black African twist. This striking combination is part ofitsappeal. black African combination ispart twist.This striking divided betweenMoorsofArabdescentandblackAfricans. It’saMuslimcountrywith ancient civilisations. thepopulationisalmostequally Culturally, Mauritaniaisaplaceapart; historical interest, withasprinkleofWorldHeritage–listed caravantowns,alltestifying to exhilarating cameltripsamidsurreal landscapes,nottomentionhot-air ballooning. asoneofthebestbird-watching spotsintheworld. National duBancd’Arguin ranking in sight.Anditwillremain forever: animmense stretch ofseashore isprotected, withParc ritanian coastlineiscompletely virginal ofsandybeacheswithoutaresort kilometres –expect interplay ofdunesandocean?Ifit’stranquillityyou’re after, fear Senegal,theMau- not:unlike scale asthoseinMauritania. Andfew are asvaried.Where elsecouldyoufindsucha startling seas larger thanmanyasmallEuropean countryandaphalanxofenchantingoases. ancient citiesscoured plateaus, bysandywinds, giddily sand deepcanyons,eye-popping still diffident,alimited achord:thinkgrandiosedunefields, amountofhyperbolemaystrike dunes. ThisWild coastmeetsSaharan shouldbeenoughtolure youtoMauritania. Ifyou’re Mauritania 420 © LonelyPlanetPublications If you’re more inclinedtoecotourism thanmasstourism,MauritaniaisyourShangri-la. But it’snotallaboutnature, landscapes andadrenaline: Mauritaniaisalsoofstrong For outdoor-adventure types,Mauritaniaoffers thefullslate optionsaswell oftrekking ofWestAfrica,Sure, butfew youmayfindsimilarlandscapes inotherparts are onthesame

     FAST FACTS       

Visa Time code Telephone Seasons Population Money Soninké andWolof Languages Capital Budget Algeria unadvisable Borders ATMs Area Inadvance US$30, atMoroccan border US$25 1,030,700sqkm GMT/UTC % None Ouguiya(UM);US$1 =UM266 US$25perday Morocco,Mali,Senegalopen; Very hot(April hot(November toOctober), toMarch) 00 Countrycode (Hassaniya), French, Fula, 3million % 222; international access

of thecountry,where annualrainfalldoesn’t It’s unsurprisinglydryintheSahararegion CLIMATE &WHENTOGO lonelyplanet.com century, the Marrakesh-based Islamic Al- Sahara, including Mauritania. Inthe11th tradingroutestablished allover theWestern es- From the3rd centuryAD,the Berbers HISTORY ITINERARIES cially inthedesert. Note thatitcanget quite espe- coolatnight, temperatures hover aroundthemid-20°C. is fromNovember toMarch, whendaytime September. fromJulyto during theshortrainyseason to about 600mmperyear,mostlyoccurring 100mm.Inthesouth,rainfallincreasesexceed HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS       

dunes. experiencing themagicof theSaharan labyrinthine lanesof theoldcitybefore their glistening catch. ens of rollinwith colourfulfishingboats Banc d’Arguin iest journeyof yourlife! longest train,andbeready for thebump- train Iron-ore Mauritania’s best-kept secrets. elling tothisremote town,oneof desert Oualâta Chinguetti Nouakchott otic markets andmodernbuildings. atitsstriking melange of cha-and marvel (p424) Nouakchott to on Journey ( p427). birds atParc d’Arguin NationalduBanc vastflocksof andobserve Atlantic coast palm-filled oasis. Thenforge westtothe ( p429 yourself inanidyllic ) andrevitalise towns of ( Chinguetti p428 ) andOuadâne in theAdrar,explore theancientdesert Two Weeks the city. dunefieldsaround trip inthegrandiose and take eithera4WDtourorcamel ThenpushontoAtâr( the capital. p427 ) of thelusciouscuisineof dayssampling fish market ( p424 ) andspendacouple One Week traditional vastflocksof birdsfroma and observe The most pleasant timetovisitMauritaniaThe mostpleasant

( p430 ) Pushthefrontiers bytrav- Head toNouakchott’s straight ( p428 inthe yourself ) Lose Spendacoupleof daystrekking

fish market pirogue ( p433 ) Hopontheworld’s ( p427 ) Pack yourbinoculars MAURITANIA ••Highlights (traditional canoe). (traditional canoe). ( p424 ) Watch doz- and compelledto fitintheMoors’ mould.Any ers, whowere treated like citizens second-class against the(mainly blackAfrican)southern- firstritania’s president. rocco. OuldDaddahbecameMau- Mokhtar being absorbed bynewlyindependentMo- French wanted to prevent thecountryfrom the was fairlyeasilyachieved in1960because Mauritania acolonialterritory. Independence another, theFrench finallymanaged tomake having played oneMoorish against factionoff in Mauritania, butitwasnotuntil1904that, troops in the19thcentury,Francestationed Arabs in1674. the Almoravids were finallysubjugated by and theWestern Sahara. Thedescendantsof the spread of Mauritania Islamthroughout present-day Mauritania. Thatvictoryledto the Empire of Ghana,which covered much of ance of leaders, destroyed Mauritanian Berber moravids pushedsouthand,withtheassist- and economically, of such fighting a war. A the area. Mauritania wasincapable, militarily a guerrilla wartooustboth beneficiariesfrom Mauritania. Front launched ButthePolisario Morocco and colony) was dividedbetween 1975 thevery SpanishSahara(a sandy Sahara) finallytoppled thegovernment. In suppressed. opposition wasbrutally The issueof Western Sahara(Spanish Ould Daddahtookahardline,especially As colonialismspread Africa throughout

     LONELY INDEX PLANET      MUCH? HOW

Plate ofcouscous Souvenir T-shirt Bottled beer 1L bottledwater 1L petrol person Auberge room Nouâdhibou) Bush taxifare (fromNouakchottto per day Camel ride inthedesert Taxi ride inNouakchott Cup oftea inanomad’stent US$0.80 US$1.50 US$21 AboutUS$7.50per US$2.30 US$0.90 US$2.30 US$1.10 AboutUS$22 Free

421 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA MAURITANIA tiparty electionsin1992,which hewon,but up. Tocounter criticism,Taya introducedmul- ported Iraq duringtheGulfWar,andaiddried creasingly extremist. In1991Mauritania sup- known. acountrymosthadnever Senegal, than 70,000blackAfricanswere expelledto the andblackAfricansin1989.More tensions culminated inbloodyriotsbetween worseeven thanunderOuldDaddah.Ethnic power in1984.ForblackAfricans,thiswas nel Maaouya Sid’AhmedOuldTaya cameto Western Sahara. that renounced allterritorial claimstothe government1978, bringinginanewmilitary bloodless couptookplaceinMauritania in 422 du Bancd'Arguin MAURITANIA Nouâdhibou In the1990sgovernment becamein- ofA series coupsensued.Finally, Colo- St-Louis Parc National Masséne Nouâmghâr A TLNIC ARTNA • itr MAURITANIA ••History To (260km) Keur O CEAN Ὀ Ὀ Diamma Iwik Ten Alloul S ENGA L Dakhla NOUAKCHOTT Boutilimit

