Transport: in a comfortble vehicle 4x4 we wwill use 2 or 3 depending of the number of People.
Accommodation: Comfortable hoteli n Dhakla and The Taditional guest house in Aousserd the unique accommodation available.
The house in Aousserd is simple and basic, but functional. It has two large sleeping room that are good for two people each, one small sleeping room that is good for one person, one small living room (with no doors) that can accommodate two people and one large living room where our staff will stay and that will also be used for the meals. The furniture is traditional, so it consists of carpets and mettrasses on the floor. We provide mettrass covers, sleeping bags, internal linens, pillows, pillow covers and towels.
Food: Packed lunches and/or evening meals in the field dependent on our itinerary.
Western Sahara is a territory of North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria in the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. Its surface area amounts to 266,000 km2. It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly consisting of desert flatlands. The largest city is El Aaiún (Laâyoune), which is home to over half of the population of the territory, the latter estimated at just over 382,000.
Prime amongst the bird specialities are African Dunn's Lark, Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Cricket Warbler, Desert Sparrow Sudan Golden Sparrow.
Remote corners of the Western Palearctic hold a particular fascination for birders, and none more so than the Western Sahara. Recent visits to this region by groups of birders revealed several stunning Golden Nightjars
DAY 0. You arrive in Dakhla. If your flight is from Agadir you will land around 7 pm so no birding.Overnight at hotel in Dakhla
Day 1. This will be an easy day around the peninsula and the bay of Dakhla, mostly dedicated to waders big and small (and with a bit of luck also dedicated to dolphins or orcas). There are various spots, like small gardens , tidal flats and wetlands (Ramsar zone) that attract a variety of species.During the afternoon we will travel to the start of the Aousserd Road. Here, we will get a feel for some of the best looking birding areas where we are sure to find some of the commoner desert species such as Greater Hoopoe Lark, Bar-tailed Desert Lark, Desert Sparrow and Southern Grey Shrike. The day starts in Dakhla and ends in Dakhla.Overnight at hotel in Dakhla
Day 2. From Dakhla to Aousserd, stopping at the artificial oasis of Mijk (*) and at Gleb Jdiane. Here there are water and vegetation, so there is a good chance to see many species, including migratory and typically desert ones. The group will arrive in Aousserd and settle there, and there will by time for a short spotlighting trip. Overnight near Aousserd.
Day 3, 4 During the next couple of days we will focus on trying to find the specialities of this great area focusing our effort for both birds and mammals. This region is often windy and so the more time we have to try for Golden Nightjars, the better! Other target birds will include African Dunn’s Lark, Sudan Golden Sparrow, Cricket Warbler, Black-crowned Sparrowlark and Pharaoh Eagle Owl. During the nights we will spotlight along the road and other areas where we have a good chance of finding Sand Cat, Ruppell’s Fox, Lesser Egyptian Jerboa, Lesser Egyptian Gerbil, Desert Hedgehog and both Horned and Sand Vipers. Overnight near Aousserd
Day 5. This day you will get back to Dakhla (night in hotel). You may decide to stop again at Gleb Jdiane and then Mijk (*), but maybe you prefer to skip the latter and conclude the trip closer to Dakhla looking for waders at two-three good spots around the Bay and on the Atlantic. Out of experience, this is what people prefer to do (for a change and to complete the lists) but of course you can discuss the programme once in the field with Nico.Overnight at hotel in Dakhla
Day 6. Departure day, If you fly out early in the morning there is no time for activities. However, if you fly out in the afternoon, you may spend the morning birding along the Dakhla peninsula, with lunch at the Oyster Farm overseeing the bay.
