What's the sunset like in the Sahara desert?

Sunset is the headline event of a desert night, and it is usually built right into the camel ride in. We set out from the edge of Erg Chebbi in mid-to-late afternoon so that you are deep among the dunes as the light starts to turn. From the back of a camel, swaying slowly along a high ridge with the sand going gold beneath you, is genuinely one of the great travel experiences — it does not feel real the first time.

Once you reach camp, the trick is to keep climbing. Drop your bag, grab a few minutes, then walk up the tallest dune you can manage before the sun gets low. From the crest the whole sea of sand spreads out and the colours change minute by minute — pale gold, then deep amber, then a flush of rose and pink across the western faces, with the eastern slopes already sinking into blue shadow. Every ripple casts a long line, so the dunes look ribbed and sculptural.

It is also surprisingly social and calm at once. People scatter across the crest, some taking photos, some just sitting in silence with their feet in the still-warm sand. There is no rush and no crowd jostling — the desert is big enough that you can find your own spot. As the sun finally drops below the far ridges the light goes soft and grey-violet, and that is your cue that dinner and the fire are waiting back down at camp.

One practical note: the temperature falls quickly the moment the sun is gone, especially in winter. The sand stays warm under you for a while, but the air can drop ten or fifteen degrees within the hour, so bring a layer up the dune with you. Sit for the whole show, including the afterglow once the sun has set — the colours often get richer for a few minutes right after it disappears.