Landscapes of Mauritania Nº 2

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival into Nouakchott

• Arrive in Mauritania’s capital, Nouakchott. Take the day at leisure.
• Overnight in Nouakchott.

Day 2: Azoueigya Dunes

• Head out after breakfast for a day around Nouakchott. We will visit the camel market, watch fishermen come in at Port du Perche, and visit the local museum.
• Drive after lunch to the Azoueigya dunes, some of Mauritania’s highest.
• Overnight in a tented camp.

Day 3: Terjit Oasis

• Drive to Terjit Oasis; we will have time to explore this green paradise, hike around the village, and bathe in the natural pools.
• Overnight in a local guesthouse.

Day 4: Ouadane

• Drive deeper into the Sahara, passing through dusty canyons and crumbling fortresses in the endless desert until we reach Ouadane, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Head to the incredible Eye of the Sahara, believed to be the location of the lost city of Atlantis.
• Overnight in a local guesthouse.

Day 5: Camel Safari

• Spend the morning exploring the old town of Ouadane before driving to Chinguetti—the seventh holiest place in Islam.
• Have lunch in Chinguetti before embarking on a camel ride through the desert.
• Set up camp for the night after three to four hours of journeying on the camels. The crew will set up a bonfire and cook a delicious barbecue. Today will be an authentic desert experience.
• Overnight in the desert under the stars.

Day 6: Chinguetti

• Start with breakfast, then prepare our camels for the journey back to Chinguetti.
• Once back, we will walk around the area and visit the library before watching the sunset.
• Spend the night at Auberge Eden, which is surrounded by pristine dunes.

Day 7: The Iron Ore Train

• All aboard the Iron Ore Train! Before embarking on this great journey, we will stop for supplies.
• Drive to Choum, where we will board the Iron Ore Train. These trains come through 3 times a day. However, timings are unpredictable, and we may have to wait as not all trains will stop. Once we board the train, it is around a 13-hour journey to the coast.
• Overnight on the train.

Day 8: Nouadiboh & Western Sahara

• Our drivers will collect us in the city of Nouadiboh once the train pulls in. Afterwards, we will go to a place where we can rest, freshen up from the long train journey, and eat breakfast together. If time permits, we will visit the traditional fishing port.
• Hit the road again to start our journey to Western Sahara, crossing the famous El Guergerat border which is controlled by the Moroccan authorities.
• Overnight in Dakhla.

Day 9: Dakhla

• Tour around Dakhla, visiting the famous white dunes and stopping for lunch in a local seafood restaurant. We’ll make a few stops at the many beautiful beaches and cliffs in the area and take in the vista of the lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean.
• The tour ends in the evening when we can head to the airport to catch our flights home.