Erg Chebbi
Erg Chebbi (Arabic: عرق الشبي) is one of Morocco's two Saharan ergs – large dunes formed by wind-blown sand. The other is Erg Chigaga near M'hamid.
The dunes of Erg Chebbi reach a height of up to 150 meters and altogether spans an area of 22 kilometers from north to south and up to 5 kilometers from east to west.
The nearest sizable town is Erfoud, about 40 kilometers further north. Merzouga, the local tourist center, is located near the edge of the dunes. A number of companies offer camel trips from Merzouga and into the desert, taking tourists on overnight trips several kilometres into the erg, which is enough to bring the village out of sight.
During the warmest part of the year, Moroccans come to Erg Chebbi to be buried neck-deep in the hot sand for a few minutes at a time. This is considered to be a treatment for rheumatism.
In 2006 a flooding adjacent to the dunes destroyed many buildings and killed three people.
[edit] Gallery
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the Erg Chebbi seen from the outskirts of Merzouga
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Camels used for tours into the erg
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
Media related to Erg Chebbi at Wikimedia Commons
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Coordinates: 31°10′N 03°59′W / 31.167°N 3.983°W
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