Mauritania

Southwestern Mauritania was once home to the Ghana Empire, one of the earliest urbanised civilisations to emerge in western Africa, with its capital at Koumbi Saleh.

Mauritania is an Islamic Republic, and the people in the North have a reputation as being very conservative and quite reserved.

The southern part of the country is filled with friendly people, and they are very welcoming, if a little unused to tourists.

For people from outside the Maghreb there is a risk of kidnapping, especially in the more remote northern and eastern parts.

Travelling to Mauritania is becoming easier, with charter flights from France to Atar through the winter. Guides and tourist agencies are quite easy to find.

Arabic is the official language of Mauritania. The Modern Standard dialect is the main language of the government, whereas the Hassaniya dialect is the local vernacular. Hassaniya Arabic contains many loanwords from various Berber languages and differs significantly from Modern Standard Arabic.

French is widely spoken, a reminder of the country's colonial heritage. It is taught from the sixth grade in Mauritanian schools and it serves as one of the main lingua francas of the country. It's widely used in everyday business and government. Most websites in Mauritania are either in Arabic or French.

English is not widely spoken, but its use is gradually increasing, especially among young people. Although the government encourages its citizens to study English, many English-teaching institutions in Mauritania are poorly structured and lack direction. Still, Mauritanians see English as an important skill to have in the job market. You're likely to find an English-speaker in the capital, Nouakchott.

Some of the languages spoken by Mauritania's black population in the south are Pulaar, Wolof, and Soninke (especially in the Guidimakha region around Selibaby).

Make sure to have plenty of passport copies for travelling between towns. It’s not uncommon to give away up to 5-10 passport copies a day to police at checkpoints.

The Adrar massif in the north is full of stunning desert scenery. Take a 4x4 off-piste across rocky terrain and through narrow canyons to explore the lush, hidden oases which have provided water and refuge to traders crossing the Sahara for centuries. The Adrar contains two of the country's magnificent historical cities. Chinguetti was once a trading centre and centre of Islamic scholarship whose architecture remains unchanged in nearly a millennium. Along with Ouadane and a few other small towns, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And do not miss the world's longest train either just for a glimpse or to hop into an iron ore car filled with Mauritanians for the 12-hour journey from the Adrar to the coast. The remains of the Almoravid capital Azoughui, and rock paintings, are draws of the Adrar.

Much of the central coastline is part of Parc National du Banc d'Arguin, home to millions of migrating birds each year. At Nouamgar, you can watch the unique spectacle of local tribesmen communicating with dolphins to round up teams of fish into shallow waters for them to be netted.

In the southeast, the oasis city of Oualata was the southern end of most trans-Sahara trading routes in the 13th & 14th centuries. The city has colourful buildings, many of which feature intricate geometric designs. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also boasts a manuscript museum with examples of ancient scrolls in fine calligraphy.

Visiting the Hamoni library in Chinguetti

Mauritanian cuisine is often overlooked in favour of the more recognisable cuisines of North Africa and the Middle East. Don't let that stop you from fully experiencing Mauritanian gastronomy; Mauritanian cuisine is a unique blend of flavours and incorporates African, Arab, and French influences.

There is a decent variety of restaurants in Nouakchott with dishes costing from UM100 to 250. Most restaurants in the capital offer much the same menu - simple pizzas, hamburgers, sandwiches and salads. There is a string of restaurants on the road from the Stade Olympique to the French Embassy. Good ones include Pizza Lina, Café Liban and Le Petit Café. The Sahara Café, on the other side of the stadium, is also a good place for pizza, sandwiches or Lebanese dishes, and has some of the best reasonably-priced food in town. Near Marche Capitale, there is a street of sandwich shops that offer near-identical menus, the best of which is the Prince (which taxi drivers know by name).

