Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Ausert, Oued Ed-Dahab–Lagouira, West Africa, Africa

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Ausert, Oued Ed-Dahab–Lagouira, West Africa, Africa

Aousserd, also called Ausert, is a town belonging to the Aousserd Province in the region of Oued Ed-Dahab–Lagouira in Western Sahara. It is located around 270 km southeast of the city of Dakhla and 720 km south of El Aaiún, the capital and largest city of Western Sahara. Aousserd coordinates with 22°32′11″ N latitude and 14°17′9″ W longitude. Aousserd is home to low permanent population as most people in the area use tents to live. Aousserd Province comprises five rural communes such as Aghouinite, Aousserd, Tichla, Zoug and Bir Gandouz and one municipality Lagouira.

 

How to reach Aousserd?

Aousserd is served by Dakhla Airport, one of the three functioning airports of Western Sahara. The Dakhla Airport operates scheduled flights from/to Agadir, Casablanca and Gran Canaria. The airport is located around 270 km northwest of Aousserd and can be reached by rental vehicle.

There is a direct roadway connecting Aousserd to Dakhla, which makes easier to travel between Aousserd and Dakhla by rental vehicle. There may be no regular buses serving Aousserd, so visitors are advised to hire rental vehicle.

 

Food and Shopping in Aousserd:

As Aousserd houses low permanent population, there are restaurants and shops less in number. So most tourists visiting Aousserd bring food and other necessities from the city of Dakhla, where all sorts of modernized shops and restaurants located.

 

Things to do in Aousserd:

  • Hiking
  • Traditional shopping
  • Village tour

 

Places to see in Aousserd:

 

Dakhla:

Dakhla is one of the important cities of Western Sahara and hotspot of water sport lovers, located around 270 km northwest of Aousserd. Located on the peninsula of the Atlantic Coast, Dakhla offers a wide range of aquatic sports, mainly kitesurfing, windsurfing and surf casting. The city is also famous for its colonial structures.

 

La Güera:

La Güera is an abandoned area located on the Atlantic coast in the extreme south of Western Sahara. It was one of the important towns of the Spanish during their colonial period in Western Sahara. There is also a airport and many attractive beaches.

 

Sahara Atlantic Coast:

The Western Sahara Atlantic Coast is rocky, featuring many spectacular beaches. Apart from fishing and water sport activities, the coastline is also famous for ruins of a few shipwrecks. These features can be seen with real evidences at Ad Dakhla.

 

List of other places of interest in and around Aousserd include:

  • Smara
  • Moroccan Wall
  • Amgala
  • Bir Lehlou
  • Tarfaya
  • Centre Artisanal
  • Laayoune Off Road
  • Dchira
  • Guelta Zemmour
  • Laayoune-Plage
  • Windfish Pro-Center
  • Massage du Monde

 

Best time to visit Aousserd:

The best and most preferred time to visit Aousserd is from June to August, when the weather in condition and supportive for outdoor activities.

 

Hotels in Aousserd:

There are very few accommodation centres in Aousserd, so it is advised to tourists who have plan to travel Aousserd, consider Dakhla’s hotels for accommodation purpose to enjoy standard and upgraded hospitality services. There is a direct roadway from Dakhla to Aousserd. The prominent hotels in Dakhla (around 270 km from Aousserd) are listed below:

  • Lagon Bleu Dakhla
  • Rio Aguila Aventure
  • Ocean Vagabond
  • Dakhla Evasion
  • Hotel Calipau Sahara
  • Hotel Erraha
  • Hotel Buenavista
  • Hotel Oued Eddahab
  • Hotel al Wahda
  • Hotel Sahara Regency
  • Bab al Bahar Hotel et Spa
  • Auberge des Nomades du Sahara
  • Palais Touareg
  • Dakhla Spirit Lagoon Camp

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Amgala, Oasis, North Africa, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Amgala, Oasis, North Africa, Africa

Amgala is an oasis in Western Sahara in North Africa, located between 26°16′45″ N latitude and 11°7′59″ W longitude. It is situated in the Polisario controlled Western Sahara, between the towns of Tifariti and Smara, near the Moroccan Wall, a sand wall built to separate Moroccan Western Sahara from the Polisario’s Western Sahara. Amgala is located around 250 km southeast of El-Aaiún, the capital and largest city of Western Sahara.

