Any place lacking vegetation can be considered a desert. However, the classical type of desert is the sea of sand. There are only very small areas in Northern America covered with pure sand. One of these places is Yuma desert in the deep south of California. Large seas of sand without any vegetation can be found in the Sahara. The Namib and in the Takla Makan deserts also contain sandseas. Sand dunes are always chaniging. Therefore this kind of landscape has its own attraction. Light plays an important role when enjoying sandy deserts. Contours of shade and illumination draw fascinating impressions.

High sand dunes along the Silk Road near Dunhuang, China.

May be you think this picture originates from Sahara. Totally wrong. This is Yuma desert in the deep south of California! By the way, most of Sahara is not covered with sand dunes. Sand dunes form near rivers crossing a desert or within depressions as sedimentation of wind driven grains.

Another impression of sand while awaiting sunset.