Find places in Mauritania

Must-Haves

• Port de Pêche (Plage des Pêcheurs)
  Watch hundreds of painted pirogues land the catch at sunset in one of West Africa's great spectacles.

Fun for Everyone

• Camel ride on the city edge dunes (Outskirts)
  A short camel ride at sunset is an easy first taste of the desert.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ksar old quarter walk (Ksar)
  Walk the oldest part of the capital, the original settlement before the city was built.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Taxi ride through the Cinquième (Cinquième)
  Shared green and yellow taxis are the cheapest way to see daily life in the busy south.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché Capitale (Ksar)
  The city's central market sells fabric, silver, leather, spices and everyday life in a lively maze.
• Marché Cinquième (Cinquième)
  A huge, busy market where locals buy melhfa and boubou fabric, sandals and household goods.

Must-Haves

• Musée National de Mauritanie (Centre)
  Archaeology, prehistoric finds and nomadic objects give useful context before heading to the desert.
• Mosquée Saoudienne (Centre)
  The capital's best-known mosque, with tall minarets, is a landmark best admired respectfully from outside.

Fun for Everyone

• Mosquée Marocaine (Cinquième)
  A handsome mosque near the busy Cinquième market area, a good stop on a market walk.
• Institut Français de Mauritanie (Centre)
  Concerts, films, exhibitions and talks make this the busiest cultural venue in the capital.

Fun for Everyone

• Plage de Nouakchott (Tevragh Zeina coast)
  A long sandy Atlantic beach for walks, sea breezes and sunset, though the surf is strong for swimming.

Great for Date Night

• Plage des Pêcheurs at sunset (Sebkha)
  Stroll the sand as the boats come in and the sky turns gold over the ocean.

Off the Beaten Path

• Dunes of the Nouakchott outskirts (Route d'Akjoujt)
  Golden dunes start just outside the city for a taste of the Sahara on a short trip.
• Parc National du Diawling (Near Keur Macène)
  A wetland park on the Senegal River delta with flamingos, pelicans and warthogs in winter.

Must-Haves

• Grilled fish stalls at the Port de Pêche (Plage des Pêcheurs)
  Fresh fish cooked simply beside the beach where it was landed that afternoon.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Thieboudienne at a local gargote (Cinquième)
  Eat fish and rice the way locals do, in small family-run canteens around the markets.

Great for Date Night

• Restaurant of Azalaï Hôtel Marhaba (Centre)
  A calm hotel restaurant with reliable international and Mauritanian dishes.

Fun for Everyone

• Méchoui and grilled lamb houses (Tevragh Zeina)
  Slow-roasted lamb and grilled meat are the celebratory food of the capital, shared on big platters.

Must-Haves

• Mint tea in a Nouakchott tea house (Tevragh Zeina)
  The three glasses of sweet mint tea ritual is the best introduction to Mauritanian hospitality.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Camel milk sellers (Marché Capitale)
  Try fresh or fermented camel milk, zrig, a staple of nomadic life.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel terrace cafés of Tevragh Zeina (Tevragh Zeina)
  Quiet terraces where you can linger over coffee and juice in the evening cool.

Fun for Everyone

• Evening promenade on the beach road (Tevragh Zeina coast)
  Nightlife here means families and friends out on the sand and in juice bars after dark.

Great for Date Night

• Juice bars of Tevragh Zeina (Tevragh Zeina)
  Fresh bissap, baobab and mango juices are the go-to evening treat in a dry country.

Fun for Everyone

• Eid al-Fitr in Nouakchott (Citywide)
  The end of Ramadan brings new clothes, visits and feasting across the city.

Must-Haves

• Azalaï Hôtel Marhaba (Centre)
  A dependable business hotel in the centre with a pool and good security.

Great for Date Night

• Halima Hotel (Tevragh Zeina)
  A comfortable, well-regarded hotel in the embassy district.

Fun for Everyone

• Hôtel Mauricenter (Centre)
  A long-standing central hotel close to the markets and museum.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Auberge Menata (Tevragh Zeina)
  A traveller favourite guesthouse with a courtyard, a mix of overlanders and helpful tips.
• Auberge du Sahara (Route de Nouadhibou)
  A simple overlander stop on the road north, used by trans-Sahara travellers.

