Border Mauritania - Senegal, Rosso, Corrupt Police, Visas and Passports

This is well known to be the worst place to enter Senegal. From all border passages, the border here in Rosso is quite messy and full of corrupt police officers in both sides, Mauritania and Senegal.

Coming from Mauritanian Rosso, you have to make all your documents signed from the head chief police, and remember not to give your passport to the wrong guy, it can just disappear. give your passport when 2 people police men are with you, follow them even if they say you can’t pass, this way you can always follow them and when someone blocks your entry say loudly they have your passports to stamp! this way everyone will know reducing the probabilities of getting your passport robbed and being ripped of for it to appear again.

At Least Do This: after Mauritanian formalities you have to get a boat to Senegalese Rosso which will cost you 1500UM for a vehicle and plus 500UM for each passenger.

On the Senegalese side things get worst eve. If you heard people talking about corrupt police force but never saw them in action, here is the perfect place to meet them face to face. open your eyes and open your hears baby, cos you’re going to give money away…

for entrance policeman that stamps your passport will ask you for money…doesn’t exists in other entrances to Senegal like in Diamba or south in the Gambian border.

Police will tell you how the customs are closed and you have to stay there 2 days without passing unless you give double to costume staff. Don’t give your passport away to the men that are in the border telling you they will take care f everything for you just for an exchange of money, you can do it by yourself.
Alternative: IF YOU COME WITH A VEHICLE OLDER THAN 4 YEARS YOU WILL NOT PASS INTO SENEGAL! you need carnet de passage…

For more information on Mauritania:

http://mauritaniatraveldiaries.wordpress.com

Biggest Train in the World

The train from Nouadhibou to Choum is the longest train in the world.

The iron ore train carry thousands of tons of crusehed rock in a chain of wagons up to three kilometres long. Their schecules and frequencies depend partly on the speed of the extraction at the mines, and on unpredictable hold-ups-damaged rails, enginefailure and even in the past, attacks by Polisario guerillas from over the border in Western Sahara-and travellers should realize that ore is the priority, not passangers.

Three trains a day go from Zouerat to Nouadhibou, but only one with a passenger carriage passes Choum at about 5.30-6pm. the usual journey time for Choum to Nouadhibou is around 12 hours but expect more. 2 others may come through late at night, or early in the morning, but on these foot passengers have to huddle in the ore trucks.

There are 3 trains a day, but only the one at 14.30 takes passengers (maybe if you have to transport your car as well, you can take another train).

It is 460km/12hrs from Nouadhibou to Choum and you can follow the distance on milestones along the track.

For further information contact SNIM, Nouadhibou BP 42 -tel 745174 ext:1700;fax 745396, the state organization that runs the iron ore mines and the railway.

Motorists who are heading to Atar can load their car onto opene platforms, althogh this can take days: start waiting at the railway station opposite the douanes at 9am to stand the chance of getting it loaded onto the 6pm freight train.

It transports iron ore from Zouerat to Nouadhibou and can be up to 2.5km long. There are lots of bucket wagons for the ore but just one passenger wagon.

Camel Farms in Mauritania

It is very easy to find camel meat in Mauritania, and in a lot of places in the desert, camel meat with onions and couscous or rice will be about the only thing available.
With that, like we farm cows, they in Mauritania farm dromedaires.

Historically, cattle herding was Mauritania’s most important economic activity. In the 1980s, with a cattle-to-people ratio of three to one–the highest in West Africa–herding provided subsistence for up to 70 percent of the country’s people. Herding has been dramatically affected by chronic drought and the attendant rapid advance of the desert. These events have forced shifts in patterns of movement, herd composition and ownership, and increased pressures on lands also occupied by sedentary farmers in the south

The drought also caused shifts in the herding of camels (traditionally located in the drier north) and of sheep and goats (held by groups all across Mauritania).

These changes were less dramatic than those for cattle, however, because camels, sheep, and goats are more resistant to drought. Although decreases in sheep, goat, and camel herd size in drought years could be significant, recovery was more rapid and sustained.

The overall size of camel, sheep, and goat herds may have risen since the 1960s, as these hardier animals have moved into areas abandoned by cattle herds. This pattern seems to have been particularly true for the camel herds.

