Be A Nomad: 10 Majestic Deserts You Need To Explore - Updated 2024

be a nomad: 10 majestic deserts you need to explore
Adrian Chew
Adrian Chew 
Updated
| 6 min read

The nature of the world is indeed a sight to behold. Whether it is an ocean, a natural park, a glacier, a mountain or caves, they have all the charms to attract visitors and tourists from around the world. As summer is heating up, it’s time for you to explore the wonders of the majestic deserts around the world. At least once in a lifetime you need to explore them as they are more than amazing. From Negev Desert to the famous Gobi Desert, each is unique in a way. Time to explore deserts like a nomad.

Read on to find out about deserts from around the world that you need to check out:

1. Bardenas Reales de Navarra

Bardenas Reales Navarra
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Fmoron used under PUBLIC DOMAIN

Bardenas Reales Navarra is a semi-desert region located in the southeast part of Navarre in Spain. It is a vast area and you can spend your whole day here. This desert has been declared by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. Here you will get to see various sculpted capricious forms due to soil erosion of its sandstone, clay and chalk. Visitors and tourists can ask the guide how to explore the place as you can get lost easily if you wander around by yourself. Besides, they are a few signposted routes to assist tourists and visitors. You can travel around by different means either by motor vehicles, by foot, on horseback or bicycle.

Bardenas Reales de Navarra

Address: Bardenas Reales, 31500 Navarre, Spain

Price: Free access but with some restrictions

Opening Hours: Might varies. Refer to website for details

Website: Bardenas Reales de Navarra

2. Sahara Desert (From 350.02 USD)

Sahara 3
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Wonker used under CC BY 2.0

This is one of the hottest deserts in the world and many tourists come here every year. Sahara Desert can’t be explored in one day, you need a few days to really enjoy the camel ride plus the scenic desert view. Be a nomad for 5 days and you will get a memorable experience. You will start your journey from your hotel in Marrakech and travel by a land cruiser.

Now imagine yourself riding a camel just like a nomad. It is a wonderful yet unforgettable experience. You will travel through both the desert and High Atlas Mountains during your stay here. Embark on this adventurous trip and you will get to see it for yourself.

Sahara Desert

Address: Marrakech, Morocco

Price: From 350.02 USD

Duration: Around 5 days

Website:

3. Rub’ al Khali (from USD 843.0)

Rub al Khali 002
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Nepenthes used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Fancy a self-drive tour along a desert? Just book a trip to Dubai and explore Rub’ al Khali. You will start from your Dubai hotel and will be given a briefing by your professional guide. You need to pack light if possible and wear light clothing due to its extremely hot weather. You can opt for either a 1 or 2-night tour. Since it is a guided tour, you need to adhere to the instructions of your professional guide and not explore the desert on your own on 4WD. You must follow the group. Be prepared to explore the UAE desert with a Jeep Wrangler.

Dubai Multi-Day Self-Drive 4x4 Desert Safari and Camping Tour

Duration: 1 day

17 reviews

4. Namib Desert (Starts from 504.13 USD)

Namib Desert Namibia(2)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Thomas Schoch used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Namib Desert is not just popular among the locals, but tourists from other countries. Located in Namibia, this is another majestic desert for you to explore. It is quite different from other deserts as it is near the ocean. Namib means “vast place” and originated from Nama language. It stretches over 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) of land across the South Africa, Angola and Namibia coasts. Get ready for an adventure to Namibia Sossusvlei Desert. You will be picked up from your hotel from Windhoek by your tour guide. Then, straight to the desert from Windhoek.

During your excursion here, you will visit the mountain pass of Kuiseb or Spreetshoogte, stay for 2 nights at Namib-Naukluft National Park, get to see Sesriem Canyon and Tsauchab River Valley, as well as the dunes of Deadvlei and Sossusvlei. You can also opt for lodge accommodation or safari camp during your 2 nights in the national park. Africa is not just about animal safaris, there is a desert worth visiting too. It is none other than the Namib Desert.

Namib Desert

Address: Windhoek, Namibia

Price: Starts from 504.13 USD

Duration: 3 days, 2 nights

Website:

5. Gobi Desert (from USD 1.0)

Gobi Desert
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user [Unknown] used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Want to be a nomad? Travel like a Mongolian? Then Gobi Desert is the ideal place for you. Embark on a 4 day tour of Gobi Desert. You will be picked up from your Ulaanbaatar hotel. This desert was home to various dinosaurs in the past. From sand dunes to camel rides, it is another brand new tour experience for visitors. Booking is required if you plan to come here.

4-Day Mongolia Gobi Desert Tour

Duration: 4 days

9 reviews

6. Negev Desert (from 525 USD)

Israel-2013-Ein Avdat 02
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Godot13 used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Did you know that in Israel there is also a desert? Yes, there is and none other than Negev Desert. Get ready to travel around the Negev Desert via a jeep. The tour will start from Mitspe Ramon town center and will take about 3 days to complete. Here you will get close with the native wildlife. Apart from that, you will also climb Mt. Karkom and visit Ramon Crater. Do not wait, this is the time to travel to Israel.