W e Route de l'Espoir s t Aleg e r Akjoujt

Kaédi n

Azougi Senegal S

Atâr a

Terjît River Passe de

h Laâyoune Mbout Selibaby Djouk Sangrafa

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Adrar r

a Kediet Ijill Kiffa

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Chinguetti Route de Route Tidjikja Zouérat Kayes Tagânt Plateau Tanouchert Ouadâne To Marrakesh(690km);

Guelb erRichat l'Es Aoukar Depression Rabat (850km) poir Tintâne BÎr Moghrein to UE observers. Butwhat couldreally give a to UEobservers. and noincidentswere reported, according that were heldinNovember 2007were fair on thewaytodemocracy:general elections outcorruption.Mauritaniastamping seems on puttingthecountrybackitsfeet andon ment, ledbyElyOuldMohamed Vall, isintent turning pointinthecountry.Thenewgovern- in abloodlesscoup.Thismarked asymbolic August 2005,whenthepresident wastoppled Taya’s repressive regime cametoanendin Ould (andrelief), surprise To everybody’s Today Mauritania black Africansstillfaceddiscrimination. and arrest of oppositionfigures continued, and electoral fraudwasmassive. Theharassment M ORC Nioro Timbedgha Tichit Ayoûn el-Atroûs To Bamako (200km) Ain BenTili Saleh Koumbi S ahr Nara Néma Oualâta 120miles 200km 0 0 Tindouf lonelyplanet.com A LGERI M ALI ades, drought hasresultedades, drought inamassexodusof thepastthree dec- belongs tothepast.Over ping acupof tea underatent inthedesert ety’s mentality. 1980, thecaste system stillimpregnates soci- life. slavery Although wasdeclared illegalin of events continues tomarktheimportant of society,especiallywiththeMoors. family, clanortriberemains thecornerstone the profound socialchanges, theextended a crucialroleinthelastdecade. Butdespite the internet andmobile phoneshave played intheheartofism development thedesert, Mauritanian societyischanging fast.Tour- CULTURE offshore Nouakchott. fieldsoff ofthat beganin2006withtheexploitation new impetustothecountryisoilboom lonelyplanet.com prized are wooden chests with silver inlay,but and craftwork, especially silverwork. Most Mauritania hasastrong traditionof arts &CRAFTS ARTS in numberbutremain aminority. areMuslims. Islamic fundamentalists growing also Soninkéand Wolof minorities. groupsspeakPulaar(Fula).ThereThese are relatedmostly Fulanior the closely Tukulor. constitute 40%of populationand are the total River ans livinginthesouthalongSenegal Hassaniya, anArabicdialect.BlackMauritani- have assimilated theMoorishculture andspeak descendants of peopleenslaved bytheMoors, two groups.TheHaratin (blackMoors), the group isblackAfricans,ethnically splitinto ‘Bidan’, accountfor40%.Theother major descent. Moors of purely Arab descent,called about60%areitants, Moors of ArabandBerber Of Mauritania’s estimated three millioninhab- PEOPLE and exert itroutinely. womendohaveritanian todivorce theright Mau- inruralcommunities. However, tised forced feeding of youngbridesare stillprac- cial activities.Female genital mutilationand are literate andfew are involved incommer- tion. Onlyathirdasmanywomenmen to Nouakchott. traditionally nomadicMoors fromthedesert As inmanyMuslimcountries,religion More than99%of thepopulationare Sunni Women are posi- inafairlydisadvantaged The iconicimage of nomadicMoors sip- MAURITANIA ••Culture or camelmilk)often accompaniesmeals. cooked rice. lamb isroasted over afire with andstuffed (a traditionalnomad’sfeast), where awhole is delicious.Areal treat istoattend a nian couscous,similartotheMoroccan variety, goat, camelordriedfish. Maurita- However, memorable. Dishesare limited torice,mutton, cuisineofThe desert theMoors isratherun- FOOD &DRINK day off theMauritanian coastline. with hundreds of tonnesof every fishcaught isanotherconcern, pollution. Overfishing suspects of overgrazing desertification, and age Site. Thesouthismostlyflatscrubland. breeding groundsanda UnescoWorldHerit- d’Arguin,Banc oneof theworld’smajor bird- of shoreline, includingtheParc Nationaldu near Zouérat.Mauritania hassome700km high). plateaus, includingtheAdrar (about500m occasional ridges, dunesandrocky sand with hugeof expanses flatplainsbroken by About 75%,includingNouakchott, isdesert, Mauritania isabout twicethesizeof France. ENVIRONMENT as wellinOualâta. ture intheancientSaharantownsAdrar Verde. ÉvoraistoCape Cesària ‘Saharan ’andistoMauritania what Malouma. She hascreated whatiscalled the the mostpopularMauritanian musiciansis the Wolof, Oneof TukulorandBambara. southern borderthere are influences from alongits mostly Arabicinorigin,although andsandals. camel saddles leather cushionsandpipepouches, hand-dyed leatherwork,includingcolourful jewellery, earth-tonerugsof camelhair,and there are alsosilver daggers, silver andamber Nouâdhibou. hotelstain and restaurants in Nouakchott and everywhere. Alcohol isonlyavailable atcer- is widely available. maff andyou’llfindtheSenegalese tially Senegalese The highest peakisKedietThe highest Ijill(915m) The traditionalmusicof Mauritania is The cuisineof southernMauritania isessen- Major issuesare environmental the usual There’s somesuperbtraditionalarchitec- Soft drinksand bottledwater are available In Nouakchott andNouâdhibou, seafood é (apeanut-based stew) everywhere. Zrig (unsweetened, curdled goat méchoui 423

