The Great Tour of the North

From now on, the easiest solution is to make this 470 km journey by taking the tar between these two cities. For those who have time and prefer to breathe in an adventure scent rather than a smell of overheated asphalt, we advise you to take this route by the track. From the outset, you get to the heart of the matter, this journey, which is about 500 km long, will last a few hours, partly along the beach at low tide, in a bush taxi or a 4x4, or a few days, across the desert, in a truck. In the latter case, a change of scenery and emotions are guaranteed. If you go by the beach, visit the Arguin bench. Once in Nouadhibou, do not miss the excursion at the end of the Cap Blanc peninsula, going down the cliffs that give access to huge sandy beaches, sheltering some monk seals. Also worth seeing is the railway terminal and the bay of Le Lévrier, where many fishing boat wrecks lie. The passage to Western Sahara is proceeding without any problems.

By 4x4 or bush taxi, you follow the railway line. By taking the train, friendliness is guaranteed during the 15 to 18 hours of travel. Zouérate is the gateway to cross the Sahara and reach the Algerian border through Bîr Mogrein, a very random route. To be done only with an experienced guide because there are still mines in this region, vestiges of the conflict between Morocco, Mauritania and the Polisario Front. A visit to the open-air iron mine is very informative.

The journey is carried out, either in whole by the ground road, by train to Choûm, then by brousse-brousse from Choûm to Atar. Before arriving in Atar, choose to do a few more kilometers, so as not to miss the splendid oasis of Azougi.

Prefer the old track that passes through the pass of Amogjâr, even though its crossing is increasingly random, it is so much prettier than the new (faster), and, with a little luck, you can admire beautiful cave paintings. The journey takes about an hour longer, depending on the skill of your driver to find "the pass", but the landscapes encountered will confirm that this is not wasted time.

One of the high places of Islam, one of the four cities of Mauritania classified as world heritage of mankind, its spiritual influence was immense, it is famous for its ancestral manuscripts whose consultation is reserved however to the insiders. Because of its geographical location, Chinguetti fights against the desert in a fight whose outcome is at best uncertain. In the east, in several hundreds of kilometres, the powerful dunes of the Erg Ouarâne have been moved to the other side of the dried in a battle lost against the sand. The old town remains only the mosque and some libraries.

Ouadâne, a world heritage city, is the end of the world. 500 years ago it surpassed Chinguetti, culturally and commercially. The disappearance of caravans led to the decline of this ancient city. If you have a bit of strength, try the expedition to the amazing Guelb er-Rîchât, prehistoric site with a difference of 80 m. On the road of return, since you will have to go to Atar again, do not miss Terjît, it is really an oasis of freshness, fed by a source, flowing in every season. Atar on the road to Akjoujt. The Atar-Nouakchott route has only a relative interest.