547 © Lonely Planet Publications 222 %

Sand storms; bird-watching; 3 million Hassaniya, French, Fula, Soninké Fula, Hassaniya, French, ouguiya (UM); US$1 = UM270; 1,030,700 sq km In advance €25, at Moroccan (camel milk) Area Capital Country code for Famous zrig Languages and Wolof Money €1 = UM320 Population Visa border €20 Culturally, Mauritania is a place apart. population is almost equally divided between Culturally, The than a gentle introduc- Mauritania is much more a whole lot to see and do. A lot to love, FAST FACTS FACTS FAST For many travellers Mauritania is a revelation, a place of such natural beauty that it can Mauritania is a revelation, For many travellers Spiritual seekerssubstantially change your way of thinking. swear by the humungous sand His- deep canyons and eye-popping of the Adrar or Tagânt. dunes, giddily plateaus caravan towns of Chinguetti, Ouadâne and about the World Heritage–listed rave tory buffs may be similar landscapes there Sure, to former flourishing civilisations. Oualâta, all testifying as those on the same scale or as overpowering are in other parts but few of West Africa, to Mauritania than grandiose sand fields, millenarian more But wait! There’s in Mauritania. of coastline, with Parc country is blessed with a wild stretch The cities and enchanting oases. ranking in the world. National du Banc d’Arguin as one of the best bird-watching venues twist. It’s a Muslim country with Black African of Arab descent and Black Africans. Although it’s a transition between the North it doesn’t Arab world and Black Africa, African striking This combination is part of its appeal. belong to either. really tion to sub-Saharan – it’s a magnetic playland for mystical types. Africa Mauritania MAURITANIA ITINERARIES HIGHLIGHTS 548 Two Weeks One Week train Iron-ore Three Weeks Three

refreshing pools. ( p565 with ) isanenchanting spotblessed an idyllic fields. Thenlazeacoupleof daysawayin in thenearbyincomprehensible dune- ( p567 ), andanotherthree daystrekking epic journeyinyourlife! longest train,andbeready forthemost secrets. inoneofhouses Mauritania’s best-kept orative paintingsthatgracetraditional Oualâta a traditionalpirogue. vastflocksof birdsfrom lars andobserve Banc d’Arguin fron dunesintheAdrarregion. neath thestar-studded skiesatthesaf- the magicof be- theSaharaandsleep 4WD toursorcameltrips the labyrinthinelanesof theoldcity. from dawn tocatch aglorioussunrise Chinguetti towns of desert exploring theancient,earth-toned stunning architecture. Spendtwodays combination of landscapesand fantastic the mystifyingAdrarregion –agood the bestlaunching padforexploring isirresistible.the desert that willbringyouto where you’llhopontheiron-ore train toChoûm From Atâr,take abushtaxi dunes, forge westtotheAtlantic coast. and, onceyou’ve hadyourfillof sand ( p569 ), thegateway tothe Tagânt area. Nouakchott, strike northeast to patience will beamplyrewarded. From ern Mauritania –it’salongdrive butyour then head tothefar-flung corners of east- chaotic markets andmodern buildings. withitsstrikingmelangeing capital, of Nouakchott areas inWestAfrica. Journey onto ( p561 ), oneof thebestbird-watching day tourto athree-in Nouâdhibou.Considertaking loversous, ride. Seafood willhave a feast the nextday–anexciting,albeit ardu- MAURITANIA ••Highlights ( p570 ) Admire theelaborate dec- ( p565 upatthe crack of) Get For mosttravellers thelure of palmeraie Chinguetti Follow the one-week itinerary Follow theone-week ( p553 ), Mauritania’s sprawl- Follow the two-week planand Follow thetwo-week ( p561 ) Pack onyourbinocu- ( p576 ) Hopontheworld’s Parc National du Banc d’Arguin Parc NationalduBancd’Arguin 55) and (p565) (palmgrove) – ( p562 ) Experience Experience ( p562) Nouâdhibou Atâr ( p562 ) is Ouadâne ( p559 ) Tidjikja Terjît

ern Sahara, including Mauritania. Bythe trading routestablished all over the West- es- From the 3rdcenturyAD, theBerbers HISTORY be 5°Clower. causingaveragefrom theocean, highs to along thecoast, tures soaringto45°C andabove. However, tempera- (hot winds)from thenorthsend especially fromJune toAugustwhenthe pecially inthedesert. Note thatitcanget quite es- coolatnight, regularity andtheskyisinvariablyblue. peratures hover inthemid-20°Cswithgreat is fromNovember toMarch. Daytimetem- fromJulyto September.rainy season per year,mostlyoccurringduring theshort south, rainfallincreases toabout600mm rainfall isusuallylessthan100mm. Inthe In theSahararegion of thecountry,annual CLIMATE & WHENTOGO to rough-around-the-edges the Route del’Espoirandveer dueeast Tagânt plateau before backtracking to adecenteyefulofGet thepanoramic The heat is searing fromApriltoOctober, The heatissearing timetovisit MauritaniaThe mostpleasant spellbinding desert townsin spellbinding desert Mauritania. easy rideto not farfromMali. Striking north,it’san LONELY INDEX PLANET HOW MUCH? Plate ofcouscous Souvenir T-shirt Bottled beer 1L ofbottledwater 1L ofpetrol person Auberge room Nouâdhibou Bush taxifare Nouakchott– UM6000 perday Camel ride inthedesert Taxi ride in Nouakchott Cup oftea inanomad’stent Oualâta UM209 UM5600 UM400 about UM2000per alizé UM600 ( p570 ), oneof themost UM600 www.lonelyplanet.com UM250 (trade winds)blow UM300 about Néma free (p570), rifi

Mauritania www.lonelyplanet.com part of theempire was subjugated byArabs and the Western Sahara. The Mauritanian the spread of Mauritania Islamthroughout the Empire of Ghana. Thatvictoryled to of leaders, destroyed Mauritanian Berber they pushedsouth and,withtheassistance Africa, aswell southernSpain.In1076 where theyruledthe whole of northwest inMarrakeshcapital (Morocco),from century, theAlmoravids their established southeastern Mauritania). to havebelieved atKoumbiSalehin been Empire of of Ghana(the capital which is great empire inWestAfrica,the Soninké well asslavery, hadgiven tothefirst rise 9th and10thcenturiesthegold trade, as du Bancd'Arguin MAURITANIA Nouâdhibou Ὀ Ὀ After thespread of Islaminthe 7th St-Louis Parc National Massene Nouâmghâr A TLNIC To (260km) Keur O CEAN Diamma Iwik Ten Alloul S ENGAL Dakhla NOUAKCHOTT Boutilimit W e s t Aleg e r Akjoujt

Kaédi n

Sangrafa

Azougi Senegal S

Atâr a

Terjît River

h Laayoune Mbout Sélibabi

Choûm a Rachid

Adrar r

a Kediet Ijill Passe de Djouk (915m) Chinguetti Tidjikja Zouérat Kayes Tagânt Plateau Kiffa Tanouchert Tintâne Ouadâne To Marrakesh(690km); Guelb erRichat Aoukar Depression Rabat (850km) BÎr Moghrein M ORC a placeof exileforpoliticalprisoners. velop thearea. theregion They alsoused as European powers, butdid nothingtode- from raidsbyneighbours and ambitious to protect therest of French WestAfrica troopsinMauritaniaFrance stationed As colonialism spread Africa, throughout ColonialPeriod The conquerors. adopted Hassaniya, thelanguage of their in 1674,after which virtuallyallBerbers the French managed to make Mauritania a ing played one faction offagainst another, nian coast, butitwasn’tuntil 1904that,hav- toexplorethe right andcontrol theMaurita- Ayoûn el-Atroûs In 1814 the Treaty of Paris gave France Nioro Timbedgha Tichit To Bamako (200km) Ain BenTili Saleh Koumbi MAURITANIA ••History S ahr Nara Néma Oualâta 120miles 200km 0 0 Tindouf A LGERI M ALI

549 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA details on the Western Sahara, see onthe Westerndetails Sahara,see p838 . claims totheWestern Sahara. Formore government thatrenounced allterritorial in1978, bringinginanewmilitary tania iron-oreunder attack; exportsplummeted. many townsinnorthernMauritania came to oustbothMoroccoandMauritania and Frontlaunched aguerrillawar the Polisario the mineral-rich northerntwo-thirds. But inthesouthandMorocco would getdesert colony: Mauritania would take aslab of and Spaintodividetheformer Spanish entered intoanagreement withMorocco pled thegovernment. In1975Mauritania suppressed. brutally ouguiya fortheCFA, andanyoppositionwas drew fromthefranczoneandsubstituted the non-African aspirations.Mauritania with- in aprovocative of assertion thecountry’s The government alsojoined theArabLeague ling allschoolchildren tostudyinHassaniya. languagescountry’s official andbycompel- by makingbothHassaniya andFrench the ated the(mainlyBlackAfrican)southerners atNouakchott.building anewcapital an Islamicrepublic about andhastilyset president. TheMoors declared Mauritania becamethenew OuldDaddah Mokhtar When fullindependencecamein1960, Independence &OuldDaddah elections. in theterritorial assembly formed andin1957wonmostof theseats Progressiste Mauritanienne (UPM),was Mauritania’s first politicalparty,theUnion Mauritania aspartof a‘greater Morocco’, ent Moroccobeganclaimingmuch of the French. In1956,whenanindepend- WestAfrica,siding insteadsweeping with politicians resisting theanticolonial trend in theleaduptoindependence,withher the north. other 30years tosubjugate theMoors in colonial territory; ittooktheFrench an- 550 Taya asleader in1984. ruler Colonel Maaouya Sid’Ahmed Ould onthepresent officers, tary finallysettled ofruled by a committee high-ranking mili- ofAfter aseries coups,thenew government, Ould Taya &the1980s A bloodlesscoup tookplaceinMauri- The issueof Western Sahara finallytop- During thelate 1960s,OuldDaddahalien- Mauritania wasa politicalbackwater MAURITANIA ••History known. acountrymosthadnever pelled toSenegal, More than70,000BlackAfricanswere ex- the Moors andBlacksAfricansin1989. sions culminated inbloodyriotsbetween cist manifesto diedinprison.Ethnicten- soon after, thejailedauthorof anantira- 500 Tukulorsoldiers fromthearmyand that year,thegovernment some dismissed the introductionof strictIslamiclaw.Later Nouâdhibou waspartlyquelledthrough riotinginNouakchott and the subsequent jailed variousprominentsoutherners and power willberemembered. In1987he Africans thatOuldTaya’s earlyyears of itisforthepersecutionofHowever, Black tentative moves towardsdemocratisation. fishingand on agriculturaldevelopment, structuring theeconomy,withanemphasis Assembly inelections. seats Social (PRDS) won64 outof the81 National ruling Parti Républicain Démocratique et inOctober 2001the To no-one’s surprise, and arrest of opposition figures continues. largely cosmetic aslongtheharassment performance. Such changes will remain receive fundsaccording totheirelectoral duced underwhich political partieswere to had yettomaterialise. that thecrossover toaciviliangovernment and Hamdi OuldMouknass –anothersign principal politicalopponents,Ould Daddah onbread,new tax ledtothearrest of Taya’s tions later intheyear. boycotted thegeneralconsequently elec- international respect. Oppositionparties contested electionresults wonhimlittle electoral fraudwasmassive and thehotly was re-elected with63%of thevote, but country’s first presidential elections, Taya 1992,inthe tion politicalparties.Inearly a newconstitutionthatpermitted opposi- to moderate hisapproach, pushingthrough the 1991GulfWar. became Iraq,which hesupported during international pariahandTaya’s ally closest Bynow,Mauritaniatanians. hadbecomean ofcontinuing thepersecution BlackMauri- An unrepentant Taya spent theearly1990s &Reforms Repression Elections, Ould Taya about re- immediately set In late 2000electoralreforms were intro- Bread riotsin1995,stemming froma As aresult of criticism,Taya attempted www.lonelyplanet.com await exploration. attention inafew years and otheroilfields has becomethefocusof much international est intheworld.Unsurprisingly,Mauritania positively onthecountry,one of thepoor- bonanza couldfoster growthandimpact ation of offshore Nouakchott. fieldsoff This boom thatbeganin2006withthe exploit- give anewimpetustothecountry istheoil clubs orrestaurants. Butwhatcouldreally ofporary crackdownsonsales alcohol in Islamicmovements,appease such astem- introducing acoupleof token measures to West, includingFranceandtheUSA,while tiestothe close national stage, maintaining on theinter- amoderate stance maintains election scheduled in2007.Thegovernment period’ thatshouldendwithapresidential corruption. Vall hasengaged ina‘transition out country backonitsfeet andonstamping Ould Mohamed Vall, isintent onputtingthe provement. Thenewgovernment, ledbyEly the country. This marked asymbolicturningpointin president wastoppledinabloodlesscoup. came toanendinAugust2005whenthe OuldTaya’s(and relief), repressive regime asatrigger.served surprise Toeverybody’s tremists acoupleof months before, andthis arrested numeroussuspected Islamicex- voked theuprising–government had thatthewarinIraqpartlypro- It’s thought Rebels were armyleaders. ledbydisaffected and twodaysof violentriotsinthecapital. In June2003there wasanattempted coup Today Mauritania www.lonelyplanet.com continues to mark the important events of events continues to mark the important loyalties remain of theutmost importance. with the Moors. rooted Deeply traditional remains thecornerstone of society, especially changes, theextended family,clan or tribe, villages. Butdespite theprofound social traditional society of thesmaller townsand chott andthemaintourist areas, andthe modern, Western-leaning societyof Nouak- twoparallelsocieties:the tosee surprised a crucialrolein the lastdecade. You’llbe Internet andmobilephonesplaying desert, intheheartoftourism development the Mauritanian societyischanging fast–with National Psyche THE CULTURE Today, there are signsof hopeandim- As in many Muslim countries, religion under tents inthedesert. in Nouakchott foracoupleof daysspent toleavethe need theirconcrete houses habits. Moors livingincitiesoften feel that theyhave abandonedtheircultural mean toNouakchott. Thisdoesn’t desert of traditionallynomadicMoors fromthe hasresultedades, drought inamassexodus thepastthree dec- belongs tothepast.Over ping acupof tea underatent inthedesert The iconicimage of nomadicMoors sip- Daily Life above ) stillimpregnates society’smentality. clared illegalin1980,thecaste system (see slavery toIslam.Although opposed wasde- cal partiesbutprohibited themfrombeing life. politi- The1991constitutionlegalised it routinely. women have to divorce andexert theright rural communities. However, Mauritanian feeding of young bridesare in stillpractised Female genital mutilation andtheforced foodandcrafts. activities otherthan selling literate andfew are involved incommercial Only athirdas many womenasmenare are position. inafairlydisadvantaged Women For womenit’sMint (daughter of). egAhmedOuld Ould (sonof), Mohamed. (long light-blue robes).Many have thename The mencharacteristically wear slavery stillexistinthecountry. continue toexpress of concernthatpockets illegal. International humanrightsagencies did thegovernment finallydeclare slavery mated 100,000Haratinslaves inMauritania, The Haratindomostofthemenialwork. few rights,andslaves, whohave noneatall. andgriotswhohave veryMoors, artisans ally consisted offourgroups:theHaratin The lowest castesNegroid stock. tradition- them are commoners,mostlyofBerber- from warriorsandmenofletters. Below BidanMoorsdescended ally light-skinned At thetopare theupperclasses,typic- creasingly populardeterminant ofstatus. to power,butcolourhasbecomeanin- based onlineage,occupationandaccess fied caste systems inAfrica. The system is The Moors have oneofthemoststrati- THE &THEBIDAN Only in1980,whenthere were anesti- MAURITANIA ••TheCulture

