Sahara Traverse Mauritania
9 Days
Min 7 max 12
€1599/pp
The Trip
In Northwest Africa in the Mauritanian heart of the Sahara, the urban and infrastructural world gives way to the silent desert landscape, a million stars and many more grains of sand. There is no hurry here, as life is guided by the rhythms of nature. Here you won’t find mass tourism, but itinerant nomads who move from spring to spring and from oasis to oasis with their homes and camels. We go in search of the wild roots of the Sahara and make a traverse on foot.
Together as a caravan with the desert nomads and their camels, we travel from the historic city of Chinguetti, which was once an important center of Islamic teachings, across the desert. Through endless sand dunes, ridges and oases. Through ancient caravan towns half buried under the dunes where manuscripts survive time. Along the way we bivouac in the wild, sometimes near a nomad camp, sometimes in the middle of “nothingness. Raw and serene.
The days are filled with exercise and encounters with people living in harmony with the extreme climate. The nights are filled with campfires, tea and stargazing. As time slows down and the routine of Western life slowly disappears, space is created that fills with the emptiness of the desert, the simplicity of simple living and a whole lot of wonder. Our nomad guides share their knowledge and for those who pay close attention, the desert is surprisingly alive. An experience hard to find anywhere else. Welcome to Mauritania.
5.0 (60 reviews)
Theme and levels
The theme of this trip is Wild Roots: a trip to a place where nature and culture are inseparable. We will live like and with the Bedouins. We will trek through the desert and hike about six to 10 hours daily. Sometimes plodding through sand, scrambling over rocks or maneuvering through gorges. Good basic fitness and experience with distance hiking in hilly terrain is desirable. Experience with (wild) camping or Wild Human trip is a plus, but not necessary.
Impression
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Experiences
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Practical
Cost
Costs include:
8 nights’ accommodation in nomadic tents and guesthouses
breakfast lunch and evening meals
use of Rewild group camping equipment
local nomadic guides and camels
Rewild Mountain Leader and wilderness guide
transportation on site
24-hour back up support from the Netherlands
Not included are any personal expenses such as drinks at catering establishments, your flight to Nouakchott, a visa and travel insurance. We recommend taking out this at the NKBV.
Travel guarantee and booking
The departure of this trip is guaranteed from 7 people. A maximum of 12 people can join the trip. This trip is a package tour and to comply with the legally required guarantee on package tours, Rewild uses the guarantee of VZR Garant. You can find the conditions of this guarantee scheme on the website of VZR Garant.
Insurance
To participate in Rewild trips, you must be insured for activities in mountainous areas off the beaten track. You can inquire about this with your current insurance company or purchase travel insurance from the Dutch Climbing and Mountaineering Association.
Conditions of participation
By participating in a Rewild trip, you accept the general travel conditions, as found at the bottom of the website. The cancellation policy is also explained here.
Packing List
Travel Program
Day 1
Travel day and arrival in Nouakchott
The journey begins in the capital of Mauritania, where the desert meets the Atlantic Ocean. We will be picked up at the airport and spend the night not in an anonymous city hotel, but in a simple and traditional guesthouse – a place with character, stories and local charm. Your body may have yet to land, but your senses are already on the journey.
Day 2
Walking to the holy city
With the first sunlight, we leave the city by 4×4 and head inland. The road slowly turns into sand and silence. Not far from Chinguetti, we get off for a hike of several hours, entering this legendary city through the desert. Chinguetti is a city of sandstone and memories – once a vibrant center of Islamic scholarship. We explore the narrow alleys, the ancient library with calligraphic manuscripts and the ancient mosque that seems to rise out of the dunes. We spend the night in a traditional inn within the old city walls.
Day 3
Start of the desert trek
Even before sunrise, we drink tea on the roof of our auberge as the city slowly emerges from darkness. Then we meet our local team: the camel drivers and their dromedaries, who carry our luggage and food, after which the trek begins. Gently rolling dunes, interspersed with acacias and weathered rock outcroppings, accompany us on our first footsteps. About six hours we trek today, with a long lunch break in the shade. We sleep in the sand, under a sky full of stars, surrounded by the crackling fire and nomadic stories.
Day 4
In the rhythm
We walk toward the high dunes of Lemkhaleg. The sun shimmers, the sand changes color. Your body is in motion, your head becomes still. We follow the contours of the land, greet a shepherd in the distance, find water at a deep well. Once again we sleep in the wild.
Day 5
Across the Sahara
We trek to Zarga, where we climb up through a crevasse to a view that only the desert can give us: rolling dunes to the horizon under a deep blue sky. Down below, among the rocks, shade and lunch await. Our route winds around the massif and leads us to a new bivouac at Tichilit.
Day 6
Toward the nomadic region
After breakfast, we resume the trek. Through the Zarga dunes, we reach the bed of the Oued Irat. Here we may meet a nomadic family, who are roaming this area. Depending on the moment, we may camp with them or next to them, in a place where man, animals and landscape are still in balance.
Day 7
Wonder Tour
Today we walk along Oued Irat, where there is a surprising amount of life. Low bushes, palms, flowering greenery – a vivid contrast to the sand. At the M’Haireth oasis, we cross a rougher section to Ichif: a dune landscape that seems to dance in the evening light. We set up camp among the dunes. A camp as the desert intended: quiet, simple and grand at the same time.
Day 8
The reward
We trek through narrow mountain passes to the famous oasis of Tergit. After days of sand and dust, running water here feels like magic. We rest under date palms, have lunch at a local auberge, and enjoy the contrast between arid and green, dry and flowing. Then we are picked up by 4×4 and return to Atar for a final night at a traditional inn.
Day 9
Travel Day
We drive back to Nouakchott, having lunch on the beach along the way. Sand gives way to sea, and city sounds. In the evening, we say goodbye to the desert. What remains: dust in your shoes and fond memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about our trips, practicalities or our story? In these frequently asked questions, you’ll find the answers quickly and easily.
How do I book a trip on your website?
Simply find your destination, choose your dates and follow the steps to complete your booking. You will receive the confirmation by e-mail.
Can I cancel or change my booking?
Yes, cancellation is possible according to our terms and conditions: up to 8 weeks before departure you pay only the deposit, after that increasing costs apply up to 100% just before departure.
Do you offer travel insurance?
No, we do not offer travel insurance ourselves. We recommend mountaineering insurance through the NKBV.
Are there any hidden fees or service charges?
No, there are no hidden costs. All unavoidable additional costs are clearly stated in advance in the travel price.
Do you also rent equipment or materials?
Yes, some of the required equipment is available for rent on our trips. We offer these rental options during the booking process. There you can see exactly what gear is available and add it directly to your booking. That way you don’t have to arrange this separately in advance.
What payment methods do you accept?
You can pay with us easily and safely via iDEAL and Bancontact. It is also possible to pay by bank transfer. All payments go through our secure booking system Bookinglayer.
