Wednesday 21st January – Laayoune

• Arrive at your leisure in Laayoune, the de facto capital of Western Sahara, your gateway to one of the world’s least-explored territories. Regular flights reach it from Gran Canaria and Casablanca.
• Group members from our Mauritania Iron Ore Train Tour will arrive on the AT 1410 flight from Casablanca, landing at 10:15am.
• Transfer to our accommodation. The pre-tour meeting will take place in the lobby of our hotel at 2pm, to go over the itinerary and meet your fellow travellers.

Afternoon

• Kick off our city tour at Place Mechouar, a square where government buildings, palm trees, and fountains create a bizarre mix of bureaucracy and beauty.
• Visit the Grand Mosque of Laayoune, an architectural gem with traditional Moroccan influences, serving as the spiritual centre of the city.
• Explore the Spanish Cathedral (Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís). A remnant of Spanish colonial rule, this church is a striking contrast to the city’s Islamic
  heritage.
• Wander through the local souk, a bustling marketplace overflowing with Saharan textiles, handwoven rugs, spices, and artisan crafts from the local Sahrawi people.
• Stroll along the Saguia El Hamra Riverbed at sunset. It is dry most of the year, but rich in history and legends of desert survival.
• For dinner, we’ll feast on Sahrawi delicacies. Think camel meat, stuffed bread, and bottomless mint tea.
• Overnight in Laayoune

Thursday 22nd January – Laayoune – Tarfaya

• After an early breakfast at the hotel, we’ll hit the road south towards Tarfaya (100km, ~1.5 hours), a coastal town with rich maritime and aviation history.
• Our first stop will be Casa del Mar, a haunting offshore ruin of a 19th-century British trading post that can only be reached at low tide.
• We’ll visit the Saint-Exupéry Museum, dedicated to the legendary pilot and author of The Little Prince. Saint-Exupéry spent time here as an airmail pilot, and the museum is packed with aviation relics and letters from his adventures.

Afternoon

• After lunch in a local eatery, we’ll continue our visit of Tarfaya
• We’ll step back into the Spanish era at Ksar Tarfaya, a well-preserved colonial military fort.
• Time to relax and walk along Tarfaya Beach & Port, where local fishermen haul in fresh catches daily. We’ll take in the salty sea breeze and check out the traditional wooden fishing boats.
• Drive back to Laayoune, with time for extra city exploration or ticking off any sites missed yesterday.
• Overnight in Laayoune

Friday 23rd January – Laayoune – Boujdour – Dakhla

• We’ll fuel up on breakfast, then hit the road for our scenic coastal drive south.
• Our first stop is Boujdour (190 km, ~3 hours), a remote Saharan outpost known for its windswept Atlantic coast, seafood, and its role as a crucial stop along the Trans-Saharan Highway. Boujdour is often overlooked – just how we like it. The town is unexpectedly covered in bold murals, many of which depict Sahrawi culture, maritime history, and desert life.
• First, we’ll check the Boujdour Lighthouse, a colonial-era relic guiding ships through Saharan waters.
• Then, we’ll head to the desert dunes of Boujdour, where golden sands spill straight into the Atlantic. Perfect for photography (or just standing in awe).
• From sand to sea, we’ll continue to the Boujdour Port & Fish Market, where fresh octopus and sea bream are the stars of the show.

Afternoon

• After a seafood feast for lunch, we’ll continue our journey south.
• We’ll hit the highway for the final 340km stretch to Dakhla (~5 hours), an overland route where the desert and ocean collide in a stunning landscape of dunes and waves.
• Arrive in Dakhla, the crown jewel of Western Sahara. This isolated desert peninsula juts into the Atlantic, creating a surreal mix of turquoise lagoons, golden dunes, and Sahrawi culture. A long-time strategic military outpost, today it’s best known as a kitesurfing mecca, a seafood paradise, and one of the most stunning hidden gems in Africa.
• Check into our hotel, and unwind at the legendary Dakhla Lagoon, a kiteboarding paradise with crystal-clear waters and the occasional flock of flamingos.
• Overnight in Dakhla

Saturday 24th January – Dakhla

• After breakfast, we’ll head straight for the White Dunes & Dragon Island, where sand dunes crash into the Atlantic. We’ll take a short boat ride to Dragon Island, a bizarre uninhabited islet famous for its salt formations and panoramic views.
• It will then be time to soak in the Hot Water Spring of Asnaa, a natural therapeutic oasis said to work wonders for the skin.
• Beachside lunch, featuring fresh oysters, grilled fish, and Sahrawi-style couscous—because nothing beats eating seafood with ocean views.

Afternoon

• We’ll spend the afternoon exploring Dakhla Lagoon, one of the world’s top kitesurfing and birdwatching spots, home to flamingos, pelicans, and migratory birds.
• Stop by PK25 Beach, a secluded paradise. If you’ve ever wanted to kick back on an untouched white-sand beach, this is your spot.
• We’ll drive out to Portorico Beach, an even more remote slice of paradise where the desert meets the Atlantic.
• The afternoon will continue around oyster farms. We’ll tour the farms, chat with local oyster farmers, and sample some of the freshest oysters you’ll ever taste, straight from the sea.
• Farewell dinner and overnight in Dakhla

Sunday 25th January – Dakhla

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Transfer to Dakhla Airport, depending on your flight schedule.
• Tour concludes – YPT is able to arrange post-tour accommodation or advice for flights out

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