Nouadhibou Northern Mauritania

Nouadhibou its the first city after the border with Moroccan Western Sahara. From here arrive by land hundreds of stolen vehicles, man slavering and all kind of goods, even vegetables can be passed illegally at the border.

Nouadhibou is a place never constructed to fit the needs of tourists.

What to say a bout this city…what to say about Mauritania in general… its indeed a different country from whatever you’ve been used to. Its full of poverty, racial conflicts, garbage and worldwide mafia.

There’s this huge worldwide terrorist organization that is very active in this city, more than in the capital which the presidential control is bigger. This organization which i don’t have the need to write the name is very powerful here in Nouadhibou and takes control of almost every single facility related to Islam. Huge and good quality mosques (Mauritanian speaking of course) are visible and you even notice the leaders mansions near by with grand cars BMW and big expensive SUVs 4 wheel drive cars at their door, in a country that the normal salary is not more than 15000 UM, about 40- 45 euros, which usually 6000 go to pay the monthly rent of a single room no electricity and proper toilet facilities.
Specially here in Nouadhibou, various organized mafia groups and underground organizations find refuge to make business. Korean, Russian, Chinese, Nigerian, Senegalese and also White Moors underground organizations are settled here with their business of drugs, prostitution, car export, fish export, guns and even man slavery working at day light.

There is much to see inside the city of more around 60,000 people, but the nature here is great.
Nouadhibou like many desert cities, is large, and comes in three parts. The first is the new quarter of Numerowat in the north, with mess of construction sites. This is where the majority of people live. The various quarters of “Numerowat” are identified by robinets (premiere robinet or deuxieme robinet etc) according to the nearest public water standpipe, which come at 500 metre intervals along the asphalt road to downtown Nouadhibou.

Downtown is “Ville”, with all the usual services and shops and the city main market. On the south side of town, a full 10km from the city centre, is the iron ore company’s dormitory town of Cansado.

Nouadhibou is stretching along a thin peninsula running out from and parallel to the mainland in southern direction. Everything is more or less sand, shaped by the wind, meeting the sea in several bays without any vegetation destroying your impression of really being in Sahara.

Transportation: Dakhla border with Mauritania (Bir Guenduz)

I know there are taxis that will take you from Dakhla to the last Police check point in Bir Gandus. They will drop you off in the border as you can see on the picture (taxis are those red mercedes). i also know that a taxi will cost around 100euros, cos you have to pay the taxi driver back to Dakhla. From the border to Dakhla (if you’re coming from mauritania) can be cheaper if you make a good deal.
be careful with taxis, these region is know to have people getting kidnapped or robbed.

Transportation: Hitching to Mauritania - Western Sahara

If you go to KM 40 after dakhla in Western Sahara, where the police checks for peoples ID, you can get a ride from tourist going south. many people sleep in dakhla to leave in the morning to Mauritanian border. I got a ride to this Moroccan point and from here got another different ride. Be careful with rides from local people. there are news that some tourists, backpacking were killed while hitch hiking in western Sahara towards Mauritania.
remember that from dakhla to the border is almost 400km.

Transportation: Boat Rosso to Rosso-Mauritania>Senegal

You have to take a boat from Mauritania to Senegal. This is a very thrilling trip has you are actually passing your way from the Arab/Moor influenced countries to the real “Black Africa” This is the first black people country on west Africa coming from north: morocco, western Sahara and Mauritania. The boat takes 10 minutes to pass but about 1 hour or even 2 to get in..

The boat cost 500UM for each person and 1500UM for each car.

Be careful with your things, from now on things in terms of robberies get worst, the situation in Mauritanian border city Rosso is the worst in Mauritania by the way…

Transportation: Border Mauritania - Senegal

Rosso Border. This is well known to be the worst place to enter Senegal. From all border passages, the border here in Rosso is quite messy and full of corrupt police officers in both sides, Mauritania and Senegal.