MAURITANIA MAURITANIA MAURITANIA Netland postoffice Main MédicalFabienneCabinet Sherif They change cashonly. keep shorter hours thanbureaux dechange. are Banks alsoan optionbutthey Capitale. on Ave Abdel aswellintheMarché Nasser, de change onAve duGénéraldeGaulleand internet cafésinthecentre. There are bureaux calls canbemade. There’s alsoaprofusion of in thecentre where localandlong-distance northeast of thecentre. Ave Abdel whiletheairportis3km Nasser, north–south). Theoceanis5kmwestalong west) andAve duGénéraldeGaulle(running or aroundAve Abdel (runningeast– Nasser Most banks,hotels andrestaurants are on ORIENTATION &INFORMATION the rigours (andromance!)of thedesert. amazingly safe –inall,theperfect salve after food inahiprestaurant. It’salsolaid-back and orfeasting onfreshto acomfyguesthouse sea- of thebusiestinWestAfrica),treating yourself noon atthegloriouslyfranticfish market (one you coulddoworse thanspendinganafter- Nouakchott isintriguinglyidiosyncraticand d’Arguin. theAdrarorBanc Senegal, postbefore to off itasastaging setting use 5km inlandfromthecoast.Mosttravellers pendence, thisdiscombobulating citysprawls planning. Hastily constructed in1960,atinde- Nouakchott won’twinanyprizesforurban pop 800,000 NOUAKCHOTT 424 unforgettable! 4pm and6pm, whenthe fishing boatsreturn – with trays of fish. The best timeisbetween beach andsmallboys hurryingbackand forth in heavy hand-knotted fishing nets onthe hundredsYou’ll see of teams of mendragging a visittotheextremely colourful thinkofDon’t ever leaving thecitywithout SIGHTS (Port dePêche), about 5kmfromthecentre. Near the French embassy, north ofthecentre. Near theFrench embassy,north internet connection. noon-midnightSat& Sun) Hasthebest midnight Fri, UM500; Mon-Thu, tonoonFri) There are heapsof private telephone offices of thecountry, it’snot ahighlight Although OACOT • retto nomto &Information NOUAKCHOTT ••Orientation h ( % 8am-midnight Mon-Thu, 8am-noon&4pm 525 1314;Ave dudesCongrés; perhr (Ave AbdelNasser; ( h % 8am-3pm 525 1571) fish market fish market

83,000; sUM45,000-58,000, d47,000-60,000, steUM62,000- de Gaulle; location. Credit cards are accepted. rooms,goodfacilities andahandy maintained well-run Halima isasolidchoice, withwell- Halima; s/d/steUM26,500/29,500/49,000; able onrequest. and aniftypoolto cooloffin.Meals are avail- ties, snugcommunal areas, aninviting garden Think well-organised roomswithall ameni- this fancyB&B-styleoptionnearthe airport. 27,000; dinclbreakfast UM20,000- KsarDistrict; .escale-des-sables.com; shared bathroom. well-appointed rooms.Thecheaper oneshave Général deGaulle,thistidyvillafeatures seven In apeacefulneighbourhood, nearAve du rUM8000-10,000; 0914; [email protected]; an artgalleryandacosycommunal room. rooms arranged around alovely courtyard, near theNovotel neat boastsexceedingly comfort, thismellow de Gaulle. available onrequest. Ave It’soff duGénéral are nothingflash butwelltended. Meals are who isamineof localinformation.Rooms call, this 2000/4000; Nouâdhibou. plenty of friendlyadvice. It’sontheroadto arooftopkitchen forguests’use, terrace and nick. Otherperksincludetheoutdoorarea, a tional andshared bathroomsare kept ingood bet. Dormsandroomsare ordinarybutfunc- .com inFrench; tent/dm/dUM1500/2000/4000; duSahara Auberge SLEEPING which towers over abustlingmarket area. caine slender minarets, andthelarge the h National Musée troduction toMoorishcivilisation. this four-star onthe maindrag is high-rise .fr; rUM5000-10,000; Novotel Halima Hôtel landmarksinthecentreUnmissable include Culture vultures willmake forthe abeeline Maison d’hôtes Jeloua d’hôtes Maison JMC Menata Auberge 8am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) Mosquée Saudique L’Escale desSables

(Moroccan Mosque;RuedelaMosquéeMarocaine)

pais pais ( %

p auberge ( % 641 7624,6672832;jmc_organisation@yahoo Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com )

525 7400;www.novotel.com; Ave duGénéral Anotherwelcomingportof

(Rue MohamedelHabib;admissionUM300; ( % pa

isrunbyfriendlyOlivia, ( 525 7920;fax7922; Ruedel’Hôtel ( % % ) Ifyou’ve got thedough,

, which isanexcellentin- ) (Rue Mamadou Konaté) (Rue Mamadou You’ve struckgoldin 670 4383;www.aubergesahara 636 9450;tent/dm/dUM1500/

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( 636 9450,6432730,525 % 525 2375;www pai Mosquée Maro- p , withits pa ) Asafe (inn) ) The ) ,

menu atvery reasonable prices.The revered foritsexcellentMoroccan-inspired 3000; El-Bahdja Restaurant EATING &DRINKING cards are accepted. hard tobeat,withfirst-rate facilities.Credit lonelyplanet.com (525km) Nouâdhibou Sahara (600m); To Aubergedu 4 1 3 2 5 NOUAKCHOTT Rue du Marché Cinquiéme Port dePêche(5km) To Beach(5km); h Nouâdhibou

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Olympique Rue Ely Ould Mohamed Ould Ely Rue Ambassades des Route (200m) 6

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Cinquiéme Quarter Ave du NOUAKCHOTT ••Eating&Drinking Ave Kennedy Rue

27 Rue de la Mosquée Marocaine Mosquée la de Rue

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7 Rue Hennoune Ould Bouccif Ould Hennoune Rue

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Rue Abou Baker Abou Rue Rue de l'Hôtel Halima l'Hôtel de Rue 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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14 Rue Alioune Rue

tajine Rue de l'Indépendance Nasser Abdel Ave SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES Restaurant El-Bahdja...... Pizza Lina...... Le Prince...... Le Jardin...... La Salamandre...... Restaurant...... Novotel...... Maison d'hôtesJeloua...... L'Escale desSables...... JMC...... Hôtel Halima...... Auberge Menata...... Mosquée Saudique...... Mosquée Marocaine...... EATING SLEEPING La PalmeraiePâtisserie B4 Musée National...... To Néma(1100km) 4 8

Rue Mohamed is Lemine Sakho Capitale Stade de la venue. isparticularly Theoutdoorseating bream fillet)atthissnazzy-but-not-snooty (grilled monkfish)ora & dinner) ( des Ambassades. palate-blowing. Therestaurant Route isoff % 28 642 0212;RueAlioune;mainsUM1500-2500; La Palmeraie Pâtisserie Restaurant La Palmeraie Pâtisserie Friday Mosque 18 Warmyourself witha 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 23 22 21 20 19 18 9

Ave Boubacar Ben Amer A3 A2 C5 B2 A3 C5 B2 B2 D3 B2 B3 B3 D5 A5 32

Rosso (204km);Senegal(204km) Ave Ave Kennedy 25 21 TRANSPORT SHOPPING ENTERTAINMENT Air...... &Néma(4WDs)...... Air Sénégal...... Air Mauritanie...... Air France...... Air Algérie...... Marché Capitale...... VIP Club...... (see20) Modern KTV...... oa i ao...... D5 Transport toAyoûnel-Atroûs Royal AirMaroc...... To GarageRosso(6km);

