Sahara Overland

Africa’s Sahara is the largest hot desert on earth, and crossing it overland is one of those experiences that entirely recalibrates your sense of scale entirely. Time and space in the desert are on their own agenda. You adapt to it.

Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia each offer their own distinct entry point into a desert adventure — from the tourist heavy dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga in Morocco’s southeast, to the vast, remote southern Algeria, to Tunisia’s otherworldly Chott el-Djerid salt flats. A 4×4 overland route takes you through terrain that shifts dramatically, from rocky, wind-scoured plateaus to towering dunes.

The most magical part of a Sahara crossing may be sleeping under a sky loaded with stars, or it may be stopping for a cup tea in the shade when you come across an actual oasis after driving for hours with nothing but sand on the horizon. Or if your lucky, it may be an interaction with a nomadic family for whom the desert is not an adventure, but simply home.

An overland Sahara adventure is not a trip you stumble into. It takes a lot of planning, the right vehicle, the right guide, and a genuine appetite for a lot of adventure and little bit of discomfort. All of which makes arriving on the other side feel exactly the way it should.