Mauritania

Mauritania is an interesting blend of the Arab world and sub-Saharan Africa, where the tourist encounters numerous ancient caravan towns, quite a few camels and the world's longest train, which carries iron ore from the heart of the Sahara to the coast and on top of a load of ore for any willing tourist. And Nouakchott – one of Africa's newest capitals. In Mauritania, you can also go camping under the starry Saharan sky, safely.

See our travel suggestions below and contact us if you are interested or need more information about trips to Mauritania.

Our tours in Mauritania

Kameli Travel organises tours to Mauritania – whether your intention is to experience the merely unplanned capital of Nouakchott in the middle of the driest desert, but also by the sea, where you are unlikely to bump into other tourists, but rather friendly and curious locals who are there to welcome you to their country. Or you can continue your journey deeper into the Sahara and see the caravan towns of Ouadane and Chinguetti, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, visit the Tidjikja area to spot the rare desert crocodiles that got stuck when the Sahara dried up around them, not forgetting of course a journey on the world's longest train in an open iron ore carriage through the Sahara night.

We can arrange a professional guide and transport services for you or your group, and book your preferred level of accommodation. However, if you wish to travel by public transport, we can arrange for a guide to accompany you on these as well.

Tour suggestions

Classic tour of Mauritania & iron ore train:

Day 1 | Arrival in Nouakchott. Overnight in Nouakchott.
Day 2 | Journey to the oasis of Terjit and on via the village of Mheirith to the caravan town of Chinguetti, where we stay overnight.
Day 3 | Journey from Chinguetti via Ouadane and the Richat structure ("Eye of the Sahara") back to Ouadane, where we stay overnight
Day 4 | Journey via Amogjar Pass and Atar to Choum, from where it is about 12 hours by train to Nouadhibou
Day 5 | Arrival in Nouadhibou, city tour and accommodation in the city
Day 6 | Return to Nouakchott and city tour. Accommodation in Nouakchott.
Day 7 | Transfer to Nouakchott airport

Long tour of Mauritania & iron ore train:

Day 1 | Arrival in Nouakchott. Overnight in Nouakchott.
Day 2 | Journey to the oasis of Terjit, where we stay overnight
Day 3 | Journey to the village of Mheirith and on to Chinguetti, where we stay overnight
Day 4 | Journey from Chinguetti via Ouadane and the Richat structure ("Eye of the Sahara") back to Ouadane, where we stay overnight
Day 5 | Journey via the Amogjar Pass to Atar, where we stay overnight
Day 6 | Journey from Atar to Zouérat, from there a 5-hour journey by iron ore train to Choum, where we stay overnight
Day 7 | Journey to Ben Amera, where a night in the desert
Day 8 | Journey from Ben Amera to Iwik in Banc d'Arguin National Park, where we stay overnight
Day 9 | Journey from Iwik to Tiwilit, where a night in the desert
Day 10 | Journey from Tiwilit to Nouakchott, where we stay overnight
Day 11 | Transfer to Nouakchott airport

Mauritanian desert adventure:

Day 1 | Arrival in Nouakchott. Overnight in Nouakchott.
Day 2 | Journey through the dunes of Amatlich to the oasis of Azouega, where we stay overnight in a tent in the oasis
Day 3 | Journey via El Medda, Tifoujar and Terjit back to Tifoujar, where we spend overnight in a tent in the desert
Day 4 | Journey via Mheirith to Amogjar Pass and on to Chinguetti, where we stay overnight at a guesthouse
Day 5 | Journey via Atar to Ben Amera, where a night in a tent in the desert
Day 6 | Journey from Ben Amera to Iwik in Banc d'Arguin National Park, where we stay overnight at a guesthouse
Day 7 | Journey from Iwik to Tiwilit, where a night in the desert
Day 8 | Journey from Tiwilit to Nouakchott, where we stay overnight at a hotel
Day 9 | Transfer to Nouakchott airport

Iron ore train

The longest and heaviest train in the world runs through the Sahara in Mauritania - from the iron ore mines of Zouérat to the Atlantic coast of Nouadhibou and back. The train is between 2.5 and 3 kilometres long, while the only railway in the country is 704 kilometres long. The train transports iron ore, Mauritania's main export, which makes up 15% of the country's GDP. The iron ore is shipped from Noudhibou to elsewhere in the world for further processing. Every year, a train operated by the Mauritanian state-owned mining company Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) transports millions of tonnes of ore along the line, which means that one train a day runs in each direction. In the other direction, the train is empty.

Travelling by train is certainly one of the most exotic experiences - even if you only travel in a passenger carriage. Hardcore travellers choose to travel in an ore wagon, travelling for free on a pile of iron ore across the Sahara desert, often through the night. The journey is not particularly comfortable, and certainly not clean, as the iron ore dusts and stains clothes and skin. Needless to say, there are no toilets in these carriages either.

Trains run without an exact timetable, but here are the estimated travel times:

Zouérat–Nouadhibou (the whole trip), about 20 hours
Zouérat–Choum, about 5 hours
Choum–Nouadhibou, about 12 hours

A train journey is not at all a compulsory part of our Mauritania tours, but can easily be replaced by a car and overnight stays in desert camps under the starry Saharan sky. However, if train travel is your thing, bring some clothes to throw in the bin after the journey if necessary. Also bring ski goggles for the iron ore dust. We'll take care of the rest.

General information about Mauritania

Mauritania is one of the largest countries in Africa (1 030 700 km²) and would swallow up not only Finland but also Sweden and Norway. But with a population of only 4.4 million, the country is very sparsely populated. The country gained independence from French rule in 1960 and, as a colonial legacy, French is widely spoken, although the official language is Hassaniya, a dialect of Arabic. English is poorly spoken. People make their living from agriculture, including farming and livestock rearing. Fishing also provides employment, as do the large iron and copper reserves. Tourism is fairly limited.

Climate: Mauritania has a hot and dry desert climate. The summer months are the rainy season, with the south receiving the most rain, the northwards the rainfall decreases and the northernmost part of Mauritania hardly receives any rain during the rainy season. During the summer months, temperatures regularly spike above 30 degrees Celsius, and temperatures above 40 degrees are not uncommon. Winter is the best time to visit Mauritania in terms of weather, with temperatures staying in the high 20s every day.

Security: Mauritania is a safe country to visit, but in large crowds it's a good idea to beware of pickpockets. The border area with Mali should be avoided.

Visa: Visas are required for all but some African nationalities. The Mauritanian visa must be applied for in advance as an e-visa (https://anrpts.gov.mr/en/visa/requestvisa). Once the visa is issued, a document containing the QR code must be printed and presented at the airport or land border on arrival. The cost of a 30-day visa is 55 euros, payable in cash on arrival. Please note that visa policies and prices are subject to change without notice. The passport must be valid for 6 months from the date of arrival.

Currency: Mauritania uses the ouguiya (MRU) as its currency. It is not possible to change currency outside the country, so you should take euro banknotes with you and change them at your destination or withdraw cash from an ATM.

Vaccinations and malaria: Mauritania requires a certificate of yellow fever vaccination if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk. In addition, hepatitis a and b vaccinations are recommended. Please ensure that your basic vaccinations are up to date. Parts of Mauritania are affected by malaria throughout the year, so anti-malaria medication is recommended.

Travel insurance: Comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended.