How to: bespoke solutions for exploring the boundless silences

From the Atlantic to the sands of the lost city of Ouadane. The Banc d’Arguin, a refuge for millions of birds during their winter migrations, where the Imraguen fishing community still fishes from sail-powered boats. And, via a 4x4 expedition to the libraries of the Chinguetti desert in the Erg Amatlich, with a stop at the nomadic camps, you reach Ouadane, Mauritania’s most remote oasis, on the route to Algeria. There is also another itinerary in the Tagant, Mauritania’s most inland region. Here, you can discover the prehistoric remains studied by the great traveller and scholar Théodore Monod, as well as crossing beautiful ergs on the way up to Chinguetti. These are offered by the tour operator Kel12, with bespoke itineraries (price guide: Atlantic coast and caravan towns, 11 days, from €2,980. Tagant, 14 days, from €3,600, kel12.com).

CHAD

The final frontier of the Sahara. The Ennedi region, with its towering rocky peaks rising from the sands, or the landscape of Bichagara, reminiscent of Monument Valley. Then there is the Emi Koussi volcano in the Tibesti region and, further north, the dunes of the Erg Djourab. Chad offers an extraordinary variety of deserts, to be discovered on challenging Saharan expeditions. In the Ennedi, the tour operator Spazi d’avventura has opened the Warda Camp tented camp, set within a spectacular rocky circle (7-day camp with excursions; first available departure date 25/11, prices on request, spazidavventura.com).

PATAGONIA

Tucked away from the tourist crowds heading to southern Chile, the Patagonia National Parque Hotel, in partnership with andBeyond, is dedicated to eco-sustainable luxury, which blends perfectly with the breathtaking scenery of the park of the same name. The materials used in the building’s construction and furnishings are either locally sourced or recycled, and the hotel is powered by an energy system that is nearly 100 per cent self-sufficient (from $6,735 per person for a 6-day, all-inclusive package, andbeyond.com).

Il Deserto della Patagonia è il più grande delle Americhe e il settimo al mondo, esteso in Argentina e in parte in Cile. È un deserto freddo, dove le temperature medie variano da 3° a 12° C°. La strada più spettacolare per attraversarlo è la Ruta Provincial 41, remoto tracciato sterrato di circa 165 km e alternativa selvaggia alla più nota Ruta 40. Costeggia il confine cileno e svela paesaggi che passano dalla steppa al deserto vulcanico.

In Argentine Patagonia, the El Calafate lodge serves as the gateway to the unspoilt Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve, situated outside the (more crowded) National Park of the same name. Among the most fascinating experiences on offer is a horse-riding expedition across the Patagonian steppes to the Cordillera’s giant glacier, the Perito Moreno. The tour operator is represented in Italia by Ruta 40 (El Calafate, minimum 3 nights, from $8,520 for two people, all-inclusive, explora.com; tour operator, ruta40.it).