Published on : Thursday, August 23, 2018
Mauritania is both in the Sahara and in West Africa. It’s a pity that tourists give Mauritania a miss because it has so much to offer the adventuresome traveler.
Mauritania is big and empty. It’s almost twice the size of France. It’s more than twice the size of California. And yet, it only has 4.3 million inhabitants.
Prior to the kidnappings and executions that frightened the tourists away, Mauritania’s tourist Mecca was the Atar region.
Ever since Air France canceled its direct flights from Paris to Atar, tourism had evaporated. Clay and mud offer good insulation, and this is one reason why most Mauritanian homes are made of these materials. Reflecting their open and sharing culture, the houses have few doors and many open spaces. Many people sleep in courtyards. They are fortunate to gaze at the brilliant Milky Way most nights.
In the Atar region, you can visit Chinguetti, Ouadane and, for the truly adventurous, The Eye of the Sahara.
Another adventurous activity would be taking the overnight train that links Nouadhibou and Zouerat. It may be the world’s longest train (over 200 cars and two kilometers long). It’s easiest to ride it when it goes east to Zouerat because it’s empty. It loads up on iron ore in Zouerat on its journey back west.
Mauritania has problems. About half of Mauritanians are satisfied with the amount of freedom they have. No other country has a higher percentage of its population enslaved than Mauritania. The slaves who are lucky enough to watch TV only hope that they aren’t doomed to slavery. There is a free world beyond.
Two of its neighbors, Senegal and Morocco, are doing better than Mauritania, which could help pull it up. All thanks to persistent campaigns, the prevalence of female genital mutilation and slavery will continue to decline. The valuable tourism industry should bounce back in the 2020s.
Although Mauritania’s problems are serious, they have little impact on the tourist. Security has improved dramatically in the last 10 years.
Tags: adventurous tourists