We travel in Mauritania two week, we went to Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Atar, Chinquetti and Terjit in Mauritania.
First of all, we had a problem to cross the border. We arrived at the border around noon and we left almost 8:30 pm. The border was so busy as there was a German rally crossing as well and the visa office had a problem with their Internet. We waited a lot for that and than fight with fixer. (click more detail and border crossing details)
Before start to read all details of Mauritania you can watch a short movie where we could make video about the journey;
The bad thing was we needed to ride in the dark, we never want to ride in the dark in Africa and we needed in Mauritania, a new country where a lot of people talking about that it’s not safe. When we left the border we had about 50 km to ride to Nouadhibou, there are a lot of police-military checkpoints and hard to see them in the dark, they don’t have any lights at the road so I needed to stop pretty fast sometimes. Other thing, we were thinking They were really police or somebody trying to stop us. In Mauritania you need a ‘fiche’ (this is a paper with all your passport details and where you coming from, motorcycle plates etc.) we didn’t had it yet so each stop took us a while wait. We arrived there around 10 pm, opened our tent and had a good night sleep, well deserved! The bad thing is, this was her birthday, well she had better ones I can imagine on the other hand we will always remember this one. Hopefully, next year we will make it a nice day. 🙂
The next day we met 2 other motorcyclists who stayed at the same place, a Italian guy who was on a 3 week holiday enjoying riding in the dessert of Mauritania and James who came from England. We traveled with him a little in Mauritania also, we met a lot of countries again with James.
We wanted to go to Atar from Nouadhibou, there is dessert road next to the train rail. A total from approx. 500 km, and no road you need flow train rail. After serach and told some people who did before, we understood that no option to do that for us. Our motorcycles were fully packed. No petrol station and we need to carry extra petrol also food and water. 🙁 The train is still working which is calling ‘’Iron Ore’’ and one of the longest trains in the world.
We started search for how we put the motorcycle on the Iron Ore train and how much the price. The train leaves every afternoon from Nouadhibou to Fderik. ‘‘Iron Ore’’ carries iron so it is a cargo train. If you want to travel with the train you can just jump in. It is free. And the train is empty when go to Fderik so you cant black from iron. And They tols us if you can put your motorcycle to wagon It is also free but no way to do that. They have a platform which you can carry your motorcycle on it. And the platform price is 500 Euros. The price was high for us therefore we skipped it. If you have more people with you, share the price. We didn’t do that but we learned for other rider, who took the train; he shared the price and paid 50 Euros. But he said that the road was terrible from Fderik to main road for Atar. Actually, They have one stop before Fderik, which is called Choum. But Iron Ore doesn’t stop there. Just gets slow down for local people get of.
If you don’t want to ride on the desert and cant put your motorcycle to the train You have only one option to go Atar, ride from main road. So, we needed to ride all the way to Nouakchott and then up to Atar, which is 900 km!
As the fuel is not a thing they sell a lot in Mauritania. Super gasoline is in the block market. They use diesel for their car and almost no motorcycle in Mauritania. Our tank is 7.7 liters, approx. 230 km. We filled up our rotopax, 11 liters. We took extra 8 liters of water bottles to make it to the next petrol station.
The first day went ok, We ride around 300 km after that we found a nice spot for camping next to the road. We were planning go to a national park and camp there. The road, which we choose, was so sand. After James fell down She didn’t want to keep continue.
Next day we passed through Nouakchott. We found a petrol station, We filled up all bottles and the rotopax to make it for the last 450 km to Atar. We went wild camp again somewhere in the middle of nowhere!
Next day, halfway the road there was a city we hoped we can get some fuel for our motorcycles. Unfortunately there was no fuel 🙁 We decided to ride a bit slower to save some petrol so we hopefully we can make towards Atar. We didn’t! My motorcycle was empty about 20 km before Atar, luckily James was with us and he still had fuel.
