14 Days in Mauritania
Trip Overview
This 14-day circuit loops through the Sahara heart of Mauritania before dropping to the Atlantic at Nouadhibou and ending back in Nouakchott. You'll ride camels over cinnamon dunes at sunset, sip mint tea inside 13th-century ksar courtyards, watch dolphins arc beside rusting shipwrecks, and listen to muezzin calls echo across mud-brick medinas. Days alternate between desert quiet and fishing-port energy, with night skies so clear the Milky Way looks dusted across black velvet. The pace is moderate, two-night stays in key oases prevent desert fatigue and let the silence sink in.
Pace
Moderate
Daily Budget
$90, 130 per day
Best Seasons
mid-October to mid-March when daytime heat drops and nights cool
Ideal For
Cultural travelers, Photographers chasing Sahara light, History seekers, Adventurers comfortable with basic infrastructure
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A complete plan for every day of your trip
1
Touchdown and Fish Auction at the Port
Arrive, change money, and dive straight into the salty chaos of the fish market.
Morning
Arrival and city orientation
Land at Nouakchott, Oumtounsy airport, clear immigration, and taxi 25 min into the city center. Drop bags, then walk the palm-lined Avenue de l'Indépendance where vendors sell chilled bissap juice the color of rubies.
Pre-arrange airport pickup to avoid inflated taxi rates
Lunch
Le Prince in the Nouakchott city center
Afternoon
Nouakchott fish market and artisan cooperative
Head to the port at 4 pm when wooden pirogues slide onto the sand and teams haul nets heavy with dorado. Salty mist stings your cheeks while gulls scream overhead. Afterwards, visit the cooperative near the Saudi Mosque where women weave bright cheche turbans.
Evening
Sunset tea on the beach
Café Layenne at Plage de Nouakchott, plastic tables on soft sand, Atlantic breeze carrying iodine tang
Where to Stay Tonight
Nouakchott city center (Hotel Wissal or similar small hotel)
Walking distance to taxis heading north tomorrow
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Buy a local SIM at the airport, coverage fades quickly once you leave Nouakchott.
Day 1 Budget: $70
2
To the Ship Graveyard of Nouadhibou
Six-hour drive north, then walk the eerie line of beached freighters.
Morning
Shared taxi to Nouadhibou
Leave at 7 am in a bush taxi crammed with sacks of onions and passengers swaddled in indigo. The road slices through pale scrub; you'll taste dust on your tongue at every window crack.
Buy front seat early, rear bench is brutal
Lunch
Restaurant du Port, Nouadhibou port
Afternoon
Ship graveyard walk
Hire a local guide at the port gate to lead you along the rusting hulls, massive freighters tilted like broken toys. Metal creaks in the wind and salt crystals glitter like frost on deck rails.
Negotiate fee upfront. Bring water
Evening
Dinner with fishermen
Share a platter at Chez Tapha facing the harbor, octopus curry scented with cumin and sea air
Where to Stay Tonight
Nouadhibou port area (Hotel Al-Baraka overlooking the bay)
Easy 5-min walk to taxis for tomorrow's desert leg
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Sunset from the roof of the abandoned Russian trawler offers the best photo angle.
Day 2 Budget: $85
3
Enter the Dunes at Amojjar Pass
Amojjar Pass
Leave the Atlantic and climb into the first real Sahara dunes.
Morning
4×4 south toward Ben Amira
Stock up on water and dates at Nouadhibou's market, then set off on piste. After two hours the tarmac crumbles into ochre sand. Acacia shadows slide across the windscreen.
Join other travelers at the garage to share costs
Lunch
Picnic under the Ben Amira monolith
Afternoon
Sandboarding and sunset
Clamber up the slipface of a 60-m dune; the sand squeaks underfoot. Lie belly-down on a plastic board and carve arabesques down the slope. Afterwards, watch the sun drop behind jagged black ridges while the air turns suddenly cool.
Evening
Desert camp under stars
Basic Berber tent at Amojjar Pass, carpets on sand, sky blazing with stars
Where to Stay Tonight
Amojjar Pass dunes camp (Nomad tent)
Only option and the silence is the point
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Wrap your camera in a plastic bag, fine sand gets everywhere.
