Mauritania’s Complete Desert & Coastal Expedition
This eight-day journey to travel Mauritania is the optimal balance of depth and pace. You’ll cover the Adrar plateau’s most dramatic geography, access two UNESCO World Heritage cities, stand at the rim of the Richat Structure — the Eye of the Sahara, a 50-kilometre geological enigma visible from space — climb Ben Amera (Africa’s tallest freestanding monolith at 633 metres), and cross the central Sahara on the world’s longest iron ore train. Then, the Atlantic.
Mauritania receives fewer than 50,000 tourists per year. The Adrar region sees a fraction of that. The sites on this itinerary — the Richat Structure, Ben Amera, the ancient cities of Chinguetti and Ouadane — are barely known outside specialist travel circles. You will see extraordinary things without queues, without tourist infrastructure, without the mediation that dilutes experience. That’s the point.
The Iron Ore Train
Day 6 centres on the SNIM iron ore train, one of the world’s longest and most extraordinary transport experiences. The train covers 700 kilometres of Saharan desert from Zouerate to the port of Nouadhibou — a journey of 13 to 16 hours with no towns, no roads alongside, and no interruption of the desert’s absolute silence except the train’s diesel rhythm. You ride in the passenger carriage. A ticket is included in your tour price.
Is Mauritania Safe?
The Adrar region and Nouadhibou — the complete geography of this tour — have maintained a strong safety record for organised private travel. RJ Travel monitors security conditions in real time, coordinates with local authorities, and provides 24/7 WhatsApp emergency support on every tour. Full pre-trip safety briefing included. We have been operating Mauritania tours since 2019 without incident.
Arrive at Nouakchott airport. Transfer to your hotel. Evening orientation walk through the capital, visiting the bustling fish market on the beach where colorful pirogues land the daily catch.
Depart by 4x4 heading north through the desert. Stop in Akjoujt, a mining town at the edge of the Sahara. Continue through increasingly dramatic desert landscapes to reach Atar, gateway to the Adrar plateau. Settle into your auberge.
Drive to Chinguetti, one of Islam holy cities and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore the old stone quarter and visit private manuscript libraries preserving centuries-old texts on astronomy, law, and religion. Walk among the sand-invaded ruins of the ancient city.
Full-day expedition to the Eye of the Sahara (Richat Structure), a massive 40km-wide geological formation visible from space. Drive across the desert to reach this otherworldly landscape of concentric rock rings. Picnic lunch at the site before returning to camp in the desert.
Morning visit to Terjit Oasis, a spring-fed canyon hidden in the desert cliffs. Wade through the cool waters beneath palm trees. Afternoon free to explore the surrounding desert. Evening desert bivouac camp with traditional Mauritanian dinner and tea ceremony.
Drive east to Ouadane, another UNESCO-listed ancient caravan city perched on a cliff edge. Explore the medieval ruins, visit the old mosque, and see the remains of the trading quarter where gold, salt, and slaves once changed hands. Overnight in local auberge.
Transfer to Choum to board the legendary iron ore train, one of the longest and heaviest trains in the world at over 2.5km long. Ride across the vast desert landscape to Nouadhibou. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is a highlight of any Mauritania journey. Overnight in Nouadhibou.
Morning at leisure in Nouadhibou with optional visit to the ship graveyard. Afternoon transfer by road back to Nouakchott (or domestic flight if available). Evening at leisure before departure or transfer to airport.