Coming from Mauritanian Rosso, you have to make all your documents signed from the head chief police, and remember not to give your passport to the wrong guy, it can just disappear. give your passport when 2 people police men are with you, follow them even if they say you can’t pass, this way you can always follow them and when someone blocks your entry say loudly they have your passports to stamp! this way everyone will know reducing the probabilities of getting your s robbed and being ripped of for it to appear again.
After Mauritanian formalities you have to get a boat to Senegalese Rosso which will cost you 1500UM for a vehicle and plus 500UM for each passenger.
On the Senegalese side things get worst eve. If you heard people talking about corrupt police force but never saw them in action, here is the perfect place to meet them face to face. open your eyes and open your hears baby, cos you’re going to give money away…
For entrance policeman that stamps your passport will ask you for money…doesn’t exists in other entrances to Senegal like in Diamba or south in the Gambian border.
Police will tell you how the customs are closed and you have to stay there 2 days without passing unless you give double to costume staff. Don’t give your passport away to the men that are in the border telling you they will take care f everything for you just for an exchange of money, you can do it by yourself.
IF YOU COME WITH A VEICULE OLDER THAN 4 YEARS YOU WILL NOT PASS INTO SENEGAL! you need carnet de passage.

Transportation: 4WD Car (4×4) - Mauritania

This is the best way to travel all around Mauritania.
Mauritania is bounded west by the Atlantic Ocean, north by Morocco, north-east by Algeria, east and south-east by Mali, and south by Senegal. Around 40% is Sahara Desert, 30% semi-desert. There is a narrow band of fertile land along the Senegal river.
Area: The total area of Mauritania is 1,031,000 sq km (398,000 sq mi).
There are no roads connecting the north to the south and the only way you have is either the train to Choum-Atar-Nouakchott or the Banc D’Arguin National Park crossing desert tracks with sand dunes and beach paths…

Transportation: Nouadhibou ->Nouakchott - Mauritania

There are very unconfortable pick-up trucks that take people from Nouakchott to Nouadhibou and vice-versa. The only thing about this type of transportation is that you’ll share the back part of an old pick up truck along with about 15 more people. Take care with your bag. If you get the night transportation, remeber that the majority of the trucks are open and you’ll need clothes to protect you from the night desert cold. The price of this trip can be negotiable but will never be more than 15 euros (already tourist price of course).
This journey will be done along the truck desert tracks that you can see on the picture.

Beach Highway, Mauritania

Traject from Nouadhibou to Nouakchott passing Nouamghar and Bank d'Arguin Park, going through the legendary Beach Higway after Nouamghar.

The first 300 kilometres to the fishing village of Nouamghar are the most difficult. If you drive too far west the sand gets very soft, if you drive too fareast you have to handle deep truck tracks. (Note that trucks take a different route from cars and 4WDs). About seventy kilometres before Nouamghar (KM23 you have to cross four dunes. The first one is especially difficult. Two-wheel drives can only pass with very low tyre pressures.

From Nouamghar you have to drive on the beach, which is only possible at low tide. If the tide is really low you can drive all the way to Nouakchott. If the tide is too high you have to take the improving inland piste that starts atthe fishing village of el-Mhaïjrat, about 50 kilometres south of Nouamghar.

We had to wait a one hour until the tide went down enough to be able to make the beach piste until NKT. At the moment there were a french van, dutch car, german camper 4WD, spanish car and suisse 4WD. All wainting for the same.

If you have problems on the beach you’d better fix therm fast, otherwise you’lllose your vehicle. Even with a 4WD it is not always possible to get onto the dunes beyond the high tide mark.

2 trip coming from Nouakchott to the border, beach highway South-North

Here is on my second trip back from Nouakchott. I went direct from Nouakchott to the border without going to Nouadhibou.

On the picture you can see cars from the challenge Plymouth - Dakar (www.plymouth-dakar.co.uk) going to NKT.

The Challenge is to simply drive the route from Plymouth to Dakar (on a limited budget) with the principle aim of helping some Charitable causes in Senegal and The Gambia

beach highway, mauritania

Auberge Le Chinguetti - Nouadhibou Mauritania

 

Another hotel which its owner is European. You can find proper hotels here in Mauritania when their owners are from abroad. Very clean place and staff usually are great. Fabrice the owner is very accessible and will try to help you out in all you need. In the hotel you have all the information you might need to travel in Mauritania and also how to get visas to many of other countries in Africa.

