Vast, expansive sand dunes paint an awe-inspiring ebb and flow of amber sand across the landscape near the tourist town of Merzouga. Popular for camel trekking and sand-boarding, the dunes of Erg Chebbi allure visitors to rural Morocco with the most evocative and magical desert landscape on Earth.
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Famed for dramatic rock formations, Navarre’s Bardenas Reales are a truly distinct landmark when compared to the entirety of Spain’s geology. Made up to clay, sandstone, and chalk, the ‘badlands’ terrain here is dominated by dreamlike canyons of musky brown that have been contorted and carved by millennia of erosion. Due to the harsh habitat, vegetation rarely flourishes, and streams that do ramble through the region are destined to dry up.
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For those fortunate enough to earn access to the trail, a challenging hike awaits to stand in awe of the Wave; a kaleidoscopic canyon entirely isolated in unforgiving desert. En-route, walkers cross the Utah-Arizons border as the trail bottlenecks into what feels like another world. Gently cresting slopes of fiery red Navajo sandstone are streaked by vibrant colours as they flow across the landscape.
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Massive desert plateau in south-eastern Algeria, home to staggering rocky outcrops, natural arches, and among the most intricate and ancient examples of pre-historic cave paintings. Dark red sandstone meets endemic desert cypress trees in this biodiverse reserve which traders still traverse today.
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A place of spellbinding beauty, this vast barren landscape in the heart of Bolivia is Earth’s very own infinity mirror. Barely ascending higher than 1 meter on average, the curvature of the planet unfolds before bewildered eyes as they focus on the never-ending horizon. Reflected in the shimmering surface of crisp white salt, the sky above melds with the ground upon which you stand.
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Across the sprawl of this Jordanian plateau, Wadi Rum exhibits all the hallmarks that one could possibly envision when considering an escape to the desert. Giant sandstone monoliths moulded by high winds stand tall above the valley floor, meandering beneath which are petroglyphs carved into stone that date back to the earliest era of human existence. Resilient to the inhospitable heat, local Bedouin people reside here in camps; many have embraced eco-tourism.
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As close to the surface of the Moon as can be found on Earth, this valley in the unforgiving Atacama Desert of Chile was used as a testing site for the Mars rover. Rising high above intensely arid and dry landscape is the Amphitheatre, a gigantic sandstone formation carved by wind and saline waters.
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Recognisable from countless films, Monument Valley is known to be a microcosm for the American West, a sprawling open-air exhibition of the most dramatic terrain in the region. Navajo guides shepherd visitors across golden-hued desert to various clifftop viewpoints where the most awe-inspiring panoramas imaginable await. An iconic snapshot, the triangular trio of Merrick Butte wedged between the twin Mittens peaks is bucket-list worthy.
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Situated 2 hours from Perth, these sizeable dunes are formed of powdery white sand. Aside from natural splendour, the dunes are a great place to get active. Day-trippers from the city glide down slopes, an exhilarating decline after a slog to the top. As evening falls, the sound of revving dirt bikes dissipates and leaves blissful silence to be enjoyed by stargazers beneath a bed of constellations.
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