Fourteen days and thirteen nights, round trip from Nouakchott, for the great classic of the Mauritanian Sahara: a camel trek through the dunes, oases and plateaus of the Adrar. From Chinguetti, traditionally counted as the seventh holy city of Islam, we walk for eleven days with camels and experienced camel drivers: the white erg and the plateau of Mount Zarga, the palm groves of M'Haïret and El Gleittat, the canyons and springs of Terjit, the sandy Tivoujar Pass and the crossing of the Erg Amatlich, finishing at the foot of the great dune of Azoueiga. Route: Nouakchott – Atar – Amogjar Pass (Fort Saganne) – Chinguetti – Mount Zarga – Tichilit – Irat – M'Haïret – Ichif – Tourvine Pass – Terjit – Tezent Pass – Gatara cave – White Valley – Tivoujar Pass – N'Drenaya well – El Hammam oued – El Gleittat – Erg Amatlich – Azoueiga – Nouakchott. 4x4 transfers at the start and end of the trek; in between, walking with the camel caravan at a pace accessible to any regular walker. Accommodation: auberge or palm grove in Chinguetti, then bivouacs under tents or under the stars, with a cook and full board (water included) for the whole journey. Depending on the season, encounters with nomad families and their white tents around endless glasses of mint tea. Highlights: Chinguetti and its manuscript libraries · the white erg of Zarga · the M'Haïret palm grove and its tikitt huts · swimming at the Terjit spring · the sandy Tivoujar Pass · crossing the Erg Amatlich · a last night at the foot of the Azoueiga dune.
Itinerary
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1
Nouakchott to Chinguetti via the Amogjar Pass
Chinguetti →Departure from Nouakchott by 4x4 heading north, passing through Oum Tounsi, El Asma and Akjoujt, then Aïn Ehel Taya before reaching Atar, gateway to the Adrar. We continue over the spectacular Amogjar Pass, passing Agrour with a stop at Fort Saganne — the mud-brick fort built for the famous film of the same name — before arriving at the "citadel of silence", Chinguetti.
Dinner and overnight: auberge or the Chinguetti palm grove.
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2
Chinguetti, Seventh Holy City of Islam
Chinguetti →A full day to explore Chinguetti, traditionally counted as the seventh holy city of Islam: the ancient mosque with its dry-stone minaret, the sandy alleys of the old ksar, and the small family libraries that still preserve manuscripts centuries old.
In the afternoon we meet our camel drivers and their camels and make the final preparations for the trek. Overnight: auberge or the Chinguetti palm grove.
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3
The Trek Begins along the Chinguetti Oued
Chinguetti →The trek begins! We walk east along the Chinguetti oued towards Mount Zarga, at the unhurried pace of the camels carrying the luggage. Lunch on the way, in the shade. Depending on the season, we meet nomads and their beautiful white tents — an opportunity to share tea with them, three glasses as custom requires.
First bivouac in the middle of the dunes, under a sky bursting with stars.
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4
The White Erg and the Zarga Plateau
A day like no other: we cross an erg of white sand and then a sandstone plateau where the silence is total, barely broken by the soft footfall of the camels. Lunch on the way under the trees, nomad-style, then the walk continues towards the mountain.
Bivouac near Mount Zarga.
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5
Mount Zarga and Tichilit Oueneni
We continue our walk towards Mount Zarga. A passage through a fault in the rock brings us up onto the plateau overlooking the dunes — a breathtaking panorama over the sea of sand. Lunch at the foot of Mount Zarga.
In the afternoon the trek continues through rock and sand, skirting the mountain, until we reach the surroundings of Tichilit Oueneni, where a superb landscape awaits us. Night in bivouac.
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6
Through the Dunes to the Irat Oued
Very early departure through the dunes of Mount Zarga towards the village of Irat, walking in the cool hours of the morning. We cross ridges of sand as well as a few small cliffs before reaching the Irat oued, which shares its name with the village.