Clean bathrooms and showers, rooms are nice. Cool terrace with a view to the Numero district. Nothing outstanding but very proper bathrooms and overall conditions are very good for what I’ve seen in Mauritania and morocco also. Inside the hotel exist this somehow tasteful restaurant.

Nice atmosphere, staff is very cheerful. They love to talk.
This 2 year old hotel is run by French and a Mauritanian which makes your need as a westerner much easier due to both cultures working together. For what I got, security is very important and could be difficult that someone could get in the hotel and steel something or some of your belongings. Although like the owner Fabrice said …never too much should the attention of your belongings and you never leave your stuff alone…?
The hotel is not responsible for any stolen material and nights should be paid on advanced, no credit.

Nothing outstanding but very proper bathrooms and overall conditions are very good for what I’ve seen in Mauritania and morocco also.
Inside the hotel exists this somehow tasteful restaurant.

Bed from 1200 UM (less then 5 euros) plus 200Um for tourist tax.

Double rooms
Hot shower
Night safe parking for automobiles
Half pension and full pension available
Group prices available.

Prices

1500UM per night

You also have a restaurant in the hotel. you can eat starting from 200UM to 500UM. Very nice and cheap.

Directions

N1 Morowatte 1er Robinet, Nouadhibou

GPS

N.20? 56' 228

W.017?02-267

Phone

00222 6404377

E-mail

auberge.lechiguetti@voila.fr

Asimex Camping-Nouadhibou

I stayed one night. Shared bathroom. It’s not a very big place but it will suit your needs.

It’s located on the Numerowat area near the Airport and close to district of people with a lot of money here in Nouadhibou. I stayed here the first night I arrived in Nouadhibou, also first time in Mauritania. We were scammed with this owner’s cousin on exchange rate from Euro money to Ouguiya. I lost about 40 Euros. My friend Hugo lost about 180 Euros. The other two Spanish guys also with us but in the other car lost each about 100 Euros. The guy told us we should exchange money with him for a specific money value. We late find out we could have gotten a higher rate, actually double of what he gave us. Bastard.

Also another thing to watch out is the guide they got us in this hotel. The guy was not a good guide. He got us lost in the desert for a few times. We had GPS, so lucky us.

Prices

You can camp inside walls but rooms are also available for 1000UM/person.

Directions

Numerowat

Bab Sahara - Atar Mauritania

 

Hotel Bab Sahara was a big surprise for me and my friends. We were coming from Terjit and had some problems on the car, and also lots of police check points make your head a bit tired. This place is unique.

The owners are a couple from Holland, so they try to make something more pleasant than the normal in Mauritania never escaping the traditional of course. The hotel is very clean. It is composed by a few nomad tents spread in the campground and you also have a few small houses that you can choose from. Leisure area is great.

Prices

1500UM or 5 euros per night

Directions

On the first big roundabout turn left and go straight, pass the bridge and turn right when you see the sign BAB SAHARA

 

Auberge Menata - Nouakchott Mauritania

Ah, another of my favourite places to stay in Mauritania. This place is owned by a French lady. Every time the hotels are own by foreigners, better Europeans, things run better and clean.

This hotel has lots of cheap and clean rooms, and you can also choose by resting on 2 of the huge tents existing in the hotel area.

Bathrooms are very but very clean. You have a small shop inside the hotel which sells good for the normal price, not trying to cheat you like in other places.

This hotel is situated right in the city centre not far from the big main market of NKT. This hotel is also located on the rich part of the city which will add some security to you while being there and moving around. Its kind hard to find. I'll try to add email soon.

Prices

1500UM for one night on the room. Outside tent is cheaper.
 

Camping Terjit - Oasis Terjit - Mauritania

I loved my stayed in this camping. It’s exactly located on the rock valley right besides the water springs. You have maybe 10 tents spread along the valley along the water pools where you can choose to sleep.

Terjit is an oasis located in the mountains. This small village is supplied by two sources of water springs, something that is a bit rare in Mauritania. The water just runs down the rock until it gets the floor and forms these amazing pools where one can delight yourself swimming and bathing while the sun is strong in the desert. The rock formation where this spring is located makes it very fresh and calm.