 

History of Amgala:

Amgala was the site of many SPLA-RMA battles fought in the second half of the 20th century. The first major war was fought in January and February of 1976 between Royal Moroccan Armed forces and Polisario Front troops. Amgala saw another major war on 8 November 1989.

 

How to reach Amgala?

Smara Airport is the closest airport to Amgala, located around 50 km from Amgala. It is served by Casa Air Service with connection from Rabat and Royal Air Maroc Express with scheduled flights from Casablanca, Ouarzazate and Zagora.

Probably there are no buses running between Amgala area and Smara, but visitors can choose rental vehicles like car and taxis to easily reach Amgala from Smara.

 

Food and shopping in Amgala:

There are no big shopping and restaurant complexes near Amgala, but one can find many traditional shops and restaurants near Amgala that are mainly famous for offering a wide range of locally produced products.

 

What to do in Amgala?

  • Sand Skiing
  • Village tour
  • Walking

 

What to see in Amgala?

 

Amgala:

Being an oasis, Amgala itself is a well known tourist destination and draws a substantial number of tourists year round as a site of many historical wars fought between Royal Moroccan Armed forces (RMA) and Polisario Front troops (SPLA).

 

Moroccan Wall:

Moroccan Wall is a sand wall constructed by Morocco to distinguish Moroccan Western Sahara from Polisario controlled Western Sahara. The structure measures a length of 2,700 km.

 

Smara:

Smara is a city situated in Morocco occupied Western Sahara, around 50 km from Amgara. The city is famous among visitors mainly for ruined stone fortress Zawiy Maalainin. There is also a large and famous mosque in the city.

 

Smara Airport:

The Smara Airport is the airport serving Smara city, known for its nice construction and lovely surroundings.  It is located around 50 km from Amgala.

 

List of other places of interest in and around Amgala includes:

  • El Aaiún
  • Bir Lehlou
  • Tarfaya
  • Dakhla
  • Guelta Zemmour
  • Laayoune-Plage
  • Windfish Pro-Center
  • Massage du Monde
  • Centre Artisanal
  • Laayoune Off Road
  • Dchira

 

Best time to visit Amgala:

Generally from June to September is the best time to visit Amgala in Western Sahara.

 

Where to stay in Amgala?

Hotels in the area of Amgala are difficult to find, so hotels in El-Aaiun and Dakhla are listed below that can be reached by rental vehicle to have genuine Western Saharan hospitality services. Visitors are also advised to book hotel rooms well in advance prior reaching the city to avoid difficulty in finding hotels during peak season.

  • Hotel Josefina
  • Hotel Residence Lajwad
  • Hotel Nagjir Ville
  • Hotel Salwan
  • Camping Sabor del Sahara
  • Hotel Parador
  • Le Camp Bedouin
  • Hotel Sahara Regency
  • Hotel Doumes
  • Dakhla Spirit Lagoon Camp
  • Lagon Bleu Dakhla
  • Hotel Oued Eddahab
  • Hotel al Wahda
  • Bab al Bahar Hotel et Spa
  • Auberge des Nomades du Sahara

Tourist Places to Visit in Al Mahbes, Morocco’s, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Al Mahbes, Morocco’s, Africa

Al Mahbes is a village located in the northeastern part of Western Sahara. It falls under the Morocco’s control as a part of the Morocco controlled Western Sahara. Al Mahbes is situated near the Algerian border, around 550 km east by road from the capital, El-Aaiún and around 100 kilometers from the oasis town of Bir Lehlou. Al Mahbes is geographically positioned between 27° 23′ 07″ N latitude and 9° 07′ 52″ W longitude. Al Mahbes has some basic facilities like shops, restaurants and is connected to the capital El-Aaiún and southern Moroccan cities, including Guelmin by direct road link.