Day 3 Budget: $70
4
Ancient Libraries of Ouadane
Cross the Richat Structure and reach the crumbling ksar of Ouadane.
Morning
Drive via Richat Structure
Bump across reg toward the bullseye of the Richat, concentric rings of rock visible from space. From the rim you gaze down into a rust and cream whirlpool stretching 40 km wide.
Ask driver to pause for aerial-style photos
Lunch
Family guesthouse in Ouadane
Afternoon
Explore Ouadane's stone libraries
Wander the ruined ksar's alleys, fingers brushing rough quartzite walls. Inside the restored library, parchment pages crackle as the guardian unrolls a 16th-century Quran, ink still smelling faintly of soot and saffron.
Small bills appreciated. Photography allowed outside only
Evening
Tea ceremony at sunset
Join the librarian on his roof terrace, the Adrar plateau glows rose-gold while swifts dart overhead
Where to Stay Tonight
Ouadane ksar (Gîte du Vieux Ksar (three simple rooms))
Inside the old town walls for dawn light over the oasis
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Ask to see the hidden tunnel that once linked the ksar to the well.
Day 4 Budget: $80
5
Chinguetti's Date Palms and Manuscripts
Short hop to Mauritania's most storied desert city.
Morning
Sunrise walk through Ouadane palm groves
Leave at 5:30 am when air is crisp and date fronds drip with dew. The sun ignites the Adrar cliffs while workers climb palms with rope belts around bare feet.
Lunch
Maison des Dattes in Chinguetti
Afternoon
Chinguetti Friday Mosque and libraries
Enter the 13th-century mosque, soft sand floors, wooden beams blackened by centuries of smoke. Then visit the Ahmed ben Mahmoud library where you'll hear the scratch of reed pens on vellum and smell parchment mingling with frankincense.
Arrive before noon. Libraries close for prayer
Evening
Starlit dinner on a dune
Camel ride 30 min outside town. Cook lamb and vegetables in a sand oven while the sky turns indigo
Where to Stay Tonight
Chinguetti old quarter (Auberge des Caravaniers)
Roof terrace overlooks the mosque's square minaret
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Bring a flashlight. Alleys are pitch black after 9 pm.
Day 5 Budget: $75
6
Terjit Oasis and Cool Water
Descend from the plateau to a palm-shaded grotto.
Morning
Drive south to Terjit
Wind down rocky escarpments. Temperature rises 10 °C within an hour. First glimpse: a ribbon of green slicing the beige horizon, palms rustling like dry paper.
Lunch
Oasis restaurant under palms
Afternoon
Swim and relax in the spring
Slip into the cool pool fed by a trickling waterfall. Overhead, date fronds filter sunlight into shifting green patterns. The air carries faint sweetness of overripe dates fermenting on the ground.
Evening
Drum circle with local families
Campfire circle by the pool, rhythms echo against canyon walls
Where to Stay Tonight
Terjit Oasis camp (Palm-frond huts with mattresses)
Huts sit 20 m from the spring for midnight dips
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Bring cash. No card machines for 100 km.
Day 6 Budget: $65
7
Atar Market and the Eye of the Sahara
Atar
Stock up in the regional hub and revisit the Richat from the south.
Morning
Atar market walk
Saturday market buzzes with click-clack of donkey carts. Barter for silver Touareg crosses and sacks of saffron-colored millet. The smell of grilled mutton skewers drifts under canvas awnings.
Lunch
Café Atar next to the post office
Afternoon
Richat Structure southern viewpoint
Drive 1.5 h south of Atar to the seldom-visited southern rim. From here the eye looks like a giant fossilized ammonite. Silence broken only by wind whistling through basalt shards.
Late afternoon offers softer light
Evening
Tea on Atar's main square
Café Touba, men playing checkers under bare bulbs, cinnamon scent rising from tiny glasses
Where to Stay Tonight
Atar town center (Hotel Tfeila)
Clean rooms, reliable Wi-Fi, and early departure point for tomorrow's train
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Fill diesel cans tonight, next station is 350 km away.
