Discovering the Desert’s Hidden Gems: Adrar & Tagant
4x4 tour, duration 12 days
Immerse yourself in the heart of Mauritania’s two desert jewels with an exclusive expedition combining Adrar, renowned for its UNESCO-listed historical sites, and Tagant, a secret region of untouched landscapes. Between towering dunes, hidden oases, and authentic encounters, this journey reveals the true soul of the Sahara.
Itinerary: 
Arrival in Nouakchott
The Beginning of Your Mauritanian Adventure
Upon your arrival in Nouakchott, Mauritania’s bustling capital, our team will warmly welcome you at the airport. A private transfer will take you directly to your hotel, where you can settle in comfortably and relax after your journey.
Nouakchott, a port city nestled between the desert and the Atlantic Ocean, offers your first immersion into the country’s unique culture and atmosphere. This first night at the hotel will allow you to rest and prepare for the exciting adventures ahead.
A carefully curated welcome experience to start your trip in peace and serenity before discovering Mauritania’s natural and cultural wonders.
Nouakchott → Akjoujt → Erg Amatlich → Oasis d'Azouga
From the Mining Town to the Sand Kingdoms
Our adventure begins on the road to Akjoujt, a historic copper town with metallic landscapes, where rust-colored hills whisper tales of 3,000 years of mining history. Gradually, we leave civilization behind to embark on the Saharan track, speeding toward the golden vastness of Erg Amatlich and its wind-carved waves of sand.
A legendary arrival at the Azouga oasis, guarded by its great dune (120m), standing like a silent sentinel over the palm groves. Here, under nomadic tents pitched against the infinite horizon, we share the caravanners’ tea – three successive servings, as sweet as dawn, as strong as noon sun, as bitter as dusk – while stars flicker to life, one by one, above the erg.
Between Oases and Dunes: Amatlich, Echaïla, and the El Meddah Oasis
Your journey leads you to El Gleïtat oasis, then onward to El Meddah, Mauritania’s largest palm grove. Here, towering dunes dotted with palm trees mark the gateway to the vast sandy expanse of Amatlich, where the desert unfolds in all its grandeur.
Venturing deeper, you’ll reach Echaïla’s palm grove, cradled between rocky outcrops. A narrow path through lush vegetation reveals a rock shelter adorned with ancient cave paintings—silent echoes of forgotten civilizations. Just steps away, a crystalline spring bubbles forth, an oasis of coolness in the desert’s embrace.
As the day fades, settle into a starlit bivouac or embrace the nomadic life with a night under a traditional tent, lulled by the Sahara’s boundless silence.
From Oujeft to Hidden Oases: El Meddah, Toungade, and M'Herth
After a refreshing stroll through the lush El Meddah oasis, head to Oujeft, a historic caravan town steeped in timeless tales. The journey first passes through El-Maden oasis, where palm trees reflect in the still waters of gueltas (permanent pools), painting a scene of perfect serenity.
The trail then winds toward Toungade oasis, a secret gem tucked between rocks and sand, where time stands still. Further on, M’Herth unveils its expansive palm grove, one of the region’s largest, with its terraced crops and ancient irrigation channels—a testament to humankind’s harmony with nature.
The day culminates in a magical bivouac amid the dunes, either under the stars, beneath a breathtaking celestial canopy, or in the authentic comfort of a nomadic tent, for a complete immersion into the Sahara’s soul.
A mesmerizing journey blending nature’s bounty, preserved oasis heritage, and unforgettable nights under the desert sky.
Desert Crossing: M'Herth – Ouadane, Following the Lost Cities' Trail
Today, the Sahara calls you to a timeless adventure: 75 miles of untouched desert tracks, far from any paved roads. This off-the-beaten-path journey plunges you into the desert’s mineral silence, where whispers of ancient caravans still linger.
Arrival at Ouadane, a UNESCO World Heritage gem. Clinging to its rocky plateau, this ochre city reveals its legacy as the legendary gateway to the desert, once crossed by gold, salt and spices. Discover its captivating museum with centuries-old manuscripts, where each artifact tells of caravan empires’ former glory.
For the night, settle in a historic inn, where Mauritanian hospitality and ancient stone walls will transport you through time.
From Ouadane to Chinguetti: Journey to the Holy Cities
Our journey leads us to Chinguetti, the 7th holy city of Islam, established in the 11th century. This UNESCO World Heritage gem dazzles with its dry-stone architecture and ancient mosque, standing as silent witnesses to the Sahara’s medieval spiritual and intellectual golden age.
We wander through the old town’s maze-like alleys, explore its museum of cultural treasures, and enter its time-honored libraries safeguarding medieval manuscripts preserved for generations. A fascinating immersion into Mauritania’s era of nomadic scholars and caravan traders.
For the night, we settle in a traditional guesthouse, where stone walls still whisper tales of wandering scholars.
From Chinguetti to Zarga: Desert Dawn
We depart Chinguetti in the golden light of dawn, as the desert awakens in a blaze of colors. Onward to Zarga and its untamed landscapes, where surreal, wind-carved vistas unfold. Along the way, we stop at El Aien Safra village, a gem of traditional architecture with its dry-stone houses that appear to grow organically from the rock, showcasing man’s ancient harmony with the desert.
