Sand Dunes are some of the nature’s most amazing creations on the planet. These spectacular sand masses are found around the world in varying climatic conditions. They can be found not just in deserts, but any landscape on Earth. Every sand dune is created by the interaction of the wind with soil in the form of grains of sand. Thrill seekers can explore the dunes in several ways; be it a hop aboard on a buggy for a roller coaster-esque ride, sliding down the dunes, and bird watching in wetlands, sand boarding, skiing or just sledding on the sand slopes. Here are some amazing sand dunes around the globe.
Cerro Blanco
Brilliantly called as ‘The Everest of the desert and the Mother of all dunes’, Cerro Blanco, located between the coasts and the high Andes, is the highest sand dune in the world. This monster-sized sand pile rises 3,860 feet into the air and sometimes clouds. On reaching the summit of Cerro Blanco, feels like you are on the top of the World! Trekking through the Andean slopes is indeed a wonderful ride, full of adrenaline that offers not just fun, but a memory for a lifetime.
Grand Erg Oriental
Acquiring a portion of the vast Sahara Desert, Grand Erg Oriental (Grand Eastern Sand Sea) is one of the largest sand dune seas in the world. The tallest dunes of this erg are almost 320m high and this region receives less than 25 cm of rainfall per year. Even a brief walk into this surreal landscape will leave the visitors in awe.
Cerro Medanoso
The second tallest dune in the world, Cerro Medanoso, lies in one of the driest places on Earth, the Atacama Desert, Chile. With an average height of 550 meters, this massive dune will inspire your wonderment.
The Great Dune of Pyla
Lot of sand, what an amazing aerial view! The Great Dune of Pyla otherwise known as Pilat is massive and Europe’s highest found near Aquitaine in France. Interestingly, the dune is relentlessly moving. The unexpected location and beauty make it a famous tourist spot with more than a million visitors per year.
Mingsha Shan
‘Echoing sand mountain’, Mingsha Shan in China’s Taklamakan Desert is famous for the phenomenon of singing sand. The desert which stretches over 1,30,116 sq.miles is one of the largest shifting sand deserts on Earth. The surface of the sand acts as a loudspeaker, transmitting sound through the air.
Badain Jaran
Yet another amazing singing dune, Badain Jaran sand mass of China whistles, sings or even booms. Booming dunes are silent in the wintertime when moisture from precipitation is retained in the dune. In the summer time when the larger dunes produce their music, the smaller dunes in the dune field remain silent. 1,640 feet high Badain is the world’s tallest set of stationary dunes.
Great Sand Dune National Park
The famous dunes at Great Sand Dune National Park in Southern Colorado are constantly changing shape and are still steadily growing. The dune growing vertically is now the tallest (750 feet) of this kind in North America.
Big Daddy Dune
A sand dune giant, Big Daddy Dune, holds around five-million-year old sand and is one of the tallest dunes in Sossusvlei, Namibia. As the name says it is a ‘Big Daddy’, among all the dunes around the world. Reaching up to a height of 300 meters, it looks like the marvelous Eiffel Tower of Paris.
Erg Chebbi Dunes
Erg Chebbi, the only Sharan erg in Morocco is a flat area of desert 22km long and 5km wide. The dunes reaching a maximum height of 150m can truly be captivated by its fascinating beauty.
For those who need to crave sand, these awe-inspiring natural wonders are sure to offer some unlimited sand boarding.
