Nouakchott
Nouakchott is Mauritania’s capital and largest city. With a population of 1.5 million, it is home to about a quarter of the country’s population. It is one of the sandiest capital cities you will ever visit. The infrastructure is limited, but the goats are plentiful. You can find good restaurants and decent hotels. Some common sites to visit are the National Museum of Mauritania, the Saudi Mosque, and Marche Capitale, which is the large and bustling central market. Unless they have business, most tourists do not spend more than one or two days here.
Port De Peche
Port de Peche is a hectic and colorful fish market located in Nouakchott. The constant motion of the vendors, fishermen, donkeys, and children playing, combined with an overwhelming smell, makes this an exciting place for the senses. The real draw however, is the thousands of colorfully painted wooden boats. The vibrant multi-colored boats, called pirogues , are piled onto a stretch of shore outside the main market building. At any time of day, you will see men pushing and pulling boats in and out of the water. Port de Peche is located about a ten minute drive from the city center.
Camel Market
Nouakchott is home to the second largest camel market in Africa and is a remarkable sight. This place is packed with camels as far as the eye can see. Camels are an integral part of life in Mauritania, being used for food, milk, travel, and even as marital dowries. The market is about forty minutes east of the city center.
Adrar Region
Iron Ore Train
Hitchhiking on the iron ore train as it thunders across the Sahara is one of the biggest draws for many tourists to Mauritania. The train starts at the Zouerate mines, but the hop on point for travelers is located in nearby Fderik, and then the train travels to Nouadhibou. There is a passenger car, but most tourists prefer to climb into the cargo carts and ride on top of the iron ore train for the adrenaline rush, the desert views, and the chance to sleep under the stars. The train usually departs Fderik between 11am and 2:30pm, but does not stick to a schedule and often departs much later, meaning you will likely be waiting for a while. The full journey takes about 18-22 hours, so many travelers prefer to jump on the train in Choum, which is one of the train’s only stops. The train stops for only ten minutes, so you will need to be prepared to hop on quickly. The train can arrive in Choum anywhere between 3pm and midnight, and sometimes later. The journey from Choum is usually between twelve and fourteen hours.
As complicated as these logistics already are, in late 2024 the mining company started cracking down on hitchhikers, making things much more difficult for those wishing to ride on top of the iron ore. Now, from Fderik, security will make riders take the passenger car. Many attempt to switch to the open-air carts at Choum, but security can make that difficult as well. Even if you are boarding at Choum, security will likely find you, make you purchase a ticket, and escort you to the passenger car when the train arrives. Many have luck sneaking into the carts in Tmeimichat, where the train usually stops to make a shift change. Increasingly, the train has been departing from the mines without a passenger car attached, meaning that the train does not make a stop in Choum. In this case, you will need to quickly drive to Tmeimichat to board. Being on a group tour or having a local guide who can communicate with security, can greatly increase your chances of successfully riding on top of the iron ore.
It is a very dusty trip so be prepared with goggles, a face covering, and potentially a filtering mask. It will be very hot during the day with no shade to hide in, and much colder than you would expect at night with the rush of wind from the moving train, so having layers to throw on as the temperature drops is critical. At the end of the journey, there are often taxis racing alongside the train that you can hire to take you into the city of Nouadhibou. You will be extremely dirty, so your first stop should be a place where you can clean up.
Chinguetti
One of the most ancient towns in Mauritania, Chinguetti cannot be missed. Initially settled in the 8 th century, Chinguetti became a popular stop on the pilgrimage to Mecca, and by the 13 th century, was one of the most important cities in Mauritania. As people traveled through the city, they would leave historical, Quranic, and scientific texts, and at its peak, Chinguetti boasted more than thirty libraries housing them all. Unfortunately, this 1,200 year old city is slowly being swallowed by the sands of the Sahara, but local librarians are doing all they can to protect the important texts in the city’s five remaining libraries. To reach Chinguetti, you can take a bus from Nouakchott to Atar, then from Atar to Chinguetti. The journey will take you a full day at minimum.
Tergit Oasis
The most famous oasis in the country, Tergit is a beautiful and lush contrast to the endless rock formations and sand that surround it. At Tergit, you can swim and cool off in the shade of the trees. There are also many interesting structures left behind by nomads that are great to explore.
Richat Structure
The Richat Structure, also known as “The Eye of Africa,” is a geological oddity that can be seen from space as a massive circle with concentric rings inside. It is formed out of a tectonic uplift that eroded over time to reveal its ringed pattern. However, some enjoy believing that it is the location of Plato’s famed Atlantis, as the rings fit his description of the city that most people believe to be fictional. One note about visiting the Richat Structure is that, due to its massive size, it is hard to appreciate from the ground.
Ben Amera
Mauritania is home to the world’s second highest monolith, after Uluru (Ayr’s Rock) in Australia. Ben Amera stands at 633m tall (2,027ft). It is situated next to the border with Western Sahara, and about 4km north of the iron ore train tracks. It is only accessible by 4x4 car, which you can hire in Adrar.
Nouadhibou
Nouadhibou, the second largest city in Mauritania, is situated on a peninsula known as Cap Blanc in the north west of the country. One of the few attractions here is the Réserve Satellite du Cap Blanc, which is a nature center dedicated to the preservation of an endangered colony of monk seals. There is a small information center located on a beautiful cliffside. The center is located so close to the border with Western Sahara, that you might get yelled at for accidentally wandering across the unmarked divide.
Southern Mauritania
Oualata
Located in the far south east of the country, Oualata is closer to Timbuktu than it is to Nouakchott. It is the third oldest city in Mauritania, and many say the most beautiful. The old city is a striking collection of red mud buildings with intricate white patterns hand-painted by the women of the village. The interiors have the opposite – white walls with distinct red painted patterns. Locals will greet you warmly and be very interested in you, as few tourists venture this far into the country. It is a long and difficult journey to reach Oulata. You can take a public minibus from Nouakchott to Nema, which can take up to two days as the driver may stop to sleep for the night. From Nema, you can arrange a ride for the three hour drive to Oulata.
Diawling National Park
Located in the far south west of the country right on the border of Senegal, the landscape and climate here is vastly different to the rest of the mostly Saharan country. There are many lakes during the rainy season, and it is very green compared to the sands north of it. It is home to more than 200 species of birds, and many mammals including spotted hyenas, warthogs, African wildcats, patas monkeys, and African golden wolves. The park would make a good stop for those crossing into Mauritania from the St Louis area of Senegal. Note that there is a high presence of malaria in the park due to a dam built in the area, so be prepared.
