Is Mauritania Safe to Visit? What the Official Advice Says, and What We See
What the UK and French travel advice says, where our tours go, and the real risks of desert travel.
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Mauritania Travel Guides
First-hand advice from our guides, who have ridden the iron ore train more than 50 times since 2019.
We are a small team of Mauritanian guides, and these are the answers we give our own guests: when the iron ore train really comes, what to pack, what happens to travellers who go alone, and how to spend a week in the desert.
Mauritania Visa: How the E-Visa Works in 2026
Visas on arrival have ended. How to apply for the e-visa, how long it takes and how the fee is paid.
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How to Choose a Mauritania Group Tour
What 5, 7 and 12-day trips cover, group size, guide language, prices and the questions to ask.
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Can You Still Ride the Iron Ore Train in 2026–27?
Yes. Why we board at Choum, not Zouérat, the rules, the passenger car and what to expect.
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Choum to Nouadhibou on the Iron Ore Train: Times, Duration and Route
When the train reaches Choum, how long the ride takes, and the sights along the way.
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What to Bring on the Iron Ore Train: Our Guides' Packing List
Clothes, dust protection, documents and the 20 passport copies you will need at checkpoints.
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Riding the Iron Ore Train Alone or With a Guide
What goes wrong for travellers who go alone, and what a local guide takes care of.
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7 Days in Mauritania: Chinguetti, the Eye of the Sahara and the Iron Ore Train
A one-week route through Chinguetti, Ouadane, the Eye of the Sahara and the train.
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Tailor-made trips
Want a tour built around you?
Every itinerary here can be changed: your own dates, a private departure for your family or friends, more days in the desert, or extras like the Eye of the Sahara and Ouadane. Tell us what you want to see and we will design it.