What's it all about?
A place that once suffered from security issues and foreign office bans, Mauritania is roaring back with its unique blend of wild Atlantic fisherman mixed with traditional desert nomads of the Sahara. This huge and sparsely populated nation has attractions and wonderful towns waiting to be discovered by the intrepid traveler.
We’ve put together the perfect itinerary that will cover all the must-see’s and more in the space of 8 days. It’s also the perfect time of the year to travel there with a median temperature of 15-20 degrees celcius.
Nouakchott - Azoueiga - Terjit - Chinguetti - Ouadane - Choum Mineral Train - Nouadhibou - Nouakchott
Dec 3 - 10th, 2022
Thankfully it's super easy to get a Mauritania visa. Most nationalities are eligible for a visa on arrival for $60USD or €55.
The Itinerary
December 3 – Nouakchott
- Arrival into Nouakchott at your own convenience.
- Transfer to your hotel for the pre-tour discussion and meeting of your fellow travellers.
- In the afternoon we will venture out to the camel market and explore the city.
- Dinner and overnight in Nouakchott.
December 4 – Nouakchott - Azoueiga
- Breakfast at our hotel.
- Head to the Port de Pêche – the capital city’s largest and most vibrant fish market.
Afternoon
- See the Great Mosque of Nouakchott.
- Head to the beach to mingle with the locals
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Drive 4 hours to the stunning Azoueiga sand dune. We’ll set up camp here in this incredibly peaceful setting.
- Dinner and overnight in our camp.
December 5 – Azoueiga - Terjit - Chinguetti
- Drive towards Terjit – arguably Mauritania’s most naturally beautiful location. It’s an oasis in the middle of the Sahara desert.
- Relax in the pools after a long drive.
- Go on some short hikes and take plenty of desert photos.
- Long drive to the UNESCO world heritage site of Chinguetti – one of the holy cities of Islam. You’ll visit the library and other historical monuments and landmarks including the much loved Friday Mosque of Chinguetti, the national symbol of Mauritania.
- Evening sunset watched from the huge sand dunes surrounding Chinguetti
- Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
December 6 – Chinguetti - Ouadane
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Begin the 80km drive through nothing but desert and sand dunes: on the way stopping in the village of Tanounichert for tea with the locals.
Afternoon
- Arrival in World Heritage protected Ouadane and explore the streets that once glorified this beautiful country as a whole.
- Get close the to the Richat Structure or “Eye of the Sahara” – This is an enormous 40km in diameter circular geological feature visible from space.
- Traditional dinner and overnight in our Hotel.
December 7 – Ouadane - Choum Mineral Train
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Depart for Choum – the departing point for the mineral train.
- On the way stopping at Agrour – here’s your chance to see pre-historic paintings left here 5000 years ago!
- Visit the Mheirith Oasis – an incredibly picturesque place where Mauritanians like to come and relax during the date growing season.
Afternoon
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Prepare for the Mauritania Iron ore Train – stop at local shops and stores to ensure the group is stocked up on plenty of essentials.
- Board the world famous Mauritania Mineral Train – at over 2km this is the longest and heaviest train in the world. Make sure to bring a warm blanket, warm clothing and scarf to protect yourself from the dust. The train will depart anywhere from around 6pm – 10pm.
- Overnight on the train.
December 8 – Nouadhibou
- On arrival in Nouadhibou city, we head straight to our hotel for a very well earned bed and shower!
- Head to the Atlantic ocean at Cape Blanc – a peninsula that is shared between Mauritania and Western Sahara.
- Visit the old and new ship graveyard of Nouadhibou.
- Dinner at a family restaurant. For those who fancy a well deserved ice cold beer – it is possible to visit the Chinese restaurant next door for the only establishment that openly serves beers.
- Overnight at our hotel.
December 9 – Nouakchott
- An early rise for breakfast and the long drive back to the Mauritanian capital city of Nouakchott.
Afternoon
- On the way stopping for lunch at San Francisco Café for a meal and access to WiFi after a few days of deprivation.
- Visit the National Museum where artefacts of the history of Mauritania and its ancient cities are exposed – this will allow you to have a quite recap of what we’ve seen in the last days.
- Visit the local craft market where locals specialize in camel wool rugs.
- Overnight in Nouakchott.
December 10 – Nouakchott
- Transfer to airport.
- End of tour
You’ll be in the vastly experienced hands of our English speaking local guides & fixer as well as your Rocky Road Travel guide. We visit the country regularly, so we know the best spots and have perfected this Mauritania Tour accordingly. Given the unpredictable nature of travelling in Mauritania, the itinerary may change slightly, but we will always go above and beyond with added extras to the itinerary. We are also in constant communication with our local partners on the ground who advise the safest routes to take.
Before & after each tour we will add you to dedicated email and social media groups so you can share photos easily with your travel mates. Just let us know is you want to opt out of this.
To book simply hit the button below and start the conversation today.
December 3 - 10th, 2022
Mauritania Tour
start & finish in Nouakchott
Fly in and out of the capital!
Twin share hotel
7 nights in Mauritania
The price
€1590