 

Natural water springs is enough, bathrooms are quite clean. If you go a bit off the path on the camping, you'll find some trash and dirty water, but that’s a bit before the camping where all that water goes after it passes the camping…

The entrance to the camping in the same to the oasis because the camping is located right in the oasis that’s why it’s so nice. As soon as you arrive there, you can see the valley starting on our right with the rock. The camping is located right on the bottom of the valley where the pools are located. You can make small trips to see the carved pre-historical drawings on the rock cliffs.

Prices

1500UM each person. 700UM if you only want to visit the oasis.

Directions
Maybe about 2 km after the village.
40km south from Atar, Adrar Region.

 

How to get to Bir Moghrein?

Bir Moghrein, lost village in Northern Mauritania on the way of the Polisario Guerrilla going to Tindouf. This is now off the beaten path since authorities closed this desert tracks to foreigners due to the last kidnappings. How to get there?

Bir Moghrein is located in the Northern region of Tiris-Zemmour. This village is located 360 meters above sea level and to get there it seems you just passed the Moon. Incredible scenery. Heading north to Bir Moghrein is mainly for experiencing the landscape. The landscape in this region of Mauritania called Ghallamane, is subjugated by many guelbs (crater-like depressions) with very aged rock formations. To get to Bir Moghrein you have to drive north from Zouerat 440km of desert tracks, mountains and black rocks that makes you think you're in another planet. Bir Moghrein is something like a military post and has nothing really to see for the normal tourist. But if you're the normal tourist Mauritania will not be an election country. People are great though, maybe because they are not very used to see tourists. Bir Moghrein is located 600km from Tindouf refugee camp of Polisario Front (which I found on Rich Mountains) and The Sarawi Front for the liberation of Western Sahara. Now and after my passage in 2004, only 2 groups of foreigners have passed. They got this authorization from a local guide that somehow paid-off someone to be able to get them to pass thru. The 2 groups before them (Germans and Dutch) were kidnapped and asked for ransom. How to get to Bir Moghrein? Bir Moghrein is a lost village somewhere in the North of Mauritania. Its was an old military Spanish post and still a fortress can be seen exactly on the virtual border with Mauritania and the unprotected area of the Moroccan Western Sahara.

Bir Moghrein is a lost village somewhere in the North of Mauritania. Its was an old military Spanish post and still a fortress can be seen exactly on the virtual border with Mauritania and the unprotected area of the Moroccan Western Sahara. Here I hope I will instruct in all someone needs to know about how to get to Bir Moghrein and possibly make the route to enter Western Sahara. I should always remind that from when I passed there until the present date of Feb 05, at least 2 European groups of travelers were kidnapped and taken hostage and asked for money to the authorities of their native countries. One group was from Germany and the other was from The Netherlands. I know also that in the South part of the country, a group of travelers from Qatar were kidnapped and taken from the no mans land between Mauritania and Mali South east part.

This is all very complicated and we shouldn't forget about some people that say that Algeria only gives force to Polisario because they want a piece of the Atlantic? Algeria want Atlantic?! Do they?? I don't want to be turning this text to any political statement, but I'm trying to follow my travelers logic from stuff I hear and see on the road, after visiting Mauritania and Western Sahara 4 times and more than 16 times to Morocco. To get to Bir Moghrein you have to drive north from Zouerat 440km of desert tracks, mountains and black rocks that makes you think you're in another planet.

This is the route you should make to get there:

Atar - Choum +-120km

Choum - Touajil - Fderik - Zouerat +-250km

Zouerat - Bir Moghrein +-440km

After is the route to Morocco trough Gueltat Zemmour Bir Moghrein - Fortress  border Western Sahara +-56km

Fortress on the border with Western Sahara - "Le Mure" +-40km

Atar -> Choum +-120km

Asphalt about 20km after Atar - Orange sand on the end of the asphalt road for about 100m. Very tough sand. Good for 4×4 tough. be prepared for many rocks under the sand. Be careful for some locals that might be prepared to help you for a bit of money and maybe even want to drive your car and pass the sand: maybe run away with the car, maybe break it and you have to stay there, with them…

Desert tracks all the way.