0 0 Abdel Nasser Abdel

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Rue Mamadou Konaté D lotte grillée Atâr(436km) Atâr (2.5km);

ToGarage Rue Alioune Rue 0.1 miles Airport 0.3 miles 10 h 500 m 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 (sea (sea lunch 425 C4 B5 D5 C4 A3 D5 C5 B2

MAURITANIA MAURITANIA MAURITANIA pocket of bread withvegetables). Capitale (alsocalledGrandMarché),Capitale onAve You’ll findabitof atMarché everything SHOPPING des Congrés) headto strobe lights elry, butifyouwanttotear itupbeneath the Don’t cometoNouakchott towallowinrev- ENTERTAINMENT month whenwevisited. race andcosyinterior, were theflavour of the Jardin, andLe setting, withitsopen-airter- Salamandre, alcohol. withitsspiffy La serve cooked mains UM500-1300; bent. Pickof thebunch is du GénéaldeGaulle. Mosthave aLebanese AveRue Aliounebetween Kennedy andAve du Sénégal. terrace isakiller. Ruedel’Ambassade It’soff you wanttodineinstyle. Themellowopen-air & dinner) Routeoff desAmbassades. isanotherdraw.It’s colourfulsetting sleek, forlip-smackingFrenchpraise cooking.The h well aspasta. pizzas. Alsofeatures meatandfish dishes, as chott’s bestchoices whenitcomestotasty UM1500-3500; (about UM1800). inviting. Alsorecommended forbreakfast 426 Air Mauritanie Air France Air Algérie Airlines withoffices inNouakchott: Air THERE&AWAY GETTING fabrics. lery, traditionalwooden boxes andcolourful Kennedy, includingbrassteapots, silver jewel- Général de Gaulle &AveGénéral deGaulle AbdelNasser) anie.mr; Ave Abdel Nasser) Ave Kennedy) weekends. DJsat regular live musiciansandSenegalese duSénégal.Bothplaces featurel’Ambassade Most European-stylerestaurants usually There are manyfast-food establishments on Le Jardin La Salamandre Pizza Lina Mon-Sat) H TATCCAT • oâhbu THE ATLANTIC COAST ••Nouâdhibou Thisupscalevenue isrecommended if shwarma ( or ( La Salamandre hasgarnered La warm %

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% ( h % ( VIP Club 525 1808, 525 3916; www.airfrance.com; 525 1808, 3916;www.airfrance.com; 525 2059; www.airalgerie.dz; cnrAve525 2059;www.airalgerie.dz; du % 636 7660;mainsUM3000-4000; h lunch &dinner) 525 8662;RoutedesAmbassades;mains

( (sliced meat stuffed intoa (slicedmeatstuffed 525 2216, 5258098; www.airmaurit % lunch &dinner)

524 2680;mainsUM1600-4000; ( % Modern KTV 636 7660) Le Prince Oneof Nouak- , withfaultlessly , off Ruede

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(Rue Alioune; h lunch Kennedy) Ave AbdelNasser) as telephone offices. The ‘station’ isabout as telephone The ‘station’ offices. of theinternet outlets alonghere alsodouble the city’s maindrag,Blvd Médian,andmost 35km-long peninsula. duLévrier,inthemiddleofthe Baie anarrow isalsoappealing:Nouâdhibou ison setting d’Arguin. ifyouplan to visitBanc The though, ortotheAdrarregion.capital It’sagoodbase, d’être of Nouâdhibou has lostmuch of its can bordertoNouakchott, thefishingport connectingtheMoroc- road With thenewtar pop 80,000 NOUÂDHIBOU a pilgrimage site forbird-watchers. Parc d’Arguin, National duBanc something of and nature-lovers. It’s mostlyoccupiedbythe is arapturousplacefortranquillity seekers resorts.No tacky Nopollution.Thiscoastline THE ATLANTIC COAST (UM300). nearby cheaper fromthehighway tohailataxi fare tothecentre isaboutUM1000, butit’s centre. taxi Fromtheairport,standard It costsUM300 ridewithinthe forataxi AROUND GETTING Rue delaMosquéeMarocaine. at thecornerof Ruesdel’Indépendanceand to twodays),4WDsleave fromanopenarea (UM6000, 14hours) andNéma(UM7500, up 3km northof theairport;forAyoûnel-Atroûs Garage AtârisontheroadtoAtâr,about the centre; forAtâr(UM3500, sixhours), the the Garage Rossoisalmost10kmsouthof Marché; forRosso(about UM2000, 3½hours), the GaragetoCinquiéme Nouâdhibouisclose For Nouâdhibou(about UM5600, sixhours), Land p432. to/fromNouakchott,flights see p431 and ofFor details international anddomestic Tunis Air Royal AirMaroc Air Senegal al.com; Ave duGénéraldeGaulle) There are bureaux several dechange along fortravellers, whoprefer todash tothe ( % ( % 525 8763;www.tunisair.com.tr; Ave ( 525 0584;www.air-senegal-internation % 525 3564;www.royalairmaroc.com; lonelyplanet.com raison range optionnorthof thecentre offers good up thecomfortscale,thisdependablemid- time; s/dinclbreakfast UM13,000/15,000; and akitchen. four-bed rooms,andthere’s atent forrelaxing local information.Accommodationisinclean host,isagoodsourceofAli, yourhospitable fave withacasualfeel isexcellentvalueand Médian; s/dUM3000/5000; communal roomwithnoticeboard. with private bathrooms–andaninviting for overlanders. Ithassimplerooms–some tent perpersonUM1500,s/dUM2200/3400; Abba Camping Sleeping &Eating in town. must buyinsuranceatanycompany at theborder,overland travellers withvehicles 5km southof town.Iftheyhave notdoneit Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com ground formultitudes of birds migrating be- UM1200) must-see This PARC NATIONAL DU BANCD’ARGUIN waiting. Formore see details, p433 . around 2am,where 4WDs forAtârwillbe Choûm (UM1000, orUM3000 fora‘berth’) leaves around 2.30pmdaily,arrivingin hours). Nouâdhibou and Nouakchott (UM5600, six Nouakchott. travel Bush taxis dailybetween to/from Air Mauritanie flights hasfourweekly &Away There Getting on ornearthemaindrag. issuperb). salad (theoctopus and fish dishes,aswellsalads mostpalates.territory Thinkmeat toplease bent,coversmenu, withaChinese enough isunimpressivestander butthewide-ranging 2500) croissant. delectable (skewered meat); finish off yourmealwitha grilledfish and drag. Itserves nothing beatsthiscute eatery off themain rooms. Yes, there’s air-con! bitimpersonal)amenities andspruce(ifawee off BlvdMédian;mainsUM1000-1500) Camping BaieduLévrier Camping The iron-ore car trainwithapassenger You’ll findaslewof very cheap restaurants Hôtel AlJezira Hôtel Le Mérou PleineLune Restaurant-Pâtisserie The main-drag setting of Themain-dragsetting thislong- is an important stopover isan important andbreeding

