Mauritania

Nouakchott

The capital grew out of a fishing village and hits you with dust, noise and improvised sprawl. Go straight to the Port de Peche fish market, where hundreds of brightly painted pirogues land the catch on the beach. It is worth a day here simply to adjust to the local rhythm before heading into the desert.

Nouadhibou

This big Atlantic port is famous for the vast ships' graveyard rusting in its bay. From here it is convenient to reach Banc d'Arguin National Park or to stage a crossing towards Western Sahara. The town runs on fishing and heavy industry, and it makes no attempt to be pretty.

Atar

Atar is the main gateway into the Adrar desert region. Stock up on provisions at the market and find a guide for trips out to the remote oases. Almost every route heading deep into the Sahara starts from here.

Chinguetti

An ancient caravan town where Sahara sand is literally advancing on the houses. People come for the old family libraries with their extraordinary manuscripts and for the minaret decorated with ostrich eggs. The atmosphere drops you straight into the era of the trans-Saharan trade.

Ouadane

A haunting ghost town on a rocky ridge that still holds the feel of medieval commerce. Almost nobody lives there permanently, and the ruins of the old quarter give the best view over the endless desert plateau. It is a wonderful place for a slow, silent walk.

What to see: The wildest thing you can do in Mauritania is ride the iron ore train. It runs from the mines to the coast, and travellers climb into the open ore wagons for hundreds of kilometres of desert. It is dirty, cold at night, and the story you will tell for years.

Worth a trip: The Richat Structure, better known as the Eye of the Sahara, is a set of concentric rings fifty kilometres across. From the ground you walk the ridges; the full shape only reads from the air or from satellite images. Getting there is half the point.

Where to go: The oasis of Terjit offers cool running streams and palm shade in the middle of scorched rock. After days of desert driving the temperature change alone feels unreal. It is an easy detour from Atar.

Can you do it in a day: Visit the private libraries of Chinguetti to see thirteenth-century manuscripts up close. Families have guarded these collections for generations and will unwrap them for you page by page. An afternoon is enough, but you will want longer.

Wildlife: Banc d'Arguin National Park draws millions of migrating birds, including flamingos. The park covers a huge stretch of shallow coast where the Sahara meets the Atlantic. Local Imraguen fishermen still fish here in partnership with dolphins.

In the capital: If you are wondering what to see in Nouakchott itself, the National Museum holds the country's rarest artefacts. It is small, quiet and a good primer before you head north.

Routes: Plan the trip to the ruins of Ouadane as a 4x4 run out of Atar with a night in the sand. The track is rough, and doing it in a single day is technically possible but pointless. Camping under that sky is the reason to go.

Adventure: The surroundings of Nouadhibou are harshly beautiful, a mix of ocean, abandoned industry and open desert. It appeals to anyone who likes landscapes that have not been tidied up for visitors.

Currency: The country uses the new ouguiya, worth roughly forty to one US dollar. Note that older prices are sometimes quoted in the old ouguiya, which was ten times smaller, so confirm which one is meant.

Cards: Card payment is barely developed here, so plan on cash you have carried in. Visa and Mastercard are accepted in a couple of upmarket hotels in the capital and effectively nowhere else, and Amex not at all.

ATMs: Machines exist in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou but often refuse foreign cards or sit empty. Never leave the capital assuming you can top up later; withdraw or exchange everything you need first.

Exchange: The best rates come from banks in Nouakchott or from established money changers in the main markets. Euros are the easiest currency to change, with US dollars a close second, and clean undamaged notes get much better treatment.

Tipping: In simple cafes tipping is not expected, but in better restaurants a small amount is normal. Desert guides and drivers should be tipped properly at the end of a trip.

Item	Price (USD)
Dinner in a cafe	4
Restaurant lunch	12
Street sandwich	2
Bottled water 1.5l	0.5
Glass of tea	0.4
Coffee in town	1
Coca-Cola 0.33	1.8
Haircut	5
Taxi across town	3
Litre of petrol	1.1
Night in an auberge	18
Iron ore train ride	0
Intercity bus ticket	15
Dust mask	2
Moov SIM card	3

The ore train: The train from Zouerat to Nouadhibou lets you cover hundreds of kilometres for free in a wagon of iron ore. It is the country's signature journey and its most punishing one. Bring a mask, goggles, water and something far warmer than you expect to need.

Shared cars: Seven-seat Peugeot 504s leave when they fill up and link every settlement in the country. You buy a seat, you wait, and eventually you go; there is no schedule to consult.

