The world's top desert getaways
By
Staff, AccuWeather
Published May 4, 2020 4:55 PM EDT
Most people might think the largest desert in the world is the Sahara. But that is actually not correct. What is the largest desert? Let's find out.
Desert vacations show you some of the world's most iconic locations and every one is unique. From the Sahara Desert to the Mojave Desert, these geologically phenomenal places make for unforgettable getaways. Plenty of deserts look exactly how you'd imagine, with towering sand dunes that stretch out to the horizon. There are other deserts that look very different, with huge canyons and even salt flats. If you're looking for desert tourism opportunities, you've got a lot to choose from. Can you imagine standing on a sand dune and watching the sunset turning the entire desert landscape a burning orange color? Does riding in a buggy over miles of desert sand sound fun? Have you always wanted to travel via camel to a desert camp in the dunes? If so, becoming a desert tourist is the choice for you.
To find out about the best desert tourist destinations in the world, keep reading. We've collected some of the most incredible desert landscapes for you to visit.
Photo by Luca Zanon
Luca Zanon on Unsplash
The Sahara Desert is the biggest desert in the world and has so many varied landscapes within it that it's impossible to generalize. One of the best places to experience part of the Sahara is at Erg Chebbi in Morocco. Right on the edge of the Sahara Desert, this phenomenal tourist destination puts you right in an iconic desert landscape. An "erg" is a large sand dune formed by the wind. They have the typical sweeping shape of sand dunes you might imagine and at Erg Chebbi you'll see the amazing orange color too. This desert destination isn't easy to travel to, but you'll find plenty of tourist companies that can take you there.
Photo by Bailey Hall
Bailey Hall on Unsplash
If you were only ever going to go on one desert vacation, San Pedro would spoil you for tourist activities. This town in Chile is a popular tourism base to explore the Atacama Desert thanks to the varied nearby landscape. Due to the climate in San Pedro, it almost never rains and some parts of the Atacama Desert haven't seen rain in hundreds of years. From San Pedro, you can take a dune buggy tour which will show you the most exquisite places this part of the Atacama Desert has to offer. You can even go sandboarding down dunes. It's like snowboarding, but a lot sandier! This desert tourist town also gives you access to geysers, salt flats, and lagoons in vivid colors. In the distance, you'll be able to spot the beautiful Andes.
Photo by Yvette de Wit
Yvette de Wit on Unsplash
Near the Nevada border, Death Valley is one of the most famous areas in California and is an incredible desert landscape. It's the location of the hottest temperature ever recorded at 134°F (56.7°C) in 1913 and remains one of the hottest places on Earth. Death Valley is a desert well worth visiting, so long as you take care to stay cool. It has jagged mountains, salt flats, and sand dunes, so there's always something incredible to see. When you travel to the Mojave Desert, keep an eye out for the famous roadrunner bird with its long legs and impressive speed.
Photo by Ondrej Machart
Ondrej Machart on Unsplash
You might not be able to climb Uluru anymore but you can still appreciate this incredible formation that's over 500 million years old. Uluru stands tall over the flat desert landscape around it and it brings tourists from all over the world. There's a lot for a tourist to do around Uluru including desert tours that will show you the area and even provide you with a sunrise view of this vast sandstone monolith. You can go camel riding, skydiving, and have dining experiences, making Uluru one of the top places for desert tourism.
Photo by Jeremy Bishop
Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
Joshua Tree is one of the most accessible deserts with plenty to do and some incredible desert views and formations. Skull Rock is one of the most famous rock formations here and if you're looking for breathtaking sights, travel to Keys View. There are a good number of tourist campgrounds in Joshua Tree so you can drive right into this desert area and set up camp. The hiking potential is well-known with plenty of trails for a variety of abilities. Birdlife is particularly vibrant in this national park and many visitors head to Cottonwood Spring for wildlife tourism.
Photo by Alan J. Hendry
Alan J. Hendry on Unsplash
Deserts don't get much more extreme than in Sossusvlei, a vast clay pan surrounded by towering red sand dunes. It lies within the Namib desert in Namibia, one of the most phenomenal locations for desert vacations. While the pan can fill up with water when it rains, it can be dry for years at a time. There's still a surprising amount of wildlife in this desert area and you can go on nature walks or tours nearby. If you want to see this mesmerizing desert landscape from above, why not take a hot air balloon ride? You can climb the dunes for amazing views, especially in the late afternoon and early evening when they cast impressive shadows. You can camp and stay in lodges in the park but most tourist hotels are just outside the entrance.
Photo by Fritz Chávez
Fritz Chávez on Unsplash
Not all deserts are golden sand dunes and Salar de Uyuni is a prime example. This jaw-dropping tourist hotspot is the world's largest salt flat at over 4,000 square miles. Exploring this salt desert is an experience you'll never forget and if you catch it with a thin layer of water, you'll see its astounding mirror-like quality. If you want to see two deserts on one trip, you can travel to the Atacama in southern Peru or northern Chile, not too far from the salt desert at Uyuni in Bolivia.
Photo by Dan Calderwood
Dan Calderwood on Unsplash
Desert vacations are some of the most memorable tourist getaways you can go on and you'll see sights you'll never forget. From the brutal landscape of Death Valley in the Mojave Desert to the endless salt of Salar de Uyuni, desert landscapes will make you never want to leave. There are desert locations all over the globe and each is unique. Climb the sand dunes in the Sahara to see the wind-formed spines of each shifting dune and go on a buggy tour in the Atacama Desert in Chile or Peru. No matter which desert you visit first, you'll fall in love with these mesmerizing destinations. Follow our blog for more tips on the world's most impressive travel opportunities and how they're affected by climate.