( %

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574 5980;BlvdMédian;mainsUM1500- ( park % 574 9896;fax9887;BlvdMédian; 574 5317;fax5499;BlvdMari-

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( % ) This long-standing This long-standing 574 6536,6504356;Blvd Foraquickbite, pa p

THEADRAR••Atâr ( % ) brochettes Asafe bet ) Anotch 574 9860;

only oneinternet caféatthetime of writing. onoraround themaindrag.Atârhad offices banks (USdollars andeuros)telephone of bureaux it.You’llfindseveral dechange, centre of Atâr andthemarket isjust north camel or4WDforaysintothedunefields. is anexcellentplaceinwhich toorganise towninthemiddleof this secluded thedesert Adrar onyourdoorstep,With thegrandiose pop 25,000 ATÂR is simplyamust. are onoffer. aficionados,theAdrar Fordesert trekking routes hot-airballooning andeven rides, plateaus. basaltic Camel and grandiose where youcanunwindunderaMoorish tent, that looksculpted byanartist,mellowoases dunes sand Chinguetti andOuadâne,mighty Theresights. are theancientSaharan townsof natural wonders anddistinctive cultural of thecountry, Adrar boastsexceptional Here isthejewelinMauritania’s crown.North THE ADRAR threesider taking days. either inNouakchott orinNouâdhibou. Con- to hire a4WDwithknowledgeable driver, d’Arguin. Yourbestbettovisittheparkis also beordered. (UM3000 toUM6000 pertent). Meals can sites thatare equippedwithtraditionaltents UM3000 fortheguide). the fishing village of traditional fishing boat,bestorganised from bou. Theidealwaytoapproach thebirdsisby Nouakchott) and235kmsouthof Nouâdhi- Timirisnorth fromCape (155kmnorthof in DecemberandJanuary. Itextends 200km Europe andsouthernAfrica,especially tween UM3000 per day person for food. Hilux pluspetrol. Add about for a Toyota Count on payinguptoUM21,000 perday so tripsare alotcheaper ifyou’re inagroup. from Atâr. Yourbestbetistoshop around. attempting toarrange At lastcount,more than20agencies were Activities A large There’s nopublictransporttotheBanc Inside theparkthere are official camp The main costsare thevehicle anddriver, rond-point (roundabout)marksthe Iwik camel rides (UM15,000, plus or 4WD tours 427

MAURITANIA MAURITANIA MAURITANIA ous nibbles. rustles upsomegoodcouscousaswell asvari- UM500-700) roomswithspacious bathrooms. serviceable from themarket, thismodernish abodefeatures the roadtoNouakchott. is thelocation,about4kmfrom centre on pulously cleanbathrooms.Theonly quibble venture sportsexcellentamenitiesandscru- 7000; perpersonhalfboardUM5500/ .vuedenhaut.com; tent/tikit owners have areputable travel agency. huts andawell-scrubbedablution block.The pokystoneorpalm in thecourtyard,several include five roomswithair-con, alarge tent five-minute strollfromthecentre. Facilities ai tent orhutperpersonUM1700,rwithoutbathroomUM6000; It’s awayfromtheactionbutit’squiet. placetomoochcourtyard isapleasant around. andthe nothing thrillingbuttidyenough p tentsperpersonUM1500,stonehut UM7000; yahoo.com; most cheap restaurants are alongthisroad. Chinguetti roadforablock,thenturnleft– From theroundabout headeastonthe meals(aboutUM2000). Most placesserve daysAtârhas20-plus placestostay. These Sleeping &Eating UM12,000 perdaywithfoodandlodging. tom camelridesintheAdrar. at Pricesstart 428 is where you can get vehicles forChoûm The main BUSH TAXI see For details seilles. p431 . Point Afriqueflies fromParis toAtâr viaMar- AIR &Away There Getting attherear. outdoorseating with pleasant is thiswelcoming eatery runbyaFrench lady, after abitmore sophistication, yourbestbet Chinguetti; setmenuUM2500; couple. backpacker hauntisrunbyaDutch/German UM7000/8000; Restaurant del’Amitié Restaurant Marocain Restaurant Tivoujar Auberge duBonheur Auberge BabSahara Auberge Most travel agencies alsoorganise cus- Auberge Monod Auberge ) Off Route de Azougui, this longstanding Route deAzougui,thislongstanding Off pai H DA • Trî THE ADRAR••Terjît ) A sensible choice forbudgeteers,A sensible a Tikits Nextdoortodel’Amitié,thisplace gare routière, a ) (traditional huts)andtents are ) Thisnewish professionally run Amere hop,skipandajump

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( % 546 4236;RoutedeChinguetti;s/d

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in the heartof town, closed May-Aug) closed May-Aug) ( 647 3966;justus_buma@ % 546 4537;fax4347; 610 7150;Routede If you’re (UM2000, twohours) andNouakchott méharéees around Chinguetti is bycamel. Numerous ancient Islamic manuscripts of Chinguetti. thefragile-as-dust old libraries, which house Muslims). Also of great interest are thefive century stonemosque (noentrytonon- Town). Theprincipal attractionisthe16th- the labyrinthine lanes of of anyvisitisawanderthrough The highlight Sights &Activities p dunes,isanotherdraw. ostcard sand heavenly of picture- backdrop,withasea buildings date fromthe13thcentury.The ofcient capital theMoors, andsomeof the famous foritsIslamicscholars, itwasthean- shrouded withapalpable historicaura. Once caravan townsintheSahara, Chinguetti is One of themore attractive of theancient pop 4000 CHINGUETTI from thecheckpoint. headed towardsNouakchott andhitch aride for 11km.Bypublictransport,take anything left atthecheckpoint track andfollowasandy of AtârontheroadtoNouakchott, thenturn entrance of thevillage. UM1500; isthe stay costs aboutUM1500. Theonlyotherplaceto tent bythetricklingstream isonoffer. Ameal tents orhutsperpersonUM1500) OasisdeTerjîtAuberge YoupayUM1000the desert. toenter thesite. which youcanswim–blissafter therigours of flies. What’sspecialhere isanaturalpoolin for Terjît, about40kmsouthof Atârasthecrow in anenchanting palmgrove, make abeeline If allyouwantistolazeacoupleof daysaway TERJÎT from neartheroundabout. (UM1000, onehour),infrequent 4WDs leave are infrequent. ForTerjîtboth towns,services from astreet northof theroundabout. For Ouadâne (UM2500, fourhours), theyleave located ablocknorthof Auberge Monod.For (UM2000, twohours) leave fromnearashop (UM3500, sixhours). To get here byprivate car,drive 40kmsouth taken overThe mainspringhasbeen by Battered 4WDsheadedforChinguetti The best way to see thefascinating dunes The best waytosee p ) Auberge desCaravanes Auberge (camel trips) are available. Stand- , anhonest-to-goodness placeatthe Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com

