In Oulad Sassi Country - Following in the Footsteps of the Nomads

After leaving the city and its suburbs, we take the beautiful paved road that heads northeast towards the mining town of Akjoujt.
The Trarza region and the Atlantic coast are now behind us, the vegetation changes and becomes increasingly Saharan.

The vast sandy plains of Inchiri lead us towards the somewhat surreal city of Akjoujt. A mining industry is present there and, since the Chalcolithic period, Man has been extracting copper, gold and other materials.
Gradually the landscape changes. You are now driving in the Amsaga region.
In the distance, to the east, the dark barrier of the Adrâr begins to take shape. You pass the great alluvial plain of Yagref and the village of Aïn Ahel Taya. The road crosses the first ridge of the Adrâr.

Continuation towards the ancient city of Chinguetti.
The track to climb onto the plateau (dhar) is currently in good condition, but it can be degraded by rains that occur at the end of summer.
In the afternoon we take time to visit the old town: library(ies), palm groves and gardens.

We continue our transfer by 4x4 vehicle. The erg Warane extends south of the city. We drive along it for about forty kilometers. Then, after crossing the sandy ridge of Zarga, across black sandstone plateaus, we reach the fractured zones of the Adrar border. After crossing the wadi Timinit, we now drive on bare regs interspersed with wadis sheltering a few palm groves.
In mid-afternoon, the vehicles head down a steep and rocky descent that leads to the valley floor; we rejoin our camel team in (Tarf Laghmagh). Here, in central Adrâr, the landscapes contrast sharply with the rectilinear horizons of the great dhar of Chinguetti. The terrain is uneven and the black sandstone ridges dominate deep U-shaped valleys. After unloading them, the vehicles head back to Atar. We camp on the bank of the wadi El Bhair.

Beginning of the camel trek. The mauve cliffs stand out strikingly against the dense green of date palms.
White sand adds a soft note to this landscape. On foot, we make our way sometimes through the valley floor, sometimes along rocky cornices to reach the Gleïtat El Hamar, which are water holes set in a rock fracture.
We discovered a small rock art site there in 1998. We gradually return to the overflow zone of the Abteilli wadi. The camp is established on the northern edge of the Taffoujert erg.

The great dunes of the Taffoujert erg develop almost all the way to the natural depression of the Oued El Khatt, between the plateaus of the western Adrâr and the Tagant.
By crossing the first dunes of the northern part of the erg, we discover the Oued Tibounkrine. This magnificent wadi reveals its alignment of trees with varied species and descends into the golden erg.
During prosperous years, numerous gardens stretch across the entire furrow traced by the wadi. In the distance, the guelb Ajat rises and imposes its dark mass above the sands. The aklé, in certain years, is very dense and the caravan advances with great difficulty and sometimes avoids the massif by going north. We cross the aklé that separates us from the guelb Ajat. We settle for the night at the foot of this rocky peak.

Bypassing the Ajat escarpment to the north, we return to the dunes to reach the small palm grove of Lourdiyya which welcomes us for the midday break. Following a northerly walking axis and after crossing a small pass, below unfolds the superb and generous valley of Bou Aboun. The white sands contrast sharply with the rocks baked by the sun.

After leaving the bottom of the depression via caravan trails traced by centuries of commercial trade, we reach the two gueltas El Boul.
The mineral austerity of the reg reasserts itself. To the northwest rises a mountain chain and, from its highest point, the panorama is magnificent.
To the west, behind the last ridges of the Adrâr, the great dune massifs of the Inchiri and Trarza stretch out uninterrupted towards the Atlantic Ocean.
Below, the palm groves of Foum Tiguent spread out across the valley. The western edge of the Adrâr is practically reached. The various strata of sandstone are very steeply tilted and, having slipped and shifted in relation to one another, they reveal wide furrows colonized by wadis.
This geomorphological configuration characterizes the western part of the Adrâr. North of the Foum Tiguent palm grove, on white sands that climb the assault on the sandstone, we establish our camp.

Despite significant human occupation, we observe wildlife that is very representative of Saharan regions.
The golden jackal (Canis aureus) is well represented as well as the fennec (Fennecus zerda) and the Rüppell's fox (Vulpes rueppelli).
A few spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) occasionally prey on animals (goats or sheep) from herds. The honey badger (Mellivora capensis) and the crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) are also present.
Among felines, we were able to observe sand cats (Felis margarita) and in autumn 1998, one or more large felines that were not really identified circulated throughout the Adrâr arc. They could be cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), or more likely caracals.
Their migrations were tracked thanks to the depredations they committed on the herds of donkeys in the camps. It appears they followed the transhumance routes of the Ideï Boussat nomads from the Hodh toward northern Mauritania.

Walking between rock and sand we reach the small village of E-n-Terguent. Here too, along the N'Beika wadi follow strings of palm groves and gardens. We continue our route toward the Hnouk gorge.
We spend the night upstream of the gorge.

We go up the Hnouk wadi along the right bank. Leaning against the rocky massifs, imposing dunes serve as support for multiple villages made up of traditional tikkits and maghmeuls.
From the village of Nouïb, we cross one last dune massif and access the El Mghaïmin wadi. In the low points along the wadi's edge, the green ribbon of palm trees sometimes gives way to thick tamarisk groves. The vegetation, while not very dense, is very diverse. The grara or gardens are cultivated during favorable periods.
Along our hiking route, an area of eroded rocks emerges and tongues of sand climb up the raised peaks. Here too, the sandstone is turbulent, eroded into towers, ruins invaded by sand.
The bivouac is established in the Eker wadi.

This wadi leads us to the watershed and we continue towards the Oudeï En Na'am which, perpendicular to us, is nestled at the bottom of a valley. A superb set of barchan dunes covers the bottom of the wadi before it plunges westward between narrow walls.

The guelta of Tajemleilit, nestled in a narrow canyon, releases a thin stream of clear water through the middle of palm trees for approximately 800 meters. Following the gorge, we emerge onto the first palm trees of the lush Amatlich region. Having reached the plateau, we now overlook the El Meddah valley.
Here, squeezed between the great dunes of the Amatlich erg and the purple cliffs of the Adrâr, the town of El Meddah develops and thrives despite its isolation. Maure society lives in near self-sufficiency and at a rhythm established for centuries. After crossing El Meddah, we camp, immersed in the dunes of the Amatlich.

Large sand dune massifs develop, parallel to one another and perpendicular to the axis of prevailing winds. The large interdune corridors allow relatively easy caravan circulation. We cut across the massif by following lines of sumptuous crests. North of the erg, the rock reclaims its rights. It is fractured, eroded and forms in some places genuine labyrinths. Gueltass, such as Azoueiga, are nestled at the bottom of canyons and contain superb water. The exuberant vegetation shelters myriads of birds and insects of all kinds.
We return to the gentle setting of the dunes for the night.

We skirt the edge of the erg and the pure lines of the dunes guide our steps.
To the north unfolds, in alternating colors, the fringe of intense green palmgroves then a mosaic of greens composed by different tree species such as Acacias raddiana (Talha), Balanites aegyptiaca (Teichot), Boscia senegalensis (Eizine).
Then comes the dark border of the Ibi el Akhdar massif at the foot of which huddle a few villages.

We continue our journey across the vast sandy plains of Inchiri. Very quickly, we reach the outskirts of the Mauritanian capital.
We settle into the hotel.

Visit of the city of Nouakchott,

See the fishermen's return,

Vehicle and driver at your disposal.

Following your flight schedule to France, we transfer you to the Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport.