Western Sahara and Mauritania Wonders – PRIVATE DEPARTURES ONLY

Begin the day exploring Agadir, a city with deep Berber and Phoenician roots that has continuously evolved despite past destruction from earthquakes in 1731 and 1960. Visit Souk El Had, one of Morocco’s largest markets, where over 6,000 merchants offer a diverse selection of local goods and handicrafts.

Depart Agadir in 4×4 vehicles, following a scenic coastal route toward Tiznit before leaving the highway behind. Travel along a rugged stretch of the Atlantic coastline, weaving between cliffs and hidden coves. Stop in Legzira, known for its striking red rock formations and ocean-carved arches, for a traditional seafood lunch in a local fishing village.

Continue to Sidi Ifni, a former Spanish enclave until 1969, where remnants of its Hispano-Moresque architecture still dominate the landscape. Settle into your accommodation and take in the town’s unique blend of Moroccan and colonial influences before an evening at leisure. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Safa Hotel or similar

Begin your day in Guelmim, a historic caravan terminal that once thrived at the crossroads of trans-Saharan trade. Explore the medina, where ancient glass beads and goods from centuries of commerce still surface. If your journey aligns with market day, experience the vibrant livestock souk—a striking scene of colour, sound, and tradition. Nomadic shepherds, draped in flowing djellabas with indigo-dyed turbans, arrive from deep in the desert, some travelling from as far as Mauritania.

Venture off-road towards Ksar Tifnidilt, a remote hilltop fort overlooking the dry riverbed of the Ouadi Draa. This river once marked the boundary between French Morocco and Spanish Sahara, and the abandoned military outpost of Tifnidilt still looms over the landscape, a relic of colonial-era defences. The setting is cinematic, reminiscent of an old French Foreign Legion film, where time stands still.

As the day winds down, arrive at your accommodation, your base for the next two nights, where the vast desert unfolds at your doorstep. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Ksar Tafnidilt Hotel or similar

The Dra Estuary sits between sheer cliffs and the vast Atlantic. Along this rugged coastline, discover remote seasonal fishing camps—simple shelters perched on the cliffs or tucked into caves, where fishermen cast their lines into the endless blue.

Scattered throughout the landscape, abandoned colonial military posts stand as silent witnesses to a bygone era, their weathered facades blending into the dunes. Camels traverse the sandy expanse, a timeless scene against the ever-shifting horizon.

If the tide permits, travel along an untouched beach, a wild frontier where the rolling dunes meet the crashing waves. Veer inland, following the winding course of a dried riverbed through a vast canyon—the only passage between the desert, cliffs, and sea. As the sun sets, return to your hotel. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Ksar Tafnidilt Hotel or similar

Departing Tafnidilt this morning, traverse a striking expanse of dunes before entering the lands known as Western Sahara – a region long off-limits due to the conflict between the Front Polisario and Morocco.

Journey onwards to Naila Salt Lagoon, an otherworldly landscape where golden dunes stretch towards the Atlantic. This vast saltwater lake, spanning 100 square kilometres, is Morocco’s largest and a sanctuary for migratory birds. Up to 20,000 species find refuge here, including flamingos, cormorants, gulls, and herons. Glide across the emerald waters, flanked by ochre cliffs and endless sands, as local fishermen navigate the lagoon in traditional wooden boats. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Sahara Beach Hotel a Akhfenir or similar

This morning, journey through the rugged landscapes of the Seguia el Hamra before arriving in Smara, a town steeped in history and Saharawi resistance. Founded in 1898 by Sheikh Maa el Ainin, a revered religious and political leader from Oualata, Mauritania, Smara was built with the support of the Sultan of Morocco. Before its construction, the site served as a key caravanserai along trade routes to Mauritania. With funding, architects, and materials sent by the Sultan, Smara quickly became a major centre for nomads and traders linking the Maghreb with sub-Saharan Africa. In 1908, Sheikh Maa el Ainin declared Smara a holy town and called for jihad against French and Spanish colonisation. Unlike other towns in the region, established by Spanish settlers, Smara stands as the only Saharawi-founded city—an epicentre of resistance that has endured centuries of conflict.

Over the years, Smara has been the site of numerous battles, including attacks by French camel battalions in 1913 and the Spanish Foreign Legion in 1934. In 1973, the Polisario Front was founded here, further cementing Smara’s role in the ongoing struggle for Saharawi identity. Throughout its history, the town remained under the influence of Sheikh Maa el Ainin, whose political-religious leadership extended across vast Saharan territories, from southern Morocco to Mauritania, northern Mali, and southwestern Algeria. It is said he forged alliances with over 100 tribes through marriage, solidifying his influence across the desert.