( % , where amattress ina 644 8967,inAtâr5465020; Le Ksar

(r or tikits perperson (r ortikits (theOld tikits, of aplacefeatures well-arranged rooms and traditional architecture, it’shardtomissthis New Town;rperpersonUM1500) per meal). meals are available onrequest (about UM2000 Breakfastroom unlessstatedotherwise. and All theplaceslisted here have shared bath- Sleeping &Eating per person). trips inAtâr,canorganise fit based Auberge Tivoujar ( opposite ), areputable out- not included. They costfromUM18,000 perday,petrol sweat itout,youcanhire a4WDanddriver. can arrange traveltable agency inAtâror day forthecamel,foodandguide. Anyrepu- fromUM8000ard costsstart perperson per Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com and tastefully decorated rooms. professionalstyle, withacushy setting, service ifyouwant tokickbackin an excellent base smackbanginthe OldTownis (guesthouse) fast €60; Mahmoud, isamineof information. clean-smelling ablution block.The owner, embellished with knick-knacks,aswella can expecttidyrooms (withproperbeds) per personUM5500) great placetounwind. shoestringers. Thesoothingcourtyardisa hut s/d UM5200/8400) stone manicured courtyarddappledinsunshine. bathrooms, well-designedstonehuts anda aMauritanianrun byLeila, lady.Impeccable MaureA very toLe neatplace,close Bleu, courtyard. arounda plant-filledhuts andsmalltents set a bunch of simpleyetwell-organised stone thiswelcomingplacefeaturesdes Caravanes, or tentperpersonUM2500) bitimpersonal.wee othertravellers,place tomeet butitfeels a popular withtourgroupsandisthusagood inthecentrewell-run placeright of town.It’s .maurebleu.com; OldTown;tentperpersonUM2500,ror Dar Sahra L’Eden deChinguetti Auberge desCaravanes Auberge The dunesfromabove? Yes, it’spossible. Les Mille etUneNuits Les Mille Abweir Auberge Le Maure Bleu Le Maure fromAtârorChinguetti(aboutUS$200 aswell a ) This ultracharming

( % camel rides 630 1874,5400244;Le Ksar;dinclbreak- In this‘Gardenof Eden’you khaimas

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(Le Ksar;stonehutsUM3000) 540 0154,5465130;www % ( With itseye-catching % (nomad’stents) for 540 0014;NewTown; r 540 0022;fax5464272; hot-air ballooning hot-air auberge maison d’hôtes THEADRAR••Ouadâne owner

Ouadâne every fewOuadâne every day,ifyou’re days(every Chinguetti, asvehicles Atârand gobetween Atâr isamuch better placetolookthan courtyard isagoodplacetoidleaway. you squirmandthewell-tended sand-floored and (with properbeds),aswellanumber of tents ( but enough, UM1600) WaraneI Auberge tikits make ahappyone. yourstay There are five outofcongenial ladywhogoes herwayto ortentsperpersonUM1500) tikits Mellow The placeslisted here are downontheplateau. guests (about UM2000 forlunch ordinner). still live intheoldtown. held inprivate libraries.Only 20to30families ship andishometoover 3000manuscripts Chinguetti, Ouadânewasaplaceof scholar- giant child playingwithbuilding blocks.Like bysome have pileduphiggledy-piggledy been thecrumblingstructures to between, seem the town,is14th-century ofold, whileatthewestern end,atthebase the newmosque,which isamere 200years of thehillisdominated bytheminaret of Thetop totumbledownthecliff. ter) seem ofthe stonehouses orplateausands from AtârorChinguetti, towns of theSahara. As youarrive acrossthe is oneof themostenchanting semi-ghost 120km northeastof Chinguetti, Ouadâne Sitting ontheedge of theAdrarplateau, OUADÂNE you’ll have togobackAtâr. ChinguettiandOuadâne; between bush taxis from justbehindthemarket. There are no Atâr (UM2000, about twohours). Theyleave There isatleastonevehicle adayto/from &Away There Getting d UM4000) which is invery goodcondition. Dhar Chinguetti along theplateau, a road requires a guide,andthenortherly Piste du dunesand definitely sand through passes natives: which thesoutherlyPiste duBatha, hours. Ifyou’re driving youhave twoalter- The trip(UM2500) normallytakes aboutfour fromChinguetti. lucky), butnext to never % All places to stay canprepareAll placestostay mealsfortheir Finding transport toOuadâneisnoteasy. 525 0791; Nouakchott; tikits ortentsperpersonUM1700, 525 0791;Nouakchott;tikits tikits andacoupleof nomad’stents. Roomsat are a bit bunkerlike but serviceable are a bit bunkerlike butserviceable isthebestoutfit,withorderlyrooms Auberge Vask –Chez Zaida Auberge . Theshared bathroomswon’tmake Auberge Agoueidir –ChezIsselmou Agoueidir Auberge

( % in Atâr5464604;rortentsperperson Le KsaralKiali is run by Zaida, a isrunbyZaida, old

