A Camel Trek Across the Tunisian Sahara

If I was going to visit the Sahara Desert, I decided, I would have to do it properly – on the back of a camel. When I spent a couple of weeks backpacking around Tunisia in northern Africa, I went south-east to the town of Douz, which sits on the edge of the Sahara, and my first step there was to sign up for a camel trek out into the desert sand dunes.

As I arrived at the agreed meeting point – this amazing place where the roads and palm trees of Douz completely disappear and the desert, without doubt, begins – there were quite a few groups of guides and camels milling about. Eventually I found my guide with his young offsider and two camels for me and my traveling companion. And we climbed aboard!

The cushioning provided on your average Sahara trekking camel is great – until the camel actually moves. That up and down action is fine for a half hour or so, but spend all day on a camel and the rhythm grates on bones you never knew you had. But it was worth it as we slowly ambled out into the desert sands, up and down gradually steeper dunes, until we couldn’t see Douz anymore. My camel in particular was a hungry fellow, and constantly bent down to try and grab some nutrients from the dry looking scrub that sometimes punctuated the desert.

After a couple of hours we reached a Bedouin-style camp in the middle of nowhere. Protected by large palm fronds “planted” in the sand, a handful of tents were set up, where other trekkers would overnight later that day. Our task was simply to have lunch here, cooked over a campfire, and after the meal to be entertained with some traditional Bedouin music and songs. While we were in the camp, our guides gave us enormous brown cloaks, known as a bournous, to wear – they protected us from the wind and the sand, although our lunch plates still managed to fill up with the fine grains of desert sand that constantly flew around.

Lunch finished, it was time to remount our trusty camels and head back towards Douz. I might not have been able to walk very comfortably for a couple of days after this trek, but it was a fantastic way to experience the Sahara Desert. A variety of treks can be booked at the various travel agencies in Douz, but just remember how sore your bottom will be if you opt for a multi-day trek!