Must-Haves

• Cap Blanc monk seal reserve (Cap Blanc)
  Home to one of the largest remaining colonies of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal.

Fun for Everyone

• Plage de Cap Blanc (Cap Blanc)
  Wild cliffs, crashing waves and big skies at the tip of the peninsula.

Great for Date Night

• Sunset over the Baie du Lévrier (Baie du Lévrier)
  Calm bay waters glow at dusk, a quiet end to a day on the coast.

Must-Haves

• Ship graveyard of Nouadhibou (Baie du Lévrier)
  Rusting hulls in the bay make one of the most surreal sights on the Atlantic coast.

Off the Beaten Path

• Iron ore train departure (Cansado)
  See, or ride, one of the longest trains in the world as it heads inland to Zouérat.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché Central de Nouadhibou (Centre)
  A lively market for fabric, spices, mobile phones and fresh produce.

Off the Beaten Path

• Port artisanal de Nouadhibou (Port)
  The fishing port buzzes with boats, buyers and crews from across West Africa.

Must-Haves

• Fresh seafood in Nouadhibou (Centre)
  Octopus, fish and prawns are the city's pride, cooked in simple local restaurants.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Senegalese canteens of Nouadhibou (Numerowatt)
  Hearty thieboudienne and yassa in small canteens run by the West African community.

Fun for Everyone

• Pâtisseries of the city centre (Centre)
  Bakeries serve fresh bread, croissants and coffee for a gentle start.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mint tea with fishermen (Port)
  Tea is brewed at every corner of the port, and visitors are often invited to share a glass.

Fun for Everyone

• Evening on the Corniche (Corniche)
  Families and friends gather by the water after dark when the heat lifts.

Must-Haves

• Hôtel Al Jazira (Centre)
  A well-known central hotel used by business travellers and visitors to the cape.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Camping Baie du Lévrier (Centre)
  A long-running overlander campsite and guesthouse with a friendly courtyard.

Off the Beaten Path

• Nouadhibou fishing season start (Port)
  The opening of the octopus season brings the port to life with boats and buyers.

Must-Haves

• Iwik and Tidra islands (Iwik)
  Huge winter colonies of flamingos, pelicans, spoonbills and waders in a UNESCO-listed park.
• Cap Tafarit (Tafarit)
  Red cliffs, empty beaches and an Imraguen fishing village where desert meets ocean.

Great for Date Night

• Sunset over Arkeiss (Arkeiss)
  Dunes roll straight into the sea for one of the most beautiful sunsets in the country.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cap Timiris (Mamghar)
  A remote cape with dunes and mangrove relics at the southern edge of the park.

Fun for Everyone

• Beach at Arkeiss (Arkeiss)
  A wide empty beach for walking, swimming in calm weather and stargazing.

Must-Haves

• Lanche sail boat trip (Iwik)
  Traditional sailing boats carry visitors close to the bird islands without engines.

Fun for Everyone

• Birdwatching walk at low tide (Iwik)
  Mudflats teem with migrating waders from Europe and the Arctic in the cooler months.

Off the Beaten Path

• Imraguen fishing villages (Iwik)
  Meet the Imraguen, fishing families famous for working with wild dolphins to drive mullet into nets.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Dried mullet and poutargue in Imraguen villages (Iwik)
  Taste the cured mullet and roe that Imraguen families have made for generations.

Must-Haves

• Campement d'Iwik (Iwik)
  Simple tents near the bird islands run with the park, the classic base for boat trips.

Off the Beaten Path

• Winter bird migration (Whole park)
  From October to April millions of shorebirds winter in the park.

Must-Haves

• Atar old market (Centre)
  The Adrar's main market for dates, blankets, silver and supplies before heading into the desert.

Fun for Everyone

• Ksar of Atar (Old quarter)
  The old mud-brick quarter shows how the town grew from a caravan stop.

Off the Beaten Path

• Azougui Almoravid ruins (Azougui)
  Traces of the eleventh century capital of the Almoravids, the dynasty that reached Spain.

Must-Haves

• Terjit oasis (Terjit)
  A palm-shaded gorge with warm and cool springs, perfect for a midday swim and rest.
• Amogjar Pass (Route de Chinguetti)
  A dramatic climb through the escarpment with views over the Adrar plateau.