Negev Desert

Address: Mitzpe Ramon, Israel

Price: from 525 USD

Duration: Around 3 days

Website:

7. Antartic Desert

Antarctica 2013 Journey to the Crystal Desert (8369552635)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Christopher Michel used under CC BY 2.0

Among all the deserts in the world, Antarctic Desert is the least travelled destination by tourists and visitors. This is due to its location in Antarctica, its temperature and terrain. Antarctica is a favorite place for scientists, explorers and environmental organizations from across the globe to conduct their research, collect specimens, etc. Do not worry as you can book a trip there and enjoy your tour through White Desert. White Desert is the only tour provider in the world to offer such services for visitors and tourists. You just need to be willing to pay, as traveling to Antarctica is not cheap. Get ready to experience luxury tours.

There are three different tour package to choose from. You need to decide which you want to book. From the Greatest Day tour to Emperors and South Pole tour, each is unique in a way. For starters, book yourself the Greatest Day tour. While on the tour you will be accompanied by professional guides as well as a chef to make you feel comfortable. Imagine yourself in Antarctica now, exploring the icy caves, getting close to polar bears and penguins. It is an enjoyable experience like never before.

Antarctic Desert

Address: Antarctica

Price: Depending on the tours you choose. Kindly refer website. Booking required

Duration: Between 1 day to 8 days

Website: White Desert

8. Atacama Desert (From 590.69 USD)

Snow Comes to the Atacama Desert
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user ESO/S. Guisard used under CC BY 4.0

Time to travel to Chile and uncover the wonders of Atacama Desert. The desert is located on the west side of the Andes Mountains and covers an area of 1,000 kilometers (600 miles). This is one recommended tour you should book and it offers you an exciting excursion of Atacama Desert while on your vacation. Upon arrival at your airport, a local guide will pick you up and you will depart to your destination. If you can’t speak Spanish, do not fret as you will get a professional guide that speaks fluent English.

Regarding your stay during the short excursion, you can either opt for a four star or three star hotel. Embark on an exciting trip to Chile and during your 4 days you will get to enjoy the sunrise at Geysers del Tatio, a scenic drive to Salt Mountain, visit the lagoons of Miscanti and Menique as well as take pictures and watch flamingos nesting at the Atacama Salt Flat. It is a truly enchanting view and you will definitely want to visit it. Book your trip and head over to this charming place.

Atacama Desert

Address: Calama, Chile

Price: From 590.69 USD

Duration: around 4 days

Website:

9. Mojave Desert (From 204.99 USD)

Mojave Desert at Dusk (8752735982)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Rennett Stowe used under CC BY 2.0

This is one of the top tourist attractions in the world. Therefore, do not miss this opportunity to visit both the Mojave Desert and the Grand Canyon. You will be picked up from selected Las Vegas hotels by your tour guide and returned back to your accommodation at the end of the tour. Among the attractions are Joshua Tree Forest, Grand Canyon National Park and Hoover Dam, and the tour also includes lunch. Experience it all first class!

Mojave Desert

Address: Las Vegas, Nevada

Price: From 204.99 USD

Duration: around 9 hours

Website:

10. Thar Desert (from USD 173.0)

Thar desert Rajasthan India
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user sushmita balasubr... used under CC BY 2.0

The Great Indian Desert, also known as Thar Desert, is a place you must explore if you are planning a vacation to India or Pakistan. It extends over an area of around 320,000 kilometers (1,988 miles) in India. The closest state is Rajasthan. Although it is a desert, there are flora and fauna surrounding the area. Normally, whenever desert come across our minds, we only think of camels and cactus, but it is more than that. Be ready to experience a private tour across Thar Desert. There are many attractions to discover around the desert and you must experience it first-hand. If you plan a trip here, this is a recommended tour for you but do not forget to book in advance.

A tour guide will fetch you from your hotel at 9am and bring you to another hotel for check-in. During the three day tour, you will visit the famed havelis in Jaisalmer, sand dunes, the Golden Fort as well as Gadi Sagar Lake. A visit to a desert is not complete without a camel ride. You will get to hop on a camel and camp out during the night in the desert. Did you know that Thar Desert was a filming location for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel? Even a couple of Bollywood movies were also filmed here. Plan a trip to Thar Desert for your coming holidays.

3-Day Private Tour of Jaisalmer with Desert Camp Experience

Duration: 3 days

7 reviews

Awesome nomad experiences await

The deserts around the world are worth a visit once in a lifetime. After all, you have seen them in National Geographic, blockbuster movies like Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy and many more. Days of exploring the deserts will broaden one’s horizons. Time to pack your backpack and book a tour to explore the wonders of the deserts across all continents.

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Adrian, originally hailing from the small town of Muar in Johor, Malaysia, was born and raised there. Following his parents' marriage, he made the transition to Kuala Lumpur and now resides in...Read more

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