draa

551 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA Évora is to Cape Verde.Évora istoCape ’ andis toMauritania what Cesária She has created whatiscalled the ‘Saharan ing itwith more contemporary rhythms. theMoorish traditional music,blend- ised Mauritania isMalouma. She hasmodern- the mostpopular Mauritanian musicians in the Wolof, One of TukulorandBambara. southern border there are influencesfrom alongits mostly Arabicin origin,although andsandals. pipe pouches, camelsaddles ing colourfulleathercus beads,hand-dyed leatherworkinclud- Kiffa and goathairfromBoutilimit,hand-painted amber jewellery,earth-tonerugs of camel but there are alsosilver daggers, silver and prized are woodenchests withsilver inlay, and craftwork,especiallysilverwork. Most Mauritania hasastrongtraditionof arts ARTS in numberbutremain aminority. arelims. Islamicfundamentalists growing 99%ofOver thepopulation are SunniMus- RELIGION are SoninkéandWolof minorities. lor. groupsspeakPulaar(Fula).There These known asPeul) related ortheclosely Tuku- the populationandare mostlyFula(also daniens’. TheSoudaniensconstitute 40%of River, the‘Sou- the southalongSenegal withBlackMauritanians livingin affinity dialect.Culturally,theyhave little Moorish culture andspeakHassaniya, an enslaved bytheMoors, have assimilated the or BlackMoors, thedescendantsof people ethnically splitintotwogroups.TheHaratin, descent, called‘Bidan’,accountfor40%. and about60%areinhabitants, Moors of Arab Of Mauritania’s estimated three million Population 552 The traditionalmusic of Mauritania is The othermajor groupisBlackAfricans, is notimpolite. first three glasses,butdecliningthefourth sweet. It’salmostobligatorytoacceptthe around tea, whichisinvariably strongand Moorish revolve society.Socialactivities Elaborate greetings are traditionalin TEA, ANYONE? MAURITANIA ••Religion

Berber descent.Moors of purelyBerber Arab hions andleather paintings. arein Oualâta enhancedwithelaborate Theadobehouses as wellinOualâta. in theancientSaharantownsAdrar off the Mauritanian coastline. hundreds of tonnes of day every fish caught a growing awareness intheAdrar region. has fosteredissue, but tourismdevelopment Negligent garbage isalsoacritical disposal cooking isnow done onkerosene stoves. ing. Woodhasbecome soscarcethatmost ornear-desertdesert andthisisincreas- Nearly 75%of Mauritania’s landsurfaceis Mauritania’s urgent threats. environmental them together and youhave of aglimpse overgrazingPollution, desertification, – put Environmental Issues on Unesco’slistof WorldHeritage sites. world’s major bird-breeding grounds andis from Europeinthewinter. It is oneof the hundreds of of thousands birdsmigrate Parc d’Arguin, NationalduBanc where Nouâdhibou andNouakchott is Between Blanc nearNouâdhibou(see p560 ). if you’re Cape off luckyisthemonkseal, One endangered see speciesthatyoumight victims of andthebullet. desertification andlionshaveacross. Giraffes longgone– common animalthatvisitors willcome regions,In thedesert thecamelismost Wildlife scrubland. d’Arguin.Banc Thesouthismostlyflat some 700kmof shoreline, includingthe Ijill (915m)nearZouérat.Mauritania has of peakisKediet Chinguetti.Thehighest deposits atZouératabout200kmnorth in ironore, andthere are especiallylarge plateaus areand Ouadâne. These often rich of Nouakchott, withitstownsof Chinguetti (over 500m)istheAdrar, 450kmnortheast southward. Oneof plateau areas thehighest dunes. Moreover, isexpanding thedesert occasional ridges, rockyplateaus andsand with hugeof expanses flatplainsbroken by About 75%,includingNouakchott, isdesert, Mauritania isabouttwicethesizeof France. Land The ENVIRONMENT There’s superbtraditionalarchitecture Overfishing isanother concern,withOverfishing Mauritania fortwitchers. isaparadise www.lonelyplanet.com Nouakchott andNouâdhibou. available atsomehotels andrestaurants in is alsoubiquitous.Inprinciple,alcohol is are available everywhere. Mauritanian tea to beverages. Soft drinksandbottledwater dishes. agreatrange varietyof of eateries serving in Nouakchott, where you’llfindagood egalese egalese popu lar dishesare ricewithfishandSen- spices andvegetables. Twoof themost your taste buds,with much more variety, willappealmore to Senegalese, sentially to find,exceptinthecapital. chott andNouâdhibou.Fruitispretty hard fluenced localcuisine,especiallyinNouak- andthishasin- abundant sourceof seafood, a fire withcooked andstuffed rice. feast), where anentire lambisroasted over is toattend a Moroccan variety,isdelicious.Areal treat Mauritanian couscous, similartothe inprivate homes. companies mealsserved ened, curdledgoatorcamelmilk)often ac- goat, camelordriedfish. generally blandandlimited torice,mutton, unmemorable andlacksvariety.Dishesare The cuisineofdesert theMoors israther FOOD &DRINK www.lonelyplanet.com laid-back and amazingly safe compared with wandering thestreets: Nouakchottat ease is it’s alsocolourful andexotic. Andyou’llfeel in West Africa) andeye-catching mosques, nomenal fishmarket (oneof themostactive piles of rubbishlitter thestreets. shambolic suburbs are filthy– unbelievably thantheAtlantic.The towards thedesert dominant Moors, ismore itsorientation reflecting originsof thedesert Mauritania’s ally built5kminland fromthecoastand, Its locationisdiscombobulating:it’s unusu- majestic monuments orculturallandmarks. sprawling citylackscharisma. Don’texpect not edifying.Hastily constructed in1960 this First impressions of Nouakchott are certainly pop 800,000 NOUAKCHOTT There’s notalotof choice whenitcomes The restaurant sceneispretty dull,except The cuisineof southernMauritania, es- Mauritania’s Atlanticcoastlineisan It’s not all that bad, however, withitsphe- It’s notallthatbad, however, mafé * (apeanut-based stew). méchui, (traditionalnomad’s Zrig Zrig (unsweet- newspapers, magazinesandbooks,althoughlittle inEnglish. h UM300; Medical Services Services Medical Netland Internet Cybercafé Confort are thefollowing: nections. Amongthemostconvenient ones Nouakchott butdon’texpectultra-fast con- There isno shortage of Internet cafésin Access Internet Vents duSud Librairie Bookshops INFORMATION some hotels, includingtheElAmane. at Libraire Vents duSud(see below ) andat is theonlyavailable street map. Itisonsale Nouakchott – Centre-Ville Maps are 3kmnortheastof thecentre. district(oldtown)andairport Ksar while Le ocean is5kmwestalongAve Abdel Nasser, a major shantytownwithabusymarket. The 2km furthersouth,theCinquièmeQuartier, de Gaullecross,istheGrandMarché and, where Ave Abdel andAve Nasser duGénéral district istothenorthwhilesouth,near Gaulle runningnorthtosouth.Thenicest ning easttowestandAve duGénéralde The mainstreets are Ave Abdel run- Nasser ORIENTATION –blissafter therigoursself of thedesert. hotels inwhichcomfortable topamperyour- amenities, acoupleof hiprestaurants and Italsohasmodern many Africancapitals. Banks areBanks alsoan option butthey keep aswell as inthe MarchéNasser, Capitale. de Gaulleandon AveGeneral duGamal There are bureaus de change onAve du Money MédicalFabienneCabinet Sherif h posted. consultation. byexpats. ChargesaroundUM6000 fora Recommended connection. noon-midnight Sat&Sun)Hasthebest 4pm-midnight Fri, hr UM500; 8am-1pm &4-7pmMon-Sat)Haspostcards,foreign 8am-midnight Sat-Thu, Itisn’tsign- 9am-noonFri) h ( (Off Ave perhrUM200; (Off duGénéraldeGaulle; % h 8am-midnight) NOUAKCHOTT •• Orientation ••Orientation NOUAKCHOTT 525 1314;Ave duPalais desCongrès;per 8am-midnight Mon-Thu, 8am-noon& (Off Ave perhr (Off duGénéraldeGaulle; ( % 525 2684;Ave Kennedy; (aboutUM1500) ( % 525 1571)

553 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA Nouakchott 554 (525km) Nouâdhibou Bruxelles (1km); Café-Restau Sahara (600m); To Aubergedu 4 6 1 3 2 5 NOUAKCHOTT Rue du Marché Cinquiéme Port dePêche(5km) To Beach(5km); NOUAKCHOTT NOUAKCHOTT 51 SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Saudique)...... Friday Mosque...... Sûreté...... Senegalese Embassy...... Netland...... Moroccan Embassy...... Main PostOffice...... Librairie VentsduSud...... Internet...... German Embassy...... French Embassy...... Confort Cybercafé...... Sherif...... BNM Bank...... BMCI Bank...... Asfaar...... American Embassy...... Grande Mosquée(Mosquée B4 Regional Air-RegaTours...... Cabinet MédicalFabienne Embassy (250m) Nouâdhibou

To Garage

Olympique Rue Ely Ould Mohamed Ould Ely Rue Ambassades des Route (200m) To Malian 13

Stade

AC

Ould M

7 43

Rue Ahmed Mohamed onotel) See Enlargement du (Rue 39

Cinquiéme Quarter Ave du

Ave Kennedy Rue 49

55 Rue de la Mosquée Marocaine Mosquée la de Rue

Alioune 19 41

Palais 44 22 33 5

Rue Bakary Hakha 35 des Congrès des 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 23 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Ave du Général de Gaulle 37 48 30 15 D6 C5 C5 B3 A3 B4 B5 C6 D6 B4 A4 B4 A4 D6 D6 B4 B4 2

64 38 Rue Hennoune Ould Bouccif Ould Hennoune Rue 27

Rue Mamadou Konaté 47 21 Rue Baker Ahmed Baker Rue Ave du Général de Gaulle 6

14 Rue de l'Espoir de Rue EATING SLEEPING La PalmeraiePâtisserie Rue Mohamed Phenicia...... Pâtisserie LesPrinces...... Le Prince...... Le PetitCafé...... Le Méditerranéen...... Le Jardin...... Le Bambou...... La Salamandre...... Restaurant...... A3 El Amane...... (see24) Club B...... Bana Blanc...... Novotel...... Maison d'hôtesJeloua...... L'Escale desSables...... JMC...... Hôtel Mouna...... Hôtel MercureMarhaba...... Hôtel Halima...... Hôtel ElAmane...... Auberge Menata...... Auberge LaDune...... Auberge LaBienvenue...... Musée National...... Mosquée Marocaine......

el Habib 12 Rue 31

20

Rue de l'Ambassade du Sénégal du l'Ambassade de Rue

Rue Abou Baker Abou Rue 32 Rue de l'Hôtel Halima l'Hôtel de Rue

B Abdallaye 8 25 62

28

Rue Alioune Rue Rue de l'Indépendance Nasser Abdel Ave 26 11 To Néma(1100km)

Rue Mohamed 1 Lemine Sakho Capitale Stade de la 16 50 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 56 B4 A4 B4 B5 A6 D6 A4 C6 A4 B4 B3 D5 A4 C6 B3 B3 B3 D4 B3 B3 B5 B4 D6 17 34 TRANSPORT SHOPPING ENTERTAINMENT Air...... Transport toTidjikja...... taxis)...... (4WD's)...... Royal AirMaroc...... National TourCar...... Europcar...... Car &4WDRentalAgencies.. Air SénégalInternational...... Air Mauritanie...... Air France...... Air Algérie...... MATIS...... Marché Capitale...... Cinquième Marché...... Centre Artisanal...... Artisans' Shops...... VIP Club...... (see37) Modern KTV...... Tata...... Snack Irak...... Rimal...... Restaurant El-Bahdja...... Transport toKiffa&Néma(bush Transport toKiffa&Néma A3 Pizza Lina...... 58

10 Ave Boubacar Ben Amer 65

Ave Kennedy Rosso (204km);Senegal(204km) 52 40 To GarageRosso(6km); 0 0 46 24 Ave Bourgiba 0 0 www.lonelyplanet.com 9 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43

Rue Ghary 60

59 Ave Ave du Général de Gaulle D6 D4 D6 C6 D6 C5 A4 D6 D3 C6 A6 C6 A4 B3 B3 D6 D6 A4 C5 B5 D3 B6 61

57 Abdel Nasser Abdel 54 42 29 36

Rue Mamadou Konaté D Atâr(436km) 45 Atâr (2.5km);

