MAURETANIA OUT OF TIME AND A MAP
Roads in Mauritania end with the Ocean or the Sahara desert. Time in Mauritania is running out today, but it has started an infinitely long time ago. Due to the fact that for centuries, after the end of the caravan era, few have looked at it.
We will see a wonderful desert with majestic sand dunes, picturesque oases with palm groves, the largest monolith in Africa and the ocean coast crowded with colorful birds. We will travel back in time to the cool, medieval library and old mosque.
But most of all, we will experience a real adventure - an adventure of traveling and tasting the life of modern Mauritania. After returning, you will pick up the crayons and draw Mauritania in an empty, unknown place on the map of Africa.
14 days' adventure
For two weeks, we will look almost everywhere we can look at during this time, and a few more places.
standard bivouac
A small group. Accommodation in modest hotels and inns. There will also be nights in the desert. Full board.
maximum adventures
Sahara and the ocean, oases and fishermen, you will travel by the most famous train in the world and the mysterious Eye of the Sahara.
everything included
The price already includes everything you need on site. Hotels, guides, meals, admissions.
Mauritania - nature and tradition
When going to a new, unknown place, it is difficult to imagine what to expect. Mauritania will surprise you, that's for sure. With the beauty of nature and fantastic traces of a thousand-year-old culture. The kindness of people and a joyful adventure. Mauritania is unique.
BEN AMERA - MONOLIT NUMBER TWO
Ben Amera
Ben Amera is the largest monolith in Africa and second in the world after Ayers Rock (Uluru) in Australia. The monolithic zone in Mauritania extends one hundred kilometers south of Ben Ameri to an area known as Amsaga. Of the thousands of monoliths in the region, the largest are named after nomads, and some even have a legend.
the eye of the sahara
Kalb ar-Rishat structure
One of the few places in the Sahara visible from the space. A huge (50 km diameter) structure, resembling a crater formed after a meteorite impact. For some - a remnant of ancient Atlantis.
ANCIENT Chinguetti
Chinguetti | UNESCO
One of the 4 Moorish oases entered on the UNESCO list. On our tour we will see three of them. A stop on the way of caravans and pilgrims heading to Mecca. Next to Timbuktu, it was one of the most important centers of Islamic education. We will look at a medieval library filled with priceless documents.
birds sanctuary - Banc D'Arquin
Banc D'Arquin National Park
The Banc d'Arguin, on the Saharan coast of Mauritania, is undoubtedly one of the world's greatest bird communities. The most surprising feature of the Banc d'Arguin fauna is, of course, the number of seabirds. Over a thousand species have been identified. In winter, when almost 2 million birds can be found on Banc d'Arguin.Wśród nich: 700 000 brodźców, do 100 000 flamingów, 6 500 wielkich kormoranów.
LONGEST TRAIN IN THE WORLD
Iron ore train
This train runs on the only railway line in Mauritania. Transports iron ore from an opencast mine in the Sahara desert to the port of Nouadhibou.
This desert train is: 1. the longest in the world (over 200 wagons and a length of more than 2 km), 2. the heaviest (20,000 tons) and ... 3. the slowest (it covers a distance of 650 km in 15-20 hours).
Photo: Emesik - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
TERGIT oasis
Tergit | UNESCO
An oasis straight from childhood imaginations - water, dense groves of date palms, nomad tents. A favorite place of local tourists and once also Sahrawi princesses - as many as 7 of them chose an oasis for their coronation.
Photo: Ji-Elle - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
the most beautiful dunes
Erg Amatlich
There is no place in Mauritania more beautiful for lovers of dunes. We will go for a walk along the ridges of the sandy mountains, admiring the view of the Adrar plateau and the nearby mountains. And although the Sahara is mainly associated with sand, it accounts for only 10-15% of the largest desert.
TIME STOPPED IN MHAIRETH
Mhaireth
In the Mhaireth oasis squeezed between the slopes of the plateau, you can see what the Saharan oases looked like hundreds of years ago. Straw huts (tikitts), surrounded by a thorny fence, stand among date palms. We will stay here for a while to see the village and see the life of the inhabitants - they live as they did centuries ago, cultivating small plots of land and raising animals.
Photo: Clemens Schmillen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
ouadane - the city of scince
Ouadane | UNESCO
The inhabitants of the city of Ouadan say that the word "Ouadan" means the valley of knowledge and dates. The plateau on which the city is located is covered with palm groves, and the former scientific character of the city can be seen on the Four Scholars Street and the Scholars Street - a unique phenomenon that distinguishes the historic city of Ouadan from its Moorish counterparts.
expedition plan
Maximum program - I usually do. But there will also be a moment for respite.
Day 1. Nouakchott - the capital of Mauritania
Departure to Nouakchott - the capital of Mauritania. Today the city has around a million inhabitants, but just 70 years ago it was a small fishing village. After arriving and resting at the hotel, we set off for a walk around the driest capital in the world - located entirely in the Sahara desert. Overnight in Nouakchott.
Day 2. A walk in the Amatlich dunes
The first active attraction of our trip is a walking tour of the high Amatlich dunes, one of the most beautiful in this country. We're setting up a camp. We spend the night under one of the dunes. Camping in Amatlich.