Day 7 Budget: $80
8
Iron Ore Train to the Coast
Zouérat to Nouadhibou
Riding the world's longest train through empty desert.
Morning
Board the iron ore train
Arrive at 6 am. Climb into an empty hopper car. Iron dust instantly coats skin metallic gray. As the 2-km-long snake lurches west, dunes flatten into a sheet of shimmering mica.
Bring goggles and scarf. Dust is brutal
Lunch
Packed baguette and cheese
Afternoon
Desert landscapes from train
Sit on the edge of the car, legs dangling. Sand gives way to black volcanic hamada. Mirages flicker like liquid metal. The train's roar drowns all thought.
Evening
Arrival in Nouadhibou
Shower and seafood at Hotel Cap Blanc, grilled squid with paprika while you wash ore dust from hair
Where to Stay Tonight
Nouadhibou port (Hotel Cap Blanc)
Hot water and laundry after 18-hour dust bath
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Tape your camera lens, magnetic ore scratches glass.
Day 8 Budget: $60
9
Banc d'Arguin Dolphins and Birdlife
Parc National du Banc d'Arguin
Pirogue through turquoise shallows to see dolphins and terns.
Morning
Drive to Parc entrance
Leave Nouadhibou at 6 am on graded track. Salt crust crunches under tires. Smell of drying seaweed drifts in through open windows.
Park permit bought at Iwik gate
Lunch
Iwik village fish lunch
Afternoon
Pirogue safari
Slip into a narrow painted pirogue. Dolphins breach beside you, water droplets sparkling like scattered diamonds. Thousands of royal terns dive for sardines, their cries a shrill symphony.
Haggle politely. Include tip
Evening
Camp on the edge of the park
Simple tents at Iwik camp, sleep to the sound of waves and distant jackal howls
Where to Stay Tonight
Iwik village (Park-run eco-camp)
Only legal overnight spot inside the park
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Bring binoculars, flamingo flocks often feed at dusk.
Day 9 Budget: $85
10
Cap Blanc Lighthouse and Monk Seals
Cap Blanc Peninsula
Visit Africa's westernmost point and its endangered seals.
Morning
Drive to Cap Blanc
Follow sandy track between dunes and crashing surf. Lighthouse appears as a white needle against cobalt sea. Air smells of salt and pine resin from rare Saharan cedars.
Lunch
Picnic on the cliff
Afternoon
Monk seal colony observation
From a cliff hide, watch Mediterranean monk seals bask on rocks below. Their guttural calls mix with surf. The smell of guano drifts upward on warm updrafts.
Guides enforce strict distance, lenses over 200 mm recommended
Evening
Return to Nouadhibou for hot shower
Dinner at La Langouste, buttery lobster tail grilled over charcoal
Where to Stay Tonight
Nouadhibou center (Hotel Al-Baraka)
Last real shower before heading south tomorrow
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Seals are active 8, 10 am and 4, 6 pm, plan accordingly.
Day 10 Budget: $90
11
Coastal Lagoons and Flamingo Mirage
Nouakchott coast
Long but scenic drive back south along the Atlantic.
Morning
Drive Nouadhibou, Nouakchott
Leave at 6 am. Road hugs the coast, waves on one side, endless dunes on the other. Stop at Lompoul lagoon where flamingos form a pink ribbon across turquoise water.
Front seat again, road is corrugated
Lunch
Roadside café at Lompoul
Afternoon
Nouakchott artisan village
Back in Nouakchott, visit the artisan village near the Saudi Mosque. Watch silversmiths hammer delicate filigree and smell cedar shavings curling under wood-carvers' blades.
Evening
Sunset at Plage de Nouakchott
Horseback ride along hard-packed sand, then grilled fish at Chez N'Deye
Where to Stay Tonight
Nouakchott city center (Hotel Wissal)
Familiar beds before the final southern leg
See all Mauritania accommodation options →SIM cards regain full 4G here, upload photos and call home.
Day 11 Budget: $75
12
Rosso Border Town and Senegal River
Southbound to the humid riverine south.
