Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Nouakchott
Welcome at Nouakchott Airport. Transfer to your hotel. Afternoon introduction to Mauritania’s capital: the Port de Peche, National Museum, and the camel market where Saharan nomads trade. Welcome dinner of traditional Mauritanian cuisine — grilled lamb (mechoui) with couscous. Overnight in Nouakchott.
Day 2: Nouakchott → Akjoujt → Atar
Depart the capital heading into the Sahara. Stop at Akjoujt for mint tea in a traditional tent. Continue to Atar, the desert town that serves as the base for all Saharan expeditions. Afternoon exploration of Atar’s market — a crossroads for nomads, traders, and travelers unchanged for centuries. Overnight in Atar.
Day 3: Terjit Oasis → Amogjar Rock Art → Chinguetti
Morning at Terjit Oasis — swim in the natural spring pools shaded by date palms. Continue through Amogjar Pass to view Neolithic rock paintings and visit the French Foreign Legion fort. Afternoon: cross the trackless desert to Chinguetti. Sunset arrival at this legendary city. Overnight in Chinguetti.
Day 4: Chinguetti — Libraries, Mosques & Dunes
Full day exploring Chinguetti. Visit multiple family libraries — each with manuscripts collected over centuries. Tour the ancient mosque. Camel trek into the dunes for sunset — an hour-long ride that feels like stepping back a thousand years. Evening: traditional music and storytelling under the stars. Overnight in Chinguetti.
Day 5: Ouadane & the Eye of the Sahara
Journey across the desert to Ouadane, a ruined city on a hilltop that was once a key stop on trans-Saharan gold and salt routes. Explore the atmospheric ruins and the museum. Continue to the Guelb er Richat — the Eye of the Sahara — a 40km-wide natural wonder visible from space. Walk its concentric rings and marvel at this geological mystery. Overnight in desert camp near Ouadane.
Day 6: Sahara to Atlantic — Nouadhibou Ship Graveyard
Cross the desert westward to the Atlantic coast. Arrive at Nouadhibou and visit the legendary ship graveyard — dozens of rusting vessels stranded on the beach creating one of the world’s most surreal coastal landscapes. Afternoon boat trip into the Banc d’Arguin National Park with Imraguen fishermen — dolphins, flamingos, and pelicans in one of Africa’s most important bird sanctuaries. Overnight in Nouadhibou.
Day 7: Nouadhibou → Nouakchott → Departure
Coastal drive back to Nouakchott. Last-minute shopping at the crafts market. Transfer to the airport.