District Rue Alioune Rue 63 0.1 miles ToGarage Ksar 0.3 miles Airport 500 m 18 4 200 m 3 53 Fri) BMCIisanagentforWesternUnion. Fri) BNM isanagentforMoneygram. h postoffice Main Post BNM BMCI Western Unionoffice. your bestistoheadaMoneygramor cards either. amoneytransfer, Ifyouneed hotel whenyouget there. option. Inquire atthereception of your nottorely it’swise low. However, onthis went toprint,andotherbanksshouldfol- the constructionof anATM whenthisbook offered bybureaus dechange. bank rates were lowerthanthose slightly change onlycash.Atthetimeof writing, shorter hours thanbureaus dechange. They www.lonelyplanet.com a visit tothe ture shouldn’t leave Nouakchott without Anyone with aninterest inMoorishcul- National Musée &ACTIVITIES SIGHTS men, butavoid the beach atnight. hoursat those walking isgenerally safe for at11pm.Evenpeople walkingaround even the region. It’salate-night city,withmany cially compared citiesin with other capital Nouakchott isarelatively safe city,espe- DANGERS &ANNOYANCES Sûreté atthe extensions canbeobtained Visa Extensions Visa Tours Air–Rega Regional Asfaar tickets, places come recommended: these For purchasing domesticor international air Agencies Travel calls canbemade. in thecentre where localandlong-distance There are heapsof private telephone offices Telephone Mon-Thu, 8am-noonFri) fax 5240425;Ave duGénéral deGaulle; Gaulle; Gaulle; Mon-Thu, tonoonFri) There are nocashadvancesoncredit announced The BNPbankhasofficially 8am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) (RueAlioune; (Ave AbdelNasser; h ( (Ave AbdelNasser; % 8am-5pm Mon-Thu, 8am-noonFri) 529 0406;fax5258037;Ave duGénéralde Musée National Musée (Ave AbdelNasser; h 8am-3pm Mon-Thu, 8-11amFri) h h . On thefirst is level 8am-3pm Mon-Thu, 8-11am ( 8am-3pm Mon-Thu) % 524 0422,6328735;

h (admission UM300; h 8am-3pm 8am-5pm . and Katia will gothe extrayards. Dorms âdhibou. Your cordial hosts,Sidi, Hermann Mosquée Marocaine the CinquièmeQuartier,loomslarge pictures foritsslenderminarets. magnificence butit’sworthacoupleof It’s notexactlyamodelof architectural inthecentre.the MosquéeSaudique,isright aren’t allowedinsideduringprayertimes. able foritsblindinglywhite façade. Visitors port, the in thisbustlingarea. Ontheroadtoair- screen. of Beware undertows. of hours. There’s noshade,sobringsun- butitcanbefunforacouple the Bahamas, chott is5kmwestof thecentre. OK,itain’t Fancy adip?Thenearest beach toNouak- Beaches from thecentre). (wearamoney belt). vigilant andsensible It’sprettybe missed. safe aslongyou’re return. experienceandnotto It’safantastic 4pmand6pm,whenthe fishingboats tween large trestles todry.Thebesttimeisbe- which theysort,gut,filletandlayouton boys hurrybackandforthwithtrays of fish, in heavy hand-knotted fishingnets.Small of men,mostlyWolof and Fula, dragging hundredscolourful. You’llsee of teams traction. It’sincredibly lively andextremely Port dePêche, at- isbyfarNouakchott’s star thefish An absolute must-see, market, or dePêche Port Mosquée Dominating thecity’sskyline, Mosques Ministry of Culture. UM500. Thebuildingislabelledasthe ficially UM300, butyoumaybecharged from Moorishsociety.Admissionisof- with more recent ethnographicdisplays istaken level up exhibits whilethesecond a prehistoric gallerywitharchaeological duSahara Auberge Budget SLEEPING Mosquée Marocaine) UM2000, d UM4000; - inFrench; tentper personUM1500,dm sahara.com NOUAKCHOTT ••Dangers&Annoyances NOUAKCHOTT South of Ave Abdel towards Nasser, Take toget ataxi there (aroundUM500

(Rue Mamadou Konaté) (Rue Mamadou Friday Mosque Friday , anotherprecious landmark p

) ( (Moroccan Mosque;Ruedela % On the road toNou-

(Ave AbdelNasser) 670 4383; www.auberge , better knownas is not- Grande

555 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA parking andalaundry service. an on-site restaurant, Internet access,secure afew. Preciouscon –asktosee perksinclude some withprivate bathrooms, somewithair- landers. There’s amixed bagof bare rooms, about it’sstillapopular hauntforfrugalover- the accommodation isnothingtowrite home They’re afriendlybunch here, andalthough UM1500). Agoodpick. Meals are available onrequest (about there’s leafygardenatthefront. apleasant andmain drag,it’ssurprisinglypeaceful private it’sonthe bathrooms.Although rooms, which ensures intimacy.Allhave salubrious withonlyeight guesthouse, UM2500-3500, sUM4000-7000,d8000-9000; there’s secure parking. available onrequest (aboutUM1200) and information aboutthecountry.Meals are ofbub. Thefriendlyownerhasawealth away fromAve duGénéraldeGaulle’shub- and itsshadygardenare inaquietstreet but well-tended rooms.Auberge Menata to parkyourgrungybackpack,withcheap p tentperpersonUM1500,dmUM2000,dUM4000; de Gaulle; pa r UM8000-10,000;525 09 14;[email protected]; and amellowatmosphere. crafts, acommunalroomwhere tounwind African include anartgallerythathouses arranged aroundacourtyard.Otherpluses neat (somewithprivate bathrooms)andare of personality. The roomsare exceedingly d’hôtes travellers, forsavvy A godsend this centre. toget ataxi tothe the action–you’llneed for discerningtravellers, albeitabitoutof African experiences.Clearlyasolidchoice race where guestscanrelax andshare their andtherooftopkitchen forguests’use ter- areThe otherpluses theoutdoorareas, a shared bathroomsare kept ingoodnick. and roomsare plainbutfunctionaland 556 Maison d’hôtes Jeloua d’hôtes Maison Midrange d 12,000-14,000; 78 71;Ave sUM10,000-12,000, duGénéral deGaulle; .fr; offAve rUM5000-10,000; duGénéraldeGaulle; Auberge LaDune Auberge Auberge LaBienvenue Auberge Auberge Menata Auberge JMC ) Thiswelcomingauberge isa good place NOUAKCHOTT ••Sleeping NOUAKCHOTT

( ) % (B&B)behindtheNovotel haslots The newest kidon the block, this 641 7624,6672832;jmc_organisation@yahoo a

( ) % ( % An honest-to-goodness

/fax 5256274;Ave dm Kennedy; 636 9450;offAve duGénéral (

% ( % 636 9450, 6432730, /fax 5251421; pai maison pa % 676 ) )

pais cure.com; Ave AbdelNasser;rUM33,000-37,000, steUM58,000; but taxis arebut taxis reach. withineasy it’s aflickoutof theaction,nearairport, (about UM5000). Theonlydownsideisthat tering. Youcanorder(expensive) meals inwhenit’sswel- a smallpooltocooloff Fancylong daysightseeing. adip?There’s garden isagreat placetochill outafter a various artistictouches. Theatmospheric the communalareas are embellishedwith are seductively cosyandahealthysize district.Rooms B&B-style nestintheKsar and air-con. Credit cardsare accepted. the requisite amenities,includingsatellite TV Rooms are spaciousandcomeequippedwith flash, butit’scalm,tidyandwellmanaged. Novotel, thismodernishabode is nothing façade of thisfour-star monolith onthe can’t missthe blinding orange andyellow posh? Head to theNovotel. straight You cept credit cards. hotels ac- allthese Heave (of asigh relief): Top End ai .mr/elamane; Ave Abdel Nasser;sUM13,000,d15,000-17,000; pa s/dinclbreakfast UM21,500/24,800;Général deGaulle; cheaper oneshave shared bathroom. are well-appointed andrelatively neat.The rooms tranquil neighbourhood. Theseven inanimposingvillalocated ina housed Olivia, whoalsoownsAuberge Menata. It’s tidy 60,000, steUM62,000-83,000; sUM45,000-58,000, dUM47,000- du Général de Gaulle; real drawistherestaurant (see opposite ). update –especiallythedullcorridors. The thedécorcoulddowithaserious although timer isanOKrunner-up iftherest are full, cation andanairypatiooutback. This old- you’re checking inorout–justacentrallo- a pool. order butnoextravaganza. include Extras rooms andbathrooms ingoodworking appeal. Thinkgood-sized, well- appointed tion, theMercure hasregained someof its 27,000; - dinclbreakfast UM20,000- des-sables.com; KsarDistrict; Hôtel Mouna Hôtel Hôtel ElAmane Hôtel Hôtel Mercure Marhaba Marhaba Mercure Hôtel L’Escale desSables Novotel maison d’hôtes ) ) pais Don’t expect a whole lotta lovin’ Don’texpectawholelotta when Amere skipandjumpfromthe

( % ) After renova- amuch-needed ( % 525 7400;www.novotel.com; Ave

( % 524 1330;fax1120;Ave du (B&B)isrunbyhelpful )

Findheaven inthis 525 2178;www.toptechnology ( % pais www.lonelyplanet.com ( % 525 2375;www.escale 529 5050;www.mer ). Feeling bassades; mainsUM1500-3000) UM1500-3500) simmered withvegetables andolives). (Moroccan stew orpoultry featuring meat you wantarecommendation, gofora prettywrong –everything’s good–butif very reasonable prices.Youcan’treally go for itsexcellentMoroccan-inspired menuat best choices, thiscosyeatery winsplaudits Sénégal; mains UM3000-4000) room buttheterrace is alsoagreeable. of There’s pasta. modern dining apleasant cellent, oryoucould orderascrummyplate years. Themeatand fish dishes are alsoex- bubblinghot fromtheoven forsome served pizzas flyingtheflagfortasty Lina hasbeen This upscale outlet is patronised byexpats This upscaleoutlet is patronised race and acouple of elegant diningrooms. the pull here, withamellow open-air ter- Halima; s/dUM26,500/29,500,steUM49,000; Restaurant El-Bahdja Restaurant Restaurants places. principle, alcohol isavailable athigher-end open forlunch day.In anddinnerevery allrestaurants stated, Unless otherwise are EATING in town. is where foreign bunkdownwhen officials the roomscomewithallmod-cons.This main drag.Insideitfeels pretty slickand www.lonelyplanet.com Nou âdhibou; mainsUM1500-2500) facilities andatough-to-beat location. bracket, withwell-organised rooms,good tors butforthepriceit’sagoodbetinthis Sure, claimtheglitzof itdoesn’t itscompeti- make youflinch, optforthewell-runHalima. If thepricesof theNovotel ortheMercure the taxi ride.the taxi toNouâdhibou,butit’swellworth the road pancakes. It’sabitfarfromthecentre, on lettes. Make sure toleave roomforthetasty range of andheartyome- crunchy salads poisson are well presented, including wife.ritanian savoury dishesthat Expect andhisMau- by amiableAlex,aBelgian, interior, thisisalovely It’srun place toeat. andaneat withoutdoorseating taurant Café-Restau Bruxelles Café-Restau Le Jardin Hôtel Halima Hôtel Pizza Lina (fishkebabs), rumpsteak, agood Not far from the stadium, Pizza Notfarfromthe stadium,

( ( % %

( % 636 7660; off Ruedel’Ambassade du 525 8662;RoutedesAmbassades;mains 525 7920;fax22;Ruedel’Hôtel

( %

Oneof Nouakchott’s 630 5383;offRoutedesAm- It’s the setting that’s It’s thesetting ( % A laid-back res- 621 6380;Routede brochettes de pai tajine )

mains UM1000-1500) UM1000) and the time-warped ambience strangely plastic tablecloths, walls –suggestive peeling but wefound therusticlook –bare tables, goingto winanyMichelinnever awards, it’s utterly without frillsand thefoodis at punyprices. soups,meatorfishdishes such asChinese there’s garden.Diginto staples apleasant quarters couldn’tbemore cramped,but is positively old-fashioned andthedining this humbleAsian restaurant. Thesetting from EuropeanorAfricanfood,headto ommended forbreakfast (aboutUM1800). lotte grillée clude is particularlyinviting.Signature dishesin- genteel surroundings.Theoutdoor seating Whatever your ownverdict, in you’lleat the titleof best restaurant inNouakchott. but-not-sooty venue isacontender for lunch Sat) Sénégal; de Gaulle; mainsUM2000-3000; de Gaulle; UM1000; you can’tmissthe orange façade. embassy– stone’s throwfrom theSenegalese inaposhbuilding offthemaindrag,a housed bookmarking ifyou wanttodineinstyle. It’s dishes are reportedly better. villa. Thecamelkebab wasaverage –fish accurate) restaurant, inastylish housed Another reputable French (Corsican, tobe the reputation somewhat exaggerated. grilled meatexpertlycooked, butwefound Sure, theairypatioisrefreshing andthechar- steaks andsandwiches. gourmet foodbutit’sfilling,withomelettes, not walls.It’scertainly hanging onpeeling is wonderfullymodestwitholdpaintings sit-down mealinthecentre. Thesetting African threadfin withcoconutsauce. Orloff,lambskewersincluding beef and The menufeatures meatandfishdishes, style. fetches Afullmeal aboutUM6000. and thelocalglitterati whowanttodinein 12; RueAlioune;mainsUM1500-2500) Phenicia Le Bambou Rimal Club B Le Méditerranéen El Amane Restaurant La Palmeraie Pâtisserie filet dedorade h You’llfindnocheaper placefora French bythisrestaurant. expatsswear h

( % closed Sun) (

% closed lunchSun)

( % ( (grilled monkfish).It’salsorec- % 525 4832;Ave AbdelNasser;mainsabout

( 529 2978;offRuedel’Ambassadedu % 525 25 75; Rue Mamadou Konaté;mains 525 2575;RueMamadou 525 2178;Ave Abdel Nasser; NOUAKCHOTT ••Eating NOUAKCHOTT 634 2772;Ave duGénéraldeGaulle; Ifyoufancyachange Anotherplacewell worth

( % (sea bream (sea fillet)or 660 9665;offAve du Général It’snotexpensive, h closed Sun & lunch Fri) closed Sun&lunchFri) Thissnazzy-

( % h

642 02

closed 557 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA snacks atmoderate prices. long-running favourite. tables andnumeroustinnedgoods. tables supermarket, ithasimported vege- cheeses, recommended store. shapes andsizes. ies. Stockuponbaguettes andcakes of all baker- mostsweet-smelling the capital’s stalls stacked withfreshstalls fruit. shops withtinnedgoodsanddrinks and On Ave Kennedy and RueAliouneare Self-Catering 2000) ( bunch is later, mosthave bent.Pickof the aLebanese du GénéraldeGaulle. Openuntil11pm or AveRue Aliounebetween Kennedy andAve There are many fast-food on establishments Eats Quick lettes orfriedfish. seductive. Sticktotheclassics such asome- 558 partners, two places to seek outarepartners, two placesto seek chott isnot Dakar. Ifyouwant tofind dance carousing;Nouak- Don’t expect all-night ENTERTAINMENT month whenwe visited. and cosyinterior, were the flavour of the Jardinting, andLe with its open-airterrace Salamandre set- alcohol. with itsspiffy La European-style restaurants, usuallyserve The top-endhotels, aswell most DRINKING the walls,isanotherdraw. lashings of colours splashedallover bright grillée shrimps, beef dishesand shrimps, beef yourself with French cooking.Here youcanwarm reputation forlip-smacking joys adeserved Salamandre en- La Route desAmbassades, to Le Prince, to Le well-prepared shwarma. Afew doors down room atthebackandtuckintoaplate of onawobblychairPlonk yourself inthe bassades; mainsUM1600-4000; % Near theFrench embassy, Bana Blanc Tata Pâtisserie LesPrinces Pâtisserie La Salamandre NOUAKCHOTT ••Drinking NOUAKCHOTT 525 9088;RoutedesAmbassades;mainsUM1000- isasmartfast-food jointwithgood

(grilled lamb). The sleek setting, with setting, (grilled lamb).Thesleek (Ave duGénéraldeGaulle) Le Prince

