Fleewinter

Sleeping under the stars and being entertained with music, next to the campfire, is a real treat. You will most likely see the staple of every meal, bread, baked fresh in the hot sand beneath the coals of the campfire and take part in the art of the tea ceremony. Nothing is rushed in the desert.

Our indicative trekking programs run for 3, 4, or 6 days (maximum of 5 nights camping in the desert) with two of our 6 day programs offering remote routes with much wilder camping. We are unlikely to encounter many other people, except nomadic families.

The terrain of the Sahara Desert is shaped by wind, sometimes rain, and includes not only sand dunes, but also hamada, dry valleys & lakes and salt flats. You may also be surprised at seeing so much vegetation in the desert, including Tamarisk and Acacia trees and palms – April and October are green times of year here.

We specialize in tailor made experiences so there is no exact itinerary you need to follow but just to give you an idea of what you can expect, you can see the sample route below:

Day 1: Leave the village of M’hamid and trek west in the direction of the great dunes of Erg Chigaga, with the mountain ridge of the Jebel Bani far to your north but in sight for the entire trek. Cross dry river beds (e.g. Oued Naam), and walk through a variety of desert vegetation and scrub before the terrain opens out and becomes more stark. As the day’s trek draws to a close, expect to camp amidst gently rolling dunes and Tamarisk trees, which offer shelter.

Day 2: Progressing westwards, reach ever-more remote terrain, and larger sand dunes (e.g. Bougarn) surrounded by broad, dry earth plateaux and desert hamada (black stone). Scramble over the dunes and you’ll be able to see Erg Chigaga in the distance. Camp will be made west of Bougarn, in the seclusion of smaller dunes and shrubs.

Day 3: As the sand becomes deeper (in former water courses/dried rivers), the surrounding plateaux open out to different kinds of plant and tree-life, and you will trek near an area that offers grazing land for the elusive Dorcas gazelle. You will start to trek through bigger dunes before reaching the last plateau bordering Erg Chigaga. Reach Erg Chigaga in time to enjoy sunset. Settle down and make camp once more or look forward to the 4×4 journey back to M’hamid. Alternatively you can decide to spend one extra night in the desert and pamper yourself at our Erg Chigaga Luxury Camp

Prices start from £230 per person and include services of a guide, cook, baggage camels, provision of camping equipment (dome tent, sleeping mats and blankets) and separate dining tent (although only needed in windy/cold conditions). The trek is fully-catered and we provide bottled drinking water and hot drinks.