There are no marks for the road. Supposedly you just have to follow other car tracks and keep in mind there always a big mountain on your right side. Half the way and after the big descend to the Valley where you start to see that specific mountain, there is a lot of sand. You cannot tell its sand almost but the floor cracks and you get inside it due to the weight of you car or even your feet.

The landscape here is impressive. You have lots of palm trees after Atar for some dozen of km's, and after you drive straight until you have a huge descend. From above you can see the huge mountains and the huge desert forming in front of your eyes.

We got stuck in the sand and after a couple of hours of digging we got some paid help from local people that after asking for money gave us a help from their very old 4×4 Toyota. As soon as we got to Choum, our deal went off and they stay asking for 3 times more the money and threatened with police and violence. If this happens insist also with police. This will calm people and the people you are dealing, as they are also afraid of police. Always when asking for help, write down the price you dealt and make the person sign it. This was the best solution the police man in Choum advised me to do next time. But I some how end up paying only 5 euros more and gave him 2 T-shirts and some pencils to his sons and the story ended.

Train between Choum and Nouadhibou went off as we were asked a lot of money and had to wait 4 more days until it would arrive. For what I understood, if I would pay about 100 euros, they would possibly put it the on the train the day after, but they asked for about 70 euros for a 4 days maybe a week waiting in Choum, plus money for passengers. This is not good price and we didn’t do it. At this point, it wasn't a matter of money of course. We had the money, but we didn’t want to pay someone 3 times more the normal money to make this trip in a country that the normal monthly salary is about 30 euros maximum 50 euros. After a very warm and strong conversation with the responsible of the train and cars, we end up going up to Bir Moghrein and try to get out of Mauritania, following the way to the North on the forbidden tracks of Bir Moghrein along the Polisario Guerrilla.

BEST HELP IN CHOUM Moulay Shariff

This is a very nice person. He helped us all the way to the border with Western Sahara. Of course nothing on this trip to Mauritania end up going as planed, also with him hehehe, but for sure you can trust him and he will try to do what is necessary to pass you all the tracks to the border. We paid him. I am not going to tell how much because it’s his business and your business. Now, go by me, this is the guy YOU SHOULD TRUST! Remember I also came to Mauritania on a 4×4, and had other guides and other problems, more than once… My trip was not a one time experience but more than 4, and with different vehicles and hiring different guides which were not very good and untruthful. Ripping you off taking money out of you…

He lives in Choum. His house is near the mosque and he says he is the only one that has a “auberge” in town. hehehe, its not a “auberge” but in the future I know it will be. Its his own house, along with his wonderful family.

If it wasn’t for this guy we wouldn’t make it to Morocco on this part of Tiris-Zemmour. He drove a small Opel Corsa through 9km of dunes after Touajil, help us to get local pick up trucks to my friends and to all our baggage with local price payment (4-6 euros for the whole day of journey looks like it was local price to me). He got us some people to bring us to the Fortress after Bir Moghrein. This is very important help! For my experience, you should trust someone else…as this is a damn good tip. You can print out this picture and ask for him in the Choum. Even if someone tells you he is not there, just go to his family and wait 2 days even. You can stay there for a minimum payment (you will decide after. it depends if you want food, but price goes from 5 to 15 euros…its all up to you.)

Choum -> Zouerat +-250km

(Choum -> Touajil -> Fderik -> Zouerat +-250km)

This is a very rough journey. Usually local 4×4 make the shortest and fast way through the train tracks where they hit their tires against the protective objects that exist on the tracks preventing vehicles to drive there. They still do it and get their tires flat of course. if you are careful and whenever you see one of this protection you can drive out of the train tracks. Also advisable is to get out when you see a train…hehehe, but maybe fast cos you can get stuck in sand on the way out, this can happen also with 4×4 of course. The train takes 10km's to stop…hehehe, as it’s the biggest train of the world.