Snack Irak (Ave duGénéraldeGaulle) salade périgourdine (

% (Rue Alioune;mainsUM500-1300) 524 2680;offRoutedesAm-

(Rue Alioune) (Rue Kennedy) h Awell-stocked Mon-Sat) côte d’agneau Le Petit Café isanother Just off Justoff Oneof (salad), (salad), Another Modern .

h on yourright. roundabout intersection forBoutilimitand toRosso–it’s beyondthe on thehighway the Alsocheckand Route desAmbassades. northeast of the cornerof Ave Kennedy gers andjewellery,check the the airport. the Garage Atâris onthe road to Atâr, the centre; forAtâr (UM3500, sixhours), Garage Rosso isalmost 10km southof for Rosso (aboutUM2000, 3½hours), the toCinquième Marché;âdhibou isclose UM5600, six hours), theGarage Nou- various regions. ForNouâdhibou (about There are specificgarages forMauritania’s Bush Taxi p575. to/from Nouakchott,flights see p574 and in theforthcomingyears. oftalk extending andrenovating theairport shops, buttherates offered are bad.There’s ride, askatthe money topayforthetaxi very few facilities.Ifyouwanttochange skirts, about2.5kmfromthecentre. Ithas Nouakchott’s airportis ontheeastern out- Air THERE&AWAY GETTING to wareshousehold andtailors. people-watching, andhasgoodvegetables, asveils.that Moorwomenuse and theinexpensive, crinkly batiks Soninké tie-dyedmaterial, Senegalese grigri. You’llfinddress material, colourful cushions, beadsand leather bags,sandals, tional woodenboxes withsilver inlay,pipes, include brassteapots, silver jewellery,tradi- offers abitof Potential everything. souvenirs Capitale Marché SHOPPING 76 60;offRuedel’AmbassadeduSénégal) KTV Salamandre isalsoworthchecking out. AdmissioncostsaboutUM1500.nights. La day, FridayandSaturdayare theliveliest DJs.Thurs- live musiciansandSenegalese For woodenboxes withsilver inlay,dag- For details ofFor details international anddomestic If you’re after hand-woven carpets,head Cinquième Marché MATIS 8am-4pm Mon-Thu &Sun)

Centre Artisanal Artisanal Centre (Ave duPalais desCongrés)

( % 525 5083;Ave AbdelNasser,KsarDistrict; (also calledGrandMarché) isgoodforbrowsingand (or silver market), south www.lonelyplanet.com , ashorthopfrom and malafa VIP Club artisans’ , withregular (fabric)

( %

shops 636

Gaulle) quickly escalate onceyouaddpetrol. UM15,000/21,000 perdaywithdriver. Costs est Toyota Corolla/Hilux (4WD)costs withAvesection Kennedy. Thecheap- Abdel about50mwestof Nasser, theinter- 4WDs forhire isonthenorthsideof Ave 45; RueGhary) Europcar If youwanttohire acarwithdriver, try Car nearby(UM300).the highway UM1000. It’scheaper from tohailataxi fare taxi standard tothecentre isabout district.TheThe airportisintheKsar To/From theAirport AROUND GETTING ‘boutique 245’). shop onRueElyOuldMohamed (askfor infrequent leave bushtaxis from asmall airport. ForTidjikja (UM5000, ten hours), tothe fromaparkinglotclose bush taxis and RuedelaMosquéeMarocaine, and504 area atthecornerof Ruedel’Indépendance up totwodays),4WDsleave fromanopen (UM6000, 14hours) andNéma(UM7500, (UM4300, ten hours), Ayoûnel-Atroûs about 3kmnorthof theairport;forKiffa www.lonelyplanet.com wide berth and dash to the capital ortothe wide berthand dashto thecapital chott, most travellers give Nouâdhibou a necting the Moroccanborder toNouak- to have gone. road con- Withthe newtar For Nouâdhibou, the goodolddaysseem pop 80,000 NOUÂDHIBOU nature lovers and bird-watchers alike. is arapturousplace fortranquillityseekers, world’s greatest birdlife-viewing venues – d’ArguinNational duBanc –oneof the mostlyoccupiedbyParcThis coastline, tolurescription shouldbeenough you here. Saharandunes.Thisde- meets Wild coast THE ATLANTIC COAST and aboutUM700 toPortdePêche. costs UM300 foraridewithinthecentre, Green-and-yellow are taxis plentiful.It Taxi The best place to start looking forThe bestplacetostart ; or

( % National Tour Car National TourCar , ontheroadtoairport. 525 1136;fax2285;Ave duGénéralde ( % 525 9734;fax52993 you plan to visit Banc d’Arguin.you plantovisit Banc interest totravellers, if but itisagoodbase Adrar region. Sure, there islittleof specific world’s highest densities ofworld’s highest fish. As a result, current,the Canary and it hasone of the onboth sidesischilled by peninsula. The sea Lévrier, in themiddleof anarrow35km-long Cape Blanc(15km) Minéralier (11km); Cansado (8km);Port To TrainStation(5km); 4 Nouâdhibou 1 3 2 5 NOUÂDHIBOU This unintimidating city is on the Baie du This unintimidating cityis ontheBaie (3km); Nouakchott(525km) THE ATLANTIC COAST ••Nouâdhibou To GarageNouakchott 13 Mosque 8 Friday (Container Marché 0 0 12 Moderne Grand Port de Pêche Cansado Port) Boulevard Baie de A Market See Enlargement Police Station 1 Fish Médian Mosque 14

4 Rue de la Galérie Jedida Mahfoud 11 6 9 3 SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Car RentalAgencies...... Lune...... Le Mérou...... Halima...... Cheap Restaurants...... Hôtel AlJezira...... Camping BaieduLévrier...... Camping Abba...... Office...... VIP...... Top Technology...... Top NetCyberCafé...... Soreci Voyages...... Bon Voyage...... BMCI Bank...... TRANSPORT EATING uemrh e2 oebe.B1 Supermarché Le28Novembre.. Restaurant-Pâtisserie Pleine Parc NationalduBancd'Arguin 0.1 miles 7 Boulevard 5 200 m

Consulate Moroccan Numerowat Police Station 2 Consulate Spanish Numerowat 15 Stadium Hospital Boulevard 0.3miles 500m 0 0 Catholic Church Offices Government Boulevard 16 10 Tcherka Maritime Médian Fish Market B Fishing Port 16 15 14 13 12 11 10

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Runway

559 B1 A2 A3 A3 A1 B2 A1 A4 A1 A2 A1 A3 A1 B1 A4 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA bile; BlvdMédian; s/dUM3000/5000; lower thaninNouakchott. herealong BlvdMédian.Rates are slightly 11pm Sat-Thu, 8-11am &3-11pmFri). ( Voyages The processishassle-free. surance atanyinsurancecompany intown. land travellers withvehicles mustbuyin- If theyhave notdoneitattheborder,over- Information Blanc, thesoutherntipof thepeninsula. onto ships,while4kmbeyondisCape where thetrainlineendsandore isloaded Cansado. PortMinéralier,3kmfurther,is port)and8kmfurthersouthis container of townisthePort dePêche Moderne(the south, isBlvdMédian.Atthesouthernedge The city’smainstreet, runningnorth– Orientation ships comehere fromallover theworld. Nouâdhibou isfamousforitsfishingand 560 Camping BaieduLévrier Camping Sleeping Top Technology Top NetCyberCafé Cybercafé VIP cluding thefollowing: andNouâdhibouhasanumber, in- offices Internet outletsalsodoubleastelephone post officeiseastoffBlvdMédian. Most h a family feel. Ali, your hospitable host,is a family feel. Ali,your hospitable recommended place isexcellent value with 3-11pm Fri, 3-11pmSun) 3-11pm Fri, UM200; hr UM200; % There are bureaus several dechange For purchasing airtickets, to head reportedly thelastoneonearth. tected colonyhere ofroughly100sealsis andoil.The pro- for theirvaluableskins have beenhunted sincethe15thcentury animals elephant seals,thesegrey-skinned them thesedaysare pretty slim.Resembling althoughyourchancesofseeing traction, lighthouse atCape Blancare amajorat- The THE LASTMONKSEALSONEARTH 8am-3pm Mon-Fri) THEATLANTIC COAST ••Nouâdhibou 574 6180;BlvdMédian) h phoque moine

( h % 8am-midnight Sat-Thu, 2pm-midnight Fri) 8am-11pm Sat&Mon-Thu, 8am-1pm & 574 6325;BlvdMédian) (offBlvdMédian;perhrUM200; ( % ( % hasabranch here. The 574 5643;BlvdMédian; perhr (monkseals)nearthe 574 9188;BlvdMédian; per

( . % 574 6536,650 4356mo- p BMCI or ) This highly Thishighly

Bon Voyage (Blvd Médian; h Soreci Soreci 8am-

Médian; tentperpersonUM1500,s/dUM2200/3400; Médian; 3000; surroundings are nice. cosy. Theroomsare sombre, atad butthe incongruous carpetonthefloor,it’salmost of thecentre, withgoodamenities.Withits A clean,dependablemidrange optionnorth with noticeboard. rooms –andaninvitingcommunalroom simple rooms–somewithprivate bath- Another goodhauntforoverlanders. Ithas flights to/from Nouakchottflights (UM16,000/ 2500) 60; offBlvdMédian;mainsUM1000-1500) s/dinclbreakfast UM13,000/15,000; Maritime; It’s alsoagoodspotforbreakfast. walk awayhappyandbuzzingfor UM1500. andyoucan croissant, meal withadelectable grilled fishorbrochettes your andfinishoff a platesnacks andvariousmains.Scoff of of town,thiscute pastryshopalsoserves tory stopforcarb-lovers, intheheart right Air Mauritanie AIR &Away There Getting (around UM300 forameal). fillingfare prices atunbeatable they serve Mahfoud. They are nothingfancy,but cheap restaurants alongRuedelaGalérie In thecentre, you’llfindaslewof very Eating there’s atent forrelaxing andakitchen. four-bedcommodation isinclean rooms, a goodsourceof localinformation.Ac- bent. The octopus salad isdivine. bent. Theoctopussalad of dishes,mostof tasty themwithaChinese bland décorandfocusontheeclectic range restaurant onthemaindrag.Ignore the ucts intown. supermarket of hasthebestselection prod- are essential. fish dishes,lobst it screams.standards Feast onultra-fresh andbyany the foodshoulddotalking food andoddlykitsch interior design.Still, the Mérou,Halima isamixof stunningsea- Hôtel Le Mérou Restaurant-Pâtisserie PleineLune Restaurant-Pâtisserie Abba Camping Halima Supermarché Le 28 Novembre Supermarché Le28Novembre Make forthismuch-lauded a beeline h h

closed lunch Fri) closed lunchFri) Al Jezira Al Jezira

( closed afternoon Fri) closed afternoon %

( %

574 5428;BlvdMédian;mainsUM1500- ( % 574 5980;BlvdMédian;mainsUM1500-

( ( % % er andshrimps. Bookings 574 54 50) A serious competitorto A serious 574 9896;fax87;Blvd 574 5317;fax5499;Blvd www.lonelyplanet.com Thiswell-stocked has four weekly has fourweekly ( % Amanda- 574 5863;Blvd

( % pa 574 98 p ) )

mission perpersondayUM1200) around 7am.Formore see details, p576 . waiting. Itreaches Zouérat(UM1200) at around 2am,where 4WDsforAtârwill be (UM1000,Choûm orUM3000 fora‘berth’) car leaves around2.30pmdaily,arrivingin tickets. Theiron-ore trainwithapassenger building nearthetrackswhere youcanbuy town, 3kmbefore Cansado. There’s atiny isabout5kmsouthofThe ‘trainstation’ TRAIN hotels canalsoarrange thisforyou. main drag,buttheowners of thecampsand There’s anumberof carrental officesonthe CAR Nouakchott, 5kmnorthof themarket. Rovers) leave NouâdhiboufromtheGarage (six hours). Vehicles (Mercedes andLand Thefareride isstraightforward. isUM5600 road linkingthetwocitieslate in2005,the and Nouakchott. Sincetheopeningof thetar Nouâdhibou plydailybetween Bush taxis TAXI BUSH see national flights, p574 . 32,000 oneway/return). of Fordetails inter- www.lonelyplanet.com Twitchers, rejoice! Thismust-see PARC NATIONAL DUBANC D’ARGUIN about UM200. if youshare). Withinthecentre, itcosts UM500 fromtheairportto centre (less Chartered green-and-yellow charge taxis Around Getting season. The best way to see them isby tra- Thebest wayto see season. ber and January, which is alsothe mating low ocean. Thebestviewing timeisDecem- birds are islands intheshal- found onsand Timiris (155kmnorth of Nouakchott). Most egrets andwaders. species ofspoonbills andseveral herons, (sterne bridée), billed terns pelicans, royalterns rose), species includepinkflamingos recordedbeen here inthewinter. Other broad-billed sandpipers twomillionand SouthernAfrica. Over tudes of Europe birdsmigratingbetween stopover andbreeding groundformulti- The park extends 200km north from Cape The parkextends 200km northfromCape white pelicans (spatula blanche), white-breasted cormorants, (pélican blanc), (sternes royales), (limicoles) is an important isanimportant blackterns THE ATLANTIC COAST ••Parc NationalduBancD’Arguin (flamant park have gull- grey

(ad- island, 30kmlong,is ommended, ecofriendly excursion. Themain Blvd Médian; point is Niroumi west of thenortherntipare twotinyislands, UM1000). people). Meals canalsobeordered (about UM6000 foralarger one(uptoseven UM3000 forasmalltent (uptotwo people), Ten Alloul,IwikandNouâmghâr. Itcosts equipped withtraditionaltents atArkeiss, Inside theparkthere are officialcampsites Sleeping &Eating magnificent andthewater clear. iscrystal north of Tidra. Theviewfromthecapeis only afew hours. outalldayor the guide)whetheryoustay here; theycostUM15,000 (plusUM3000 for 6km northeastof Tidra. Youcanfindboats ditional fishingboat,calleda the at theentrancegates orinNouâdhibouat Parc National DuBanc D’Arguin A TLNIC BANC D'ARGUIN PARC NATIONALDU Cansado Guerguarat Cape Blanc Park permits(UM1200) are issuedeither After, youcouldheadto O CEAN park office ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ and Nouâdhibou To Nouakchott (155km) Iwik Baie du Lévrier h , afishingvillage onthemainland

office 8am-4pmMon-Thu, 8am-noonFri). Nair (Park officeinNouâdhibou, Baie de l'Étoile Nouâmghâr Cape Timiris Île Niroumi . Theprincipallaunching d'Arguin Île Kijji ÎIe Nair Cape d'Arguin Teichot National du Banc Ὀ Ὀ Ὀ Parc Cape Tafarit Tidra d'Arguin Cape Tagarit Ten Alloul Tidra Île Île Arkeiss Cape Tagarit Cape Awgue , andjusttothe Iwik lanche 14miles 24km 0 0 St Jean Baie de % rec- a – 574 6744; Nouakchott , 40km To Choûm Chami (150km)