He went to Atar to fill up a 5 liter bottle and would return to us with that so we can make it as well, darkness started to fall when he came back. So we went in a rush towards the camping, arrived there all 3 totally broken and extremely tired! But we made it. To see the next day it was a lovely place Bab Sahara, a Dutch guy called Justus owns this amazing place. Unfortunately there are not a lot of people coming anymore as the government says Mauritania is not safe to travel.
Atar, itself is nothing really special. We went there because we wanted to see Chingetti and than Terjit. After get rest 2 days in Atar we went to Chingetti which is a beautiful small town at the border of the dessert, the ride is 80 km over a dirt road which is not too bad but so much bumpy.
And last 10-15 km, is a little sandy road, depend on the wind. If the wind is so strong a lot of sand comes to the road.
We passed through some nice mountains and the ride was fun to do, we stayed 2 days in Chingetti walked around in the dessert took some really nice photo’s. This was a lovely place to see, this is where the dessert starts and you can see oases. Also, they have old library to visit and old town center, which is in UNESCO list.
After stayed 2 days in Chinquetti we went to a big Oasis called Terjit, this was 30 km south of Atar on the way to Nouakchott, the place was really cool to see. Just what we expected from a oasis. In the beginning the road and landscape was really nice. When we turn to Terjit we ride in the sand and couldn’t go to inside to oasis with motorcycle because too much sandy. So, we stayed in the village and walked to the oasis.
Now it was time to ride all the way back to Nouakchott, we did this in 1 day it was a long ride of 440 km but we made it! This time we took a extra 25 liters petrol with us. And we survived the crazy traffic. We met James again here as well, who applied for a Mali visa, we said 2 things before we left Europe. We are passing Mauritania as fast as possible and we are not going in Mali. So the first one failed and second one also failed. we got our Mali visa here as well. This is a cheap visa so we wouldn’t loose a lot if we don’t go. They said that we could get Nigeria visa easily in Mali. If we can’t get anywhere we can enter Mali, we have visa. 🙂
We leaved Nouakchott and stayed one night closed to the border of Senegal. Next they it was horrible border crossing! (click for the border crossing info)
For our experiences you don’t have to be scared of Mauritania, you can safely travel in the west part and go to Chinquetti, at that moment.
(Click a photo for slide show)
Chingetti
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Terjit
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And Mauratania
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FS
***175 km. before Dakhla, we saw a place which says ‘Bivouac Libre’ (GPS: 24.698337,-14.884035) We went to there to see. It is really nice place. We stayed there two days.
It is really amazing spot. Sunset, sunrise, moon, view…etc.You can eat fresh fish, which you can buy from fisherman. We didn’t buy eat because they gave us a lot when we were trying to take photo from them. They came to us said that they are for us.The place is 5 km far from the main road. Therefore, you can easily go to a market to buy bread and water. Also some basic food.
30 km. before Dakhla it has sign which writes Camper side and free. Go there to camp a couple of days. Before leave to camping side we went to shopping. I was sitting Ferry’s back and we had a little accident: Maybe the taxi suddenly stopped middle of the road to take customer but it was our fault because we crashed the taxi from back. Anyway, they were really friendly. They wanted to be sure first we are ok after that motorcycle. The driver asked we need a police to the report because he wants to go. I was surprise because we crashed him and he had a little damage on his taxi but he was thinking about us.
GS
When we arrived to the village He explain something about us who we are and why we want to see Bolama. (They were so much welcome. I just want to give a tip: we are calling it a village but they are big family. Grandmother and father went there made a house. After that their kids got married and most of them stayed there and have family. Therefore in the village everybody knows each other. They are brother, sister, cousin, brother-law…etc. Most village stories is same in West Africa. ) They were talking each other where we can stay. We said that we have our tent with us So, we can open the tent anywhere. They really got upset for that. Sana’s middle brother who is a Portuguese teacher, He said please stayed with us. They gave a room and room key.
Everybody was coming to the home to say hello and welcome to their village. We asked to WC where we can go. Nobody wanted to talk. We already know that African toilets so, we needed only privacy. They said sorry and show a place, which is around close, and they have a hole in the ground. We just smile and said thank you. We saw their face was already getting relaxed.
