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Voykit pocket guide · Mauritania
Nouadhibou
نواحيبو
Spend a half‑day to a full day in Nouadhibou: walk the port, see the train, and grab cheap seafood; one night if you want a quiet stay.
Nouadhibou is Mauritania's second‑largest city, a fishing hub and the terminus of the iron‑ore train. Its compact centre can be explored on foot in under 15 minutes, and taxis cost about 20 ouguiyas per short ride. A single day covers the main sights; an overnight stay adds a relaxed evening and easy access to the train station.
- Country
- Mauritania
- Local name
- نواحيبو
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Avoid
- Jul–Sep (hottest, some rain)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MRU
- Money
- Currency is the Mauritanian ouguiya (MRU), redenominated in 2018 (1 new = 10 old; prices are sometimes still quoted in old ouguiya). Cards are accepted in very few places outside a handful of Nouakchott hotels; bring euros in cash to exchange.
- Daily spend
- Budget 300–500 MRU excl. bed · Mid 500–800 MRU excl. bed · High 800 MRU+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Mauritel, Mattel and Chinguitel sell SIMs in Nouakchott; passport needed.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire & ambulance 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 220 V · 50 Hz · Generators in desert auberges; bring a power bank.
- Tipping
- Driver or guide day: €5–10.; Cook on desert trip: €3–5 a day.
- Water
- Bottled only.
- Toilets
- Basic in auberges; the desert is the toilet on 4x4 days.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Fish meal (local restaurant) | 70 MRU |
| Taxi short ride within town | 20 MRU |
| Ticket for passenger car on ore train | 300 MRU |
| Bottled water (1 L) | 15 MRU |
| Coffee at highway stop | 30 MRU |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NDB · Nouadhibou International Airport
- Mauritania Airlines flights to Nouakchott and Gran Canaria
Typical fares
- Airport → city centre taxi
- ≈20 MRU (check)
- Train passenger car (Nouadhibou → Choum)
- 300 MRU (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk the centre (≤15 min). Taxis charge ~20 ouguiyas per short trip; flag down by honking. No regular public transport inside town.
See and do
Known for
- Fishing port
- Iron‑ore train
- Cansado hotel area
- Local seafood
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Iron‑ore train ride to Choum | Board passenger car at Nouadhibou station (depart 15:00–21:00)Board passenger car at Nouadhibou station (depart 3:00 PM–9:00 PM) | check |
Sleep
- Hotel Sahel
- International‑standard, near Blvd Maritime
- Hotel El‑Aljazeera
- Simple rooms, close to airport
- Auberge Sahara
- Budget rooms ~300 ouguiyas, shared facilities
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | سمح ليsamḥ li |
| Thank you | شكراshukran |
| How much is it? | بكم؟bikam? |
| Where is the toilet? | أين الحمام؟ayna al‑ḥammām? |
| Can I pay by card? | هل يمكن الدفع بالبطاقة؟hal yumkin al‑dafʿ bāl‑biṭāqa? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Tea: Accept all three glasses; avoid: Leaving before the third
- Dress: Cover arms and legs; avoid: Shorts in towns
- Hands: Right hand to eat and pass; avoid: Left hand
- Gender: Wait for women to offer a hand; avoid: Touching unrelated women
Scams and watch-outs
- Very little street lighting – carry a torch after dark.
- Road traffic can be chaotic; give way to larger vehicles.
- Do not cross the railway tracks; some areas still have unexploded mines.
Generally safe in daylight; limited street lighting and traffic hazards after dark; travel in groups, especially women.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nouadhibou yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fishing port
- Iron‑ore train
- Cansado hotel area
- Local seafood
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Nouadhibou, revision 5202972 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5202972
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/nouadhibou). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.