(300km)

To 561 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA visual splendourof whatyou’llencounter. Nodoubtyou’llbestunnedbythe sights. natural wonders anddistinctive cultural in Mauritania’s crown withexceptional North of thecountry, the Adrarisjewel THE ADRAR warm clothes. sure food,water and youtake sufficient in Nouâdhibou,askatyourhotel. Make guide (typicallyUM50,000 forthree days); go withatleastoneothervehicle anda stray fromthetrack,asminesabound. butdon’t the railwaytracksisflatandeasy have aguide. Thelast70kmsouthwestalong won’t keep you fromgetting lostifyoudon’t before therailwaytrackinnorth,butthey Timiris,the fishingvillage atCape andjust are Nouâmghâr, 5kmbetween polesevery dunesfor300km.Therethe worst section, only duringlowtide. Thereafter youenter TimirisCape isalongthebeach andpassable The first 155kmfromNouakchott north to Nouâdhibou (525km)takes atleasttwodays. own 4WD,thetripfromNouakchott to rental agency formore information. three anytraveltaking days.Contact orcar in Nouakchott orinNouâdhibou.Consider 4WD withaknowledgeable driver, either Your bestbettovisittheparkishire a &Away There Getting 562 Arr Region Adrar ADRAR REGION (330km) To Nouâdhibou (250km) To Nouakchott For safety reasons toget (it’seasy lost) If youwanttocrosstheparkwithyour THEADRAR••Atâr Akjoujt W estrnSah M ORC Ksar Torchane Azougui Atâr Choûm Terjît Amogjar Pass Nouatil Ancient Rock Pass Paintings ὄὄ ὄὄ To Zouérat

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a Legueilla Fri) Fri) cluding the change, banks(USdollars andeuros)in- north of bureaus it.You’llfindseveral de the centre of Atârandthemarket isjust fair share of toutsandhustlers. Mauritania, you’re likely toencounter your a competitive placeand,unlike therest of from France,thetownhasbecomequite or 4WDforaysintheAdrar. an excellentplaceinwhich toorganise camel probably won’tleave youawestruckbutitis and anobvioustransitpointfortravellers. It Atâr isthemajor northerncommercialcentre pop 25,000 ATÂR and harmony. zled French executives of insearch peace preparedBe tocomeacrossgroupsof fraz- the Adrarisnolonger beauty. asleeping from FranceduringtheEuropeanwinter, Withregularyourself, though. direct flights hot-air ballooningareeven onoffer. rides,trekkingis amust.Camel routes and lovers,altic plateaus. Fordesert theAdrar a whereartist, mellowoases to unwind under dunesthatlooksculpted byan sand mighty Saharan townsof ChinguettiandOuadâne, The Adrarhasitall:there are theancient the maindrag.Thesmallmazelike Ksar r Chinguetti khaima To Tidjikja

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( Ouadâne h 50miles 80km 0 0 (roundabout)marks 8am-3pm Mon-Thu, 8-11am www.lonelyplanet.com Guelb erRichat Allal Amatlich for afew years andhave goodcredentials: and lodging. at UM12,000Prices start perdaywithfood scenic dunesare almost onyourdoorstep. ( p565 ) orOuadâne( p567 better your tripineitherChinguetti tostart ) where themost camel ridesinthe Adrarbutit’sprobably son forfood. petrol. AddaboutUM3000 per dayperper- UM21,000 Hiluxplus perdayforaToyota Four peopleisideal.Countonpaying upto so tripsare alotcheaper ifyou’re inagroup. tom itineraries. other finespots.Butyoucanarrange cus- Ouadâne, Tanouchert, Terjît andvarious inChinguetti, (round theAdrar),taking a five-day circuitcalled‘tour del’Adrar’ from Atâr. Themostpopular 4WDtripis of writing. doorways. and carved with narrowwindingstreets, brickwalls to explore. It’stheoldresidential quarter, district, westof themarket, isagoodplace www.lonelyplanet.com Bab Sahara attempting toarrange At lastcount,more than20agencies were Activities 1pm &4-11pm) El Waha. To AubergeBabSahara(400m); Auberge (2.5km);Azougui(9km) Toile MaureCampement- 1 2 ATÂR The following agencies have around been Most travel agencies alsoorganise custom The maincostsare thevehicle anddriver, Atâr hadonlyoneInternet caféatthetime Military Camp Hôtel deVille (Town Hall) ( Water Tank A % Centre Internet Centre School isnotfarfromthegarage. El Medina(150m); ( To AubergeAvrah Choûm (120km) % TV Relay 647 39 66)AtAuberge BabSahara. Station 546 4718;647 8868)NearHôtel 1 Le Ksar Market Route de NouakchottὈ Ὀ Rond Point 3 To OuadaneTours(2.2km);Airport(2.8km); camel rides Auberge Tivoujar(3.3km);Terjît(40km); 10 Akjoujt (180km);Nouakchott(436km) 12

13 (per hrUM200; Quarter

7 ChinguettiRoute de New Hospital 14 or 9 6 8 BC 4WD tours Quarter h 11 5 New 2 9am- SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Salima Voyages...... (see4) Bivouac Tours...... (see5) A2 Money Exchange...... Centre Internet...... BMCI...... Waha (600m);Allal airport. tent orhutperpersonUM1700, rUM6000; .com) AtAubergeTivoujar. include five rooms withair-con (bathrooms are withtourists. Facilities to dealing used owners have areputable travel agency and a five-minute strollfrom thecentre. The than checking inatthiswelcoming outfit, wanting areliable coulddoworse base of theactionbutit’squiet. on request (aboutUM2000). It’saflickout UM300 topark yourcar. Meals are available alternative Itcosts tours into thedesert. place tomooch around.Justuscanarrange andthecourtyardisapleasant tidy enough huts) andtents are nothingthrillingbut residents of Atâr. couple,JustusandCora,long-term German ing backpacker hauntiswellrunbyaDutch/ p tentperpersonUM1500,stonehutUM7000; yahoo.com; not the place. Most places serve meals. not theplace. Mostplacesserve after aromantichideaway,Atâriscertainly aesthetics of theinfrastructures. Ifyou’re but wewere notoverly impressed by the daysAtârhas20-plusplacestostay These Sleeping Tivoujar Salima Voyages Ouadane Tours Bivouac Tours Bonheur. Amatlich (600m) To HôtelEl Auberge duBonheur Auberge Auberge BabSahara Auberge Atâr ) Off Route deAzougui,thislongstand- Off ( % 678 1342,6255182;www.vuedenhaut ( ( % ( % 4 % 3 2 1 546 4595)AtAubergeMonod. B2 A2 646 9382,6347273)Nearthe 546 4611)AtAubergedu To Chinguetti(81km); Tikits Ouadâne (240km) THE ADRAR••Atâr

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B2 B2 B1 B2 B2 B2 B2 B1 B1 C1 563 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA from thecentre onthe roadtoNouakchott. only drawbackisthelocation,about 4km tikits amenities, includingwheelchair-accessible expect much privacy.Itboastsexcellent hotel. It’spopularwithtourgroups,so don’t thatAtârcomestohavingclosest atop-end 2006, thisprofessionally runventure isthe person UM1500) pai s/dUM9000/10,000,steUM17,000; Route del’Aéroport; s/d UM7000/8000; he willpickyouup. rival. Give theowneracallon arrivaland andtranquillityarebut thesetting hardto It’s a3kmwalkfromthemiddleof town the ablutionblockisingoodworkingorder. arranged aroundasoothingcourtyardand Thefivegood surprise. traditionaltents are campement withlotsof personality isa Opened inNovember 2005,thiswell-kept scrubbed ablutionblock. pokeyseveral stoneorpalmhutsandawell- are shared), alarge tent inthecourtyard, 564 UM300. rice, fish andSenegalese fare,basically thesame including spaghetti, They are runbyWolof andFula serve Most cheap restaurants are alongthisroad. Chinguetti roadfor ablock,thenturnleft. From theroundabout headeastonthe Eating the mealshere asatUM4000, it’sa joke. around awell-tended garden.Forget about smelling, well-equipped this isareassuring choice with 26clean- location, a short stagger from themarket.location, ashortstagger pointisitsspiffing rooms. Themainselling withspaciousbath- enough, serviceable forahoneymoon butareexactly suitable UM5500/7000; perpersonwithhalf-board .vuedenhaut.com; tent/tikit courtyard. ish dormsarranged aroundaplant-filled for budget travellers, small- withacceptable choice thisisasensible from thehospital, Chinguetti; setmenu UM2500; 40 85,6329819;tentperpersoninclbreakfast UM3500) Auberge Monod Auberge ElMedina Avrah Auberge Restaurant del’Amitié Restaurant Auberge Tivoujar Auberge Hôtel ElWaha Hôtel Toile Maure Campement –Auberge Campement Toile Maure THEADRAR••Azougui andscrupulouslycleanbathrooms. The ) Inapeacefulneighbourhood, pai Tucked inasidestreet notfar a

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( % The 546 from near theroundabout. from near Terjît (UM1000), infrequent 4WDsleave ForAzougui (UM1000)Guetna season. and and oneintheafternoon, more duringthe are infrequent –usuallyoneinthemorning tique Sonimex’).Forbothtowns, services street northof theroundabout(askfor‘bou- (UM2500, fourhours), they leave froma Monod (askfordirections). ForOuadâne a shoplocated ablocknorthof Auberge (UM2000, twohours) leave fromnear chott (UM3500, sixhours). Choûm (UM2000, twohours) andNouak- town, iswhere youcanget vehicles for start ataround€440. start Paris toAtârviaMarseilles. Returnfares UM500-700) some hush. makes foran excellent retreat if youneed 10km northwest. Thischarming oasistown A goodside tripfromAtâr isto Azougui, AZOUGUI out of Atâr. totheleftis10km other way),theturn-off easier andmore comingthe spectacular If youwishtotake theAmogjarPass (it’s of For details theroute fromAtâr, see p567 . CAR The main BUSH TAXI .point-afrique.com) From OctobertoApril AIR &Away There Getting stocked. main roundabout,andmostare pretty well stores inthestreets leadingoutfrom the various nibbles. rustles upsomegoodcouscousaswell l’Amitié, thischeap andcheerful eatery with acopiousbreakfast (aboutUM1000). yourdayherewelcoming. Youcanalsostart attherear(pancakes). is Theoutdoorseating mes deterre poisson Atâr,with tion todown-at-heel best tobringatouch of culinarysophistica- French her placedoes ladywhorunsthisneat Battered 4WDsheadedforChinguetti There isaconcentrationof grocery Marocain Restaurant (fishcroquettes), Next door to Restaurant deNext doortoRestaurant gare routière, (potato omelettes) and (potato has a weekly flight from flight hasaweekly

(Route deChinguetti;mains www.lonelyplanet.com omelettes auxpom- Point Afrique intheheartof croquettes de crêpes

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Atâr; tentsorhutsperperson UM1500) of ChinguettiandOuadâne. premier citiesintheregion, before therise ofan oasis 20,000palms,andoneof the WestAfrica.Islam throughout Itwasonce Koumbi Saleh,leadingtothespread of of onthecapital theEmpiretacks of Ghana, Almoravids launched theirat- the Berber www.lonelyplanet.com Auberge OasisdeTerjîtAuberge with tourgroups. as it’susuallypackedat weekends inseason, UM1000 toenter thesite. Atip:avoid Terjît bliss after thearidityof Youpay thedesert. is anaturalpoolinwhich youcanswim– you’re inthetropics.What’sspecialhere narrow canyoniswonderful–you’ll think This surprisinglylushplaceatthe endof a about 40kmsouthof Atârasthecrowflies. line for Terjît, anunusually verdant oasis, sureShade, tomake shade,shade. Be abee- TERJÎT perpersonUM1500) in Atâr;tentsortikits less enticing but it’san honest-to-goodness the entrance of the village. is The setting Breakfast/meals costUM600/2000. Thecatch?which There’s tosleep. noshade. blue doors, tents orthetraditional andtheretained are whitewashed hutswith views downthevalley.It’spretty wellmain- tive inAtârandhaswonderful tostaying per personUM2000) des Caravanes are sometimes dysfunctional. offer. A mealcostsaboutUM1500. Facilities tress inatent bythetrickling stream ison roundabout inAtâr(aboutUM1000). nearthe you couldalsowaitforabushtaxi (aboutUM3000).taxi Withplentyof time around whenyouget there. entrance of Azougui whenwevisited. Ask classy stonehutswasbeingbuiltatthe UM600/1500. able feel. Youcanget breakfasts/meals for Oued Tillige andthere’s ahomely,hospit- toAubergedunes. It’ssimilarinstandards cent auberge furtherup,ontheedge of the Medina –ChezKhassem Medina Auberge OuedTillige Auberge It wasfromhere inthe11thcenturythat The main spring has been taken overThe mainspring has been by Another worthyoptionis The only other place to stay isthe The only otherplacetostay The easiestwaytoget toAzougui isby A smarter auberge comprising several

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% ( % 546 43 43; r, tents or tikits 546 4343;r,tentsortikits 644 8967,5465020in 654 7784,6494003 , where amat- Auberge dela Auberge , amore re- tikits Auberge Auberge p ) , at in salt once travelled and salt Chinguetti between ais and was home to20,000people. Epic playsadailyshow. upon which thelight dunes outlandish landscape of sand mighty drop isanother draw. You’lldiscover an palpable historic aura. Theheavenly back- holiest cityof Islam,it’sshroudedwith a will appealtospiritualseekers. Theseventh- caravan townsintheSahara, Chinguetti One of themore attractive of theancient pop 4000 CHINGUETTI place, withsixuncluttered yetclean mosques, 25 century. In itsheyday,Chinguetti had12 some of thebuildingsdate from the 13th ofwas theancient capital the Moors, and parking. AddUM4500 perdayformeals. bathrooms. There’s alsoaprotected area for sharedfour roomsandwell-maintained this optionisnotreally convenient. near theroundaboutinAtâr(UM1000) but thatleavesbush taxi morningfrom every ride fromthecheckpoint. There’s alsoa headed towardsNouakchott andhitch a hours. Bypublictransport,take anything trackfor11km.The trip takes 1½ a sandy then turnleftatthecheckpoint andfollow south of AtârontheroadtoNouakchott, Once famousfor itsIslamicscholars, it To get here byprivate car,drive 40km Mauritanian hospitalityatitsbest. occasiontosample tourists –theperfect dancing. Moreover, there no are virtually playinggamesand camel milk)drinking, and atmosphere, withmuchsocialising,tea There’sthe harvest. acongenial,mellow to ies return part totheirtribesandtake Guetna, manyMauritaniansfromthecit- and alloasesgetvery lively. During the spite oftheheat,it’savery festive season ofdates in the palmgroves.harvest In Guetna season.The Guetnarefers tothe reaching 45°C, butthisisthemuch-awaited gust theheatismuffling,withtemperatures hackneyed cliché.Sure, fromJunetoAu- in summer.’ Don’tpayattention tothis ‘You wouldbenutstotravel intheAdrar SEASON THE GUETNA (caravans) of 30,000camels laden with zrig (unsweetened, curdledgoator madrassas THE ADRAR••Terjît (Quranic schools) tikits azal- 565