Morning
Drive to Rosso
Depart at 7 am. The land flattens into irrigated rice paddies. Air grows humid, scented with hibiscus and woodsmoke from fish-drying racks.
Morning departures fill by 6:45 am
Lunch
Rosso riverside café
Afternoon
Pirogue crossing to Senegal viewpoint
Hire a pirogue to glide across the caramel-colored Senegal River. On the far bank, women pound millet to a rhythm that echoes across water. Air is thick with mango blossom.
Bring passport for police post check
Evening
Sunset over rice fields
Walk the riverside dike, egrets wheel overhead while drums drift from distant villages
Where to Stay Tonight
Rosso riverfront (Campement du Fleuve (basic rooms with fans))
River breeze keeps rooms cooler than inland
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Mosquitoes appear at dusk, long sleeves essential.
Day 12 Budget: $70
13
Diama Wetlands and Birdwatching
Parc National du Diawling
Explore mangrove channels and hippo pools.
Morning
Enter Diawling National Park
A 1.5-hour drive on graded track gets you through the gate at 8 am, the hour when light skims low across glassy channels. Reed beds hiss as purple herons rise, wings thudding like canvas sails catching wind.
Guides mandatory, book at park gate
Lunch
Park ranger station meal
Afternoon
Boat safari to hippo pool
You glide into narrow mangrove tunnels where water throws back twisted roots like warped mirrors. Hippos grunt, blowing spray that reeks of river mud and crushed reeds.
Late afternoon offers better hippo sightings
Evening
Return to Nouakchott
Check back into Hotel Wissal, then climb to the roof of Le Prince for dinner, mechoui lamb, skin smoked crisp, flesh soft enough to pull apart with fingers.
Where to Stay Tonight
Nouakchott city center (Hotel Wissal)
Laundry, Wi-Fi, and clean sheets before departure
See all Mauritania accommodation options →Charge all devices tonight, power cuts are common outside the capital.
Day 13 Budget: $85
14
Final Souks and Departure
Last-minute shopping and airport transfer.
Morning
Nouakchott camel market and carpet souk
Walk among bleating camels and shouting herders. Dung scent mingles with diesel. Then thread through carpet stalls, indigo fabrics heavy with dye that stains fingertips blue.
Start prices at 30 % of asking
Lunch
Café Imraguen near the Saudi Mosque
Afternoon
Airport transfer
Taxi 25 min to airport. Check-in complete, nurse a last glass of sweet mint tea while boarding calls roll across the hall.
Evening
Departure
Duty-free dates and argan oil for the folks back home
Where to Stay Tonight
Departing (N/A)
Flight home tonight
See all Mauritania accommodation options →The airport café takes euros but hands back change in ouguiya, spend the coins before security.
Day 14 Budget: $60
Practical Information
Everything you need to know before you go
Getting Around
Between cities, lean on shared taxis and bush 4×4s, haggle hard. The iron-ore train is memorable yet filthy. Reserve hopper space at Nouadhibou freight yard. In towns, petit taxis are cheap but cramped. Walking often beats them inside medinas.
Book Ahead
Iron-ore train seat (1 day ahead), Banc d'Arguin pirogue (morning of), Terjit Oasis tent (phone day before). Everything else is walk-up.
Packing Essentials
Pack lightweight scarf for sandstorms, power bank for long drives, 2-liter water bladder, long-sleeve shirts against sun, headlamp for desert camps, universal adapter (European C and E plugs), copy of your passport separate from original.
Total Budget
$1,200, $1,500 for 14 days excluding flights
Customize Your Trip
Adapt this itinerary to your travel style
Budget Version
Camp every night, eat street thieboudienne, ride shared bush taxis, skip guided tours, daily spend drops to around $65.
Luxury Upgrade
Upgrade to Auberge du Sahara in Atar, hire private 4×4 with A/C, charter pirogue at Banc d'Arguin, dine at Le Calao in Nouakchott, budget climbs to $200+ per day.
Family-Friendly
Reserve two rooms in hotels instead of desert camps, cut the train ride to 3 hours, pack snacks for picky eaters, and add a day at Parc National du Diawling for easy wildlife viewing.
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