Day 3. Saharan village of Mhaireth, Amojjar Pass and Chinguetti
In the morning we go to Mhaireth - a village wedged between the slopes of the plateau. There you can see straw houses, surrounded by fences made of thorn bushes. The village is surrounded by a large palm grove. The inhabitants live here as they did centuries ago, cultivating small plots of land and raising animals. Then Chinguetti. On the way, amazing views from the Amojjar Pass to the Adrar Plateau. Due to its long history and unique location, Chinguetti has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the other three settlements in Mauritania. During our trip we will visit two more of them. Overnight in Chinguetti.
Day 4. Chinguetti and a magical journey to the middle ages
Chinguetti was founded in the 8th century. The city grew rich thanks to its location on the caravan route. It was also the place where pilgrims stopped on their way to Timbuktu and even Mecca. One of the most important Koranic schools in West Africa was founded here. We will see an old mosque (one of the oldest in the Muslim world) and a unique medieval library with priceless manuscripts. In the evening we will go to the surrounding dunes to admire the sunset over the Sahara desert. Overnight in Chinguetti.
Day 5. Ouadane, where the road ends
Drive to Ouadane in the morning. This is another historical place that we will visit, entered on the UNESCO list. The city in the desert has for centuries played a significant role in the transportation of gold and salt in the Ghana Empire. We will see the ruins of the old part of the city, located on the slope leading to the valley, from the times when caravans roamed this area. Today Ouadane is a quiet place where the road ends - then there is only an endless desert. In the area, we walk through the nearby dunes and watch another amazing sunset. Overnight in Ouadane.
Day 6. Kalb ar-Rishat or the Eye of the Sahara and Tergit
Kalb ar-Rishat - a round, crater-like structure known as the Eye of the Sahara. It measures almost 50 km in diameter and is perfectly visible from space. We will try to discover the structures of Rishat and its mysterious geological past - it is still unknown what it really is. Around Rishat, for hundreds of kilometers, there is an uninhabited area where you can feel like an explorer. Overnight in the Tergit oasis.
Day 7. Tergit - Choum - Ben Amera monolith
Early in the morning we take the road to Ksar Tourchane; we cross the pass and head to Szum (Choum), a station in the desert, where we meet the world's longest train (almost 2.5 km long) that connects Zouérate with Nouadhibou. Lunch is on the way. Along the track and the dunes we drive towards the Ben Amera monolith. Walk around the monolith and the rocks carved by nature. Camping in the dunes. Willing people will spend the night traveling on the longest train.
Day 8. Ben Amera - Timichatt - Tuajil - Bou Lanouar
In the early morning, departure along the track. We will take daredevils traveling by train. Lunch on the way. At the end of the day, we reach Boulanouar. Dinner and overnight at the campsite.
Day 9. Nouadhibou - Ship Cemetery and Cap Blanc
Arrival in Nouadhibou in the morning. Then, visiting the second largest city of Mauritania. We will see the famous ship cemetery in Nouadhibou Bay and then drive to Cap Blanc (Cape White) to see the pristine white sand beaches. If we're lucky, we'll see the world's only large colony of endangered seals - the Mediterranean monk seal. Overnight at a hotel in Nouadhibou.
Day 10. Banc D'Arguin National Park, Arkeiss - people of Imraguen
Today we will visit the Banc D'Arguin National Park, the only natural attraction of Mauritania entered on the UNESCO list. It is a unique place where the land meets the ocean, creating vast backwaters, periodically flooded islands and sandbanks. Due to its high biodiversity, this place was chosen by birds migrating from Africa to Europe. You can see here, among others flamingos and pelicans. Transfer to Arkeiss, a village inhabited by the Imraguen people, descendants of Bafour - the original inhabitants of Mauritania. Their traditional methods of fishing with dolphins have not changed for hundreds of years.
Day 11. Iwik and Nouamghar or a weekday by the ocean
Transfer to Iwik, another settlement dependent on fishing and inhabited by the people of Imraguen. We will have the opportunity to observe the residents at work and on a daily basis. Then we will go to the largest settlement in the National Park and its seat - Nouamghar. More ocean views, endless beaches and backwaters full of sea birds await us. Transfer overnight to Nouakchott.
Day 12. Relax in Nouakchott
It will be a day to rest. We will go to the Fish Market - the beating heart of the oceanfront district where seafood is sold straight from the boat. It is a very authentic, lively and interesting place. In the area, we will walk along the Atlantic beach, then we will go to the vicinity of the Saudi Arabian Mosque - the most representative in the city. Afternoon drive to the beach. Rest. Overnight in Nouakchott.
Day 13. Nouakchott and departure back home
We will visit the National Museum - the largest of its kind in Mauritania, where we will see ancient items that testify to the long past of this area. The exhibits come from places we visited before. Free time in the city center. And rest before returning to Poland. Departure in the evening
Day 14. Back home
price
Ceny wypraw zawierają wszystko, co niezbędne do realizacji imprezy. Żadnych dopłat na miejscu. Po prostu fair.
2 100 EUR
+ bilety lotnicze
included in the price
- Accommodation in hotels,
- All meals,
- All attractions and permits,
- Transport on site (4x4),
- Expedition equipment,
- Local drivers and English-speaking guide,
- Experienced Polish pilot,
- NNW and KL insurance,
- Contribution of TFG / TFP.
not included in the price
- Flight tickets to Nouakchott,
- Visa - EUR 55 at the border,
- Personal expenses,
- Tips.