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MAURITANIA MAURITANIA MAURITANIA Auberge del’Amitié Auberge up, red red the gruellingridetoget there. 100km northof Néma,butisdefinitely worth caravans headingforTimbuktu. It’sabout tobethe lastresting1224, itused pointfor on atmosphere andpersonality. Datingfrom isanotherancientSaharan townhigh Oualâta Possibly oneof Mauritania’s best-kept secrets, OUALÂTA N’Gady Touristique plexe yourself at Youcanbase port stamped. atwhich youcangetpolice station yourpass- pumps here, acoupleof modeststores anda petrol off pointforOualâta. You’llfindseveral east of thecentre ontheroadtoNéma. ( which isinthecentre, or tious Mali. Foraccommodation,trytheunpreten- spend yourlastouguiyasbefore crossinginto lively on theoutskirtsof Kiffa. duDésert Le Phare roads, where youcanbunkdownat regionalimportant tradingcentre andcross- Malian borderis stretch intwodays. tarred, andyoucancover thismonotonous to Néma(around1100km)isnowentirely l’Espoir (Roadof Hope)fromNouakchott Good newsforoverlanders: the Route de THE ROADTOMALI 430 Auberge de l’Hotel de Ville deVille del’Hotel Auberge weary limbs, including torestyou’ll find about six guesthouses your also beorganised (ask yourhosts). sites inthevicinity.Various cameltripscan rockpaintingsandarchaeological also several ancientIslamicmanuscripts. Therehouses are andalibrary,which also asmallmuseum paintings ontheexterior and interior. There’s public transport, see public transport,see p426 . few kilometres westof thecentre. s/d bungalowsUM7000/9000,r12,000/15,000; % Although you’reAlthough milesfromanywhere, The tarred roadendsat The first major townontheroadto Entering thetownyou’llbestruckby You couldalsobreak upyourjourneyat For more onreaching details thisarea by 515 1337,6411052;rUM5000-8000) Auberge KsarWalata Auberge mudbrick houses mudbrick H ODT AI • ult THE ROAD TOMALI ••Oualâta Hôtel Ayoûn Hôtel Ayoûn el-Atroûs

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(r per person UM1500) adornedwithdecorative , which isagoodplaceto 515 1462;s/dUM5000/8000; 563 28 88; tikits UM10,000; 563 2888;tikits (population30,000),an

( (r per person UM5000) % (r perperson UM3000) Auberge Tayib/Gamni – Auberge Auberge SaadaTenzah Auberge Néma 513 0900;fax0970; , thejumping- , about3km . Anotch pa Auberge Auberge fea- and Com- a a ) , a ) ) , , It isillegaltobringalcohol intothecountry. CUSTOMS Many shopsare day. openevery an extended lunch break onFridayafternoon. havethe mainprayerday,somanybusinesses Fridayis However, to Fridayworkingweek. Mauritaniapurposes adheres totheMonday it’saMuslim country,forbusiness Although BUSINESS HOURS greatest birdlife-viewing venues. d’Arguin,tional duBanc oneof theworld’s bird-watching, nothingcanbeattheParc Na- aredesert themostpopular activities.For ridesand4WDexpeditionsinthe Camel ACTIVITIES or most widespread accommodationis extent, Nouâdhibou andAtâr. the Inthedesert, inNouakchotttional standards and,toalesser sive, air-conditioned hotels interna- meeting towns. There’s alsoasprinkleof more expen- to US$15range) iseasyincitiesandmajor Finding cheap accommodation (intheUS$8 ACCOMMODATION DIRECTORY MAURITANIA Ask aroundinNémamarket. (UM2000, 2½hours) onaninfrequent basis. Rovers plytheroute thetwotowns between (approximatelyand Oualâta 110km).Land meals. all serve tures alovely patioandattractive rooms.They come equippedwithmattresses onthefloor). There are Néma twodirttracks between

    PRACTICALITIES campements Forthenews(in French), pickup stationisTVM, Mauritania’s onlyTV current Electrical is220V AC, and 50Hz Mauritania usesthemetricsystem for Calame with programmes inArabicand French. type.pean two-pin plugsaremost electrical oftheEuro- weights andmeasures. Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com or Horizons (traditionalhutsortents that . Le Le auberges

Sénégal) 10117 Berlin) W1K 3AS) UK Germany France Canada relevant countrychapter. a consulate inNiger. the Formore see details, the Gambia,Mali, and Nigeria andSenegal, Mauritania hasembassies inCôte d’Ivoire, Embassies&Consulates Mauritanian EMBASSIES &CONSULATES from Nouâdhibou. asafew asclose kilometresern Sahara,even Mauritanian sideof theborderwithWest- ofthousands landminesburiedalongthe Africa. Awordof there warningthough: are Mauritania isoneof thesafest countriesin DANGERS &ANNOYANCES lonelyplanet.com dhibou andAtâr. You’ll findcybercafés inNouakchott, Nouâ- ACCESS INTERNET p1106. theAfrica Directoryholidays; see chapter Mauritania alsocelebrates theusualIslamic of the 1984Coup Anniversary Independence Day Army Day LiberationDay African Day Workers’ Day National Reunification New Year’s Day Public holidaysinclude: HOLIDAYS USA Senegal Morocco Mali Germany France morning. applicationsareFriday. Visa received inthe All embassiesare openfrom Mondayto inMauritania Embassies &Consulates USA the centre. K1Y 3V1) Leroy PlNW,Washington,DC,20008) 75006 Paris) ( ( ( % ( % % % ( ( ( 020-7478 9323;8CarlosPalace, London Mayfair, % % ( ( % 525 2660;RueAbdallaye) 2129 202-232 5700;www.ambarim-dc.org; ( 525 4081,4078;Tevragh of Zeina) North % % 10July ( % % 01 45 48 23 88; 89 rue du Cherche-Midi, 01 45482388;89rueduCherche-Midi, 525 2337;RueAhmedOuldMohamed) 613-237 3283; 121 Sherwood Dr, Ottawa 613-237 3283;121SherwoodDr,Ottawa 525 7290;Ruedel’Ambassadedu 525 1411;Ave duGénéralde Gaulle) 1May 525 1729;RueAbdallaye) 030-20 65 88 30; Axel Springer Strasse54, 030-20 658830;Axel Springer 1January TRANSPORT INMAURITANIA TRANSPORT There &Away ••Getting 28November 25May 26February 12December photocopies of your passport andairticket. photocopies ofyourpassport and are issuedin48hours. Youneedtwophotosand of theinformationpagesyourpassport. valid foronemonth.Youneedtwophotosandaphotocopy MAURITANIA IN TRANSPORT to dress modestly. with someNorthAfricancountries. It’swise harassment, butit’snothingincomparison regard. get Womenmight theoddbitof sexual but itisbynomeansthemostextreme inthis Muslimcountry Mauritania is aconservative WOMEN TRAVELLERS Senegal Morocco Mali left. see For informationonembassiesandconsulates, forOnwardTravel Visas Moroccan border(€20). canalsobeissuedatthe around US$30.Visas tralia, French for embassieswillissuevisas no diplomaticrepresentation, includingAus- countries. Incountrieswhere Mauritania has countriesandsomeAfrican of ArabLeague areVisas required for all exceptnationals VISAS andarecost about thesame openlate. run phoneshopsinthemajor citiesandtowns faxes Theinnumerableprivately atpostoffices. You canmake international callsandsend TELEPHONE hotels inNouakchott. less. Credit cardsare accepted onlyattop-end lers cheques andcredit cardsare pretty use- and wadsof travel- cashitmustbe,because Euros andUSdollars are thecashtocarry The unitof currency istheouguiya (UM). MONEY tanie, flies toParis,tanie, Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), handles most traffic. international airports. Nouakchott’s airport Nouakchott, Nouâdhibou andAtârhave Air THERE&AWAY GETTING hours. Youneedfourphotos. Mauritania’s national carrier, Air Mauri- Visas are issued thesameday(UM6500)andare One-month visas(UM1500)are issuedin24 One-month Single-/double-entry visascostUM5800/8700 Single-/double-entry

