Part IV - Morocco: Getting chased by a massive Wild Ostrich , Spotting rare Gazelles & Exploring the magical dunes of Erg Chegaga

Day 6

The last day in the desert was fully dedicated to off-roading and spotting local wildlife. We bid goodbye to the camels and the herders. A 4x4 Pajero was waiting for us just beneath the dunes. An air-conditioned vehicle was more than welcome after 3 days of blistering desert heat.

Footprints of desert beetle and Girbel crossing each other (next to our camp)

A group photo with the camel herders before bidding goodbye to them

On the way, we spotted a young girl and her little brother, hardly 5 years old, standing alongside the path. I don’t remember them wearing any slippers, and it was early afternoon when the sun was in "no mercy" mode. I asked Brahim what on earth they were doing there. He told me with a smile that they were standing in pure hope that a car would pass by so they could sell their handicrafts to help their family. I was taken aback since I knew that a car doesn't pass by this area often. That meant that they were standing there anyways just to make sure they didn’t miss any vehicles passing by. I was so moved that I immediately asked him to stop the car and gave them 100 dirhams (about 10 Euros). I will never forget the joy I saw in the girl’s face. No words can explain it. I was glad I could make their day with this small gesture, which meant so much to them.

Me with our 4x4 Pajero

Later, as we were driving through the acacia forest, my guide spotted a female ostrich far away. These creatures have become pretty rare in the wild, and we were lucky to see this magnificent bird in its natural habitat. When I told my Moroccan friends about this encounter later, they didn’t believe that there were ostriches in Morocco. They thought I was joking. The reality sunk into them only after seeing the photos.

We got out of the car to snap a photo of the female but didn’t notice the massive male ostrich just behind the bushes. He was enormous, towering over 9 feet in height. We were all already outside the car and so intimidated that we froze, not knowing what to do. I’ve read that their kicks are powerful enough to kill a lion. The closer he got to us, the bigger he appeared and seemed more interested in the Americans for some reason. Then he sat down and started doing some kind of dance. All of us were confused by what was going on. We got a chance to get into the car while he was busy doing his "breakdance" and then left the area ASAP. He chased us for a short distance before turning away.

He trying to chase us away

The massive male Ostrich approaching us

Males have a reddish neck which is a sign of masculinity

Male Ostrich performing a mating dance in front of our car

The guide then told us that it was mating season and we were unwelcome guests for the ostriches, especially the male, whose sole focus was on impressing the female. The males have a reddish neck, which is a sign of masculinity. Coincidentally, the American guys, after being in the desert for 3 days, developed a reddish tan as well. One guy, Brent, was also wearing a red shirt. So, probably the ostrich thought they were competition, and this explains why he was chasing the Americans. At least, that’s our theory, which kind of makes sense.

We then drove to Erg Chigaga, which has some of the tallest sand dunes of the Sahara. After getting some rest in the tent, I climbed onto a tall dune and just sat there for atleast 2 hours admiring the incredible view infront of me. I didn’t know how so much time had passed so quick. That is what the desert does to you.

Our camp at Erg Chegaga

Relaxing at our tent before heading to the dunes

Me sitting all alone on top of a tall dune

Erg chegaga dunes

Erg chegaga dunes

Later at night, I made a request to Brahim that I wanted to sleep all alone on a faraway dune, away from the tents. He obliged but warned me not to wander too far. I got a small mattress that I put over the sand and went to sleep while gazing at the night sky. It was a full moon day, and I’ve never seen stars so clearly in my life. On top of this, witnessing a couple of shooting stars made the whole experience even more incredible.

The next day, we started early in the morning after a quick breakfast. This was the best time to spot wild gazelles. We spotted a small group after a 30-minute drive. They were very timid and started running as soon as they heard our car.

It was finally time to bid goodbye to Brahim . He dropped us off at Mhamid. The Americans gave me a ride in their car to Zagora, from where I caught a taxi back to Ouarzazate to do some sightseeing. The taxi driver didn’t start until he had a minimum of 6 people. There were already 3, including me. I was so tired of waiting that I paid the fare for the remaining 3 myself. One of the guys thanked me for doing so, as it’s something that doesn’t happen frequently.

Wild gazelles spotted during our return back to Mhamid