region
Nouakchott and the coast
Use Nouakchott as a one-or-two-night gateway: the museum, the fishermen's beach and the market fit in a day, and the Adrar is the reason for the trip.
Rules in force · 3
- Mauritania ↗Check visa rules for your passport with official Mauritanian government sources or a consulate before travelling; arrangements have changed in recent years.
- Mauritania ↗Travel advice differs by region: check your own government's advice for each area on your route, especially in the east and near the Mali border.
- Mauritania ↗Alcohol is prohibited; do not import or carry it.
Nouakchott is the capital and the only city with regular international flights. It is flat, dusty and spread out, with no meter and no ride-hailing. Sleep here for the arrival night, do the museum and the beach with a driver, and leave for the Adrar or Banc d'Arguin with a licensed agency. Check your own government's advice for each region before you book.
Where to sleep
Arrival night, cash and agency briefing; museum, mosque exteriors and the fishing beach.
Long road day or seasonal charter flight; 4x4 with a licensed agency.
National park with birdlife; 4x4 and guide required.
Night sequences
- 5 nights
- Nouakchott 1 + Adrar 4 with a licensed agency
- 8 nights
- Nouakchott 1 + Adrar 5 + Banc d'Arguin 2
- Nouakchott to Atar is a long road day: do not plan it on your first morning after a night flight.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plage des Pêcheurs | Nouakchott | 25 min | unknown | Go with a driver in the afternoon and be back before dark. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding culture: leave the big bag at the hotel only if you return; otherwise your agency's 4x4 carries it.