Buses: Regular services run between the larger towns and are more comfortable than a shared taxi, though noticeably slower. For long hauls the trade-off is usually worth it.

Flights: Mauritania Airlines connects the capital with Nouadhibou and Atar on short domestic hops. Frequencies are low, so build in a buffer if you have an international flight to catch afterwards.

City taxis: Nouakchott taxis have no meters, so agree the fare before you get in, every time. Rides across the city are cheap, and shared taxis pick up other passengers as they go.

Desert tracks: Off the tarmac you need a 4x4 with an experienced driver, not a rental car and optimism. Navigation, tyre repairs and knowing which sand will hold are all part of what you are paying for.

Stations: Terminals are chaotic and loud. Keep your bags on you and ignore the freelance helpers who attach themselves to you at the ticket window.

Timetables: There is no published schedule for the ore train. Ask people at the station; local knowledge is the only reliable source, and it is usually accurate to within a couple of hours.

Auberges: The auberge is the standard Mauritanian guesthouse, offering a simple room or a mattress on the terrace. Standards vary wildly, and the price usually includes breakfast.

Sleeping on roofs: In many desert hotels people sleep in the open because the rooms hold the day's heat. It is cooler, and the sky above the Adrar is worth losing a wall for.

What to expect: Outside the two main cities do not count on hot water or steady electricity. Generators run for part of the evening and then stop, so charge everything when you can.

Booking: The big booking sites cover the capital and almost nothing else. In the provinces you phone the owner directly, or you ask your driver to call ahead for you.

Desert camps: On longer tours you sleep in traditional khaima tents or simply on the sand. A sleeping bag rated for cold nights makes the difference between a good trip and a miserable one.

Adrar: Accommodation in Chinguetti and Ouadane is very basic, frequently with shared toilets and a rudimentary shower. Nobody goes there for the plumbing.

Season: Between November and March the better guesthouses fill up quickly as tour groups arrive. Book ahead for that window or be prepared to take whatever is left.

Prices: Rates are low and generally include breakfast, but conditions stay spartan across the board. Paying more mostly buys you a working fan, not luxury.

The national dish: Thieboudienne is rice with fish and vegetables under a very thick tomato sauce. It is filling, cheap and served everywhere, and no two versions taste alike.

Meat: Mutton and camel form the backbone of the diet, usually stewed or grilled in enormous pieces. Camel is leaner and slightly sweet, and it is worth ordering at least once.

Drinks: Alcohol is completely banned in the country, and trying to bring any in can land you in prison. Do not test this at the border; the rule is enforced.

Tea: The atay ritual runs to three glasses of decreasing strength and increasing sweetness, poured from height to raise the foam. Refusing the invitation is genuinely rude, so accept and settle in, because the ceremony takes time.

Milk: Zrig is slightly sour camel milk, nourishing and startlingly good at quenching thirst in the heat. It is offered constantly in the desert.

Seafood: In the port towns, eat fresh grilled fish right beside the fishing boats. The Atlantic here is one of the richest fishing grounds in West Africa and the price reflects the abundance.

Hygiene: Drink only bottled water and skip ice in drinks. This is the single easiest way to keep your trip on track.

Eating together: In homes the food often arrives on one communal platter and is eaten by hand. Use your right hand only, take from the section directly in front of you, and follow your host's lead.

Regions: Stay away from the border with Mali, where armed groups remain active. The coastal corridor and the Adrar region are the routes travellers normally use, and they behave very differently from the east.

Guides: Never head deep into the Sahara alone without a trusted local guide. Tracks disappear, and a breakdown out there is a serious situation rather than an inconvenience.

Theft: In the Nouakchott markets and on busy beaches, watch your pockets and keep phones and cameras out of sight. Violent crime against visitors is rare; opportunistic theft is not.

Mines: Some northern border areas still have landmine risk. Never leave the established vehicle tracks, no matter how flat and empty the ground looks.

Dress: Modest, covered clothing spares you unwanted attention and shows respect for local norms. This applies to men as well as women.

Sandstorms: During a storm visibility drops to nothing. Carry a mask or scarf and a water reserve at all times, especially on the train and on desert crossings.

Night driving: Travelling the highways after dark is genuinely dangerous because of wandering livestock and total absence of lighting. Plan to be off the road by sunset.

Checkpoints: There are many police checkpoints on the roads. Keep your passport and paper copies within reach, stay polite, and the process is quick. It is also worth checking your own government's travel advisory before you commit to a route.

