An ocean of dunes between the Arab Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa: library cities lost in the Sahara, the longest ore train in the world and one of the largest gatherings of migratory birds on the planet.
Mauritania is a huge, almost empty country, four times the size of Germany with only about five million inhabitants, where the Sahara covers the vast majority of the territory. It is one of the sharpest cultural borders in Africa: the north and centre are dominated by the Arab-Berber world of the Moors, with their turbans, their tea and their tents; in the south, along the Senegal River, sub-Saharan Africa begins, home to the Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof. That meeting point, plus the isolation of the desert, makes Mauritania one of the most authentic and least touristy destinations on the continent.
The heart of the trip is the Adrar: the plateau of dunes and canyons where the library cities of Chinguetti and Ouadane survive, former stops for trans-Saharan caravans and pilgrims bound for Mecca, now World Heritage Sites half swallowed by the sand. Around them are palm oases like Terjit, the colossal Eye of the Sahara and miles of golden dunes where you sleep under a sky without a single light. On the Atlantic coast, the Banc d'Arguin draws millions of migratory birds every winter, and the legendary iron ore train crosses the desert like a steel snake several kilometres long.
Travelling in Mauritania takes preparation and common sense. Day to day it's a safe country with very hospitable people, but parts of the east and the borders with Mali and Algeria are clearly advised against because of the risk of terrorism and kidnapping, and it's best to get around with local operators. Nouakchott, the Atar region, the Adrar and the train can be visited normally if you take precautions. Anyone who makes it this far isn't after resort comforts, but silence, dunes, Bedouin hospitality and the rare feeling of being in one of the last truly remote corners of the planet.
The currency is the ouguiya (MRU); in July 2026 one US dollar is worth about 40 ouguiyas (verified July 2026). It is one of only two currencies in the world that isn't decimal: it divides into 5 khoums, although in practice khoums barely circulate. Watch out for a historical mix-up: in 2018 the country swapped the old ouguiya (MRO) for the new one (MRU) at a rate of 10 to 1, so many people and some prices still work 'in old money' (mentally divide by ten if a number looks huge). Mauritania runs almost entirely on cash: cards are only accepted at a handful of hotels in Nouakchott, and ATMs are scarce and unreliable outside the capital. Bring euros or dollars in good-condition notes to change at banks or exchange offices in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, and head into the desert with all your money already in cash, because there's nowhere to withdraw any in the Adrar. Tipping isn't compulsory; a small extra for guides and drivers on Sahara trips is appreciated.
Full converter for MRU →There are no direct flights from Latin America: the usual route is to cross the Atlantic to a European or Moroccan hub and fly on to Nouakchott from there. The most convenient connections go through Casablanca (Royal Air Maroc and Mauritania Airlines fly daily, just under 3 hours to Nouakchott) or through Paris and Madrid with a connection. You arrive at Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport (NKC). Pay attention to the visa: until recently you could get one on arrival, but that was discontinued in 2025 and you now apply for an e-visa online BEFORE boarding (always check the official immigration website before buying your flight). You'll need a passport valid for six months, a yellow fever certificate and cash in euros or dollars. Domestic flights are few: almost everything moves by road. The paved Nouakchott–Atar road and the coastal road to Nouadhibou are in good condition; for the Adrar and the deep desert the norm (and the safe choice) is to hire a 4x4 with a local driver-guide. Between towns there are shared bush taxis (taxis-brousse), cheap but uncomfortable and with no fixed timetable.
The best time to visit Mauritania is the northern hemisphere winter, from November to February, when the Sahara heat eases and daytime temperatures become pleasant. It's the ideal window for the Adrar desert, for sleeping in the dunes (nights can be cold, even close to zero) and for riding the iron ore train without roasting. It's also high season in the Banc d'Arguin, with migratory birds at their peak.
From March to June and from September to October the heat builds steadily, and from April and May it becomes extreme inland, with days comfortably topping 40 °C: a bad time for the Sahara. The short rainy season (more marked in the south, towards the Senegal River) falls between July and September and can bring the odd flash flood. Add the stifling heat and sandstorms, and it's best to avoid the summer months for any outdoor plans.
Mauritanian cooking is simple, hearty and blends the Arab world with sub-Saharan Africa. The national dish is thieboudienne (also spelled ceebu jën or chebujin), of Wolof origin: rice cooked with fish and vegetables in a tomato sauce, very tasty and found all along the coast. On special occasions mechoui takes centre stage, a whole lamb slow-roasted over embers, and in the desert people eat a lot of lamb or goat with rice or couscous. Camel meat and milk are also part of the diet, especially inland.
The great social star is tea: green with mint and lots of sugar, served in three rounds that get progressively milder and poured from high up so it froths. Turning it down is almost rude. Dates, plentiful and delicious in season, go with almost everything. Eating is cheap if you go local: a plate of rice and fish or a sandwich in Nouakchott costs around one or two dollars, and a decent meal in a simple restaurant a few dollars more. The country is Muslim and alcohol is banned: don't expect beer or wine, but juices, soft drinks and plenty of tea.