 

Connectivity to Al Mahbes:

Hassan I Airport in El Aaiún is the closest airport to Al Mahbes, located around 550 km away. This airport receives flights from Agadir, Casablanca and Las Palmas, served by Binter Canarias, CanaryFly and Royal Air Maroc. Taxi is gettable at the airport, although if one booked a private transfer before reaching the airport would be ideal for comfort and convenient airport travel.

Buses are not regular between any Western Saharan cities and towns, so visitors are advised to hire a car for local and intercity travel.

 

Food and Shopping in Al Mahbes:

Upgraded shops and restaurants are difficult to find in Al Mahbes but visitors can find it in nearby town Bir Lehlou. Buses are not regular between these two settlements, so visitors are suggested to rent a car or bike for travel.

 

Things to do in Al Mahbes:

  • Walking
  • Village tour
  • Traditional shopping

 

Places to see in Al Mahbes:

 

Bir Lehlou:

Bir Lehlou is a town situated around 100 km southwest of Al Mahbes. It comes under the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic controlled Western Sahara and well known for its mosque. Generally buses do not ply regularly between Bir Lehlou and Al Mahbes, so visitors are advised to hire a rental car.

 

El Aaiún:

El Aaiún is the capital of Western Sahara, located around 550 km west of Al Mahbes. It houses a wide range of manmade and natural tourist attractions, including an old Spanish Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi. There is also a multi-use stadium, Stade Sheikh Mohamed Laghdaf and Hassan I Airport. El Aaiún is also famous for its desert beaches.

 

Smara:

Located around 330 km southwest of Al Mahbes, Smara is a historic city, founded in 1869. The city is well known for its architectural features, housing a large ruined fort Zawiy Maalainin. Its large mosque and airport are the other highlights of Smara.

 

List of other places of interest near Al Mahbes include:

  • Moroccan Berm
  • Dakhla
  • Guelta Zemmour
  • Tarfaya
  • Centre Artisanal
  • Laayoune Off Road
  • Dchira
  • Laayoune-Plage
  • Windfish Pro-Center
  • Massage du Monde

 

Best time to visit Al Mahbes:

Generally from July to September is the ideal time to visit Al Mahbes in Western Sahara.

 

Hotels in Al Mahbes:

It is difficult to find upgraded hotels in and around Al Mahbes, so tourists can take suggestion of considering El-Aaiun’s hotels for accommodation. There are many nice tourist favor hotels in El-Aaiun offering all basic and latest facilities and services. The prominent hotels in Al Mahbes, El-Aaiun and Dakhla:

  • Hotel Josefina
  • Hotel Residence Lajwad
  • Hotel Nagjir Ville
  • Hotel Salwan
  • Camping Sabor del Sahara
  • Hotel Parador
  • Le Camp Bedouin
  • Hotel al Wahda
  • Bab al Bahar Hotel et Spa
  • Auberge des Nomades du Sahara
  • Hotel Sahara Regency
  • Dakhla Spirit Lagoon Camp
  • Lagon Bleu Dakhla
  • Hotel Oued Eddahab

Western Sahara Tourist Places to Visit in Western Sahara, North Africa, Africa

Western Sahara Tourist Places to Visit in Western Sahara, North Africa, Africa

Western Sahara is a controversial territory situated in North Africa at 25° N 13° W. The bordering country Morocco (to the north) claims Western Sahara as its part but this is not internationally recognized. Western Sahara’s eastern and southern borders are shared with Mauritania, the northeastern border with Algeria and the western border is located on the Atlantic Ocean. Western Sahara is the world’s one of the most sparsely populated territories with a population of 548,000 people (as of the 2011 estimation) in the area of 266,000 square kilometers. El Aaiún is the capital and largest city of Western Sahara

Although being a disputed region, blessed by desert and long stretching coastline, Western Sahara is popular among visitors for many of its outdoor activities, mainly for sand skiing, caravan rides, deep sea fishing and Saharan expedition.