431 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA MAURITANIA the endof April,whileAirFrancehasflights andAtârfromtheendofseilles Octoberto and Mauritania isnorthof Nouâdhibou. Morocco The onlybordercrossingbetween MOROCCO el-Atroûs. customs, which isdoneinNémaorAyoûn after crossingtheborder. Youmustalsoclear bypoliceatthe firststamped townyou reach to Kayes. Nioro. It’salsopossibletotravel fromSélibaby places youcancatch toNiaraor abush taxi to NémaandAyoûnel-Atroûs. From these (connecting withNioroinMali). (both connectingwithNarainMali) andKiffa Nioro. YoucanalsocrossatNéma,Timbedgha ward route to Mali wasfromAyoûnel-Atroûs to At thetimeof research, themoststraightfor- MALI Land (see an office inthecapital p426 ). USA see p1116 . connections toEuropeandtheMiddleEast. TunisorAlgiers, thereCasablanca, are many sia), whileAirAlgériefliestoAlgiers. From Air connectsNouakchott withTunis(Tuni- Nouakchott Tunis between andCasablanca. Nouakchott, whileRoyalAirMaroc hasflights Paris atUS$550. start Parisbetween andNouakchott. Fares from Islands)andPointe-Noire(Canary (Congo). Palmas Las Dakar(Senegal), tonou (Benin), (Mali),Bamako (Morocco),Co- Casablanca 432 tween Morocco and Mauritania.tween expect a small bribe. and, of course, ifyoucan’tpresent it,they will forms, some customsofficials stillaskforit there are nolonger anycurrency declaration ous ‘taxes’ ontopof price. thevisa Although topayanother€20forvari- der (€20).Expect you canbuytheMauritanian atthebor- visa the twoborderposts. ComingfromMorocco, cept forthe3kmno-man’s-land thatseparates road isnowentirely tarred toNouakchott, ex- the Crossing thisborderisstraightforward; .point-afrique.com) From Nouakchott, youcancatch bush taxis All airlinesflyingto/fromNouakchott have Europeandthe toNewZealand, For flights Dakarand operates between Air Senegal If crossingintoMali, have yourpassport Point Afrique Note that there’s nopublic transport be- RNPR NMUIAI • GtigAon INMAURITANIATRANSPORT Around ••Getting

flies between Paris fliesbetween andMar- ( % in France0033475972040;www and exit of each town. plus petrol. around UM21,000 per dayforthevehicle, Hiluxusually costs Toyota try. The standard want toreach more remote partsof thecoun- Consider renting a4WDand driver ifyou &Motorcycle Car go toallthemajortaxis towns daily. are thefour typesof publictransport. Bush indescendingorderofand minibuses, cost, Mercedes Peugeot taxis, Rovers Land taxis, Bush Taxi and Zouérat. AyoûnelAtroûs,Selibaby Nouâdhibou, Kiffa, Air Mauritanie fliesfromNouakchott to Air AROUND GETTING taxes’. whousuallyask for‘exit customs officials onlyfourtimesdaily. crosses (UM200/CFA500, five minutes) astheferry travellers withoutvehicles cross bypirogue border closingtime(6pm).AtRosso,most be sure of arrivinginRossowellbefore the leaveand bushtaxis Dakarbefore 10amto ing onthewaitatborder. Mostminibuses port usuallytakes from11to13hours depend- its hassles. The bordercrossinghere isnotorious for side from8amtonoonand3pm6pm. migration isonlyopenontheMauritanian atRosso,note thatim- crossing intoSenegal amma (Keur Masséne), westof Rosso. When Rosso butit’salsopossibletocrossatDi- isat The mainbordercrossingforSenegal SENEGAL From DakartoNouakchott bypublictrans- Expect police checkpointsExpect atthe entrance preparedBe with forsomeconfrontation season only. at night).This optionispossible inthedry hourstax’ ifyoucross foran‘extra asked problematic (althoughyou’llprobablybe a bridge)andthehasslesare reportedly less The borderatDiammaisopen24hours(it’s Masséne)andcrossatDiamma.amma (Keur abushtaxifromRossotoDi- you cantake If youwanttoavoidthehasslesatRosso, HOT TIP: CROSSINGINTOSENEGAL lonelyplanet.com opt fortrekking tours orcamelrides.Ifthere Adrar. Travel isusuallyby4WDbutyoucan company,eginAtârforthe gionally focused bad ideatoarrange atourwithmore re- offer tours aroundthecountrybutit’snota There are travel agencies in Nouakchott that Tours lonelyplanet.com the above - ‘Do the right thingwith ourcontent.’ 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, wethinkit’s fairtoaskyou useitforpersonal, non-commercial purposes restricted. © LonelyPlanetPublications. iteasierforyoutouse, accesstothischapterisnotdigitally Tomake age aroundUM20,000 perperson perday. are atleastfourtravellers, pricesshouldaver- to keep warm,asitcan getcoldatnight.Formoreto keep detailssee p427 . totally dark,chantingbegins. Onboard,amansellstea andcheapsnacks. Take enoughclothes late afternoon, manymenfindspaceon thefloortoprayandatduskwhencabinbecomes the springs. The atmosphere canbequite jovial, withpeopleplayingcardsonthefloor. Inthe perch ontheroofforfree. There are alsoadozen thatare sowornoutthatyoucansee ‘berths’ lucky onesfindaplaceononeofthetwolongbenches;rest standorsitonthefloor, the passengercarriageatrear appears. Then thestampedetogetonboardbegins. The aseeminglyendlessnumberoforecrepit wagonspass bybefore buildingintheopendesert, longest intheworld,typically2.3kmlong. Whenitarrives atthe‘station’in Nouâdhibou, ade- We willnever forget theexperience–neitherwillyou.The ZouérattoNouâdhiboutrainisthe AN EPICJOURNEYONTHEIRON-ORETRAIN TRANSPORT INMAURITANIA TRANSPORT Around ••Getting to Atâr. Nouâdhibou, andcontinueonbybush taxi togetchoose off atChoûm,12hours from trip takes 16to18hours, butmosttravellers train forlackof better alternatives. Theentire it hasbecomeapassenger minals, however is aniron-ore ter- train withnopassenger above)The NouâdhiboutoZouérattrain(see Train © LonelyPlanetPublications

433 MAURITANIA MAURITANIA