, MAURITANIA MAURITANIA Habbot man withthekey. your bestbetistoaskathotel for the libraries keep regular openinghours and items fromtheoldcaravans. None of the attached attached gion isby camel. Numerous experience themagicof thedesert. ofyear, thousands Europeanscomehere to image of Mauritania formanypeople. Each Chinguetti are thesinglemostdefinitive The picture-postcard dunesaround sand CAMEL TREKKING&4WDEXPEDITIONS Bibliothèque EhelHamoni ti’s goldenage. Thelibrariesincludethe librariesarethese thestoriesof Chinguet- cient Islamicmanuscriptsof Chinguetti.In thefragile-as-dustan- braries, which house Also of great interest are thefive oldli- stone mosque(noentrytonon-Muslims). The principalattractionisthe16th-century stone andmostare inruinsandunoccupied. The oldquarter’s structures are mostly LE KSAR Sights &Activities there isonlygenerator-powered electricity. a placewhere thestreets have nonameand wadi where palmtrees is grow.Chinguetti flat fromtheoldtownbyabroad, separated able forhowlittleproduceisavailable), is market sleepy (remark-has adelightfully (the oldtown).Themoderntown,which thelabyrinthinelanesof Ksar through Le days). Nioro inMali (45days)andTimbuktu (55 Moro (each 30days), cco, StLouisinSenegal 566 agency in Atâr (see agency inAtâr (see p562 ) or auberge owner camel, foodand guide. Any reputable travel from UM8000 perperson perdayfor the Prices are reasonable costsstart –standard (13 to15 days)intheTagânt (see p569 ). six days),Terjît Tidjikja (sixdays) andeven time youcouldgo asfarOuadâne(five to turn triptoTanouchert (45km).Withmore (12km)orafour-day(5km), Legueilla re- ofto theoases Abeir (3km),Tendewalle dunes inhalfaday. Possibletripsinclude littleof the a fullday’sride as you’llsee (camel trips)are available. Planonatleast al Mahmoud liothèque Moulaye The best way to see thisfascinating re- The bestwaytosee of anyvisitisawander The highlight THEADRAR••Chinguetti (admission UM300) museum

(admission UM300) (admission UM300)

(admission UM200) , and (admission UM300) andeach hasan Fondation Ahmed , containing containing Bibliothèque méharées , Bib-

42 72;NewTown;r per personUM1500) appeal toa more crowd, with a sedate this welcoming place will des Caravanes, in which case privacyisatapremium.in which case son –itcanfillupwithFrench tourgroups, clean. Avoid here staying atweekends insea- Rejoice: theshared bathroomsare sparkling breakfasthowever, isincludedintheprice. (about UM2500) comeinforwarmpraise, place tounwindover acupof tea. Meals stringers. Thesoothingcourtyard isagreat well as features well-arranged rooms and of aplacehasoodlesof rusticcharm and ThisFrench-runing placestostay. peach or tentperperson UM2500) per personUM2500) rebleu.com; OldTown;rorstonehuts/dUM5200/8400, tent (about UM2000 permeal). Breakfast are andmeals available onrequest otherwise. shower andtoiletunlessstated the roof overlooking town,allhave shared All theplaceslisted belowhave terraces on Sleeping &Eating your trip. ofair isboundtobeoneof thehighlights dune fieldsandrockformationsfromthe €160 perperson) butlookingdownonthe It’snotcheapAtâr orChinguetti. (about (see p562 ), canorganise departures from Tivoujar, inAtâr areputable based outfit in ahot-airballoontheAdrar. Auberge Well, don’tmissthechance totrygoingup dawn? Inthemoodforjaw-droppingviews? Fancy skiesat desert through quietly sailing HOT-AIR BALLOONING GX)perday,petrolnotincluded. (Toyota UM17,000 Hilux) toUM31,000 (Toyota can hire a 4WD anddriver. Itcostsfrom charges more price. orlessthesame have everyone much, because tohaggle can arrange camelrides.Youdon’treally at thewestern endof theold town. sonal. There’s extension anequally pleasant other travellers, bitimper- butitfeels awee groups andisthus agoodplacetomeet the centre of town.It’spopular withtour in hard tomissthis well-runplaceright eye-catching, traditional architecture, it’s Auberge desCaravanes Auberge Le Maure Bleu Le Maure itout,you If youdon’twanttosweat Auberge Abweir Auberge khaimas Oneof Adrar’s mostappeal-

( (nomad’stents) forshoe-

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( % 540 0022;fax546 Withits tikits , as feminine touches. Recommended. courtyard dappledinsunshineand some well- designed stonehuts,amanicured Maure Bleu,withimpeccablebathrooms, Habbot. toLe It’savery place,close neat familyownstheBibliothèque lady, whose aMauritanianUne NuitsisrunbyLeila, Not youraverage auberge, Milleet Les far from Auberge La Rose desSables. Rose far fromAuberge La when wevisited. It’sontheroadtoAtâr,not macy. Theablutionblockwascleantoboot mattresses onthefloor),which ensures inti- rooms,withproperbeds (read:eight not and amineof information.There are only The owner,Mahmoud, isalocalcharacter knick-knacks. embellished withwell-chosen it’sneat,well-tendeda bit,butatleast and lots of shadeandgreenery. is reallybut thesetting enchanting, with on thewaytoOuadâne. Facilities are basic oasisabout 4kmfromChinguetti, secluded Town; stonehutortentperpersonUM1500) breakfast €60; Être tion blockisanaddedbonus. filled courtyard.Thewell-scrubbedablu- aroundaplant- huts andsmalltents set bunch of simpleyetwell-organised stone www.lonelyplanet.com need toask around asthe driverneed often goes leave from just behind the market; you’ll Atâr (UM2000, about twohours). They There onevehicle isatleast a dayto/from CAR &BUSH TAXI &Away There Getting stone hutperpersonUM1500) can base yourself at yourself can base ifyouwanttokickbackinstyle. base tastefully decorated rooms. Anexcellent and professionalto itscushysetting, service exudes bucket-loads of personality, thanks smack-bang(guesthouse) intheoldtown this ultracharming, riad-like compact compound. ers, withadequate stonehutsarranged ina petitors butstillfitsthebillforshoestring- It isatouch more run-downthanitscom- OuldAmar.is runbytheamiableCheikh fromAubergedistance Abweir, thisauberge r perpersonUM5500) Dar Sahra Auberge LaRosedesSables Auberge L’Eden deChinguetti If youwanttoget awayfromitall,you Les Mille etUneNuits Les Mille

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( Le JardinduBien % maison d’hôtes

540 0148;New ( Stumbling % 540 0014;

UM4200) with half-boardUM4200) OUADÂNE escape hatch? Thisistheone! fields, milesfromanywhere. Youwanted an palm trees andsurroundedbysuperbdune around afreshwater source,complete with Ouadâne. Thisisyourtypicaloasis,nestled mately Chinguettiand halfwaybetween Don’t missthisgem of anoasis,approxi- TANOUCHERT go backtoAtâr. Chinguetti andOuadâne–you’llhave to sengers. There are between nobushtaxis lookingforhisfullcomplementofoff pas- Tanouchert ChezChighalyOuldBigue – Oasis Auberge discernible Neolithicrockpaintings. Amogjar Pass isatthesignposttofaintly ing fromChinguetti,theturn-off forthe but offers views.Ifyou’re spectacular com- to theAmogjarPass, which isslowgoing other (91km,three tofourhours) leadsup and thelunar-like Adrarplateau; whilethe (81km, twohours) isviatheNouatil Pass are two routes toAtâr. Thefaster route the sand dunestotheeastofthe sand town. via theplateau or,more picturesque, across 120km northeast of Chinguetti. For400 and sits onthe edge of the Adrar plateau, in2005–it stalled Pity about thetelecom tower that wasin- townsofenchanting semi-ghost theSahara. stretches ontopof thehillisoneof themost dirt trackisarresting. Theoldquarter that ofGosh, thefirst glimpse Ouadâne from the Auberge Amoure Tanouchert Amoure Auberge to listen toifyoucanunderstand French. auberge. Theperfect heartedly inhisunsophisticated buttidy local figure andwillwelcomeyouwhole- and asmallgarden. nicelylaid-out withseven place tostay, spend a night inTanouchert.spend anight Chinguetti toOuadâne,you’ll probably to get there. Ifyoudoacameltrek from tohireand you’llneed a4WD with driver the area. Tanouchert isoff thebeaten track Another attractionisthewelcoming withtheirownvehicles,For those there There are alsotworoutes toOuadâne– Ouadâne was founded in 1147 by Berbers, Ouadâne wasfoundedin1147 byBerbers, Various camelridescanbeorganised in . Chighaly, youramiablehost, isa . Chighaly,

(tents or tikits perperson withhalf-board (tents ortikits THE ADRAR••Tanouchert does isanotherenchanting marthe great vista.

(tents or tikits perperson (tents ortikits , heisapleasure tikits 567

MAURITANIA MAURITANIA and it makes agreat accompaniment. cake made of wheat. Youdip itinto a sauce There’s alsoa open tothepublic(aboutUM500 each). At thetimeof research, someof themwere scripts heldin23,mostlyprivate, libraries. scholarship andishometoover 3000manu- still live intheoldtown. massive stonewall.Only20to30families toblendforma theycanseem distance, child playingwithbuildingblocks.From a bysomegiant piled uphiggledy-piggledy tohavecrumbling structures seem been considerable intelligentsia. the Inbetween, only allowedtobeoccupiedbyOuadâne’s (savant) were connected bythe of Ouadâne’s power, thetwomosques is the14th-century ofat thewestern endatthebase thetown mosque is dominated bytheminaret of the againtakes hold.Thetopofdesert thehill gardens of theoasisstretch outbefore the of of day.Fromthebase thetown, the lush they change colourdependingonthetime like anapparition,and ble downthecliff of from AtârorChinguetti,thestonehouses As youarrive orplateau acrossthesands LE KSARALKIALI Sights Ouadâne’s commercialrole. of thistrans-Saharanroute anddiminished prince AhmedelMansour gainedcontrol 16th centurywhenthepowerfulMoroccan the country.Thedeclinebeganinlate inthesoutheasterning toOualâta cornerof It wasthelaststopover forcaravans head- and gold. and atransitpointfordates, salt years, itwasaprosperouscaravan centre 568 the (about UM2000 for lunch ordinner).Try All places canprepare mealsfortheir guests Sleeping &Eating looking forhim. ably have found youlongbefore youstart can really enhance yourvisit.He willprob- Kettabguide Mohamed Lemine (UM1000) vans. ing variousartefacts fromtheancient cara- Like Chinguetti,Ouadâne wasaplaceof The knowledgeable, French-speaking Le KsaralKiali THEADRAR••Tanouchert ksour, , which isamere 200years old,while and houses alongeithersidewere andhouses alocaldelicacy. It’sathick pan- (old quarter) seem totum- (oldquarter) seem small museum old mosque Street of40Scholars Street

. At the height . Attheheight (UM500) hous- new per personUM1600) plateau. homely feel. andthere’s enough but it’ssalubrious a the oldtown.Itwon’twinanystyleawards andisan easywalktothetopof rocky bluff This isoneof thefew atopthe placestostay perfectly adequate forthriftytravellers. tents –it’snothingparticularlyglambut There are five of herwaytomake ahappyone. yourstay out acongenial ladywhogoes run byZaida, Chinguetti. the Atâr–Chinguetti road18km before very goodcondition. Thelatter departs Chinguetti alongtheplateau, which isin a guide, and thenortherly Piste duDhar dunesanddefinitely sand requiresthrough whichthe southerlyPiste passes du Batha, takes aboutfourhours. Chinguetti. The trip (UM2500) normally if you’re from lucky),but next tonever fewand Ouadâneevery day, days(every Chinguetti, asvehicles Atâr gobetween Atâr isamuch better placetolookthan Finding transporttoOuadâneis not easy. &Away There Getting ortentsperpersonUM1700,dUM4000) Nouakchott; tikits ablutionblock. as aclean stonehutsandtents,with pleasant aswell UM1500) establishment. a botched attempt atcreating aluxurious Maabed attheentranceof Ouadane. It’s ing over thedunesfromChinguetti. courtyard. Itisattheentrancetotown com- to sitonandthewell-tended sand-floored bathrooms withtoiletsthatare cleanenough of tents and modest artistictouches, aswellanumber derly rooms(withproperbeds)adornedwith fortune, thisistheplacetogo. Itfeatures or- you wantdecentfacilitieswithoutblowinga tents perpersonUM1500) bit bunker-like enough. butserviceable counter comingfromAtâr. Therooms are a Auberge Warane1 Auberge The followingplacesare downonthe Auberge Mayateg Auberge Auberge ElGhalaouya Auberge If drivingyou have twoalternatives: –ChezIsselmou Agoueidir Auberge Ignore theincongruousHôtel Oumou Auberge Vask –ChezZaida Auberge Almostacarboncopyof theVask, tikits tikits Thefirst placeyou’llen- . Topmarksgototheshared

(tents or tikits perpersonUM1700) (tents ortikits andacoupleof nomad’s Thismellowauberge is ( %

546 4604inAtâr;rortents www.lonelyplanet.com (tents or tikits perperson (tents ortikits