They decided cut a chicken for us to dinner for welcome. We already so much appreciate what were doing. Just we can eat what they will eat. But no way! This is for guest and we are guests. They cooked it and put all of them in our room. What was going on? Sana said that all for guests just to say welcome. We wanted to eat together how they are eating everyday. Finally, They were agreeing with us. Sat to the ground with your hand. It was amazing feeling to do that.
Next day morning, we woke up 5 am to see fisherman coming home, Sana’s brother include with all fresh fish.
Sana introduced us them. After that they wanted to give us some fish to welcome. They are unbelievable friendly people. We waited them to see how they collect fishnet.
We started to walk back to the village. First we went to see cashew. We never had seen before. They showed us cashew fruits and how we can eat it.
Also when we went to village they cooked cashew for us. Normally, I don’t like cashew but I understood fresh one is so nice. 🙂
We were so tired. So, we wanted to get rest. We didn’t close to door If they need something They can take easily. I suppose that we faint in the bed. We didn’t hear any noise when we were sleeping. When we woke up we saw a lot of food on the table. Almost how many house they have in the village they cooked something for us. I tried to keep tears on my eyes. They don’t have money but they have a heart, which you never compare with money or something else. All was fish and rice. But it didn’t important. What they were doing it was incredible. How could we eat all? We said Sana to wanted to share everybody. He said first we needed to eat a little from each pan after that we could share because all food came for to say welcome.
Afternoon we walked around the island a little more. Went to some markets. We wanted to buy something for house. You can’t be surprise the answer: No! If we need something they can buy or cook for us. Ok, can we buy something for kids? We like the answer: Yes! We bought a lot of cookies, candies and gave to Sana. We didn’t want to call kids in front of us and give it. Sana distributed kids in the village. We didn’t know that he said from us because kids came to us and said thank you.
I went to a house with woman. Good thing is body language works very well. 🙂
Also people were coming in the night to charge their phone. All kids were playing in front of the house because they have light only here.
We stayed there two nights. When we were leaving we were thinking totally different about life and culture. It was amazing to know that we have people like that in the world somewhere. They walked with us until begin of the village and said bye to us.
It was Thursday. So, we didn’t have direct canoe to Bissau. We wanted to take long road to see more things around. We went to the port of Bolama and waited a little canoe to pass Sao Joao. If the canoe has enough people they can leave at the same time. We paid 700 CFA to two. We asked how we could go to Enxude. They told us that a truck is coming to pick up people soon. We wait 10 minutes and the truck show up. Which is 1.000 CFA each. In the beginning it was ok because less people. We need to go 30 kilometers which is almost 2,5 hours. The road was really bad and they have a lot of little village or houses on the road. They wanted to get on the truck because only one truck was going to Enxude to catch the boat for Bissau. The truck could take maximum 20 people but almost 30 people and some of them were trying to stand. Also has a lot of stuff. It was so hard journey for us. But it was amazing experience to see people behavior. The truck was full and more people wanted to go on. They were helping each other to carry stuff or kids. Who was standing they were trying to give more space for them and keeping their hand to didn’t fall down.
They have max.30 houses in the village and most of them family. They are living between huge trees. We saw some traditional houses. Tried to talk local people. We shared our cookies with kids and played with them. Kids didn’t see tourist around. Maybe one house has a television. So, in the beginning they didn’t want to get closed to us. You need to be patience and show how much you are friendly. It could help for me but not for Ferry. When they looked his eyes they could scare, maybe because of colorful eyes. Who is living in the village they were so friendly people.
GS
When traveling by motorcycle the weight is important. Therefore it was a little heavy for bicycles or motorcycles. In 5 months, the zip problems started and they broke. We locked it one exit and keep continue other exit. Unfortunately, this one broke as well. Hooks are too thin when we used them on a hard ground they bend very fast. Also the sticks started to rust after 8 months. If the rain is so light it doesn’t mater how long rainy. But when the rain is heavy for 20-30 minutes it starts leaking.
