Evasion
Written by WLE
If you’re seeking a destination that offers a mental reset, add these five deserts around the world to your travel bucket list and take in the beauty of the journey.
Just an hour’s flight from Bogotá, Colombia’s capital, lies the Tatacoa Desert, the second-largest arid region in the world. If you enjoy walking, follow the seemingly endless trails winding through ochre and terracotta-hued rock formations, canyons, natural pools, and towering cacti. Spend the night to experience a sky unlike any you’ve likely seen before: an inky canvas scattered with stars. Several camping and glamping options are available on site.
As its name suggests, this national park in southwestern Utah is renowned for its many natural arches shaped by erosion. While it can be explored by car or bike in a single day, the park also lends itself beautifully to hiking, with a network of well-marked trails. One of its strengths lies in its balance of accessible paths and more challenging routes, making its natural wonders open to everyone. For the night, you can book an hotel or do glamping nearby, in Moab's beautiful resort Under Canvas.
If you dream of endless dunes and a true change of scenery, the Namib Desert — considered one of the oldest and most arid in the world — deserves a place on your bucket list. A natural wonder, Sossusvlei is undoubtedly the highlight of the experience, with its salt and clay pan framed by towering red and orange dunes. For another breathtaking perspective, plan the climb of Big Daddy and Dune 7, two of the highest dunes on the planet. Deadvlei is another standout: a white clay pan punctuated by the skeletal silhouettes of ancient camel thorn trees, dried and blackened by time. Allow at least a full day to explore these remarkable landscapes, then stop for a bite at Solitaire, the area’s only settlement, before settling in for a well-earned, timeless night under the stars.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Wadi Rum desert offers the feeling of having briefly left planet Earth. Its otherworldly landscapes have not gone unnoticed, serving as the backdrop for iconic science-fiction films such as The Martian, Dune, and Mission to Mars. Beyond its ochre dunes, granite mountains, and unforgettable sunsets, Wadi Rum is rich in hidden treasures, making it an important archaeological site. On site, you can explore the desert by camel, sandboard down its dunes, or take it all in from above in a hot-air balloon. To complete this truly out-of-this-world experience, spend the night at Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp or in a bubble tent designed for stargazing
Head to southern Spain and the Tabernas Desert, the only true desert in Western Europe. Located in the Almería region, this landscape was once submerged beneath the salty waters of the Mediterranean Sea. While the sea has long since retreated, it left behind soils rich in silt, clay, fossilized corals, and ancient salt formations dating back millions of years. A true delight for geologists. With landscapes reminiscent of the American West, film enthusiasts may recognize Tabernas as the setting for numerous Westerns from the 1960s and 1970s starring Clint Eastwood, including The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars. This cinematic legacy has earned the area a place on the list of Treasures of European Film Culture. For the night, stay in Almería, the nearest major city, or in Pechina, a charming traditional village less than 10 kilometers away.