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News / Weather News
The world's top desert getaways
By Staff, AccuWeather
Published May 4, 2020 4:55 PM EDT
Most people might think the largest desert in the world is the Sahara. But that is actually not correct. What is the largest desert? Let's find out.
Desert vacations show you some of the world's most iconic locations and every one is unique. From the Sahara Desert to the Mojave Desert, these geologically phenomenal places make for unforgettable getaways. Plenty of deserts look exactly how you'd imagine, with towering sand dunes that stretch out to the horizon. There are other deserts that look very different, with huge canyons and even salt flats. If you're looking for desert tourism opportunities, you've got a lot to choose from. Can you imagine standing on a sand dune and watching the sunset turning the entire desert landscape a burning orange color? Does riding in a buggy over miles of desert sand sound fun? Have you always wanted to travel via camel to a desert camp in the dunes? If so, becoming a desert tourist is the choice for you.
To find out about the best desert tourist destinations in the world, keep reading. We've collected some of the most incredible desert landscapes for you to visit.
Photo by Luca Zanon
1. Erg Chebbi, Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert is the biggest desert in the world and has so many varied landscapes within it that it's impossible to generalize. One of the best places to experience part of the Sahara is at Erg Chebbi in Morocco. Right on the edge of the Sahara Desert, this phenomenal tourist destination puts you right in an iconic desert landscape. An "erg" is a large sand dune formed by the wind. They have the typical sweeping shape of sand dunes you might imagine and at Erg Chebbi you'll see the amazing orange color too. This desert destination isn't easy to travel to, but you'll find plenty of tourist companies that can take you there.
Photo by Bailey Hall
2. San Pedro, Atacama Desert
If you were only ever going to go on one desert vacation, San Pedro would spoil you for tourist activities. This town in Chile is a popular tourism base to explore the Atacama Desert thanks to the varied nearby landscape. Due to the climate in San Pedro, it almost never rains and some parts of the Atacama Desert haven't seen rain in hundreds of years. From San Pedro, you can take a dune buggy tour which will show you the most exquisite places this part of the Atacama Desert has to offer. You can even go sandboarding down dunes. It's like snowboarding, but a lot sandier! This desert tourist town also gives you access to geysers, salt flats, and lagoons in vivid colors. In the distance, you'll be able to spot the beautiful Andes.
Photo by Yvette de Wit
3. Death Valley, Mojave Desert
Near the Nevada border, Death Valley is one of the most famous areas in California and is an incredible desert landscape. It's the location of the hottest temperature ever recorded at 134°F (56.7°C) in 1913 and remains one of the hottest places on Earth. Death Valley is a desert well worth visiting, so long as you take care to stay cool. It has jagged mountains, salt flats, and sand dunes, so there's always something incredible to see. When you travel to the Mojave Desert, keep an eye out for the famous roadrunner bird with its long legs and impressive speed.
Photo by Ondrej Machart
4. Uluru, Australia
You might not be able to climb Uluru anymore but you can still appreciate this incredible formation that's over 500 million years old. Uluru stands tall over the flat desert landscape around it and it brings tourists from all over the world. There's a lot for a tourist to do around Uluru including desert tours that will show you the area and even provide you with a sunrise view of this vast sandstone monolith. You can go camel riding, skydiving, and have dining experiences, making Uluru one of the top places for desert tourism.
Photo by Jeremy Bishop
5. Joshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree is one of the most accessible deserts with plenty to do and some incredible desert views and formations. Skull Rock is one of the most famous rock formations here and if you're looking for breathtaking sights, travel to Keys View. There are a good number of tourist campgrounds in Joshua Tree so you can drive right into this desert area and set up camp. The hiking potential is well-known with plenty of trails for a variety of abilities. Birdlife is particularly vibrant in this national park and many visitors head to Cottonwood Spring for wildlife tourism.
Photo by Alan J. Hendry
6. Sossusvlei, Namib Desert
Deserts don't get much more extreme than in Sossusvlei, a vast clay pan surrounded by towering red sand dunes. It lies within the Namib desert in Namibia, one of the most phenomenal locations for desert vacations. While the pan can fill up with water when it rains, it can be dry for years at a time. There's still a surprising amount of wildlife in this desert area and you can go on nature walks or tours nearby. If you want to see this mesmerizing desert landscape from above, why not take a hot air balloon ride? You can climb the dunes for amazing views, especially in the late afternoon and early evening when they cast impressive shadows. You can camp and stay in lodges in the park but most tourist hotels are just outside the entrance.
Photo by Fritz Chávez
7. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Not all deserts are golden sand dunes and Salar de Uyuni is a prime example. This jaw-dropping tourist hotspot is the world's largest salt flat at over 4,000 square miles. Exploring this salt desert is an experience you'll never forget and if you catch it with a thin layer of water, you'll see its astounding mirror-like quality. If you want to see two deserts on one trip, you can travel to the Atacama in southern Peru or northern Chile, not too far from the salt desert at Uyuni in Bolivia.
Photo by Dan Calderwood
Go on an unforgettable desert vacation to these beautiful places
Desert vacations are some of the most memorable tourist getaways you can go on and you'll see sights you'll never forget. From the brutal landscape of Death Valley in the Mojave Desert to the endless salt of Salar de Uyuni, desert landscapes will make you never want to leave. There are desert locations all over the globe and each is unique. Climb the sand dunes in the Sahara to see the wind-formed spines of each shifting dune and go on a buggy tour in the Atacama Desert in Chile or Peru. No matter which desert you visit first, you'll fall in love with these mesmerizing destinations. Follow our blog for more tips on the world's most impressive travel opportunities and how they're affected by climate.
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