What to see in Western Sahara: 10 must-sees
Discover what to see in Western Sahara: 10 must-see destinations, from Smara to Dakhla. Predominantly natural and city; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
Natural(5)
Sail to the most remote fishing outpost in Western Sahara, at La Güera, where the Guerguerat cliff marks the border with Mauritania. Watch the sea turtles that nest on its coast between June and September and the pelican colonies that fly over the area. Cross the sand desert that drops straight into the Atlantic, a barely inhabited land of total solitude. Getting there means driving long dirt tracks from Laâyoune or Dakhla.
Follow the line of white sand dunes to the cliff where they plunge vertically into the indigo Atlantic—the point 15th-century Portuguese sailors feared as the end of the world. Walk the clifftop path to the lighthouse that has guided ships since 1902 and comb the rocks for the fauna and flora adapted to the Saharan wind. Here erosion left geological formations exposed, and every seaside trail explains why this cape marked the frontier between the known and the unknown.
Climb the red sand dunes of Seker, in Ausert, where the desert merges with the black-stone reg on a horizon that seems to belong to another planet. Follow the rally tracks that cross the Sahara and stop at the date palm oases, the only spots of shade in kilometers of total solitude. Walk among geological formations sculpted over millions of years, observe the fauna and flora adapted to the world's largest desert, and feel the utter silence beneath a sky free of light pollution.
Explore the Mhesrí desert and discover the arches, towers, and ghost cities the wind has carved into the sandstone. Walk among dry wadis, pause at the pre-Hispanic petroglyphs, and end the day watching the clear skies that make this area one of the best observatories on the planet. The landscape combines geological formations with fauna and flora adapted to extreme aridity, ideal for hiking and nature watching.
Discover the border oasis of Bir Anzarane, whose well has given water to caravans for centuries. Explore the crossroads between the Atlantic and the Sahara, take in the Tropic dunes and peer out at the longest and most desolate border in Africa. Walk among wind-sculpted geological formations, observe the wildlife and flora adapted to the desert, and hike through a territory where erosion has been at work for millions of years. A remote spot that rewards those who seek silence, distance and boundless horizons.
City(3)
Immerse yourself in Smara, the only city in Western Sahara with precolonial history, founded in 1869 as a religious and commercial center. Walk the walled medina and visit the Ma al-Aynayn mosque and the manuscript library whose texts chronicle Sahrawi resistance to colonialism. Wander the dirt streets where markets sell tea, fabrics, and local crafts, while adobe buildings recall the past of this city built in the middle of the desert by Sheikh Ma al-Aynayn.
Take in Western Sahara's administrative capital, where the adobe medina, the Sahrawi craft market, and Spanish colonial houses coexist in 40 square kilometers of desert. Head for the 19th-century Spanish fortress and gaze out at the desert stretching to the horizon. Wander the streets past stalls of silver jewelry and dyed fabrics, chat with the market vendors, and see how nomadic tradition and urban life meet on every corner of this Sahrawi city.
Walk through Gueltat Zemmour and you'll understand why this town revolves around phosphate: the desert here holds one of the world's largest reserves. Visit the mining facilities and the Sahrawi medina, where markets and everyday life set the local rhythm. Watch the 400-ton trucks cross the reg toward the Atlantic and see how the desert stretches on into Mauritania. Between traditional architecture and industrial activity, the town reveals a mining reality hard to find anywhere else.
Beach(2)
Explore the 30-kilometer peninsula where the turquoise Atlantic waters wash a sheltered lagoon ideal for kitesurfing and windsurfing. Walk to the Spanish lighthouse, admire the prehistoric petroglyphs, and watch for humpback whales passing along the coast between February and April. Snorkel in the crystal-clear water, stroll the fine-sand shoreline, and take a leisurely swim while the Atlantic wind sets the pace of the day.
Cross the easternmost point of Western Sahara and reach Ras Durkam, where the red sandstone cliff plunges into the Atlantic near Dakhla. Walk the 200 kilometers of unspoiled coastline as seabirds fly over their colonies nested in the rock. Snorkel in the clear water, stroll along the fine-sand shore and take a dip with the desert tumbling into the sea right behind you. Here the sand, the waves and the Atlantic wind set the rhythm of the day, with no crowds or buildings in sight.
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