Ever dreamt of sleeping under the stars in the Sahara desert? Maybe you’re looking to get a break from the electric buzz of city life? Perhaps you’re already booked on one of our North Africa group tours and are wondering what to expect from a night in the desert. This blog will tell you everything you need to know about what it’s like to camp with us, and why you should do it!
Algeria Desert Camping
On our Algeria group tours, we typically visit Djanet or Tamanrasset in the south of the country. Both are stunning slices of the massive Sahara, with fascinating rock formations. On our current itineraries, we spend 2 days in the desert, with just one night of camping. For camping, we’ll be out in a remote part of Tassili n’Ajjer national park. You’ll be able to choose your own location for your tent, so you can pick how close or far you want to be from the group. Because we’re out in the middle of the desert, there are no toilet or shower facilities. It’s just us and nature. This also means there is no light pollution, so if it’s a clear night, you’ll have an incredible night sky filled with maybe the most stars you’ve ever seen. With no camp facilities, it also means there’s no generators or other electric hums or buzzing. It’s true quiet, other than the sounds of nature. We’ll set up a traditional Tuareg-style camp, and light a fire to gather around and drink tea as we swap stories.
It's worth noting, that the moment you leave the city of Djanet, you will lose phone and internet reception, regardless of what sim card you have. Even your guides will be offline, so there is no chance of a hotspot. You should be prepared to go off the grid for a couple days and simply enjoy your surroundings. At the end of our second day in the desert, we usually head to a guesthouse where you’ll get the chance to shower and rest (and use wifi). The facilities are clean and shampoo/soap/etc. is available to use. Occasionally, the itinerary allows for us to stay in a hotel on night two, in which case you would have your own space to rinse off and relax.
Mauritania Desert Camping
On our Mauritania group tours , we camp at Tergit Oasis. The tents here are already set up, and there is an established camping facility with basic toilets and showers. There is even a Starlink system for wifi at night, however it can be spotty, so it’s best to prepare yourself to be off the grid if you can. The tents here are more traditional, and because the woven floor mat doesn’t connect to the outer tent structure, you can easily find your things covered in sand. Be sure to leave your bags zipped for this reason.
The oasis itself is a beautiful and serene location. We typically take a bit of a hike up to the top of the nearby hills for sunset (optional), where there are some hidden cave paintings tucked away. We can also go for a swim in the oasis and take a dip in a small plunge pool filled with natural spring water. In the evening, after a hot traditional meal, we’ll light a campfire and enjoy a night in nature.
What is provided?
In both Mauritania and Algeria we provide a thick mattress pad, a warm blanket, and a pillow (in addition to the tent, of course). It’s a pretty comfortable set-up as far as camping goes. On a group tour, typically, tents are assigned as per rooming. So if you have a single room, you’ll get a single tent.
In both locations, as there are of course not any restaurants or grocery stores around, we currently include breakfast, lunch, and dinner when we’re camping in the desert. In Algeria, we even have a chef who travels through the desert with us. In both countries, we can accommodate any dietary restrictions, as long as we know in advance. We’ve had vegans and people with extreme gluten intolerance travel with us and have great meals in the desert. And of course, we’ll be prepared with plenty of water!
What do you need to bring?
We will provide everything you need for a comfortable night’s sleep. Anything else you bring is up to your preference. Sometimes people bring headlamps or flashlights to aid with late night bathroom trips or searching for things in their pack in the tent. The desert can get cold at night. Typically, the blanket we provide is enough warmth, but you might want to be prepared with a couple extra layers of comfortable warm clothing in case the night you’re travelling is extra cold. If you’re a light sleeper, you might want to bring earplugs, in case the sound of someone getting up in the night would bother you. Because there is a shower facility at Tergit Oasis, you should bring a towel if you plan to take a shower or have a swim in the oasis. If you have an external battery charger, it could be worth bringing. There is a charging station at Tergit Oasis, and in Algeria you can charge your phone in the car during the day, but if you have your own charging system, it means you won’t need to compete with others to get your things charged.
If you can, it is best to pack a small bag with what you need for the night and following day, and leave your larger suitcase in the car. This will mean more room in your tent, less lugging a large bag around, and less chance of all of your things getting covered in sand.
Are there dangerous animals in the Sahara?
There are some dangerous animals in the Sahara, though it’s rare we encounter them. We might see tracks of wolves and wild dogs, but we’ve never actually seen them, as they typically don’t want to encounter us or our camp either. There are snakes including sand vipers and spitting cobras and deathstalker scorpions in the region, but they hibernate in the winter (which is when our group tours tend to take place). So if you are visiting the Sahara in late October through March, it is unlikely you need to worry about a scorpions and snakes. If you happen to be hiking or camping in the summer, take a long stick with you and pat the sand in front of you as you walk, to alert snakes that you’re coming. Other less dangerous desert animals in the Sahara are fennec foxes, lizards, and jerboas, and if you’re lucky you might spot one.
Where else does SAIGA tours camp?
If you’re looking to experience camping in unique locations but want something slightly cushier than tent camping, you might be interested in our Central Asia tours . On our Turkmenistan tours, we stay overnight at the Gates of Hell in a yurt camp. And staying in yurts at a beautiful alpine lake in Kyrgyzstan is always a highlight on our 5 Stans tours.
Camping can be included in a private tour in almost any of the countries we offer tours in. If you’ve got a dream to camp at one of our destinations, send us an email at [email protected] and we’ll make it happen!
