The southwestern USA has desert mountains and canyons. They are famous and have extensive tourist infrastructure with national parks, national monuments, state parks, roads, trails, etc. However, they are not unique: Valles Calchaquíes,…
gerrit
  • 60,843
  • 21
  • 181
  • 360
16
votes
4 answers

Are there any places on earth completely barren with nothing on the horizon in any direction?

Imagine being on a ship in the middle of the ocean and in every direction you look, there is nothing on the horizon and everything you see is perfectly flat in every direction. Is there any desert (or other terrain) in the world that comes close to…
16
votes
1 answer

What is Dune Bashing?

I was looking at a website that is offering 40 to 45 minute "Dune Bashing" in a desert tour. What is this "bashing"?
user69940
13
votes
5 answers

Can visiting saunas make me more prepared for heat in desert and tropics?

I am curious if it is possible to prepare my body for the heat during the African summer by visiting saunas. Would visiting humid or dry saunas on a regular basis "harden" my body for humid heat in the tropics or dry heat in the desert? I live in…
12
votes
1 answer

Am I likely to see a snake on a desert safari or in a souk in Dubai?

I’m planning to visit the souks and take a desert safari including dinner at a campsite during my 5 day holiday in Dubai with my family at the end of November. My sister and I have a serious phobia of snakes (to the extent that it stresses me to…
Traveller
  • 39,319
  • 4
  • 62
  • 157
12
votes
3 answers

Dealing with extremely dry air in Africa

Some years ago, I had an overnight stay in Sahara. I live in a very high humidity climate, so the extremely dry desert air was quite literally choking me, and sleeping was impossible. I only managed to deal with it by wrapping damp cloth over my…
kaqqao
  • 287
  • 1
  • 7
11
votes
2 answers

The Atacama Giant

I would really like to see the Atacama Giant. On Wikipedia it is just mentioned that it is in the Atacama desert. But this desert is really big. Where should I look when I want to meet this giant? It is soo big, that it is even visible on google…
RoflcoptrException
  • 51,590
  • 52
  • 190
  • 403
11
votes
2 answers

Do self-contained luxury resorts exist in the desert in North Africa or the Middle East?

I want to take my two elderly parents on a once-in-a-lifetime trip abroad. They have never left the UK in the past so it's very important that wherever we visit feels very different from the UK in terms of climate and language. I picked North…
victoriah
  • 10,810
  • 3
  • 61
  • 89
10
votes
2 answers

Caravan travels, the rough way

From time to time I dream about an epic trip on foot from Tangier to Mecca in the footsteps of Ibn Battuta, where you ride a camel for hours while following a big caravan, dodging bandits and finally resting in a caravanserai for the night. Right…
Geeo
  • 10,383
  • 7
  • 50
  • 83
9
votes
1 answer

What are some unique opportunities and lodging in Siwa Oasis, Egypt?

I will be traveling to Siwa Oasis sometime near the end of 2011. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with great/unique places to stay, or potentially an overnight trip into the desert. Looking for names of places or providers of that type…
Matt
  • 424
  • 2
  • 7
8
votes
1 answer

Safety and travel time from Tangiers to Dakar?

How many days it takes travelling by car from Tangeri to Dakar? How safe is travelling by car from Tangeri to Dakar, specifically in Senegal and Mauritania?
8
votes
2 answers

Safe route through Death Valley to Vegas?

I will be driving through death Valley the last week of July. I will be leaving Ridgecrest, CA at 4-5am, stopping for a few pictures at the most easily accessible spots, and then carrying on to Las Vegas. Google Maps gives me two comparable routes.…
Scorb
  • 1,541
  • 1
  • 15
  • 29
7
votes
2 answers

When are Morocco desert camel excursions available?

I had heard that the desert excursions (around Merzouga) only run during the cooler months of the year (November to February). But I've looked at a few sites and I haven't found anything that confirms this. Can someone please verify this with a…
MarkE
  • 3,876
  • 4
  • 34
  • 60
5
votes
1 answer

Spending a night in UAE dunes

I'm offered a camping option to spend a night directly in desert and dunes near Dubai (Al Qudra Lake). Should I have any concern about animals or species (scorpions, ants or other insects) or is there any thing specific, that I should take special…
trejder
  • 2,955
  • 3
  • 26
  • 40
1
2