El Djouf

El Djouf is a vast desert region of the western Sahara, where dunes and stony plains stretch between distant oases. Water is scarce and vegetation sparse, making the crossing a demanding journey for people and animals. Caravans linking the southern Sahara with the Maghreb had to carry provisions and rely on guides familiar with wells and routes. The barrenness of the desert contrasts with the oasis towns and salt-producing settlements at its margins.