( % 681 76 69; tikits or 681 7669;tikits

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porated intothevillagers’ homes. ders prevalent inthisarea have incor- been wherea uniquesettlement thelarge boul- northeast. Enroute, stopat r with full board UM7000, tikits s/d9000/10,000; r withfullboardUM7000, tikits ture palpable. isever three bycamel. weeks Tichit –allowatleastsixdaysby4WDor tothesouthvia the northdowntoOualâta cross theentire region fromChinguettito Tidjikja, themain gateway. Youcouldalso that branches offtheRoute del’Espoirto sible. There’s apicturesque, road sealed and remains virtuallyuntouched. the Adrar,Tagânt ismuch lesstouristy Comparedspaces andwildexpanses. with whodreamtugs onthose aboutempty magic intheland,anirresistible force that mystical pullthan the Tagânt region. There’s No area amore inMauritania possesses THE TAGÂNT The AROUND OUADÂNE www.lonelyplanet.com Auberge des Caravanes deTidjikja desCaravanes Auberge Sleeping &Eating onpassingcaravans.for launching attacks in Mauritania as a site andwasonceused it’soneof the mostpicturesquecliff, spots 35km northonthetracktoAtâr. upa High the Moors). old French insubduing fortused military numerous shopsandFortCoppolani (an market, acoupleof eye-catching mosques, (which dates fromthe18thcentury),abusy country’s more palm groves important dunes,thetownsupports oneofsand the Founded in1680andnowsurrounded by the Tagânt downtoNema. fromChinguetti and amajor stopover who cross forthose Tidjikja of isthecapital the Tagânt region pop 6000 TIDJIKJA with air-con and private bathrooms) were rooms, adozen comfortable place is good value. Inaddition toplain Mauritania’s region, desert thisreputable of asmall chain of homelyauberges across Whatever the option, the sense ofWhatever adven- theoption,sense notmeanthatitisacces- This does A good side trip can be made to Rachid, A goodsidetripcanbemadetoRachid, Guelb erRichat crater is40kmtothe Tin Labbé

tikits ( % a 569 9225; (7km), (some ) Part UM5000-7000) when youarrive. and goats.Youshouldreport tothepolice littered withthebleached bonesof camels bare, thescrubistwisted, andthegroundis abarrenthrough landscape–thetrees are east of Tidjikja. Drivinghere, you’llpass isolated, ancienttownof Tichit, 255km towninthemaking,headfor ghost If you’re a adventurous andwanttosee TICHIT costs UM6000. in Nouakchott (lookfor‘boutique245’). It from nearashoponRueElyOuldMohamed with Tidjikja. leave Occasionalbush taxis roadconnects Nouakchott A good,sealed &Away There Getting arrive fromNouakchott. the newquarter of townonyourleftasyou under constructionwhenwevisited. It’sin wooden latches. the exterior andsolid,ornate doors with ent hues.Theyhave decorative motifson which are madeof local stoneof differ- mosque isimpressive, asare theoldhouses, only abouthalfare inhabited. Themain Today, fewer remain than300houses and boasted over 6000peopleand 1500houses. precious caravans and suppliestodesert Tidjikja. Allow atleasttwodays.There’s petrol in ing itwithonlyonevehicle isinadvisable. andattempt- (470km). Aguideisessential ing unplanneddetours. Bringsomefood. petrolforareturn enough need trip,includ- pear andthere are few landmarks,soyou’ll own transport.Thetracksfrequently disap- lar landscapes. Most travellers with their Atlantic coast, which offer more spectacu- pales into comparisonwith thenorthor great andfew vistas remarkable towns.It The south ismostlyflatscrubland, withno THE SOUTH des Caravanes, ifabitmoredes Caravanes, intimate. cery shopsandthemarket. The townoncefurnishedwater and It’s possibletodrive fromTidjikja toAtâr duDésert Phare Auberge A guide is essential and you’ll need your andyou’llneed A guideisessential For food,there are alsosomesmallgro- Almostacarboncopyof Auberge

( % THE SOUTH 563 29 99; tikits 563 2999;tikits

569 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA tikits UM10,000; tikits modation, trytheunpretentious crossing into Mali (see p574 ). For accom- place to spend yourlast ouguiyasbefore at lively the Ritz. available atboth places,butdon’texpect also ontheoutskirts of Meals Kiffa. are The best places to stay areThe bestplacestostay brant placecentres ontheactive market. crossroads. Much of theactivityof thisvi- regionalan important tradingcentre and Malian borderis p558. see on reaching thisarea bypublictransport, ous stretch intwodays.Formore details the way,soyoucancover thismonoton- tarred. There’s notreally on much tosee to Néma(around1100km)isnow entirely l’Espoir (RoadtoHope)fromNouakchott Good newsforoverlanders: theRoute de TOMALI THE ROAD and crosstheborderthere. amma/Keur Masséne (UM500) tothewest can alsotake aPeugeot toDi- bushtaxi CFA5500 byPeugeot FromRosso,you taxi. hours. TheonwardtriptoDakar costs cost UM2000. Thetriptakes three atleast For more see details, p574 . orattractionshere.any worthwhilesights ellers asthere breeze through, aren’t really sinistertown withaslightly feel. Mosttrav- border crossing.It’sagrubby,haphazard Rosso isathemainMauritanian–Senegalese pop 30,000 ROSSO traveller’s itinerary. to get there savvy andshouldbeonevery gettable townisdefinitely worththeeffort to Senegal. ney ontoMali, orheadtoRossoandon to Ayoûnel-Atroûs orNémaandthenjour- fromNouakchott own 4WDsheadstraight 570 ( the centre (rooms come withbathroom), recent and well-equippedbungalows, themore west of thecentre, withfustybutspacious 26 37;fax56338;s/dUM7000/10,000; % You couldalso break upyourjourney The first major townontheroadto Mercedes fromNouakchott bush taxis But there’s Oualâta.Thisuniquelyunfor- THESOUTH••Rosso 515 14 62;s/dUM5000/8000; Auberge Le Phare du Désert LePhare Auberge Ayoûn el-Atroûs a ) , anicelylaid-out auberge, Kiffa (population30,000), , which isagood a Hôtel Emel Hôtel ) , which is in

( % Hôtel Ayoûn Hôtel a 563 2888; ) ( , 7km % 563

r UM5000-8000) a night ortwo.a night ultracharming butconvenient for enough few kilometres westof thecentre. It’snot galows s/dUM7000/9000,r12,000/15,000; red red Entering thetownyou’ll bestruckbythe Sights &Activities forthcoming years. be the‘Chinguetti of thesoutheast’ inthe couldflux of Oualâta tourists.Somesay Néma, which wouldtranslate intoanin- oftalk re-opening theairportinnearby touristy. Atthetimeof research, there was Timbuktu. last resting pointforcaravans headingto tobe the place. Datingfrom1224,itused feeling thatemanates from thispoignant forgotten-cityby theend-of-the-world, facilities butit’shardnottobe touched onatmospherehigh andpersonality. Itlacks of Néma,isanotherancientSaharantown kept secrets,about100kmnorth Oualâta, we did.Possiblyoneof Mauritania’s best- community– atleast middle-of-nowhere fallinlovebut you’llinstantly withthis It’s adarngruellingridetoget to Oualâta OUALÂTA or red of orindigo, making use all materials geometric designs with dyes, typically a Spanish organisation. Thewomen paint Many were houses restored withthehelp of tive paintings onthe exterior andinterior. Touristique N’Gady Touristique at yourself Youcanbase stamped. tion atwhich youcanget yourpassport a coupleof modeststores andapolicesta- petrol pumps,aBMCI branch (eurosonly), quickly.You’llfindseveral could develop Tagânt) –ifthishappens, thislittletown the from Nouakchott toNéma(toserve there of wastalk launching direct flights way totheTagânt. Atthetimeof research, andthesouthern gate- point forOualâta youbutit’sthemainjumping-off detain bouring Mali. have Némadoesn’t much to you canalready feel theflavour of neigh- business. places probablykeep localchiropractors in on theroadtoNéma. Thebedsinboth A hint:get there before itbecomestoo The tarred roadendsat Auberge SaadaTenzah Auberge mud-brick houses mud-brick , about3kmeastof thecentre

( % adornedwithdecora- 513 0900;fax70;bun- www.lonelyplanet.com ( % 515 1337,6411052; Néma pa Complexe Complexe , where ) , a person UM5000) (ask yourhosts). ity. Various paintings and ural splendour. There are rock alsoseveral the hillstoriver andenjoying thenat- bring vastherdsof goatsorcamelsdown the townandarea –watching nomads dayspottering aboutin easily spendseveral when touristsarrive intown. your visit.He is usuallyhangingaround guide SidiOuldDe(UM2000) canenhance works are really appealing. Izzi,nearAubergeto meet Gamni–her Try original andfancifulclaycarvings. womenareOualâta renowned fortheir scripts. Ifyou’re inforsomesouvenirs, library There’s alsoasmall donation isrecommended (aboutUM500). may get invited insideoneof them.Asmall found intheregion. Ifyou’re lucky,you www.lonelyplanet.com market. are people. Ask enough around in Néma otherday, sometimesmoreevery ifthere 2½ hours) onaninfrequent basis – usually Rovers the twotowns(UM2000, ply between (approximatelyand Oualâta 110km).Land There are Néma twodirttracks between &Away There Getting Ville (pigeon withdates). stuffed the localdelicacy, lunch ordinner,UM800 forbreakfast). Try meals(aboutUM1800 for They allserve aretraditional murals.Bathrooms shared. they are atmospheric,with exceedingly rest limbs. Nothingflash,but yourweary where, to you’llfindaboutsixguesthouses Fear you’re not:although milesfromany- Eating &Sleeping still welcoming a very homelyfeel, as isthemore basicbut up from these two, up fromthese best toensure Anotch amemorablestay. withtravellersto dealing andwilldohis laye AhmedDe,thechirpy owner,is used UM1500) tractive rooms. old city.Itfeatures alovely patio andat- If youhave plentyof time,youcould The knowledgeable, French-speaking Auberge Tayib/Gamni – Auberge de l’Hôtel de del’Hôtel Tayib/Gamni –Auberge Auberge

(r perpersonUM3000) , which houses ancientIslamicmanu- , which houses , notfarfromtheoldmosque. Mou- camel trips istucked awayinalanethe archeological sites archeological Auberge del’Amitié Auberge pigeon farci auxdattes museum Auberge KsarWalata Auberge canalsobeorganised isagreat placewith (UM500) anda inthevicin-

(r perperson

(r per

MAURITANIA ••Accommodation DIRECTORY Friday isthemainprayerday, so many However, Monday toFridayworkingweek. Mauritanianess purposes adheres tothe it’saMuslimcountry, forbusi- Although HOURS BUSINESS ( tom tripsinthedesert p563 ). merous tourcompaniescanarrange cus- aredesert themostpopularactivities.Nu- ridesand4WDexpeditionsinthe Camel ACTIVITIES consist of of aseries merous basicauberges or dhibou andAtâr. you’llfindnu- Inthedesert, extent,Nouakchott Nouâ- and,toalesser hotels international in meeting standards There’s alsoasprinkleof air-conditioned modation iseasyincitiesandmajor towns. we listastopend.Findingbudget accom- midrange; andmore as thanUS$50inthose we listas options; US$15toUS$50inthose US$15 perperson inplaceswelistasbudget In general, youcanexpecttospendlessthan ACCOMMODATION DIRECTORY MAURITANIA est birdlife-viewing venues. this area israted asoneof theworld’sgreat- d’Arguin ( p561 ), alongtheAtlanticcoast– a flap,headfortheParc NationalduBanc come equippedwithmattresses onthefloor. range with agrowingnumberof tasteful, mid- ual improvement inthechoice onoffer, Alternatively, ifbird-watching gets you in The lastcoupleof agrad- years hasseen PRACTICALITIES European type. two-pin plugsaremost electrical ofthe currentElectrical is220VAC, and 50Hz weights andmeasures. Mauritania usesthe metricsystem for Calame For thenews (inFrench), pick up hotels havebut top-end satellite TV. with programmes inArabicand French, stationisTVM, Mauritania’s onlyTV maisons d’hôtes or Horizons. tikits . campements or khaimas Le Le . They

that 571 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA mandie, Souissi, Rabat) mandie, Souissi, Rabat) Belgium consulates inthefollowingcountries: therelevant countrychapter. see details, andaconsulate inNiger.Senegal, Formore Côte d’Ivoire, theGambia,Mali, Nigeria and In WestAfrica,Mauritania hasembassiesin Embassies&Consulates Mauritanian EMBASSIES &CONSULATES around Néma,sokeep tothemainroads. to Mali, tracks especiallyonoff-the-beaten singlecarsdits attacking travelling overland metres fromNouâdhibou. asafewWestern asclose kilo- Sahara,even Mauritanian sideof theborder withthe ofthousands landminesburiedalongthe mains oneof thesafest countries inAfrica. Don’t get paranoidinMauritania –itre- DANGERS &ANNOYANCES currency cannotbeimported orexported. of foreign currency youcanbringin.Local and there isnorestriction onthe amount are nolonger currency declarationforms country andheavy finesare There levied. It isillegaltobringanyalcohol intothe CUSTOMS short hikes inthedesert. includecamelridingand activities might welcoming placeforchildren. Possible On thewhole,Mauritania isafriendlyand CHILDREN Thursday andfrom8amto1pmonFriday. usually openfrom8amto4pmMonday andbanksare postoffices ernment offices, on Fridayafternoon. havebusinesses anextended lunch break 572 UK Spain Morocco Germany France Canada 10117 Berlin) W1K 3AS) 75006 Paris) 1000) K1Y 3V1) ( Elsewhere, Mauritania hasembassies and There have isolated incidentsof been ban- A wordof There warning though. are Many shopsare day.Gov- openevery % MAURITANIA ••Children DIRECTORY ( ( % ( 020-7478 9323;8 CarlosPalace, London Mayfair, % ( ( % ( % % % 91-575 7007; Velasquez 90,28224 Madrid) 01-45 48 23 88; 89 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 01-45 482388;89Rue duCherche-Midi, 613-237 3283; 121 Sherwood Drive, Ottawa Ottawa 613-237 3283;121Sherwood Drive, 07-75 6828 or656678;1RuedeNor- 02-672 4747;Colombialaan6,Brussels 030-20 65 88 30; Axel Springer Strasse54, 030-20 658830;Axel Springer Leroy PlaceNW,Washington,DC20008) in Mauritania. Many banks inNouakchott cheques and credit cardsare pretty useless. and wads of cashitmust be,astravellers Euros and USdollars are the cash tocarry ‘The unitof currency is theouguiya(UM). MONEY Fula andWolof. inFrench,a listof phrases useful Hassaniya, (Pulaar), Wolof andSoninké.See p861 for other languages are spoken, including Fula Arabic dialectcalledHassaniya. Inthesouth, language of theMoormajority isa Berber- inbusiness.Theeveryday is widelyused is stillspoken inall government and sectors language,Arabic isthe official butFrench LANGUAGE hour’s surfingisUM200. none are superfast.Thenormalcostof one some are painfullyslow,others reasonable, Ayoûn-el-Atroûs. ing) Nouakchott, Nouâdhibou,Atârand tion withcybercafésin(atthetime of writ- Mauritania hasjoinedtheInternet revolu- ACCESS INTERNET dates of holidays. these holidays –see p818 of foratable estimated Mauritania alsocelebrates theusualIslamic ofthe1984Coup Anniversary Independence Day Army Day LiberationDay African Day Workers’ Day National Reunification New Year’s Day Public holidays include: HOLIDAYS USA Senegal Morocco Mali Germany France Nouakchott: The followingcountriesare represented in inMauritania Embassies &Consulates USA At the timeof writing there was noATM The qualityof the connectionsvaries– ( ( ( % % % ( % ( ( 525 2660;fax1592;RueAbdallaye) 2129 202-232 5700;www.ambarim-dc.org; ( 525 4081,78;Tevragh Zeina) % % 10July % 525 2337;RueAhmedOuldMohamed) 525 7290;Ruedel’AmbassadeduSénégal) 525 1411;Ave duGénéraldeGaulle) 1May 525 1729;RueAbdallaye) 1January 28November 25May www.lonelyplanet.com 26February 12December open late. andareies andtownscostaboutthesame vately runphoneshopsinthemajor cit- faxes Theinnumerablepri- atpostoffices. You canmake international callsandsend TELEPHONE hotels inNouakchott. lowerthaninthecapital. slightly outsideNouakchott areyour bestbet.Rates NationaledeMauritanieBanque (BNM)are le CommerceInternational (BMCI) and Mauritaniennemost cities.TheBanque pour There are banksandbureaus dechange in offered bybureaus dechange andbanks. theblack-marketbetween rate andthose banks give cashadvancesoncredit cards. transfer moneyviaWestern Union.No www.lonelyplanet.com lowing neighbouring countries. In Mauritania you canget for the fol- visas forOnwardTravel Visas (Ave AbdelNasser,Nouakchott; atthe extensions can beobtained Visa Extensions Visa minimum of fussforaroundUS$30. French witha embassieswillissuevisas tralia andmany countries inWestAfrica, diplomatic representation, includingAus- US$20 toUS$120. ignore cancostanywhere this.Visas from chott routinely airportbutborderofficials indicate thatit’svalidforentryatNouak- will ticket isissued.Thevisa oncethevisa (orrefund) andtosell avisa the obtaining of forthepurpose airline ticket inRabat practice foranoverland traveller tobuyan in EuropeaswellMorocco. Itiscommon atmostembassies itinerary). Thisisthecase require anonwardairticket an (or atleast of onemonthfromthedate of entry. valid forthree months andgoodforastay tions haven’t changed. is visa The standard check excep- countries, although thatthese countries andsomeAfrican of ArabLeague areVisas required forall,exceptnationals VISAS costs UM5000 forone month. There are no telephone area codes. Credit cardsare accepted onlyattop-end There isnolonger ahuge difference In countrieswhere Mauritania hasno In mostplaces,Mauritanian embassies h 8am-3pm Mon-Thu) TRANSPORT INMAURITANIATRANSPORT There &Away ••Getting Sûreté . It

