The yellow sand dunes stretch to infinity, whilst the scorching sun of the Sahel beats down on your head. You’re tired and you’re thirsty. You’ve been travelling for miles, searching for water. Yet nonetheless you are cautious. Nothing is as it seems in this land of smokescreens and mirrors. “Water! Water!” you begin to scream. No… even your imagination is playing tricks on you. But what if in the distance, past the undulating sand dunes, lay the waters of sand-locked lagoons and waterfalls surrounded by palm trees?
It is this vision of utopia, surrounded by barren wasteland that inspired me to catalogue some of the most incredible desert oases before they are devoured by the desert sands and become mirages themselves.
1. Huacachina Oasis
Huacachina is a small oasis town in the Ica region of southwest Peru. A legend says the lagoon was created when an inquisitive young hunter disturbed a beautiful princess bathing. She fled, leaving the pool of water behind which became the lagoon.
Ubari Lakes are part of Erg Awbari Oasis in the Sahara. Located near Fezzan and 30kms north of Germa in Libya, these salt water lakes are a central trading point for many locals, who gather at the edges of the lake selling souvenirs and other goods.
3. Turpan Oasis
Turpan is an oasis city in the Xinjiang Uygur Region in China. It is just 8km west of the ruined city of Jiaohe, a border garrison town destroyed by Genghis Khan during the Han dynasty.
4. Khar Nuur Oasis
This remote desert lake, fringed by sand dunes is located in Khar Nuur, Mongolia It’s a refreshing swimming spot for travelers who manage to venture into one of the world’s vast desert plains.
5. Maranhao Oasis
This wonderful desert lake is set within Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Maranhao, Brasil. Some of the lakes within the park are dotted with palm trees. This lonely lake, however, has one solitary dry branch decorating its banks.
6. Crescent Lake
Crescent Lake in China’s Gobi Desert sits on the edge of an ancient city that once saw traders embark on their journey along the Silk Road to the West.
7. Chebika Oasis
The beautiful oasis of Chebika in Tunisia is probably one that most people know about without realizing it. It is where Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was filmed.
8. Saharan oasis
This stunning image shows three men quenching their thirst at a small waterfall in the Saharan oasis of Timia, in Niger. It’s a picture perfect portrait of everyday oasis life for local desert dwellers.
9. Nahal David Oasis
Nahal David is a quiet oasis found near Bethlehem, Israel’s Palestinian West Bank. It’s certainly a far cry from the war-torn images often associated with that part of the world.
10. Tinerhir Oasis
This sprawling oasis is the village of Tinerhir, located at the foothills of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. Todra Gorge and oasis are about 14km away so travellers normally visit both oases on the one trip.
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