Night in bivouac near the nomad camp of Irat.
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7
Irat to the Ichif Dunes via the M'Haïret Palm Grove
One of the most beautiful stages of the trek. We leave the Irat oued in the morning heading east through the dunes, meeting nomads and camel drivers along the way and discovering a surprisingly rich and varied flora. We gradually descend towards the palm grove of M'Haïret, one of the largest in the Adrar, its edges lined with banco houses and the astonishing tikitt — ogival huts made of palm leaves. The village is quiet and sparsely inhabited except during the guetna, the date harvest, which generally takes place in July and August.
Lunch under the palm trees of M'Haïret, then we climb a pass to reach our bivouac in the heart of the Ichif dunes.
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8
The Tourvine Pass and the Terjit Oasis
Terjit Oasis →This stage leads us to the Tourvine Pass, nestled in the heart of impressive canyons of the Adrar plateau. We come down to Terjit, the most famous oasis in Mauritania: lunch at the spring under the towering palm trees, with time for a swim in the natural pools that flow from the cliffside.
In the late afternoon we walk back out into the sand. Bivouac in the dunes.
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9
The Canyons of Terjit and the Tezent Pass
From the Tourvine Pass we head towards the Tezent Pass, crossing a maze of canyons carved into the sandstone. On the way we visit the cave of Gatara and its cool shade before setting up camp for the evening.
Bivouac on the great dune, facing the sunset.
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10
The White Valley and the Tivoujar Pass
Departure towards the White Valley. We cross the village of Tentemdje and take lunch under the trees, then follow the El Abiod oued — the "white oued", as its name says — up to the Tivoujar Pass, the only sandy pass in the region. The climb up superb dunes takes us to the top, where a magnificent panorama opens over the whole El Abiod valley.
Bivouac at the very top of the pass.
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11
Tivoujar to the El Hammam Oued
A short break at the spring to observe the "marmots" — the small rock-dwelling rodents that the local guides call by that name — then we continue towards the well of N'Drenaya, a meeting point for the herds. Lunch under the trees and continuation towards the El Hammam oued.
Bivouac in the oued.
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12
El Hammam to the Erg Amatlich
Erg Amatlich →Departure along the oued towards the village of El Gleittat. Lunch in the palm grove, in the shade of the date palms, then the trek continues west towards the Erg Amatlich, the long ribbon of golden dunes stretching as far as the eye can see.
Bivouac at the Erg Amatlich.
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13
Crossing the Amatlich towards Azoueiga
The Great Dune of Azoueïga →Early departure to cross the Amatlich dune belt towards Erich, walking while the sand is still cool. We then head up to the southwest towards Azoueiga and its great dune, the site of our last bivouac — a farewell worthy of the Sahara, at the foot of the giant dune that gave our agency its name.
Bivouac at Azoueiga.
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14
Azoueiga to Nouakchott
Nouakchott →After one last desert breakfast, departure by 4x4 for the transfer back to Nouakchott, with lunch on the way. Arrival in Nouakchott at the end of the day and end of the program — after fourteen days, more than ten of them on foot with the camels, through the finest landscapes of the Adrar.
Price includes
- The 4x4 transfers Nouakchott–Chinguetti and Azoueiga–Nouakchott; camels and experienced camel drivers throughout the trek; a local guide and a cook for the whole journey; full-board accommodation (auberge, bivouac under tents or under the stars); and drinking water throughout the journey.
Not included
- International flights and visa (visa on arrival available at the airport); travel insurance (mandatory); personal expenses and souvenirs; personal equipment — sleeping bag and warm clothing for the cool desert nights, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat or cheche (turban scarf), comfortable walking shoes, personal medications and a small first-aid kit, headlamp and power bank (no electricity during the trek), and swimwear for the Terjit spring; and tips for the team — guide, cook and camel drivers: not included, left to your discretion and always warmly appreciated.
