Camel Treks

For those who wish to experience the desert at its true pace. We offer the possibility of camel treks. From the gentle outing to watch the sunset to the hardy trans-saharan caravan. Such outings may be incorporated into a more general trip or may be done alone as the sole goal of your visit. We can also arrange for you to make the trek only one way and meet you with a vehicle to return you to town.

Short outings:

Venus and the new cresant at sunset

One or two hours outing on the dunes to the north of Timbuktu. Stop to watch the sunset and take tea. Return to Timbuktu

One night in a Tuareg camp: Leave Timbuktu around 16h00 for Tuareg camp. Spend the night in the camp dinner and sharing around the campfire. Return in the morning to Timbuktu.

One night on the Dunes: Leave Timbuktu around 16h00 for the desert until sunset set up camp. Your Tuareg guide will prepare dinner. Have tea around a campfire, enjoy the stars, discussion


Desert Trek
Dunes to the north of Timbuktu
This trek will take you in an arc to the north of Timbuktu. You will never be so far from town that you can't return quickly in case of necessity. You will be within cell phone range, yet you will still get to experience the rhythms of the nomadic life. Feel the serenity of the wide open spaces camping under the stars on the dunes. Learn about the people and culture visiting nomadic camps. We can arrange this for the number of nights that you wish. An Itinerary including the principle sites to visit at a leisurely pace :

Day 1: Arrive in Timbuktu, visit of the town, night in the Sahara Passion at the edge of the desert.

Day 2: Depart on camels for the Well of Lembatt (15 km from Timbuktu), Night on the dunes

Day 3: Continue on to a Tuareg Camp (~ 30 km from Timbuktu), night with a family or on the dunes nearby.

Day 4: Go to Agouni (40 km from Timbuktu). Visit of the village.

Day 5: Go to Assidi (16 km from Timbuktu). Visit of the village.

Day 6: Return to Timbuktu, installation in Sahara Passion


Trek to Arouane
Seven days one way to reach this historic site on the edge of the true Sahara. It is here that the caravans heading to Taoudeni stop to gather fodder for the rest of the arduous trek to the salt mines. On the way you will pass the wells of
Well in the Desert

Hassi Lembatt
Agounni
Inestel
InAyma
Douaya
El Harseini
InKariba
Tagami (An-marssa)
Araouane


Trek to Taoudeni

At the Salt Mines of Taoudeni In the mine in Taoudeni


The ultimate adventure. Follow the traces of 500 years of Berabish to the Salt mines in the far north of Mali. Fairly new in the scale of things Taoudeni was only discovered in the 17th Century. Prior to that salt was mined 250 km farther north at Tagahza! The Taoudeni mine, 750 km north of Timbuktu, requires minimum one month return. The trip is arduous and not to be attempted by the faint of heart. It also requires a high degree of physical fitness.

Caravan heading into the desert

We offer the option of joining a real salt caravan doing the Azalaï. This option will allow you to experience the reality of the this commerce and the life of the people who make their living by salt. However the caravan waits for no man. Once the day's march has started it will not stop until the end. Once past Araouane the wells are few and far between and the caravan averages 50 km a day to reach the next well before the current supply is finished. Typically several caravan leaders gather at a staging site outside Timbuktu they join their camels into a single caravan for the duration of the trip splitting up again upon successful return. The caravan will pass the same points listed for Araouane. Leaving Araouane it will pass:

Return from Taoudeni

Oued el Hajar
Foum el 'Alba
Ber Ounane
'Oglat el Khnachich
Taoudeni




We also offer the option of a
private caravan that will advance at your own pace. This will allow you the leisure to rest if you need to, stop for a midday break or detour to visit the sites you will pass.