Off the Beaten Path

• Rock paintings at Agrour Amogjar (Amogjar)
  Prehistoric paintings of cattle and people from a time when the Sahara was green.

Fun for Everyone

• Azougui (Near Atar)
  The historic Almoravid stronghold, now a palm village with ruins and stories.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Dates and camel meat in Atar market (Centre)
  Taste Adrar dates, famous in the region, and grilled camel at small stalls.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Tea houses near the market (Centre)
  Sit with locals for mint tea and conversation between errands.

Must-Haves

• Auberge Bab Sahara (Atar)
  A long-running guesthouse popular with overlanders and desert travellers.

Off the Beaten Path

• Auberge de Terjit (Terjit)
  Sleep in a simple camp at the mouth of the oasis to swim before the crowds.

Must-Haves

• Date harvest, the guetna (Adrar oases)
  In summer families gather in the palm groves for the date harvest, a much-loved season.

Fun for Everyone

• Camel trek from Atar (Adrar)
  Licensed guides lead treks of a few days through dunes, canyons and oases.

Must-Haves

• Old town of Chinguetti (Old town)
  Stone houses, narrow lanes and centuries of scholarship in a UNESCO-listed caravan town.
• Friday Mosque of Chinguetti (Old town)
  The square stone minaret topped with ostrich eggs is the symbol of Mauritania; admire it from outside.
• Al Habott library (Old town)
  A family library guarding ancient Quran manuscripts and scholarly texts.

Fun for Everyone

• Ahmed Mahmoud library (Old town)
  Another family manuscript collection, shown by its keepers with pride.

Must-Haves

• Erg Ouarane dunes (East of Chinguetti)
  Golden dunes rise right behind the town for sunset walks and camping.

Great for Date Night

• Sunset on the dunes behind Chinguetti (Erg Ouarane)
  Climb a dune with tea as the sand changes colour, the classic Chinguetti evening.

Off the Beaten Path

• Abweir (Near Chinguetti)
  Ruins of the original Chinguetti settlement, a short trip out of town.

Fun for Everyone

• Camel ride into the Erg (Chinguetti)
  Short camel rides and overnight camps head out straight from town.

Off the Beaten Path

• Stargazing night in the desert (Erg Ouarane)
  Almost no light pollution means vast, brilliant skies.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Silver and leather sellers (Old town)
  Small stalls sell Moorish silver, leather cushions and tea sets.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Couscous and camel stew in an auberge (New town)
  Hearty home-style meals served on shared platters in the guesthouses.

Fun for Everyone

• Tea with a library keeper (Old town)
  Many visits end with mint tea and stories of the caravan days.

Must-Haves

• Auberge La Gueïla (Chinguetti)
  A well-known guesthouse with rooms, tents and good meals near the old town.

Great for Date Night

• Desert camp in the Erg Ouarane (Erg Ouarane)
  A night under canvas or the stars among the dunes.

Must-Haves

• Festival des Villes Anciennes (Chinguetti)
  The rotating festival of the ancient cities brings music, poetry and camel racing to the ksour.

Must-Haves

• Old town of Ouadane (Old town)
  Terraced stone ruins tumble down the hillside in this UNESCO-listed caravan city.

Fun for Everyone

• Ouadane old mosque (Old town)
  The mosque at the heart of the old quarter, still the anchor of the town; respect prayer times.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ouadane manuscript libraries (Old town)
  Family collections of manuscripts that survive from the city's trading heyday.

Must-Haves

• Guelb er Richat, the Eye of the Sahara (Richat Structure)
  A vast ring structure visible from space, explored with a local guide.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ouadane palm grove (Below the old town)
  Shady palms and gardens at the foot of the ruins, peaceful in the afternoon.

Great for Date Night

• Sunset over the Ouadane ruins (Old town)
  Golden light on the stone walls and plateau is unforgettable.

Off the Beaten Path

• Drive from Chinguetti to Ouadane (Adrar plateau)
  A rough desert track through plateau and sand, done with a guide and a good vehicle.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Crafts sellers of Ouadane (Old town)
  Small stalls sell stone arrowheads, silver and leather work.