Getting In and Around

Visas: All travelers except West African nationals need a visa to get into Mauritania. Arrange your visa in advance.

Transportation: The most common way to get into Mauritania is to take a charter flight from a European country like France. Most travelers fly into Nouakchott International Airport. If you are traveling elsewhere in West or North Africa, you can drive into Mauritania by car, bus, or bush taxi. Take note: traveling near the border of Western Sahara is not advisable, due to the presence of land mines.

Within the country, the most common form of transportation is by car or bush taxi. Hiring a private driver and car is relatively inexpensive, and having one makes travel between the cities and the beaches that much easier.

Mobile Phones: Most GSM phones work in Mauritania. If you don’t have a GSM-enabled phone, buy one cheaply in the country you live in, or buy one in Mauritania. Purchase a SIM card in Mauritania and enjoy inexpensive calls and text messages.

Safety and Security

As mentioned before, women should take care not to follow men into enclosed environments, like offices or cars. If you are a woman, make sure you are always in sight of a group or a street.

Because of activity by organizations such as Al-Qaeda, the U.S. Department of State has issued a number of travel warnings for Mauritania. Be careful when traveling across the borders of Western Sahara and Mali as land mines and religious fundamentalist groups are present. Traveling from Morocco to Mauritania is also not advised. Keep apprised of travel warnings before traveling to Mauritania.

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has created a security ratings system called the Ibrahim Index, wherein scores are based on each country’s quality of government. Before traveling to Mauritania or anywhere on the continent, check the index and do your research.