Outside of Nouakchott, it is possible to find a hamburger in Atar. Otherwise, the choice is local dishes: fish and rice (chebujin) in the south and rice and meat or couscous in the north. Hole-in-the-wall restaurants can be found everywhere and serve meals from UM 20-50. Mechui, or grilled sheep, is also delicious if a little more expensive. Look for carcasses hanging by the side of the road. Some fruit can be found in most regional capitals. Most restaurants outside of Nouakchott do not have very high standards of cleanliness. Since most small restaurants go under within a few years of opening, your best bet in trying to find one in a regional capital is to just ask locals for directions to whatever is nearby. Another alternative, in the absence of a restaurant, is paying a family to prepare food for you, which should be relatively inexpensive (no more than UM 150), even if it takes a while (up to a couple hours to buy the food and prepare it).

Bottled water can be bought for UM 20 and is a good idea for anyone not accustomed to Africa.

If none of this sounds good, keep in mind that boutiques everywhere sell bread, cakes, biscuits and drinks if nothing else.

Tea is usually served after a meal, but it is not included with the meal at restaurants. If you are offered tea in someone's home, it is impolite to leave until at least the second (of three) glasses. The whole process takes about an hour.

Despite being an Islamic country there are a few fun bars in the capital. Drinking can be expensive, with a beer costing up to US$6. There is a nightclub inside the French Embassy compound. For the non-French, try the Salamander or the trashy (but open late) Club VIP. Next door to VIP is the Casablanca, a more low-key bar with live music on the weekends. It is illegal to import alcohol beyond 0.5 litres, which must be declared.

All ranges of accommodation are available, with the highest class hotels available only in Nouakchott and Atar. "Auberges" and campsites can rent beds/mattresses for as little as UM 150 in the Adrar and Nouadhibou.

There is usually at least one hotel in the regional capitals in the rest of the country, although they can be expensive for what you are getting. If possible, make friends with a local and try to get invited to stay with their family. As long as you don't mind sleeping on the ground on a foam mat, sleeping/eating near animals or using a latrine, you will probably end up having a pleasant and memorable stay.

The University of Nouakchott Al Asriya is the largest university in the country.

Mauritania is a country that has long been associated with a tradition of North-South trade and is favorable to free markets and entrepreneurship. The government welcomes businesses and individuals that can contribute to Mauritania's long-term development because the government is keen on overcoming a history of poverty and economic disarray.

Although that sounds impressive, Mauritania is one of the world's poorest countries. With such high rates of poverty, bureaucratic corruption, and illiteracy, Mauritania isn't thought of as a top destination for expatriates. There are not enough jobs for everyone; the country suffers from high levels of unemployment. This is often blamed on a poorly developed educational system.

Nepotism is common in the Mauritanian business world. The country's association with tribalism and tribal ties means that there are patronage networks in the country.

If you have no knowledge of either French, Arabic, or both, expect things to be an uphill battle; very little English is spoken in Mauritania and you can expect all business transactions and communications to be conducted in either French or Arabic.

The importance of having connections in the country cannot be overstated. Maintaining good contact with the Mauritanian government and having a degree of influence within the local community will help you or your business succeed in Mauritania.

The area near Western Sahara is heavily mined, and travel through this area is highly inadvisable. Border areas lining Algeria and Mali are notorious for banditry. The single paved road coming from Morocco is perilous, having been the site of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) kidnappings. If you must travel on this path, it is best to do so in a tight caravan. In other areas, one should avoid flaunting wealth or expensive wares. Daunting though it may seem, a bit of research and common sense will ensure a pleasant trip in Mauritania.

Check your embassy or consulate travel advisories carefully. Due to attacks on Westerners, most Western nations advise great caution. Resident expatriates travel between cities by day, in groups and on major routes.

There are certain parts of Mauritania that have been closed to tourists by the Mauritanian armed forces (usually in the eastern and northern portions of the country). Most of these places have little to offer/interest tourists, but occasionally historic sites like Chinguetti or Ouadane are included. Check what regions are closed before you plan your trip.

For the majority of Westerners, the local water in any part of the country (including Nouakchott) is not safe to drink. Visitors should drink only bottled water if they don't have access to some type of water purifying or filtration system. The Sahara is a very dry climate. You may become dehydrated quite easily, and not be aware of it. The best rule of thumb is to be sure that you have urinated three times each day, at reasonable intervals. In the hottest part of the year, this might mean drinking several litres of water each day.

