Cross the border into Mauritania, climb giant dunes, sleep in UNESCO cities… and ride the longest train on Earth. An overland adventure like no other: starting from Dakhla, you'll cross into Mauritania, journey deep into the Sahara through legendary caravan cities, and cap it all off with the wildest night of your life — riding atop the iron ore train across the desert! Trip highlights: climb the Great Dune of Azoueiga and camp at its foot · swim in a natural Saharan oasis · Chinguetti's ancient libraries and old town (UNESCO World Heritage) · guided tour of the ruins of Ouadane (UNESCO World Heritage) · a night riding atop the legendary iron ore train · Nouadhibou and the Cape Blanco peninsula on the Atlantic coast · authentic desert camping in our own local tents.
Itinerary
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1
Arrival in Dakhla — The Adventure Begins
Welcome to Dakhla! Upon arrival, make your own way from the airport to your chosen accommodation and enjoy a relaxed evening in this laid-back coastal city — your last night in Morocco before the Sahara swallows the horizon.
Important: You'll need to be up early tomorrow to catch the Supratours bus heading south toward the Mauritanian border. If needed, we will do our best to arrange a local contact in Dakhla to assist you.
Overnight: Dakhla — accommodation and transport on Day 1 not included (booked by yourself).
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2
Border Crossing & the Road to Nouadhibou
Nouadhibou →An early start! You board the Supratours bus and ride south to the Moroccan side of the border, where the exit formalities are straightforward and easy to complete on your own.
The moment you're through, our system kicks in:
- A taxi arranged by us will be waiting to bring you across to the Mauritanian side
- Your guide will be waiting for you in person and will handle all the entry formalities for you — the only thing you pay for is your visa
- Once the paperwork is done, our local team and 4x4s will be ready and waiting
We hit the road together and drive to Nouadhibou, Mauritania's northern port city, for our first night as a crew.
Overnight: Nouadhibou.
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3
The Great Dune of Azoueiga — Into the Sahara
The Great Dune of Azoueïga →In the morning, our convoy of 4x4s sets off for the first time directly into the Sahara Desert, making a beeline for the Great Dune of Azoueiga — a giant of golden sand rising out of the endless desert plain.
The challenge of the day: climb it! Step by step up the soft sand, until you reach the summit and a 360° panorama over a sea of dunes that stretches to the horizon. As the sun sets, the desert glows in shades of orange and red.
We set up camp nearby in our own local tents: a traditional dinner around the fire, then a night under a sky bursting with stars.
Overnight: desert camp near the Dune of Azoueiga (our local tents).
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4
Oasis Swim & the Disappearing City of Chinguetti (UNESCO)
Chinguetti →After a hearty breakfast, we continue our journey through the Sahara — and today comes with a surprise you'd never expect in the desert: the chance to swim in a natural oasis! Cool, clear spring water surrounded by palm trees — pure magic.
After lunch, we continue on to the ancient caravan town of Chinguetti, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the seventh holy city of Islam. Its stone alleyways, ancient mosque, and centuries-old manuscript libraries stand in a quiet battle against the advancing sands — which is why it's known as "the disappearing city."
Overnight: guest house / auberge in Chinguetti.
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5
The Ruins of Ouadane (UNESCO) — Deeper into the Desert
Ouadane →We wake up in Chinguetti, enjoy breakfast, and visit one of its famous ancient libraries, where rare manuscripts — some many centuries old — are still preserved by the families who guard them.
Then we set off across the desert to another ancient city lost in the midst of the Sahara — and another UNESCO World Heritage Site: Ouadane. A guided tour takes us through its dramatic stone ruins, cascading down the hillside — silent witnesses of the golden age of the salt and gold caravans.
As evening falls, we set up camp nearby in our local tents for one more unforgettable desert night.
Overnight: desert camp near Ouadane (our local tents).
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6
Riding the Iron Ore Train Across the Sahara
The Desert Train and Choum Station →The big moment is here! Today we head to the small desert town of Choum, where we'll board the legendary iron ore train — one of the longest trains in the world, stretching over two kilometers.
We wait patiently in a comfortable space until the distant rumble announces its arrival. Then it's time: we climb atop an iron ore carriage and get settled in for a crazy night under the stars, rolling through the Sahara Desert toward the Atlantic coast. Raw, wild, unforgettable — this is the ride adventurers around the world dream of.
Overnight: aboard the iron ore train (the great adventure night!).
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7
Exploring Nouadhibou — Where the Desert Meets the Ocean
Nouadhibou →We roll into Nouadhibou in the morning after our epic night on the train — time to freshen up, then discover this fascinating port city.
Nouadhibou sits on the Cape Blanco (Ras Nouadhibou) peninsula, facing a protective bay on the Atlantic coast. Long a major fishing centre, its economy transformed after 1964 with the completion of a special ore pier and the 704 km railway to the Iron Mountains near Zouérat and Fdérik — the very line we just rode! Today the port's main role is exporting high-grade iron ore to Europe and the United States.
Tonight, a real bed and a hot shower await!
Overnight: hotel in Nouadhibou.
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8
The Great Return — Nouadhibou to Dakhla
Nouadhibou →After breakfast, we arrange your transport back to the border. The crossing works just like on the way down — the same simple steps in reverse — and then you're back on the road to Dakhla, carrying a head full of desert memories and stories very few travelers can tell.
Until the next adventure!
Price includes
- From the border onward: our local team, 4x4s, drivers, guides, meals, camping equipment, and all overnights (camps, auberge, hotel) are taken care of. At the crossing: a taxi arranged by us brings you across to the Mauritanian side, and our guide is waiting for you in person to handle all the entry formalities for you.
Not included
- Day 1 in Dakhla: accommodation and transport are not included — you arrange your own night and catch the early Supratours bus; we can try to arrange local assistance in Dakhla if needed. On the Mauritanian side, you only pay for your visa.
