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THE OASIS is equipped to accomodate groups of up to twenty people.  One typical "jaima"., the saharan tent  made of camel and goat hair, is large enough to seat 35 people for meals or gatherings.  Four tents of white cloth provide sleeping space for six persons each and are furnished with foam mattresses,  pillows, sheets, pillow  cases and blankets.   There are three bathrooms with chemical toilets and two shower facilities.  The two and one-half hectares of palm grove provide ample space for the volley ball court, swimming "hole", area for games such as petanc and hammock strung between the palms.

MEALS are prepared in the Oasis kitchen.  Served in accordance with local rituales, meals consist of fresh vegetables, meat, fish, fruits and pastries.  Breakfast consists of fresh orange juice, fruit, yogurt, pancakes, bread baked on the premesis, tea, coffee and milk.  When available, camel milk and goat butter add an exotic and tasty touch.  Lunch and dinner consist of three courses: the first is soup or a salad platter made up of several varieties of salads including the grated carrot dressed with orange juice favorite; the second can be couscous, or a "tagine" of meat and vegetables, or lamb, veal or chicken smothered in onions and raisins, or brochettes of succulent fish or meat; dessert is always fresh fruit and local pastries followed by mint tea or coffee.  Many a meal-time and tea-time are accompanied by the music and dance of a local folklore group giving our visitor an authentic experience in the legendary Saharan hospitality. Weekend          Week

The word "Sahara" conjures up visions of vast stretches of sand;  however, the Saharan desert is actually a land of contrasts compiled of rocky plains, the "serir", vast mesas, "the "Hamadas", chains of sand dunes, the "erg" and barren mountains, some of which rise up to 300 meters.  These different formations are the product of the climatic changes which took place as the Tertiary Age, when a tropical climate reigned thought out Europe and Africa, was overtaken by the beginning of the Quaternary Age characterized by periods of ice and the formation of glaciers.  The beauty and majesty of each of these deserts are there for the visitor to behold on excursions to Naila, Tarfaya, D-echira, Smara, the Sea of Dunes and the deserted beaches of the coast.  Above all, the beholder is awed by the feeling of respect and peace produced by the visions of mile-after-uninterrupted-mile of desert.

" The mere sight of Naila is worth whatever sacrifice!  After 180 kilometers through different panoramas of dunes, rocky plains, etc., suddenly before us there unfolds an immense area covered with an intense green, crisscrossed by tongues of sea, where the presence of flamingos and other birds never cease to surprise our eyes.  And, in the distance, almost on the horizon, a huge chain of dunes separates this marvelous scene from the sea."  Jose Luis Reina Delgado.

Naila:  Natural bird Sanctuary, first stop on the migratory bird link from Doñana southward on the African continent.  Land of the pacific Meyat tribe, apart from being " an explosion of colors" (Margaret Bergeron), this area is of archeological interest as it has been traveled by many ethnological groups.  The remains of rusted arms, Neolithic drawings, the ancient tower of Santa Cruz de la Mar Pequeña, built in 1478 an used by Diego de Herrera during commercial trade with the Saharan tribes, can still be found. 

Tarfaya, a small fishing village almost entirely covered by shifting dunes, is famous for various reasons: it is the local where St. Expery, author of " The little Prince" was inspired and where hundreds of French small plane pilots congregate every year in February to pay homage to his memory; its variety of delicious fresh fish dishes; its " Casa del Mar" constructed on the sea floor in 1876 by McKenzie, a Scotsman and trader, who used it as warehouse; and for the tombs of three shipwrecks imprisoned on the sandy shore.  In this tiny village, the visitor comes face to face with a time warp as if life has come to a pause here.

Founded in the III Century, Smara is the first city of the Sahara.  Today it is known as the holy city since it was reconstructed in the XIX Century by donations received by the Chej Ma El Ainin (1830 1910) considered to be a saint and propagator of the Islamic faith in Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania

D' echira is the site of historic battles between the tribes of the Sahara and the Spanish Foreign Legion during 1957- 58.  Now a semi deserted town it is peopled sporadically by the families of camel herders.  Presided over by the ruins of the Legions fort, it offers the visitor a place to imagine the life in the days of yore, dominated by the romantic figures of the Spanish Legionaries and market place consisting of small, unspecialized stores which sold everything imaginable from water to tiles and cement.

The excursion to Laayoune is of sociological interest because it affords the visitor an insight into a city in active transition from its archaic past to its modern future.  One may observe how people who live with values and customs seated in the nomadic past struggle to adapt to the sedentary life and to the world wide economical pressures of today which dictate acceptance of new values, customs and technology.  As an example, note the differences in the clothing of the married women; one now wears tight fitting blouses and pants outlining the feminine form while others are completely covered by the typical "mehelfa" showing only a feminine face.  The most indicative example of this transition is the sight of a camel herder talking on his cell phone!

In Laayoune you will visit the market, " souk" which overflows with the aromas of spices, the bustle of the people and the vivid colors of the vendors stalls.  The silversmiths within their tiny cubicles work their art on silver with the ancient wooden triangle as a base; Leather workers color strips of hide with local designs; friendly rug weavers busy at their looms while others prepare and partake of tea.  You will visit the Mosque with its tower bordered by small tiles, which change color from aquamarine to dark green depending upon the angle from which it is viewed.  The Hotel Parrador is an example of Arabian architecture and exquisite Moroccan art.  The Moroccan- Saharan Museum displays samples of art in wood, leather, silver and pottery.

A camel safari is an enlightening experience, which can transport the participant back to the times of travel by caravan allowing a clear vision into the life of a nomad crossing miles and miles of desert by camel.  Most of all, it is lots of fun to find out how totally inept the uninitiated are in t6his manner of transport.  Crossing the Saquia Hamra, a visit will be made to a tiny mosque and lunch of brochettes, salad, pastries and tea will be served according to the time honored Sahara rites and customs