Uncover a true mystery at the Barchan Dunes

Travelers in Tanzania may think they are seeing things upon visiting the eerie Barchan Dunes.

Not to worry, though: These sands have been moving for many hundreds of years, yet remain somewhat of a mystery.

Also called the Shifting Sands, the Barchan Dunes are found in the Ngorongoro region and are made up of magnetic sands. Shaped like a large crescent, the dunes migrate approximately 55-plus feet per year, yet in a very alarming fashion. As the winds pick up, the sands create a low moan and begin to blow off the edge of the dune, only to sharply turn once again and swing back, like a boomerang, toward the dune.

The sands, which have been moving for an estimated 3 million years, are a sacred spot for the local Masaai people. For those who visit the dunes, it is hard not to be viscerally moved. That is, if you can find it. As the locals know, the dunes can prove difficult to find, as they are continually on the move.