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This was an amazing opportunity to explore a unique landscape. The wildlife (mammals, birds, insects and reptiles) was very varied with many firsts in each category. The varied landscapes were very interesting.
S. Crocker, February 2023
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Western Sahara's Desert Wildlife
Tour Code: MAR08An 8-day adventure in a seldom visited corner of north-west Africa, focusing on the region’s extraordinary desert wildlife including Sand Cat, Fennec Fox and Golden Nightjar.
8 days
from
£3,295
£3,295
Land only price
from
£2,995
£2,995
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
This tour goes in search of the Western Sahara's fascinating and unique wildlife, much of which is very difficult to see elsewhere. Our primary focus will be the region's fascinating nocturnal mammals, and as such we will spend long nights spotlighting, often not returning to camp until the early hours. As a result, each day's activities will not start until mid to late afternoon, to allow sufficient time for rest. Our reward for this unusual pattern of activity, and for enduring conditions that can be quite basic in this remote region, should be sightings of some of the Western Palaearctic's rarest and most unusual mammals. Our top targets include Fennec & Ruppell's Foxes, Sand Cat, African Wildcat, Desert Hedgehog, African Golden Wolf and Saharan Striped Polecat, alongside a wide variety of smaller creatures such as jerboas. During our limited daytime excursions, birding could produce Crowned Sandgrouse, Cricket Warbler, Cream-coloured Courser and Dunn's Lark. The tour will start and end in the coastal town of Dakhla, from where we'll search the nearby coastline for species including West African Crested Tern and Audouin's Gull.
- Search for exciting & elusive nocturnal creatures
- Sand Cat, Fennec & Ruppell's Foxes, African Golden Wolf, Saharan Striped Polecat & Desert Hedgehog possible
- Chance of Pharaoh Eagle-Owl and African Dunn's Lark
- Other desert birds including Crowned Sandgrouse, Cream-coloured Courser, Cricket Warbler & Dunn's Lark
- Flocks of Desert Sparrow sometimes contain the beautiful Sudan Golden Sparrow
- Spectacular starry skies from our remote campsite
Grading
Grade B. No particular level of fitness is required, and there will only be short walks over even terrain within the vicinity of our camps. However, this tour involves long nights of spotlighting, and consequently late starts (to allow sufficient rest) and a limited amount of daytime activity while in the desert. Therefore, this is a tour specifically for those who are prepared to endure long nights and basic conditions in exchange for the chance to observe rare and exciting wildlife. The rare birds of the region will also be targeted in the late afternoon, species including African Dunn's Lark, Crowned Sandgrouse, Greater Hoopoe Lark, African Desert Warbler and with luck, Pharaoh Eagle Owl!
The territory of Western Sahara may have a chequered history, but it is home to a remarkable collection of mouth-watering birds and mammals, many of which are almost impossible to see elsewhere, including Sand Cat and Fennec Fox On this adventurous new tour, we’ll venture deep into these windswept north-west African deserts in search of their elusive wildlife.
We’ll fly into the coastal town of Dakhla, where we’ll stay in a comfortable tourist hotel. The shores of Dakhla Bay support abundant migrant waders, as well as Audouin’s Gull and West African Crested Tern, while the critically endangered Atlantic Humpback Dolphin can occasionally be seen offshore.
Moving inland, we’ll scour the deserts for such exciting birds as Crowned Sandgrouse, Cricket Warbler, Cream-coloured Courser and Dunn’s Lark, while a flock of Desert Sparrows could contain one or two gorgeous Sudan Golden Sparrows. However, it’s at night that the landscape truly comes alive; after darkness falls, we’ll head out with spotlights in an attempt to find some of the Western Palaearctic’s most rarely seen animals. Hoped for mammals will include Sand Cat, Ruppell’s and Fennec Fox, African Golden Wolf, Saharan Striped Polecat, Desert Hedgehog and African Wildcat. This tour is predominantly focused on locating elusive nocturnal mammals, so it’s important to note that the tour will involve long nights of spotlighting, returning generally in the early hours; we will consequently not start each day’s activities until the afternoon, in order to give guides and clients sufficient time to rest. This is a tour designed for keen mammal-watchers, who are prepared to endure long nights and basic conditions for the chance to see rare and elusive wildlife.
We’ll base ourselves for three nights in a comfortable but very basic desert house, but we will also have the opportunity to spend two nights out in a remote campsite, specially set up for our visit. Please note that this campsite has very limited facilities, including no toilets. While basic, this campsite will take us close to the wildlife, and will also provide an intimate experience of this vast landscape, and magnificent views of an unadulterated night sky.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly London to Dakhla
Day 2/3
Desert Campsite
Day 4/6
Desert House
Day 7
Dakhla
Day 8
Depart Dakhla for London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
All accommodation is included in the price of the holiday. Accommodation will be in a comfortable tourist hotel in Dakhla, and a combination of camping and a basic but comfortable house in the desert. Please note that conditions at the camp and the desert house are very basic, especially at the desert camp, where facilities are very limited. In particular, there are no toilets at the desert campsite, and group members must be prepared to go to the loo behind nearby dunes. At the desert campsite, you will need to provide your own towel.
- Food:
All food is included. In Dakhla, meals will be taken at the hotel or in local restaurants, while we will bring a cook with us into the desert to prepare simple but tasty local food.
Reviews
Dates & Prices
2026
Departures
Availability
Cost
Mon 9th Feb – Mon 16th Feb
5
£3,295
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£195
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Javi Elorriaga
Tour Leader: Javi Elorriaga
Javi Elorriaga (pronounced Habee) was born in the Txorierri Valley, which means 'land of birds' in Basque, in 1978. It was in this region close to Bilbao, in northern Spain, where he started to develop a deep interest in birds at an early age. Over the last 15 years, he has worked on the survey of cliff-nesting raptors (Basque Government), the conservation of the Cinereous Vulture in Dadia National Park (WWF-Greece), the Bearded Vulture in the Pyrenees and Picos de Europa National Park (FCQ), the monitoring of bird migration in the Strait of Gibraltar (Migres Foundation), the Osprey reintroduction in Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve (Urdaibai Bird Center) and the study of the Long-legged Buzzard in Morocco. Additionally, in 2011 Javi was granted a Leadership Internship in Conservation by the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (Pennsylvania, USA) to participate in the study of the migration geography of the Turkey Vulture in North America. Javi's career as a field ornithologist includes contributions to over 30 scientific papers, book chapters and articles in birding journals including British Birds, Birding World and Dutch Birding. He has also been a member of the Spanish Committee of Rare Birds (SEO/Birdlife). Wildlife photography is another of his great passions and a powerful tool he uses to raise awareness of conservation issues through social networking and lectures. Over the last 5 years Javi has been working as a full-time nature guide leading tours mostly throughout Spain and Morocco.
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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