8 Days
4×4 Trip
Great dune of Azoueiga, scenery of the White Valley, descent the pass of Tifoujar, palm forest of Toungad, gardens and dunes of Maaden, desert landscape to Timinit, architecture of Oujeft, village of Mheiret, “blue” mountains of Zarqa, library of Chinguetti, old town of Ouadane, rock paintings at Amogjar, Azougui, capital of the Almoravides, thermal baths in Terjit, fossil water at Benichab, Atlantic beach, bustle of the market, museum, fishing harbor, …
On the best tar road in Mauritania we will drive through Akjoujt, famous for its copper and gold mines. Short after Akjoujt we leave into the desert of Amatlich on a sand track arriving in the afternoon close to a huge sand dune near the village Azoueiga. Camping.
We will pass through many palm forests where in the harvest time in august are as many people as on the market in Nouakchott, a fact that it is almost impossible to imagine now. One part is quite stony, but worth it when you arrive to the incredible views of the Pass of Tifoujar. We will drive down the pass and suddenly find us on a track where there are dunes on the left and right side. Our way leads us to Toungad, one of the biggest oases which sell almost all their dates in Nouakchott. In the afternoon we arrive to Maaden, a village which produces a lot of vegetables, but of course we will spend our night in the dunes. Camping.
This is the day of ups and downs. First we climb the road of Maaden then we descend a wonderful sand track, after that we climb a difficult track at Timinit to arrive at about lunch time at Oujeft, a little town which is famous for its stone construction without mortar. Short after we will arrive in Mheiret, another village with palm trees. Camping.
From Mheiret we drive on a quite good track to the Zarga Mountains. “Zarga” means blue. We will surround the mountains and arrive in the afternoon at Chinguetti, which is an old caravan town and the seventh holy city of Islam, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We will visit the old town and one of the libraries with manuscripts of an unimaginable value. Lodging at a guesthouse.
Our journey will take us across 120 km of fesh-fesh, the true sand dune desert, directly to the Middle Age where we will experience the isolation of the lost cities of the desert. When we arrive in Ouadane, we will visit the museum that displays the surprisingly glorious past of this country. Camping.
The Passe d’Amogjar is a beautiful canyon, where we will see some amazing prehistoric paintings and the “Fort Saganne”, built by the French. After a short visit of Atar we will pass at Azougoui, former capital of the Almoravides. and make our way into the picturesque track to Terjit, at the foot of the Mauritanidas mountain range, where an oasis with thermal springs and marvelous pools awaits us for bathing. Lodging at guesthouse with haimas.
From the stony Adrar desert, we will head towards Akjoujt en route to Benichab, where there is a large layer of fossil water, 90 meters deep, used for bottled mineral water. Leaving Benichab, we will approach Tiouilit along the dunes that lead to the ocean passing through ancient salt lakes. Tiouilit is a village of black fishermen, the Imraguen, who in former times fished with the help of dolphins. Camping.
Arrived in Nouakchott, we will visit the local markets, the museum and, in the afternoon, the lively fish market. Hotel.
Accommodation:
• 9 nights, 8 days
• 2 hotel nights, 2 in guest houses, 5 camp nights
Minimum group:
• 2 Persons
Includes:
• Airport transfer
• Accommodation
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner (no alcoholic beverages)
• Camping gear
(Haima (nomad tent), igloo tent, matresses)
• Transport in 4×4
• Guide
• Cook
• Entrance fees
NOT included:
• Air Ticket and fees
• Visa for Mauritania (120, – Euro at Nouakchott Airport)
• Travel insurance
• Tip
• Any other unspecified cost
Itinerary:
Due to the special nature of the trip, the itinerary may be changed at the discretion of the guide if there are justified grounds to do so. Travelers must be aware that conditions during the itinerary are not always predictable. Potential delays at border, mechanical problems and the poor state of the highways can give rise to undesirable adventures. We will, of course, do everything within our power to minimize any possible inconveniences.
Accommodations:
The itineraries include descriptions of four types of accommodations:
– hotels, in which you will always be in double occupancy tourist class rooms,
– guest houses with collective rooms, where we try to have maximum two persons
– guest houses with haimas (the typical nomad tents)
which are the typical guest houses found in small cities with collective haimas where people sleep in sleeping bags,
– camping in the haimas we take along as part of our equipment or in igloo tents.
guesthouses generally have common bathrooms and the provision usually includes enough water for a daily “shower” except on long trips where the guide will indicate the scarce water days.
Meals:
Breakfast consists of coffee or tea and bread with jam or cookies. Lunch is picnic style with sandwiches, salads and fruit. In the cities, dinners will be at restaurants where we sample typical dishes such as couscous and rice with fish. On the camping trips, there will be rice, pasta, etc. with vegetables, fresh fruit and of course the typical “mechoui”, roasted lamb.
Guide:
The guide will provide orientation and information throughout the trip as to what is most interesting to see and visit. He will organize the trip and resolve any unexpected events related to the route that may occur.
Group:
The make-up of the group can be quite varied. There may be people of very different ages, experienced and inexperienced travelers, people traveling alone, couples or groups of friends.
Due to the nature of the trip, we suggest having a certain spirit of camaraderie and cooperation in specific tasks such as setting up and taking down tents, clearing up camping equipment, etc.
04.11. – 13.11.2016
23.12. – 01.01.2017
09.04. – 17.04.2017
29.09. – 08.10.2017
23.12. – 01.01.2018
07 – 09 persons: 1.460, – Euro per person
10 – 12 persons: 1.340, – Euro per person
Single room supplement: 100, – Euro
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