Total immersion in the Mauritanian desert: eight days of walking with a camel caravan, between dunes of white and pink sand, oases lost in the middle of the sands, two-tone mountains and bivouacs under the stars — at the peaceful pace of the caravan, from Chinguetti to the oases of the Adrar. Route: Chinguetti – Lagueila oasis – Mghalig dunes – heart of the Erg Ouarane – Zarga mountain – Dkhali-Lemeizin – Farès oasis – M'Haireth oasis – Ichif oued – Talhayat oued – Tourvine pass – Terjit. Departure possible from Atar (a 1½–2 h transfer to Chinguetti) or from Nouakchott (7½–8 h via the Ould Ebnou pass, with a possible detour to glimpse Fort Saganne) — the program adapts to your starting point. 3 to 5½ hours of walking per day on varied terrain (sand, dunes, reg, rocky plateaus), with no technical difficulty and moderate elevation changes (100–200 m per day) — accessible to any walker in good physical condition. You carry only your small daypack: the camels transport all luggage and equipment. Accommodation: 6 nights in tents bivouacking in the heart of the desert, 1 night in an auberge in Chinguetti, and 1 night in Atar or Nouakchott depending on the option chosen. Full board with a dedicated cook and the famous desert tea, unlimited. Best period: October to March — mild sunny days and cool nights. Guaranteed departure from 2 people, and the circuit can be privatized for families and groups. Picnic and bivouac spots are chosen by field criteria (water points, shade, shelter from the wind, pasture for the camels), so walking times and distances remain indicative. Highlights: the libraries and twelve mosques of Chinguetti · the lost oasis of Lagueila · the white and pink dunes of Mghalig · the 360° panorama from the top of the two-tone Zarga mountain · the oases of Farès and M'Haireth · the Tourvine pass and the Terjit oasis. Mauritania is not a destination... it's an experience that changes the way you see the world.
Itinerary
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1
Welcome at Atar or Nouakchott and the Road to Chinguetti
Chinguetti →Welcome by our team, then transfer to Chinguetti: from Atar through the spectacular passes of the Adrar (about 1½–2 h), or from Nouakchott via the Ould Ebnou pass (about 7½–8 h), with a possible detour to glimpse Fort Saganne.
On arrival, a visit of Chinguetti, the seventh city of Islam according to the Moors. It is home to no fewer than twelve mosques, fifteen Quranic universities and, above all, libraries filled with religious, philosophical, astronomical and mathematical works.
Accommodation: auberge. Meals included: lunch and dinner.
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2
Chinguetti to the Lagueila Oasis and the Mghalig Dunes
We meet the camel crew and load the luggage. And off we go... The caravan crosses the first dunes to the pearl of Lagueila, an oasis lost in the middle of the sands — our refuge for the midday picnic, lulled by the sound of the wind playing with the palm trees.
We then continue through the depressions and the white and pink sand dunes of Mghalig, to reach the first bivouac under the stars.
Distance: about 16–20 km · elevation: ±200 m · walking time: about 5–5½ h.
Accommodation: tent. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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3
From the Heart of the Erg Ouarane to the Gates of the Zarga Massif
Departure after breakfast and the famous desert tea, for a three-hour walk crossing two dune depressions to reach a zone of reg. Picnic and a well-deserved rest under the acacias.
After the gentle undulations of the dunes, the afternoon walk crosses a reg zone. Approaching the bivouac, not far from Dakhlite Ould Mohamed Lemine, we catch our first glimpse of the Zarga mountain, the famous "two-tone mountain" of the Adrar.
Distance: about 15–20 km · elevation: ±100 m · walking time: about 5 h.
Accommodation: tent. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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4
A 360° Panorama from the Top of the Zarga Mountain
The first steps of the morning take us out of the reg and up the Zarga mountain: a walk between the black of the rocks and the red-yellow of the sand. When playfulness meets contemplation, what a joy...
In the afternoon, the camel caravan threads its way between dunes and canyons to reach the bivouac of Dkhali-Lemeizin, at the foot of another rocky massif.
Distance: about 13–18 km · elevation: ±120 m · walking time: about 5 h.
Accommodation: tent. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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5
On the Moon — Rocky Plateaus and the Farès Oasis
Ascent of the Dkhali-Lemeizin mountain. The desert reclaims its rights on the plateau leading to the Farès oasis, where one can imagine the intense activity that must reign here during the guetna (the date harvest)!
The afternoon continues the exploration of the canyon before reaching the bivouac, in the heart of the dunes or inside the canyon, depending on the pasture for the camels.
Distance: about 13–18 km · elevation: ±120 m · walking time: about 5 h.
Accommodation: tent. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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6
The Beautiful and Welcoming Oasis of M'Haireth
This morning, we arrive on a plateau and dive into an ocean of palm trees. An oued then leads to the M'Haireth oasis, with a picnic at the guelta. The ochre rocks become more and more numerous — a feast of contrasts at sunset...
Bivouac in the Ichif oued.
Distance: about 13–18 km · elevation: ±100 m · walking time: about 5 h.
Accommodation: tent. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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7
The Talhayat Oued and Terjit — Return to Atar or Nouakchott
Terjit Oasis →This morning we leave the plateau toward the Tourvine pass: a superb panorama over the table plateaus and the deep passes typical of the Adrar. We descend toward Terjit, crossing the villages and canyons that punctuate the landscape, for the last picnic with our camel crew.
Discovery of the magnificent Terjit oasis, then we meet the 4x4s again: transfer to Atar (about 1½–2 h) and a night in an auberge, or to Nouakchott (about 4½–5 h) and a night at a hotel.
Distance: about 8–10 km · elevation: ±100 m · walking time: about 3–4 h.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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8
End of the Program — Atar or Nouakchott
From Atar: a visit to the Atar market and its colorful stalls, then the end of our services. From Nouakchott: free time to discover the capital (markets, seafront), then the end of our services.
Meals included: breakfast. Lunch and dinner on this day are free (not included).
Price includes
- Welcome and full assistance from Atar or Nouakchott; all 4x4 transfers mentioned in the program (out to Chinguetti and back from Terjit); an experienced, French-speaking camel guide who knows the region perfectly; the complete camel crew and pack camels to carry the luggage and equipment; a dedicated cook for the whole trek; full board during the circuit as indicated day by day (breakfasts, midday picnics, hot dinners at the bivouac) — except lunch and dinner on Day 8; the famous desert tea, prepared the Mauritanian way, unlimited; mineral and drinking water throughout the walk; collective bivouac equipment: tents, mattresses, kitchen equipment and dishes; the nights in an auberge (Chinguetti and Atar) or at a hotel (Nouakchott) depending on the option chosen; and the assistance of our local team throughout the stay.
Not included
- Travel to the starting point (Atar or Nouakchott) and from the end point; the Mauritanian visa — to be requested online before arrival (e-visa), and we can assist you with the process if needed; travel, cancellation and repatriation insurance (strongly recommended); your personal sleeping bag (essential — cool desert nights, especially from November to February); drinks other than water and tea; lunch and dinner on Day 8; personal expenses (souvenirs, crafts...); recommended personal equipment — broken-in walking shoes, cheche or scarf, sunglasses, sunscreen, headlamp, warm clothing for the evenings and a water bottle; tips for the local team (at your discretion, always appreciated); and anything not mentioned in "What's included".
