What sort of accommodations are there?

Along popular trekking routes through populated areas, family-run guesthouses and basic gîtes d'étape are often available, ranging from comfortable and homelike to barebones simple, while in the busiest areas mountaineering refuges are common.

There may or not be a way to reserve in advance, but independent trekkers will more often show up and knock on the door. In the desert, touristy camps are popular both for accommodation and as places to arrange camels and guides for treks. Where none of these exist, your only option will be independent tent camping.