Amazing Mauritania

Mauritania in Western Africa is officially known as the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. It is an Arab country.

Visiting Nouakchott

Nouakchott is the capital and largest city of Mauritania and one of the largest cities in the Sahara. This city serves as the administrative and economic center of Mauritania.

The star attraction in Nouakchott is Port de Peche. This is an active and lively port where you can see teams of fishermen taking out heavy nets. Small boys help out by carrying trays of fish which they sort, gut, filet, and lay out to dry. The best time for visitors to visit is in the late afternoon when the fishing boats return to shore. You can see many pirogues.

The Nouakchott Fish Market is something to see with salt-washed pirogues packed with fish and seafood every morning and sellers haggling.

The Grande Mosque is an impressive sight with slender minarets and sandy courtyards. It is a most notable landmark in the city center.

The National Museum of Mauritania is where visitors can learn about Moorish culture. On the first level, you’ll see displays in the prehistoric gallery with archeological exhibits. On the second floor are ethnographic displays from the Moorish society.

A most precious landmark is the large Mosquee Marociane.

Exploring Mauritania

Chinguetti is a city that seems to rise up out of the shifting sand dunes in the Sahara. It is part of a larger UNESCO World Heritage Site. At one time this was an important stopover between the Med in the north and sub-Sahara in the south. Visitors come to see the brick-built towers and the old fortresses of the Berber tribes and Almoravids dating back to the Middle Ages.

Parc National du Banc d’Arguin is one of the national parks of Mauritania. It is popular among bird watchers and serves as a breeding ground. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you’ll find the largest concentration of migratory birds among them pelicans, terns, flamingos, and broad-billed sandpipers. There are shorebirds from Europe, Greenland, and Siberia that fly over for the mudflats. This park is mostly composed of sand dunes and provides a perfect contrast between the dry desert and the Atlantic. The waters all around are an abundant food source for both birds and people. You can also see different species of foxes, gazelles, killer whales, dolphins, monk seals, and turtles.

At the end of a long road that stretches from the capital Nouakchott, you’ll find the town of Ouadane deep in the heart of the Mauritanian Sahara. You can see adobe stone barriers, rough escarpments, and winding lanes, and alleys. There are Berbers with collections of crafts and goods. It is a mysterious place from where many people have moved away. It’s well worth taking a look at and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walking about take a look at the wadi and the fort. A small population still lives in the Old Town.

Tichit is an amazing place with the soaring tower of the Tichit Mosque topped by crenulations and inlaid triangular window spaces. It is perhaps the most famous mosque in the country. The ancient city is interesting with buildings with colored quarry stones. It lies deep in the midst of the Sahara Desert. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Another acclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Site is the enchanting and impressive Oualata. Here visitors can wander among age-old sandstone frontispieces with elegant Berber and Moorish patterns. Get a look at the crumbling Old Town and the towers of the great Oualata Mosque.

Nouadhibou juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and is a main part of the Mauritanian fishing industry. Here you can see seemingly endless docks and lots of sails and bobbing skiffs. Other industries in the city include processing iron ore. Get a look at Nouadhibou Bay and enjoy the sunset in the seaside Cansado.

Another great spot for bird watching is the Diawling National Park. Here you can see many pelicans and northern pintails, Sudanese golden sparrows, and pinkish flamingos. The park is also known for its acacia woods and packs of golden wolves. There are riparian habitats where you can meet up with crocodiles, ducks, and hippos.