Luxury travel used to mean staying in opulent places. Today it means something different entirely. I’m just back from the greatest luxury of all: Space, silence, and solitude in a place of extreme natural beauty. In a world filled with tourist destinations spoiled by crowds and overbuilding, it seems like the ultimate luxury to have sunrise, sunset, and unobstructed panoramic views all to yourself.

That’s what I had. In the Sahara Desert. I hopped a helicopter from Marrakech to what is probably the most remote part of Morocco. There was nothing but empty sand dunes for as far as the eye could see…and for many miles beyond that. Three friends and I were the only people to land in the desert encampment there and live out our Lawrence of Arabia fantasies for a night. (That’s besides the staff who set up our tents, prepared our meals, and carried our bags but otherwise remained out of sight behind a dune.)

The best way to hire a chopper to land you in a remote part of the Sahara changes from year to year, and some desert camps are a lot more luxurious and atmospheric than others. For up-to-date advice, write to Ask Wendy.