Safety should be taken seriously, without drama. Mauritania is a calm country day to day with very hospitable people, but several governments (including the United States, with a level 3 'reconsider travel' advisory) warn of the risk of terrorism and kidnapping. The areas clearly advised against are the east of the country and all the border strips: the 100 kilometres next to Mali and Algeria, and the northern border with Western Sahara, where there are also uncleared landmines. By contrast, Nouakchott (especially the Tevragh Zeina district), the road to Atar, the Adrar with Chinguetti and Ouadane, the coast up to Nouadhibou and the iron ore train can be visited normally if you take precautions. The across-the-board advice is to travel the desert with trusted local operators and not to venture into remote areas on your own. In Nouakchott, watch your belongings for theft and pickpocketing as in any big city.
On the health side, a yellow fever certificate is practically essential (it's required for the visa and at the border) and you need the jab at least ten days before travelling. Antimalarial prophylaxis is also recommended for almost the whole country —except the desert regions of the far north, Dakhlet Nouadhibou and Tiris Zemmour—, plus the usual hepatitis A and B, typhoid and tetanus vaccines kept up to date. Don't drink tap water: buy bottled water. Medical care outside Nouakchott is very basic, so travel insurance with evacuation cover is non-negotiable. The police emergency number is 117 and fire/ambulance is 118.
Mauritania isn't an expensive destination for food and accommodation, but the desert pushes everything up, because to reach the good stuff you need a 4x4, a driver and a guide. As a very frugal backpacker, getting around in shared bush taxis, sleeping in basic auberges (about 10 to 20 dollars) and eating street food, you can get by on about 30 to 45 dollars a day in the cities. A mid-range pace, with a simple hotel and the occasional private transfer, comes to around 70 to 110 dollars a day (verified July 2026, approximate figures).
The big expense is trips to the Adrar: a 4x4 circuit with a driver-guide, fuel, meals and desert camping usually costs in the region of 80 to 150 dollars per person per day, and drops considerably the bigger the group sharing the vehicle. Add to that the e-visa (about 60 dollars) and travel insurance. The iron ore train, on the other hand, is free. Always budget in cash: bring euros or dollars to change and, before heading into the desert, withdraw all the money you'll need, because there are no ATMs and cards aren't accepted in the Adrar.
Mauritania is an Islamic republic and that sets the rhythm of life: the five daily prayers, the ban on alcohol and a conservative dress code, especially for women, who are advised to cover shoulders and legs (no veil needed, but loose, modest clothing). Broadly speaking, society is split between the Moors of the north, of Arab-Berber culture, and the Black African peoples of the south —Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof—, each with their own language. Arabic is the official language, French serves as the language of administration and business, and Spanish won't get you very far: it's worth having some French or a translation app on your phone, because English is little spoken outside the tourist circuit.
Hospitality is huge and tea is the great social gesture: accepting it, sitting down and chatting unhurriedly opens every door. Ask permission before photographing people —especially women— and never photograph the army, police or official buildings, where it's outright forbidden; show respect in the holy cities of the Adrar. As for connectivity, buying a local SIM (Mauritel, Chinguitel or Mattel) is cheap and easy with your passport and gives reasonable mobile data in the cities, although in the middle of the desert you'll lose signal. Sockets are European-style (round-pin types C and E, 220 volts), so bring an adapter.
Mauritania is the gateway where the Arab-Berber Maghreb reaches out to sub-Saharan Africa. Stretched between the Atlantic Ocean and the endless sands of the Sahara, it is a country of dunes that swallow whole towns, of oases hidden in canyons and of caravans that for a thousand years crossed the desert laden with salt, gold, dates and books. Here, in the Adrar, the Almoravid movement was born in the 11th century: veiled warrior-monks who rose from a handful of nomadic tribes to forge an empire that came to rule from the Senegal River to Zaragoza, in al-Andalus. And here flourished Chinguetti, Ouadane, Tichitt and Oualata, the caravan towns whose manuscript libraries still hold the written memory of a Sahara that was once a highway of learning.
This is the complete history of Mauritania: from the Neolithic herders of Dhar Tichitt and the mighty Ghana Empire to today's Islamic Republic, a young state born in 1960 that has become an island of relative stability in a Sahel in flames. It is also a story that has to be told without euphemisms, because Mauritania carries the harsh legacy of the trans-Saharan slave trade and a caste society whose most painful face — descent-based slavery — was officially abolished several times, most recently in 1981, and only made a criminal offence in 2007. To tell the story of Mauritania is to tell, at the same time, of its caravan-era greatness and its open wounds.
Read the full history of Mauritania →Pick a region and open each destination to see what to do, prices and how to get there.
These are the sources we cite most across this country's guides, with how many times each appears. Hard data —tickets, opening hours, requirements, transport— comes from the official source and carries the date we checked it. Restaurant and hotel picks come from guides and reviews, and we say so on each page.
