Private tour itinerary
Djanet Sahara Safari — 5-Day Tadrart Rouge
Five days in the most beautiful desert on Earth — blood-red sandstone, golden dunes and 10,000-year-old art, guided by the Tuareg who have always called it home. Private trip on your own dates, with a licensed local guide.
Day by day
Day 1Arrival & into the desert
Meet your desert team in Djanet, then a 4×4 drive into the Sahara. Sunset over the dunes and a first night at desert camp.
- Djanet — The Tuareg oasis capital of the south-east — palmeries beneath red cliffs, your gateway to the Tassili.
- First dunes at sunset — A 4×4 run onto the sand for the day’s last light and a first night at desert camp.
- The first bivouac — Camp goes up in the lee of a dune — mats, a low table and a wood fire — and the first night passes without a single electric light.
Day 2Tadrart Rouge
Drive through the Tadrart's red rock and sand valleys with photo stops, ending the day with sunset and a desert camp.
- The Tadrart Rouge — Wind-carved orange sandstone canyons and arches — among the Sahara's most cinematic landscapes.
- Sculpted rock arches — Stone arches and balancing boulders shaped over millennia — the Tadrart’s signature forms.
- Sand seas & sunset camp — Wide dune fields that flush crimson at dusk before a night under exceptionally dark skies.
Day 3Dunes & rock art
Explore the great dunes and ancient engravings on foot, pause for tea, watch the sunset and overnight in camp.
- The great dunes on foot — Climbing the high sand for the silence and the view — the heart of the desert experience.
- Prehistoric rock art — Paintings and engravings of herders, hunters and wildlife from a green Sahara up to ~10,000 years old — older than the pyramids.
- Tuareg tea ceremony — The customary three glasses of Saharan tea with a Tuareg family — the living culture of the deep south.
Day 4Deep desert
Travel further into remote desert, into the silence and wide horizons of the Sahara; final night at camp.
- Remote ergs & plateaus — Hours of open desert chosen for emptiness, not landmarks — the Sahara at its most absolute.
- The long midday halt — Shade under an acacia or a rock overhang while the heat passes: a mat, lunch, tea, and two or three hours of doing nothing at all.
- The final bivouac — The last camp of the circuit, pitched wherever the evening light is best, with dinner over the fire and the full sweep of stars.
Day 5Return to Djanet
Breakfast in the desert and a scenic drive back to Djanet, where the journey ends.
- Breakfast at camp — Bread from the sand oven, dates, jam and coffee, packed up as the first light comes over the sandstone.
- The drive north through the Tadrart — The return run to the oasis — the same red rock country you came through, seen in the opposite light.
- Djanet — The Tuareg oasis and Tiska Airport, where the circuit ends and the flight north begins.
Included
- Pick-up and drop-off in Djanet
- 4×4 desert vehicle throughout
- Professional desert driver
- Local Tuareg guide
- Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Camping equipment
- Bottled water
Not included
- International and domestic flights
- Visa fees
- Personal expenses
- Tips (optional)
- Travel insurance
Good to know
- Best season: November–February (cool, clear)
- Fitness: Moderate — short walks and dune climbs; no technical experience needed
- Style: Private and tailor-made; small group size
- Bring: Warm layers (cold desert nights), headtorch, sunglasses, camera
How to book
- Your dates are held free for 72 hours while we confirm.
- Free cancellation up to 5 days before departure.
- 5% off when you book 60+ days ahead.
- Visa support included; full refund if your visa is refused.
https://algeriacompass.com/tours/djanet-sahara-safari/