Sand Dunes

The sand dunes south of Bou Saâda begin within a short drive or long walk of the town centre, where the valley narrows and the landscape transitions from rocky desert to open sand. They are not the great ergs of the deep Sahara, but they are substantial — rolling orange dunes that give a convincing taste of desert scenery without a multi-day expedition.

Camel rides are available from local operators — prices are negotiable. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times for the dunes: the light is spectacular and the heat is manageable. At midday in summer the sand surface temperature can be severe.

things to do sight
A story
The dunes south of Bou Saâda are close enough to the Sahara to feel like the real thing but accessible without a long desert expedition. Dinet painted here obsessively, often returning to the same spots in different seasons and at different times of day. In his later years he described the light on the dunes at sunset as the thing he had spent his whole life trying to capture on canvas.