Before You Go
- Confirm passport validity and entry requirements.
- Check whether a tourist visa is required.
- Keep digital copies of important documents.
- Consider purchasing travel insurance.
Nouakchott
Mauritanian Ouguiya (MRU)
Arabic
NovโMar
GMT (UTC+0)
Welcome to Mauritania, a vast West African nation where the Sahara Desert stretches dramatically to meet the Atlantic Ocean. The ancient caravan city of Chinguetti, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds centuries-old manuscripts and mosques amid golden desert dunes. Nouakchott, the capital, offers a gateway to the desert alongside a bustling fishing port along the coast. The Banc d'Arguin National Park protects one of the richest bird habitats in the world, where migratory species gather by the millions. Mauritania's desert landscapes reveal dramatic dunes, rocky plateaus, and remote oasis towns steeped in Saharan trading history. Traditional nomadic Moorish culture remains deeply rooted throughout the country's vast desert interior. The country's remoteness has preserved an authentic, largely undiscovered desert experience for adventurous travelers. Mauritania invites explorers to discover a dramatic meeting point of desert and sea.
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Helpful information to consider before and during your visit.
Discover some of Mauritania's most popular flavors, traditional dishes and memorable local treats during your visit.
Thieboudienne is a signature Mauritania specialty known for its distinctive local ingredients, seasoning and traditional preparation.
This popular Mauritania dish brings together familiar regional flavors and is commonly enjoyed in homes, markets or local restaurants.
A well-loved part of Mauritania cuisine, Maru We-llham reflects the country's culinary traditions and locally available ingredients.
Couscous is a comforting regional favorite, prepared in styles that may vary between families, cities and different parts of Mauritania.
Visitors often seek out Bonava for an authentic taste of Mauritania's everyday cooking and food culture.
This traditional favorite highlights the bold, savory or gently spiced flavors associated with cooking in Mauritania.
Fish with Rice is widely recognized in Mauritania and is often served at casual meals, celebrations or community gatherings.
A memorable choice for travelers, Lakh offers a flavorful introduction to the ingredients and techniques used across Mauritania.
This classic food is an important part of Mauritania's culinary identity and is best sampled freshly prepared.
Mauritania is home to one of the longest and heaviest freight trains in the world, which regularly stretches over a mile and a half in length as it hauls iron ore from inland mines to the coastal port city of Nouadhibou, and some travelers ride it, sitting atop open ore cars, as a rugged and unofficial form of public transportation across the desert.
The country also holds a sobering historical distinction: it was the last country in the world to formally abolish slavery, doing so in 1981, and it did not criminalize the practice with actual legal penalties until 2007, a fact that stands in stark contrast to its otherwise striking Saharan landscapes and ancient trading cities like Chinguetti, once a major stop for pilgrims traveling to Mecca.
Roughly 90% of Mauritania's land is desert, and the country is bisected by the Sahara's shifting dunes, some of which have gradually swallowed parts of historic towns, forcing residents to periodically dig their homes back out from beneath the sand.
Another little-known fact is that Albanians have a unique cultural tradition called "Besa," meaning "to keep one's promise." This centuries-old code of honor became internationally recognized during World War II when Albania was one of the few European countries where the Jewish population actually increased because local families risked their lives to shelter refugees. Albania also boasts the stunning Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltรซr), a natural spring with crystal-clear turquoise water whose exact depth remains unknown despite multiple explorations.
Finally, Albania enjoys more than 300 sunny days each year, rivaling many Mediterranean destinations. The country is also famous for its "sworn virgins"โa centuries-old tradition in remote mountain villages where women could legally assume male social roles by taking a lifelong vow of celibacy, preserving family inheritance and leadership in the absence of male heirs.