The day culminates in a magical bivouac: choose between sleeping under the stars on dunes still warm from the day’s sun, beneath a sky ablaze with constellations, or the authentic comfort of a nomad’s tent, where handwoven fabrics whisper in the night breeze. A total immersion into the Sahara’s timeless mystery and poetry.
From El Aien Safra to Rachide Oasis: Emerald Mirage
We leave behind the ochre walls of El Aien Safra, where stones still whisper tales of ancient caravans, heading toward the green miracle of Rachide. Suddenly, amidst golden dunes, a palm symphony erupts: the oasis unveils its terraced gardens, murmuring irrigation channels, and pools mirroring the sky. Here, every water drop is a treasure, every date palm a desert’s gift.
As twilight falls, magic unfolds: pitch your nomadic camp by the gardens – either under the celestial dome where the Milky Way flows like a river of light, or within the cozy embrace of a khaima tent, as the wind composes lullabies through the palm fronds.
From Rachide to Tidjikja: Gateway to the Tagant
We bid farewell to Rachide’s emerald oasis, its whispering palms and singing waters, heading toward Tidjikja, the beating heart of Tagant region. The city greets us with vibrant energy:
Its spice-laden market swirling with cumin, turmeric and wild mint aromas
Ancient pisé houses standing as silent sentinels of Hassaniya heritage
As night falls, the desert calls again:
🔸 Choose a stellar bivouac under constellations mapping ancient trade routes
🔸 Or retreat into a nomad tent’s warmth, lulled by distant market murmurs
A perfect blend of urban vibrancy and Sahara’s timeless magic.
From Tidjikja to N'Beika & Matmatah: Whispers of the Green Sahara
We exchange Tidjikja’s urban pulse for the call of hidden oases. Our 4×4 heads toward N’Beika, where a sea of date palms stretches beyond the horizon. Time here flows to the rhythm of ancient qanat systems, underground channels making the desert bloom. Lunch in the merciful shade of palm groves, accompanied by rustling fronds and murmuring waters.
The afternoon unveils a geological marvel: Matmatah’s guelta, a turquoise jewel nestled between sandstone cliffs. In these miraculous waters survive the Sahara’s last crocodiles – living fossils that have swam here since the Neolithic wet period. Their silent presence is a gateway to prehistoric times, when the desert was a green savanna.
At dusk, pitch your desert camp:
🌠 Celestial night on the dunes, where the Milky Road mirrors in the guelta’s waters
⛺ Or traditional tent night, with stars as your nightlight
A day where every landscape tells the Sahara’s geological and human story.
From N'Beika to Ksar El Barka: Echoes of the Lost Caravans
Our path winds past Matmatah’s turquoise waters, where Neolithic crocodiles drift like living shadows, before reaching Ksar El Barka, a phantom city rising from the sands. Established circa 1670 by Kounta scholars in the dry bed of Wadi El-Ebiad, this forgotten hub once stood as:
The crossroads of trans-Saharan trade (gold, salt, manuscripts)
A beacon of learning with 12 Quranic schools and libraries
Abandoned abruptly in 1822 after a deadly siege
Its precision-cut sandstone walls, celestial-inspired geometric patterns and acoustic vaults showcase unparalleled architectural brilliance. At dusk, your mint tea ritual – enjoyed amidst the ruins or in a Bedouin tent – becomes a portal to the past.
From Ksar El Barka to Letvetar Dunes: Where History Meets Infinity
We depart the whispering stones of Ksar El Barka, their caravanserai memories fading, towards Moudjéria, a mineral sentinel guarding desert frontiers. This 1920s French military outpost still stands with its:
Wind-eaten pisé ramparts
Abandoned bunkers humming with colonial echoes
Watchtowers framing 360° views of fossilized riverbeds
By afternoon, we reach Letvetar’s dunes, where harmattan-sculpted sands form frozen waves.
A magical bivouac of your choice: on the sand beneath a starry sky, or nestled in the comfort of a traditional nomadic tent.
A stage that blends the memory of mankind with the eternity of the desert.
From the Letvetar Dunes to Nouakchott: A Return to Civilization
We leave the golden dunes of Letvetar to take the legendary Route of Hope, crossing the towns of Aleg and Boutilimit, where modernity and nomadic traditions blend. Gradually, the desert gives way to the changing landscapes of the Sahelian savannah.
Arrival at the end of the day in Nouakchott, the vibrant capital of Mauritania. Dinner at a local restaurant to savor Mauritanian specialties, before a comfortable night at the hotel, offering a gentle contrast after the nights spent camping.
A transition between the vastness of the Sahara and the bustle of the city.
Nouakchott
We begin with a market visit, where we explore the lively and characteristic camel market, as well as the National Museum, which immerses us in the country’s history and culture.
Dinner in town marks the end of the day, before a transfer to the airport.
- Included in the Price:
✔ Airport welcome & transfers
✔ All accommodation (hotels + desert bivouacs)
✔ Full board meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
✔ Camping equipment (traditional nomadic tents)
✔ 4×4 transportation (with experienced driver)
✔ All vehicle fuel costs
✔ Expert guide (local Saharan specialist)
✔ Dedicated cook (authentic Mauritanian cuisine)
✔ All entrance fees (museums, libraries, historic sites)
* Not included in the price: 
✗ Flights & related fees (airfare, baggage, etc.)
✗ Visa fees
✗ Travel insurance
✗ Beverages & personal expenses
✗ Gratuities (guides/drivers appreciated but optional)
✗ Any unspecified costs
