Mauritania
Visas & entry
Most visitors—including US, UK, Canadian, Australian, French and other EU passport holders—should assume they need an ANRPTS e-visa authorization before boarding; the old visa-on-arrival system ended for visa-required travelers in January 2025. Print the authorization, carry a passport valid for at least six months, and bring exact euro or US-dollar cash for the arrival payment and biometrics; several West African and Maghreb nationalities have visa-waiver arrangements. Verify current rules directly with ANRPTS or a Mauritanian embassy, and carry yellow-fever certification if arriving from a transmission-risk country.
Getting in
- Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport: The normal international gateway and the right arrival point for most first trips. It is the place to arrange cash, SIM cards, a vehicle and driver before heading to Adrar or the coast.
- Nouadhibou International Airport: Useful for a coast-first itinerary, Banc d’Arguin/Nouadhibou travel, or Canary Islands connections. Flights are fewer and schedules can shift, so use it only if it genuinely improves the route.
- Rosso border crossing from Senegal: The practical overland entry for a Senegal–Mauritania route and Senegal River valley travel. Expect slow, unpredictable border formalities and avoid building a tight onward schedule around it.
Getting around
There is no practical national public-transport network for a first-timer’s itinerary. Main roads connect Nouakchott, Nouadhibou and Atar, but desert tracks, sand, breakdowns, checkpoints and long driving days make a tested 4WD with a local driver-guide the sensible choice. Domestic flights can occasionally save time between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, but schedules are not reliable enough to be the sole backbone of a trip; do not build an itinerary around the iron-ore train.
Money
The currency is the Mauritanian ouguiya (MRU). Treat cash as essential outside Nouakchott and bring backup funds; the capital has the best access to ATMs and exchange, while cards are not something to rely on in desert towns or remote camps. For the e-visa arrival charge, carry exact euros or US dollars.
- Check your government’s current security map before booking: several northern, eastern, border and remote zones may be advised against, and this can affect insurance validity.
- Do not self-drive desert routes with only a phone map. Use a capable 4WD, a proven local driver or guide, extra fuel and water, and leave generous timing buffers.
- Travel by daylight outside cities. Roads, sand, weather, checkpoints and mechanical problems routinely turn straightforward distances into long days.
- Nouakchott is a logistics stop, not a place to wander casually after dark; use arranged transport and avoid isolated beaches and poorly lit districts.
- Banc d’Arguin access depends on permits, tides, wind, boats and local arrangements. Book a local base in advance and allow at least two nights rather than attempting a day trip.
- The iron-ore train is industrial transport, not a regulated attraction: passenger access and enforcement are inconsistent, conditions are harsh, and it should not be treated as a guaranteed activity.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this country.