Malaria is endemic in the southern part of the country, and visitors should always use a mosquito net there. Mosquitoes are less common in the dry desert in the north of the country, but exist year-round in the south, if a bit less prevalent during the dry season (December-May).

Learn Salaam alaykum and use it when greeting people. If you are a man, don't try to shake hands with a woman, and vice versa (note that some African women will not have a problem with shaking a man's hand, but it is best to not try to initiate contact, just follow their lead). You can, however, say hello and touch your hand over your heart.

Be careful to eat with your right hand, especially outside of Nouakchott where you may not be offered cutlery. Like other places in the Arab world, the left hand is reserved for the toilet. If you're left-handed... try hard.

Covering your head isn't required, but it is polite. It may cut down on the Madame, ou bien Mademoiselle? (Mrs or Miss?) question, but Westerners, especially women, will be the target of unwanted attention and minor harassment everywhere in the country. Many Mauritanians, both male and female, think that a direct gaze is a sexual invitation. There is even a phrase in Hassiniya, ayna m'tina, meaning strong eyes, to describe what many people feel is an aggressive act. This doesn't mean however, that the men have carte blanche to harass. Calling them on their bad behaviour, or pointing it out to the ever present bystanders, can often work. If you give respect, you can demand it also. The Moors respect women who stand up for themselves, even while they push you to see how far they can get.

If you are travelling with someone of the opposite sex, avoid touching in public. It's much more common to see two men holding hands than a woman and a man. As far as dress, the more skin you show, the more negative attention you will receive. In Nouakchott, women can wear trousers, but avoid tank tops and to-the-knee skirts. Long skirts are the best choice for women. It is a good idea to cover your arms also. Trousers display the crotch area and thus are also disturbing, especially to people in the countryside who aren't as used to seeing this as the city dwellers. Most people will be very polite, and you will not know what they are thinking.

If you are a female, there is no non-sexual reason, ever, to go off in private with a man. If they ask you to step into an office, or back of a shop or anywhere; don't. The men are aware that that is an unreasonable request, and no one would ask you for a private chat if they meant well. If you allow yourself to be alone with a man, for however brief a time, everyone will assume you had sex, and will judge you accordingly. As a weakling, not as dissolute.

Slavery is a sensitive historical and social issue in Mauritania. While there are laws prohibiting and criminalizing slavery, such practice still persists in the local society, and there are records of government harassment. As a tourist, you are best not to be involved in the situation.

If you are white, Nasrani, Toubac and Toubab refers to you. Children, and sometimes rude adults, will refer to you by this name. Nasrani means a person from Nazareth. Since Christians follow Christ's teachings, and Christ is from Nazareth, then Christians are all honorary Nazarenes.

Beware of people who may try to take advantage of your politeness in order to try to make a sale. Be aware that in market areas, almost everyone who tries to befriend you is trying to sell you something at an inflated price. They will try many tricks to get you to buy items from them (including "giving them to you as a gift"), and a few might even accuse you of not liking Africans if you decline to look at their souvenir shop. If someone is going beyond the normal limits to bother you, it is not impolite to tell them, without question, that you are not interested. If they ask for something that you own, just say that you need it now, and can give it to them in a month or so.

There are three operators of GSM networks: Mattel (excellent English website), Mauritel Mobiles and Chinguitel. Prepaid plans are available for three of them. 3G/4G is available and data speeds are good.

For tours into the desert where no GSM-Network is available satellite phones are a good solution. Service providers include Thuraya, Iridium and Inmarsat. Thuraya tends to be the cheapest and the easiest to use. The equipment is also available for rent.

Internet cafés with DSL internet can be found in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou for 200-300 UM/hour. Slower connections plague "cybercafés" elsewhere in the country, but it's possible to check emails.

To Morocco: Cars with drivers can be arranged to cross the minefield from Mauritania to Western Sahara from hotels in Nouadhibou.