Today, Smara is a small but lively town, home to a well-stocked market and remnants of its storied past, including the Hispano-Moresque colonial military quarters and the Zawiya Palace, built by Maa el Ainin from stone, featuring intricate white plaster bas-relief ceilings.

This evening, immerse yourself in Saharawi culture as you experience a traditional feast, accompanied by the rhythmic beats of women’s drumming—an authentic expression of the region’s enduring spirit. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Hotel Sahariano or similar

In Smara, meet up with your local guide—a nomad from a Sahrawi tribe—who will lead you on a true off-road desert expedition, navigating the vast and untamed landscapes of the former Western Sahara from north to south.

Over the next four days, traverse shifting dunes and remote desert tracks, encountering wells where the legendary Reguibat nomads bring their camels to drink. With a bit of luck, you may have the rare opportunity to meet these nomads, whose way of life has remained unchanged for generations. Explore an area rich in ancient petroglyphs, only recently uncovered and still under archaeological study—an extraordinary glimpse into the deep history of the Sahara.

For the next three nights, camp beneath the vast desert sky in spacious Moorish tents, complete with mattresses and carpets for comfort. Dinners will be prepared over the fire, blending fresh and preserved ingredients, as you embrace the raw beauty of the desert in one of the most isolated regions on earth. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Camping in Morish Tents (Bedding is airbeds on Moroccan mats)

Continue your journey towards the Atlantic, navigating ever-changing desert terrain before arriving in Dakhla. This remote peninsula is a place of striking natural beauty, where the Sahara meets the sea.

The Rio de Oro, a 40-kilometre-long inlet, carves through the landscape, framed by rugged cliffs and sweeping dunes. Here, the elements blend into a surreal palette—deep blue ocean, golden sands, emerald seaweed fields, and dark volcanic rock. A place of contrast and tranquillity, Dakhla is a fitting gateway to the final stretch of your desert expedition. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Hotel Buena Vista or similar

Begin the day driving along the Atlantic shoreline where waves lap against sweeping sand dunes. This stretch of coast reveals one of the region’s most unusual natural phenomena. During high tide, the ocean advances across the desert flats, transforming rocks and dunes into temporary islands and creating a shifting landscape shaped by wind and water.

Continue to Dakhla, founded in 1502 by Spanish navigators as Villa Cisneros. Today, this small coastal town balances fishing traditions with a growing international reputation. Visit the colourful fishing harbour, where wooden boats line the waterfront and the rhythm of daily maritime life unfolds.

Lunch will be served at a local oyster farm, with alternative meal options available.

Thanks to its unique position between the Atlantic Ocean and the protected lagoon, Dakhla is now recognised as one of the world’s leading kitesurfing destinations.

Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Hotel Buena Vista – Ocean View Room or similar

Travel south along the only open road that traces the dramatic meeting point between desert and ocean. The route follows a striking escarpment where Atlantic waves meet wind-sculpted sands. Along the way, a roadside marker indicates your position on the Tropic of Cancer.

Continue to the Moroccan military post at Guerguerat, the southernmost border crossing and the only open land corridor linking the Maghreb with sub-Saharan Africa. After exit formalities, proceed carefully through a short stretch of no-man’s land, where the frontier is little more than a theoretical line dividing sand from sand.

Complete entry procedures at the Mauritanian border post before continuing south to Nouadhibou.

Arrive in the evening and transfer to your hotel. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Hotel El Medina – Standard Room or similar

Depart Nouadhibou and travel inland toward the mining town of Akjoujt, where the paved road gradually gives way to desert tracks. Beyond Akjoujt, leave established routes behind and enter an off-road landscape of high dunes and open horizons.

To navigate the deep sand, tyre pressure will be reduced and traditional land navigation techniques employed, supported by GPS, maps, and compass. The terrain shifts between vast dune corridors and untouched geological formations.

Cross the Erg Amatlich dune basin, considered one of the most striking in Mauritania. The immensity of the Sahara here creates a profound sense of isolation. Along the way, discover traces of ancient human presence, including stone tools and pottery fragments scattered across the desert floor.

Occasional patches of grazing land reveal nomadic encampments, offering brief but meaningful encounters after the silence of the dunes.

