"Western Sahara" Top 5 Page for this destination Western Sahara by johnsakura

Western Sahara Travel Guide: 230 reviews and 573 photos

THE WESTERN SAHARA

[A people] who never enjoy fresh water
And whom the grass of the fields inadequately supplies,
A country you may say ill disposed to bear any fruit,
Where the birds consume iron in their bellies,
A land suffering extreme want of everything...

Luis Vaz de Camões, Os Lusíadas 6, 1572 (Portuguese Hero and Ephic writer)

The Western Sahara, located on the north west coast of Africa borders Morocco to the north, Algeria to the east and Mauritania to the south. The region is yet to declare independence.

Western Sahara

The region that has become known as the Western Sahara has had a long history of invasion and occupation.
Over 170,000 people are living in four refugee camps in the harsh Algerian desert. For the last twenty years the Saharawi refugees have been forced to live in tents.
The Western Sahara, given its name in 1975 by the United Nations, is the last African colonial state still to declare its independence. It extends over 285,000 square kilometers of predominantly sandy plains.

The Western Sahara's map borders are a result of colonial agreements made between France, Spain and Morocco in 1900, 1904 and 1912. But the sandy Atlantic coast to the west, the Quarkziz and Oued Draa mountain chain to the north and the barren desert to the east and south form natural boundaries to the region.

Western Sahara

While mainly low lying sandy plains the region can be roughly divided into three topographical zones:

The steep mountainous rocky desert, formed by the chain of Atlas mountains and the hills of Zemmour, forms the north east zone.

The river basins of the wadi Draa to the north and the Jat to the west where water gathers in the depressions during the brief autumn rainy season forms the second zone. Here the high temperatures and evaporation rates mean that the water never reaches the sea but sufficient moisture is retained along the edges of the rivers for cattle grazing and some cereal cropping.

The third, inland, zone consists of flat low lying plains of ergs and sand dunes. The ground is too porous for water to retain the autumn rain, and too flat to allow it to flow, so it accumulates underground in numerous wells. Inland the climate is typically continental - extremely hot summers (with temperatures reaching over 60 degrees celsius in the shade) and cold dry winters.

Last visit to Western Sahara: Jan 2004
Intro Updated Oct 16, 2007
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Reviews (24)

Photo by Eric Gonçalves - Western Sahara

KM 40 Transportation (6)

40km to Dakhla you have to stop and give your papers to police cheack point. They just need to have your passport number... more travel advice

laayoune morocco western sahara - Western Sahara

Hotels in Laayoune Hotels (3)

There are many hotels in Laayoune and you'll find no problemn on getting a room either you want t cheap one, like i did,... more travel advice

Boujdour Coast western sahara morocco - Western Sahara

Boujdour Coast Things to Do (5)

The conqueror of the sea and its legends was Gil Eanes, equerry to Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (in whose... more travel advice

Patisserie Casablanca-Bojador Restaurants (1)

This is a typical moroccan patissery which serves along with some fresh fruit juices fresh bakery stuff. chocolate... more travel advice

Tourist Traps (2)
See All Border Morocco Mauritania
Warnings Or Dangers (4)
See All Land mines
Off The Beaten Path (1)
Butcher

Favorites (1)
Police Stop at km 40
Nightlife (1)
Dakhla by night
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Comments (13)

alycat Oct 27, 2008 at 11:39 AM Report Abuse

A beautiful place with an even beautiful blue sky..is it the camera or is it you?
halikowski Aug 23, 2008 at 2:52 AM Report Abuse

Sounds like a difficult & dangerous part of the world. Were you driving cars down to West Africa for sale, like they did in the '80s?
hunterV Jul 5, 2008 at 10:43 AM Report Abuse

I see... still I hope the Saharawis are content...
grets Jun 29, 2007 at 3:31 AM Report Abuse

What an interesting page about this unusual destination...... Thanks :-)
hindu1936 Sep 25, 2006 at 10:59 PM Report Abuse

Now that is a cheap hotel! Thanks for the info. good tips, good potos. thanks for sharing
luckyzen Jan 28, 2006 at 10:51 AM Report Abuse

I am happy that I came across your page, Joao! Very interesting. Thank you for sharing. Greetings from Cape Town.
sachara Jan 9, 2005 at 11:24 AM Report Abuse

GREAT to read your page, Joao, after I have been there myself. Luckily I didn't realise all the described dangers, when crossing the Mauritanian-West Saharan border.
JLBG Dec 4, 2004 at 9:14 AM Report Abuse

Great page, very informative. It reminds me of several trips I did in central (Algerian) Sahara, page to come one day ! I wonder to what extent it can be called either a colony or the southern provinces of Morocco !
zumodemango Oct 30, 2004 at 12:36 PM Report Abuse

very interesting page joao!as always the pictures are great... eva
yakuza-desu Oct 24, 2004 at 1:28 PM Report Abuse

yes, very informative your page about sahara country arigato