Mauritania andneighbouring countries. Africa, roadborder postsare openbetween if you’re doingagrand touracrossWest probably toNouakchott orAtâr. However, ther abroadwillflytoMauritania, most Most peoplefromWestern Europeorfur- THERE&AWAY GETTING MAURITANIA IN TRANSPORT most of whom are women,inlocalmarkets. withstallholders, to spendsometimetalking homefromafamilyor hope foraninvitation localwomen isto face. Thebestwaytomeet a headscarfratherthanveil covering the ing inpublicoffices anddriving;mostwear gard. Itisnotunusualtofindwomenwork- but bynomeansthemostextreme inthisre- Muslimcountry Mauritania isaconservative WOMEN TRAVELLERS 24 hours. tosupplyfourphotos. Youneed (UM1500)One-month visas are issuedin SENEGAL port andairticket. two photosandphotocopiesof yourpass- 8700 andare issuedin48hours. Youneed cost UM5800/Single-/double-entry visas MOROCCO pages of yourpassport. photos andaphotocopyof theinformation and are two validforonemonth.Youneed areVisas day(UM6500) issuedthesame MALI T-shirts. legs andarmsavoid shortsor skimpy women todress modestly.Cover theupper encounter for noproblems.It’sagoodidea mostwomen with otherwomen,although harassment,especially whenaloneor sexual your vaccination against yellow fever. at the border. You must alsohave proof of canalsobeissued land from Morocco,visas (see visa left ). Fortravellers coming over- from Mauritania withavalid andstamped months beyond yourintended departure Your passport mustbevalidforatleastsix Mauritania Entering Women travellers canbesubjected to

573 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA upon arrivalatAtârairport. cluded inthepriceandisroutinelyissued it’sin- tobotheraboutthe visa; don’t need from Paris toAtârfromOctober toApril .royalairmaroc.com; Ave AbdelNasser)Hub:Casablanca. Hub:Paris.www.point-afrique.com) Air Algérie Mauritania: The followingairlinesalsoflyto/from and Ayoûn-el-Atroûs.Nouâdhibou, Kiffa Mauritanie. inNouakchott, Ithasoffices handles mosttraffic. ternational airports.Nouakchott’s airport times a week). AirAlgérie fliestoAlgiers.times aweek). connects TuniswithNouakchott (three chott five whileTunisAir times a week), andNouak- operate Casablanca between Africa. AirMauritanie andRoyalAirMaroc Abidjan. tries, you’llhave tochange inDakaror djan respectively. Air Mauritanie, andviaAbi- viaBamako by are also served and CotonouinBenin inMali.to Bamako Abidjan inCôte d’Ivoire are AirMauritanie alsotwiceweekly flights DakarandNouakchott.ate There between Air Mauritanie andAirSénégalbothoper- AFRICA p830. see EuropeandtheUSAplease New Zealand, ontravellingFor details fromAustralia, Tunis Air Royal AirMaroc Point Afrique Air SénégalInternational Air Mauritanie Air France Nouakchott, Nouâdhibou and Atâr Air 574 If driving intoMauritania, see opposite . Land Ave &Ave duGénéraldeGaulle AbdelNasser)Hub:Algiers. .com; Ave Hub:Paris. Kennedy) Hub: Dakar. .air-senegal-international.com; Ave duGénéraldeGaulle) Kennedy) Hub:Tunis.Kennedy) .airmauritanie.mr; Ave.airmauritanie.mr; AbdelNasser)Hub:Nouakchott. Travellers arrivingwiththe charter flight Mauritania’s nationalcarrierisAir Mauritania iswellconnected toNorth For otherSaharan orsub-Saharancoun- TRANSPORT INMAURITANIA TRANSPORT There &Away ••Getting (TU; (TU; (AF; (AH; % (BIE; % (MR; % (AT; 525 8763;www.tunisair.com.tr; Ave 525 1808,3916;www.airfrance % 525 20 59; www.airalgerie.dz; cnr 525 2059;www.airalgerie.dz; % % 00 33475972040inFrance; 525 2216,8098;www 525 3564,3094;www (V7; % 525 0584;www

have in- 3pm to6pm. Theborder crossing here is Mauritanian side from 8amto noonand note thatimmigration isonly openonthe amma (Keur Masséne), westof Rosso. Rosso butit’salso possibletocrossatDi- isat The mainborder crossingforSenegal SENEGAL Morocco andMauritania.tween also will expectasmall bribe. See p838 . and, of course,ifyoucan’tpresent it,they stillaskforit forms, somecustomsofficials there are nolonger currency declaration ‘taxes’ ontopof price. thevisa Although topayabout€20 forvarious (€20). Expect buy theMauritanian attheborder visa der posts.ComingfromMorocco, youcan thetwo bor-no-man’s-land thatseparates tarred toNouakchott, exceptforthe 3km (Morocco) andtheroadisnowentirely travel escortfromDakhla withamilitary forward; there isnolonger to anyneed âdhibou. Crossingthisborderis straight- Morocco andMauritania isnorthof Nou- rica intosub-SaharanAfrica. now avery popularroute fromNorthAf- The trans-Sahararoute viaMauritania is MOROCCO Ayoûn el-Atroûs andKiffa. less thanaday. 230kmandusuallytakes The tripisroughly Ayoûn el-Atroûs ifyou’re travelling bycar. transport intoMali. placesyoucan catchhours). Fromthese and Ayoûnel-Atroûs (aboutUM6000, 15 toNéma(aboutUM7500,taxis twodays) or Ayoûnel-Atroûs. also clearcustoms,which isdoneinNéma reach after crossingtheborder. Youmust bypoliceatthefirststamped townyou necting withNioroinMali). Nara inMali), Tintâne (bothcon- andKiffa Néma, Timbedgha (both connectingwith el-Atroûs toNioro. Youcanalsocrossat forward route toMali wasfromAyoûn At thetimeof research, themoststraight- MALI When crossing into Senegal at Rosso, When crossing intoSenegal Note thatthere’s nopublic transportbe- The onlybordercrossingbetween Petrol isavailable inNioro,Nara,Néma, There are Nioroand tworoutes between From Nouakchott, youcancatch bush If crossingintoMali, have yourpassport www.lonelyplanet.com tend to optfor Diamma. mosttravellersthe dryseason, withacar later. ItcostsUM4000 fora4WD.During from theSenegalese sidesome45minutes at 9.30am,11.15am,3.30pmand5pm, the ferry departsfromtheMauritanian side bridge atDiamma(open24hours). AtRosso, only ten minutes by River atRosso,which takescross theSenegal at night). asked foran‘extrahours ifyoucross tax’ you’llprobablybe problematic (although 24 hours andthehasslesare reportedly less Diamma. TheborderatD iamma isopen to Diamma(Keur Masséne) andcrossat fromRosso Rosso, youcantake abush taxi daily. Ifyouwanttoavoid thehasslesat CFA500) astheferry onlyfourtimes crosses cross bypirogue(five minutes; UM200/ At Rosso,mosttravellers withoutvehicles well before theborderclosingtime(6pm). fore 10amtobesure of arriving inRosso leave andbushtaxis minibuses Dakarbe- depending onthewaitatborder. Most transport usuallytakes from11to13hours forvehicleworse owners. who usuallyaskfor‘exittaxes’. It’seven withcustomsofficials some confrontation preparednotorious foritshassles.Be for www.lonelyplanet.com for small villages is challenging. all the major towns daily, but findingone which requires bargaining. goto Bushtaxis charging is rare exceptwiththebaggage fee, the four typesof public transport.Over- indescending orderofminibuses, cost,are (Peugeottaxis Rovers 504s),Land and Mercedes (Mercedes taxis 190),Peugeot Bush Taxi to Néma.scheduling flights once perweek). andZouérat(UM17,500/34,200,per week) (UM16,000/31,000, Selibaby twice week), el- Atroûs (UM14,500/28,000, onceper (UM13,000/25,000, Ayoûn onceperweek), way/return, Kiffa fourtimesperweek), to Nouâdhibou(UM16,000/32,000 one Air Mauritanie fliesfromNouakchott AIRLINES INMAURITANIA Air AROUND GETTING With yourownvehicle, youcaneither From DakartoNouakchott bypublic At thetimeof writing,there of wastalk bac (ferry), the oruse TRANSPORT INMAURITANIATRANSPORT Around ••Getting that youhave alltoyourself. expensive. Note thata areseats lesscrampedbutthey’re alsomore Thefronttwo toavoid themisery. seats four toarow,soconsiderpayingfortwo you’re because crammedincomfortable road from Nouakchott toTidjikja. 1100km) isalsoentirely tarred, as isthe l’Espoir fromNouakchott toNéma(around d’Arguin.National duBanc TheRoute de chott withNouâdhibou, bypassingtheParc of anewtarred roadconnecting Nouak- improvement inlate 2005wastheopening Roads are beingsteadily upgraded. Amajor ROAD CONDITIONS pay aroundUS$20forten days. can border)oratNouakchott. to Expect bou (andsometimesdirectly attheMoroc- Mauritanian atNouâdhi- policypurchased Morocco; inMauritania youmustbuya will onlyissuepoliciesforasfar southas Many Europeancar-insurance companies INSURANCE hicle, pluspetrol. costs aroundUM21,000 per day fortheve- driver. Hiluxusually Toyota Thestandard four people),considerrenting a4WDand companies won’truntours forless than more freedom thanatourcanoffer (most If youdon’thave avehicle andyouwant HIRE and Néma. inmostcities,includingTidjikjastations along theRoute del’Espoir. There are petrol morewriting, slightly intheAdrarand Petrol wasUM209 perlitre atthetimeof FUEL &SPARE PARTS is notrequired. try. AnInternational DrivingPermit (IDP) then checked ondeparture fromthecoun- ofdetails the carinyourpassport,which is information). Mauritanian officialsenter douane a You don’tneed BRING YOUROWNVEHICLE &Motorcycle Car nonstop. The unsealed roadfrom Atâr to nonstop. The unsealed there from Nouakchott isnow sixhours Mercedes or Peugeot are bushtaxis un- The road toAtârisexcellent, sodriving in Mauritania carnet depassage en

(see (see p837 formore taxi course is a taxi isataxi

575 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA Tagânt. Travel isusuallyby4WD.Stand- pany –eginAtârfortheAdrar orthe a tourwithmore regional-focussed com- toarrangecountry butit’snotabadidea Nouakchott thatoffer tours aroundthe Tours There are numeroustravel agencies in and exitof each town. southernroute.scenic thanthesandy the northernplateau ismuch better butless along roadyoutakeever –theonethatgoes andOuadâne,which-a 4WDtoChinguetti good butrequires a4WD.You’llalsoneed Choûm (abouttwohours) isreasonably 576 © LonelyPlanetPublications the above - ‘Do the right thing withour content.’ the above -‘Do theright the termsandconditions onoursitefor alongerwayof saying youknow, orresell it.See everyone site,massemailit to only. Inother words,please don’t uploadthischapter toapeer-to-peer Inreturn, wethink it’sfairtoask you touseitforpersonal, non-commercial purposes restricted. © LonelyPlanetPublications. iteasier foryoutouse,accessthischapter isnotdigitally Tomake Expect policecheckpointsExpect attheentrance to keep warm,asitcangetcoldatnight. to keep totally dark,chantingbegins. Onboard,amansellstea andcheapsnacks. Take enoughclothes late afternoon, manymenfindspaceon thefloortoprayandatduskwhencabinbecomes the springs. The atmosphere canbequite jovial, withpeopleplayingcardson thefloor. Inthe on theroofforfree. There are alsoadozen thatare sowornoutthatyoucansee of‘berths’ ones findaplaceononeofthetwolongbenches;rest standorsitonthefloor,perch the passengercarriageatrear appears. Then thestampedetogetonboardbegins. The lucky aseeminglyendlessnumberoforedecrepit wagonspassbefore buildingintheopendesert, longest intheworld–typically2.3kmlong. Whenitarrives atthe‘station’inNouâdhibou,a We willnever forget theexperience–neitherwillyou.The ZouérattoNouâdhibou trainisthe AN EPICJOURNEYONTHEIRON-ORETRAIN TRANSPORT INMAURITANIA TRANSPORT Around ••Getting your caronboard. hours fromNouâdhibou.Youcan alsoput but mosttravellers get off atChoûm,12 alternatives. Thetriptakes 16to18hours, trainforlackofcome apassenger better terminals,with nopassenger butithasbe- adventure (see above ). It’saniron-ore train The Nouâdhibou–Zouérattrainisagreat Train around UM20,000 perperson perday. least fourtravellers, pricesshouldaverage d’Arguin.sions totheBanc Ifthere are at Terjît, theTagânt plateau, or five-day excur- Chinguetti, Ouadâne, GuelberRichat and ard tours tourtoAtâr, includeaneight-day www.lonelyplanet.com