www.dragoman.com A country twice the size of France with only three million inhabitants was the focus in December 2005 when Dragoman Overland ran an exploratory journey through the remote wilderness of Mauritania’s Sahara.
The ‘exploratory’ has resulted in a new 16-day overland expedition following desert pistes in the immense empty expanses of northern Mauritania, departing Nouakchott 4th December 2006, 26th January and 14th February 2007, taking advantage of lower Saharan temperatures.
Dragoman’s Moorish Sahara is billed as a tough trip for the more adventurous traveller, offering an unbelievable experience but no great facilities. Travellers should expect to help sand-mat the truck through massive dunefields – this is hard work!
From Mauritania’s capital, Nouakchott (‘the place of winds’), the route 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 settlement lies on the edge of a great dune sea and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Chinguetti has a long history and is one of several towns that grew up on the tax revenues received from trans-Saharan caravans – sometimes up to 30,000 camels strong.
Depending upon local conditions, Guelb Er Richat – the largest geological feature to be discovered from space (during a 1965 Gemini mission) will be the next stop. Thought initially to be an impact crater, then the product of terrestrial erosion, there’s still a deal of uncertainty regarding the origin of this remarkable 50km ‘bull’s eye’ in the desert.
From Richat, the journey towards Choum and then Nouadibou and the coast begins, keeping south of the iron ore railway, away from forgotten 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 is a prelude to arrival back in Nouakchott and the end of a fascinating overland journey.
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