www.dragoman.com A country twice the size of France with only three million inhabitants is the focus of a 16-day overland expedition following desert pistes (tracks in the sand) through the immense empty expanses of northern Mauritania, taking advantage of lower winter temperatures, departing Nouakchott (‘the place of winds’) 6th December 2006.
From capital, Nouakchott, Dragoman Overland’s 4WD Mercedes Benz truck heads north towards the tranquil oasis of Terjit. By day, bathe in the precious water of the oasis gorge, one warm pool and one cold, and at night camp out in Moorish tents.
Further north, the town of Atar marks the end of road and the beginning of off-tarmac exploration leading towards the ksour of Chinguetti. The UNESCO World Heritage Site lies on the edge of a great dune sea and has a long history as one of several towns that grew up on the tax revenues from trans-Saharan caravans – sometimes up to 30,000 camels strong.
Depending upon local conditions, Guelb Er Richat – the 50km ‘eye of Africa’ is largest geological feature to be discovered from space (during a 1965 Gemini mission). From Richat, the journey towards Choum, Nouadibou and the coast begins, keeping south of the iron ore railway, away from ill-defined minefields between Mauritania and Western Sahara.
The railway carries the world’s longest trains (over 3kms), transporting iron ore from mines at Zouerate. It may be possible to leave the truck for a while and let the train take the strain.
Whichever way travellers choose, the monumental rock monolith of Ben Amera, second only to Ayers Rock in size, is a key landmark along the way. Arrival in Nouadibou, allows for refreshing swimming at Baie de L’Etoile, an eclectic market experience, a surreal tour of a shipping graveyard and a one-to-one with residents of the Elephant Seal colony at Cap Blanc. Continuing, the route down the coast traverses very remote desert regions with no roads and no settlements, finally skirting Banc D’Arguin National Park.
Taking account of the tides, a 50km drive along the beach, camping in the sand by the Atlantic is a prelude to arrival back in Nouakchott and the end of a fascinating journey.
Dragoman’s Discover the Moorish Sahara is billed as a tough trip for the more adventurous traveller, offering challenging experiences but no great facilities. Don’t expect to send text messages or receive calls from the office – mobile phones aren’t banned, they just don’t work here! Participation with camp chores is essential – shopping, cooking, finding wood, building campfires and sadly, washing up! On some days travellers should expect to sand-mat the truck through massive dunefields – this is hot, hard work!
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