By late afternoon, enter the Adrar massif, where valleys, escarpments, yellow sand seas, and dark volcanic rock peaks create a varied and dramatic landscape. Continue toward Chinguetti, arriving in the evening. (B,L,D)

Overnight – Sahara Hotel – Air-Conditioned Room or similar

Explore Chinguetti, one of the historic caravan towns of the Sahara and an important centre of Islamic scholarship. Walk through narrow sandy streets lined with stone and adobe structures that have endured for centuries.

Visit one of the traditional manuscript libraries that preserve ancient religious and scientific texts, reflecting the town’s intellectual legacy. The surrounding desert gradually presses against the old quarter, reinforcing the fragile balance between settlement and shifting sand.

Venture into the surrounding Adrar region, where remote oases and small adobe villages are set between cliffs and dunes. Date palms cluster around natural springs, sustaining life in an otherwise arid environment.

Return to Chinguetti in the afternoon. (B,L,D)

Overnight – La Gueila – Standard Room or similar

Spend the day exploring Chinguetti, long regarded as the jewel of Mauritania’s oases. Founded in the 13th century, this stone-built citadel once stood at the crossroads of major trans-Saharan caravan routes linking the Mediterranean world with sub-Saharan Africa.

Walk through the old quarter, where dry-stone houses, narrow sandy lanes, and fortified façades reflect centuries of adaptation to desert life. Visit one of the historic manuscript libraries, including the renowned Ould Habott collection, the largest private collection in Mauritania. These preserved medieval texts testify to Chinguetti’s role as a centre of scholarship and religious learning.

Continue through the palm groves of the oasis, where irrigated gardens form vivid green enclaves against chains of yellow dunes. The advancing sands press constantly against the western edge of town, a visible reminder of the ongoing struggle between settlement and desert.

Visit the main mosque and its iconic stone minaret, believed to be the second oldest continuously operating minaret in the Muslim world. Its simple square tower remains one of Mauritania’s most recognisable architectural symbols.

Return to your guesthouse in the late afternoon.(B,L,D)

Overnight – La Gueila – Standard Room or similar

Depart Chinguetti and follow a remote off-road route tracing the course of a dry ouadi. The journey leads across high dunes and through isolated pockets of vegetation where small hidden oases sustain life in the desert.

Arrive in Ouadane, one of the most remote settlements in Mauritania. Founded in 1147, the town once flourished as a key trans-Saharan caravan centre. Its stone houses, built along a rocky hillside, overlook vast desert plains. Although much of the old town now lies in ruins, parts remain inhabited, preserving a living link to its trading past.

In 1487, during the height of caravan commerce, the Portuguese established a fortified trading post in the region, marking the town’s strategic importance in Saharan trade networks.

Explore the atmospheric remains of the old ksar before returning to Chinguetti in the late afternoon.

Dinner and overnight at your guesthouse. (B,L,D)

Overnight – La Gueila – Standard Room or similar

Leave the main track and travel into a landscape of dramatic mountains, gorges, and canyons. Vast open spaces unfold beneath an expansive blue sky, the terrain shifting between ochre rock and pale sand.

At the horizon stand the ruins of Fort Saganne, constructed as a film set for the movie of the same name starring Gérard Depardieu and Catherine Deneuve.

Continue to the Agrour site at the top of the Amogjar Pass, where prehistoric rock art is hidden among the cliffs.

After a brief visit to the Atar market, proceed to Terjit, one of Mauritania’s most verdant oases. Walk through dense palm groves sheltered within a gorge, following a small stream that leads to a natural rock shelter where fresh spring water flows. The cool shade and greenery contrast sharply with the surrounding desert.

Transfer to your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Overnight  – Hotel Sahara – Air-Conditioned Room or similar

Travel from the desert toward the Atlantic coast, crossing the transitional landscapes that link the Sahara with sub-Saharan Africa.

In Nouakchott, visit the National Museum, which presents Mauritania’s history and culture through archaeological artefacts, traditional costumes, textiles, and exhibits spanning from prehistory to modern times. Displays include photographs from excavations at Aoudaghost, a major trading centre of the ancient Ghana Empire. From the 6th century onward, gold caravans departed Aoudaghost for North Africa, passing through towns such as Ouadane and Assa encountered during your Saharan journey.

Lunch will be served at a restaurant managed by women from Ivory Coast, offering an introduction to West African cuisine.

Continue to the Nouakchott fishing harbour, where hundreds of brightly painted pirogues line the beach. Fishermen, many from Senegal, bring in the daily catch amid wind and waves. Mauritania’s fishing industry processes more than 1.8 million tonnes of fish annually.

A day-use room will be available until 18:00.

Transfer to the airport for departure. (B,L)

Overnight  – Day Use Room – Nouakchott Hotel or similar