Travel Story: The Great Crossing from Adrar to Tagant by Olivier
From Chinguetti to Tagant, a desert crossing by caravan through dunes, rock paintings, secret gueltasm and nomadic encounters at the rhythm of the Sahara.
Adrar - Tagant Crossing (December 1st - 23rd, 2002)
Salam AleïkoumAleïkoum Salam ! It all began in Chinguetti, a village in the Adrar region of Mauritania, at the gateway to the desert. Very quickly, total immersion in the sands of the Ouarane erg. We scattered to enjoy the pleasure of leaving our own footprints on the dunes; climbs and descents succeeded one another over the days. We had fun identifying the tracks of the desert's various inhabitants: beetles, lizards, ravens, foxes, fennecs, and just once, the little sand spheres of the white lady (spider). Between each dune ridge, we realized that water and humans had been present thousands of years ago: arrowheads, mortars, pottery shards, and even crocodile coprolites. Under overhanging sandstone cliffs, Pascal showed us superb rock paintings, notably a beautiful sheep. Ancient lake beds and marshlands surfaced here and there. Everyone poked around. Sometimes a fennec dashed in front of us; we even spotted a gazelle—the camel drivers could hardly believe it, but...
Mohammed Salem worked hard to find us magnificent campsites, which was not always easy for the camels. Gradually, life organized itself at the desert's tranquil rhythm. No one refused a siesta, but everyone took part in small daily tasks. Monique and Christophe even attempted to make flatbread cooked in hot sand (the "rhubza"). The wells were always moments of great joy. From salmon-colored dune ridges to perfectly white dune ridges, we approached the El Khât depression and soon ventured into the austere regs of Tagant. We occasionally crossed nomads and took the opportunity to practice our greetings in Hassanya that we had learned thanks to Pascal's sign prominently displayed in the "kitchen". They allowed us to replace the endless "How are you? Sleep well?" exchanges with our camel drivers each morning. It seems we made quite an impression.
Soon we had the surprise of arriving at a beautiful well preceded by a sort of small lush meadow. This greenery in the midst of this stone desert was stunning. Goundis prancing among the surrounding rocks, a herd of donkeys watching us from above, camels coming to drink... We resumed our march through the regs, interrupted from time to time by beautiful dunes. There was a little more vegetation, gangas flew over us, we could admire several beautiful cistanches wide open and a lovely yellow. And then suddenly, with nothing to suggest it, the desert offered us an unforgettable spectacle: a magnificent guelta, all shimmering with the different reflections of the surrounding rocks. The next day, another large guelta! An eagle soared, little birds chirped, there were footprints everywhere, life was bursting, and as a final gift: a small waterfall (yes, yes) flowed into a basin and guess what? A large fish was lounging at the bottom, a Clarias angularis, Pascal would tell us. We finally left this magical place, and for our last morning, the desert offered us one last spectacle: the perfect discs of sun and moon facing each other. Och tari? Matarichi.
Frequently asked questions
As Olivier's account shows, with his crossing from December 1st to 23rd, 2002, the period from November to February is generally the most favorable for traveling in the Mauritanian desert, with supportable daytime temperatures and cool nights.
Olivier's crossing lasted approximately 23 days (December 1st to 23rd). The duration can vary depending on the chosen route, the group's pace, and weather conditions.
This trek offers an incredible diversity of landscapes and discoveries: the dunes of the Ouarane erg, rock paintings beneath sandstone overhangs, archaeological sites (arrowheads, pottery), wild fauna (fennecs, gazelles, birds), magnificent gueltasm and even a small waterfall with fish (Clarias angularis).
Yes, an experienced camel guide is essential for this crossing. In Olivier's account, it is Mohammed Salem who manages the camels and chooses the campsites. His knowledge of the terrain is invaluable for locating wells and navigating through the regs and dunes.
The wildlife of the Mauritanian desert is surprising: beetles, lizards, ravens, foxes, fennecs, spiders (the white lady), gazelles, goundis (small rodents), wild donkeys, gangas (birds), eagles, and even a fish (Clarias angularis) in the gueltasm.
