The Adrar Desert and Oases

The Adrar, the desert region around the town of Atar in northern Mauritania, is the magnificent heart of the country's Sahara and its most rewarding area to explore. A landscape of towering golden dunes, rocky plateaus, dramatic canyons and vast, silent plains, it is dotted with jewel-like oases where date palms cluster around springs and pools, most beautifully at Terjit, tucked in a rocky gorge. The region also holds the ancient caravan towns of Chinguetti and Ouadane, prehistoric rock art, and the striking Ben Amera monolith. It is superb country for camel treks, four-wheel-drive journeys and camping beneath spectacular starlit desert skies.

What you actually see

• The dunes and canyons - the golden dunes, plateaus and gorges.
• Terjit oasis - the palm-filled oasis in a rocky gorge.
• The camel treks - the desert journeys and starlit camps.
• The ancient towns and rock art - the caravan towns and prehistoric art.

When to go

November to February, the cooler winter months, are the only comfortable time for desert travel, as the Sahara is scorching for much of the year; even then, days are warm and nights cold. The region is reached via Atar, and explored on camel treks and four-wheel-drive journeys with local guides, camping under the stars.

Honest expectations

For the timeless beauty of the Sahara, its dunes, oases, ancient towns and starlit nights, though, the Adrar is magnificent and deeply rewarding.

Nearby

Chinguetti, Ouadane and the town of Atar are within the region.