 

History of Western Sahara:

The history of Western Sahara begins with when it was conquered by the Spanish in the late 19th century. Spain withdrew its control over Western Sahara in 1974–75 and since then Western Sahara is on the list of the United Nations non-self-governing territories. Though, Morocco and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic have partial power over Western Sahara.

 

Getting Western Sahara:

As it remain under Morocco and SADR’s control, visitors need to visit Western Sahara have to follow the visa requirements of the respective countries. Hassan I Airport is one of the three functioning airports of Western Sahara and other two being Dakhla Airport and Smara Airport. The Hassan I Airport operates flights from Agadir, Casablanca and Las Palmas and is located around 3 km from the heart of the capital city El-Aaiún.

The northern Western Sahara can be reached by bus from Casablanca and Marrakech in Morocco. Rental vehicles like cars and bikes are the options to get around Western Saharan cities.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Western Sahara:

Berber and Hassaniya Arabic are the commonly spoken languages by Western Sahara people, of whom the greater percentage people are Muslims.

Moroccan dirham is the currency used in many major cities in Western Sahara. Handicraft products and traditional clothes are purchasable items in Western Saharan cities. The cuisine of Western Sahara highly displays Arab cuisine features.

 

What to do in Western Sahara?

  • Sand Skiing
  • Caravan Rides
  • Saharan Expedition
  • Deep Sea Fishing

 

Must see in Western Sahara:

 

El Aaiún (Laayoune):

Western Sahara’s capital and largest city, El Aaiún or Laayoune is a Spanish built city, located near the coastline, well known for its desert beach and Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi. It is also a perfect place to begin Western Sahara’s tour.

 

Tarfaya:

Tarfaya is a historical town in Morocco controlled Western Sahara, mainly noted for its ruined Zawiy Maalainin fortress. It is situated around 220 km from the capital, El Aaiún.

 

Guelta Zemmour:

Guelta Zemmour is an oasis town, famous among visitors as a perfect place to catch a striking desert sunset. There are also minefields in the vicinity of the town.

 

Dakhla:

Dakhla is a city with strong history behind, founded by the Spanish in 1884. Lying on the coastline, Dakhla offers excellent surfing opportunities and also equally popular for its manmade attractions like Catholic churches, a military fortress and an old Spanish lighthouse out of the town.

 

Moroccan Berm:

The Moroccan Berm was built by Morocco to distinguish Morocco from Polisario territories in Western Sahara. This stunning sand wall is advised to see from long distance as there are military bases established.

 

Other places of interest in Western Sahara include:

  • Centre Artisanal
  • Laayoune Off Road
  • Windfish Pro-Center
  • Massage du Monde
  • Dchira
  • Laayoune-Plage

 

When to visit Western Sahara?

Western Sahara relatively experiences warm to hot weather year round. Tour to Western Sahara mainly depends on visitors’ preference, one of the suggestable months is August, when festive season on peak and beaches as well.

 

Where to stay in Western Sahara?

Western Sahara houses many modernized hotels, of which most are shared between the cities of Ad Dakhla and Laayoune (El Aaiún). Price for hotel rooms depends on season and amenities offered by hotels. Some recommended hotels in Western Sahara (Ad Dakhla) are listed below:

  • Hotel Calipau Sahara
  • Hotel Erraha
  • Hotel Buenavista
  • Hotel Oued Eddahab
  • Hotel al Wahda
  • Hotel Sahara Regency
  • Hotel Doumes
  • Bab al Bahar Hotel et Spa
  • Auberge des Nomades du Sahara
  • Palais Touareg
  • Dakhla Spirit Lagoon Camp
  • Lagon Bleu Dakhla
  • Rio Aguila Aventure
  • Ocean Vagabond
  • Dakhla Evasion
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