Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The only border crossing between Morocco/Western Sahara and Mauritania is north of
Nouâdhibou. Crossing this border is straightforward and the road is entirely tarred to Nou-
akchott, except for the 3km no-man's land that separates the two border posts.
There are direct bush taxis heading north from Nouâdhibou to Dakhla (Western Saha-
ra), but travelling in the opposite direction you'll need to change vehicles at the border.
The 425km trip can easily be accomplished in a long day.
Senegal
The main border crossing for Senegal is at Rosso (by ferry), but it's also possible to cross
by bridge at Diamma (Keur Masséne), west of Rosso. The latter is a much calmer experi-
ence (officials at Rosso often give travellers hassle) although road conditions make
Diamma largely a dry-season option.
From Dakar to Nouakchott by public transport usually takes from 11 to 13 hours de-
pending on the wait at the border. At Rosso, most travellers without vehicles cross by
pirogue
(UM200/CFA500, five minutes) as the ferry crosses only four times daily. The
border is open 8.30am to noon and 3pm to 6pm.
Vehicles cost CFA5000 (foot passengers free). Customs fees are around UM1500 if
you're entering Mauritania, CFA2000 for Senegal, but officials here are reported to be no-
toriously greedy, so keep your paperwork (and vehicle) in good order.
PAPERS PLEASE
Mauritania is a country in love with police roadblocks, and you'll frequently be asked to produce ID, especially
when entering or leaving a town. This is usually a straightforward procedure and police are generally polite. Your
details are registered, so to speed things up make your own form (
fiche
or
ordre de mission
) to hand over. List
all the personal details from your passport (including visa number), occupation and destination. If you're driving,
include your vehicle's make, colour and registration number. Make plenty of photocopies.
Getting Around
AIR
Mauritania Airlines flies daily from Nouakchott to Nouâdhibou (UM20,000, one hour),
three times a week via Zouérat (UM39,000, three hours).
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Mauritania's road network is mostly good, with tarred roads leading from the border with
Western Sahara to Nouakchott, and on to the Senegalese and Malian borders at Rosso and
Nioro respectively. The roads from the capital to Atâr and Tidjikja are also tarred. Else-
where,
piste
is the order of the day, although great swathes of the country are little more