Islam: Religion shapes every part of daily life here. Respect prayer times, keep noise down near mosques, and expect the working day to flex around them.

Hospitality: Mauritanians are extraordinarily welcoming, and an invitation to tea is a normal part of conversation rather than a special gesture. Accepting one is how most travel stories here begin.

Etiquette: Food is taken with the right hand only; the left is considered unclean. The same applies to handing over money or receiving a gift.

Photography: Always ask before photographing people, and be especially careful with women and anyone in uniform. Government buildings and checkpoints are off limits entirely.

Dress: Local men wear the loose blue daraa and women wrap themselves in the brilliantly coloured melhfa. Buying and wearing one yourself is generally taken as a compliment.

Pace: Life in the desert moves slowly. Getting irritated about a late departure or a long wait for your order achieves nothing at all.

Sensitive topics: Avoid raising the caste system or the history of slavery. These are painful subjects and not material for casual conversation with strangers.

Gifts: If you are invited into someone's home, bringing sweets or small souvenirs for the children is good form. It is a small gesture and it is always noticed.

Operators: Three networks operate in the country, and Moov Mauritel has the best coverage by a clear margin. Chinguiti Telecom and Mattel are the alternatives.

Where to buy: The kiosks in the airport arrivals area are frequently closed, so buy your SIM in central Nouakchott instead. The official shops handle registration properly.

eSIM: International eSIM providers such as Airalo do cover Mauritania, which is a convenient way to arrive already online. Coverage still depends on the same local networks, so it is no better outside the towns than a local SIM.

Internet: Speeds in the cities are fine for messaging and maps but sag badly at peak hours. Do not plan on uploading large files.

Desert: Beyond the settlements the signal disappears entirely and your phone becomes a camera. Anyone going deep should consider a satellite messenger.

Language: English is barely spoken. Arabic is the national language and basic French is what actually unlocks conversation, so learn a few phrases of it before you come.

Registration: You need your original passport to buy a registered SIM card. Photocopies are not accepted at the operator's office.

Offline maps: Download your routes before you travel, because online navigation will fail exactly when you need it. Data bundles are cheap, and ten gigabytes covers two weeks of heavy use.

English	Arabic (Hassaniya)	Pronunciation
Hello (peace be upon you)	السلام عليكم	as-sa-LAM a-LAY-kum
Reply to greeting	وعليكم السلام	wa-a-LAY-kum as-sa-LAM
How are you?	لا باس؟	la BAS
I'm fine	لا باس الحمد لله	la BAS, al-ham-du-lil-LAH
Thank you	شكراً	shuk-RAN
Please / bless you	بارك الله فيك	BA-rak al-LA-hu feek
Yes / No	إيه / لا	ay-YEH / la
How much is it?	بشحال؟	bish-HAL
Expensive	غالي	GHA-lee
Water	ماء	ma
Tea	أتاي	a-TAY
Food	ماكلة	MAK-la
Friend (slang)	صاحبي	SAH-bee
Nice! / Good! (slang)	زين!	zayn
Where is...?	فين...؟	feen
Market	سوق	souk
Help!	عاونوني!	aw-NOO-nee
I don't understand	ما فهمت	ma f'HIMT
Goodbye	بسلامة	b-sla-MA
No problem (slang)	ما كاين مشكل	ma KAY-en MUSH-kil
Camel milk drink	زريگ	zreeg
Without sugar	بلا سكر	bla SUK-kar

Consular help: Very few countries keep a mission in Nouakchott, and many are covered from Rabat or Dakar instead. Find out who represents your passport before you fly and save the number offline.

Insurance: Choose an extended policy that covers evacuation from genuinely remote desert locations. Read the exclusions, because ordinary travel cover often stops at the tarmac.

Medicines: Pharmacies exist in the cities, but anything specific you take regularly should come with you from home. Bring more than the trip length, since delays are common.

Power: Sockets are the European two-pin type, so travellers from continental Europe need no adapter. Visitors from the UK, US or Australia should pack one.

Apps: Install Maps.me and download the region offline; it shows desert tracks more accurately than the alternatives. Pair it with a downloaded satellite layer if your app supports it.

Kit: A good headtorch and a warm sleeping bag are not optional for nights in the open desert. Temperatures drop far more than most first-time visitors expect.

Hygiene: Carry hand sanitiser and a good supply of wet wipes, especially for the train. There is no water on board and the ore dust gets into everything.

Paperwork: Bring a stack of printed passport photocopies. They are requested constantly at police checkpoints, and handing one over is much faster than surrendering the original.