The other solution is to go inside the dunes after the small village of Touajil. The local transportation pick up trucks don’t do this way cos they usually have too much weight and can get easily stuck in sand. This was the way my small city car went to. Moulay Shariff drove it and we actually passed one 4×4 stuck in sand, that when we passes they were really surprised of being stuck and a small city car passing them. Moulay Shariff said that he have done those dunes also with a Citroen 2c long time ago. He said “it’s the driver, not the car, LOOK AT THEM!!".

Zouerat -> Bir Moghrein +-440km

I was coming by a small car and my friends which had to switch to a Toyota pick up truck due to the extreme weight on our small car, too much weight for the desert tracks that connected Zouerat to Bir Moghrein, making the total of 440km of tracks.

After two days of discussion in Zouerat trying to head north to Morocco, finally we got a option. Moulay Sheriff was very friendly and helpful and got us a solution to put all our cargo and 2 people inside a local bus pick up truck. The car now would only go with 2 people inside which would be much better to drive on the desert tracks and the enormous amount of sand also found on the way. each person paid 1500UM for the 440km journey that too almost 20 hours. For me, well, I was the one driving, but for the ones on top of the truck, that was a hard journey.

This is indeed the most impressive of all landscapes in Mauritania and indeed one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen ever on my traveling.

Half the way you pass the Rich Mountains, where on top you have a small cafe that usually have some Polisario taking some tea, painting new car plates with new numbers. No I think this is where the problem can be for many people. This is one of the dangers, as many people know that many old Polisario fighters from the old times are very nice and believe in victory for Western Sahara in the future. This are good working people fighting for their belief. But also remember that Polisario has a lot, a lot of smugglers, criminals and bandits assassins that kidnap and kill… Also the young generation of Polisario are quite rude and don’t know what they are fighting for… (Again personal opinion after being with then for many hours. They were rude, opposite to the older guys who were very polite and talk about their beliefs, but not the young ones.)

We were taken inside this wrecked house in the top of the rich mountains by this young Polisario boy who took us to his “superior”. We were offered tea and joked about all the time until we went away and I said he was not honest and not polite. When he would give me the respect I give him and his cause, then I speak with him. and we went away. They were very rough and said they were Polisario and we should be afraid, etc… not with me. Although I think we were very lucky, cos we are Portuguese and one girl was Spanish. The old guys saluted us and instructed the young one to take care of their Spanish friends. Spain always gave support to the Polisario cause and with this we got some extra luck! Remember this also as other nationalities don’t work the same. On the same route, others get kidnapped…

The cafe or restaurant on top of the Rich Mountains. This is the only stop existing in the way. Lots of km's without a living soul but here, incredible. This is divided in different parts. right side for tea and business men like Saharawis and Polisario. Then goes for a small shop with some food water and and other goods, then goes to the women part, men not allowed and like a hotel on the last door. sleeping area.

In Bir Moghrein

We got to the police check point on the town and stayed there until they stamped our passports out, and we knew that was going to be the beginning of our big adventure as there is no entry police control stop on the Mauritanian side and also on the Moroccan border. No man's land was coming.

Right as you arrive in the village you have to make yourself a presentation to the police station. this may take a few hours and they will stamp your passport and write something that you have arrive in Bir Moghrein. Stamp from the Bir Moghrein Army Post date etc…

Bir Moghrein -> Fortress on the border +-56km

(Bir Moghrein -> Fortress on the border with Western Sahara (on Michelin Map it’s the star))

We had to make 96km until a place known has "Le Mure" or "the wall" which consists of a thousand km wall separating Morocco from the land mines of the Western Sahara land, full of Front Polisario activist and many pirates that can appear and try to kidnap you or rob you in the middle of the desert.

From Bir Moghrein to “the wall” was about 40km.

There are blue marks for UN free of mines tracks that can be easily be done with 4×4. Although some landmines mysteriously change place…

This blue marks are just a few pilled stones on the floor that are painted in blue.

There's a point on the map that you can see that is a star. That start is a local of interest. Here on the picture you can see which one is it. Its the exact point where Mauritania ends, and the no man's land between Morocco and lost and unprotected land mined western Sahara full of pirates begin.

you have 40km until the military Moroccan check point.

Fortress on the border -> “Le Mure" 36km's

(Fortress on the border with Western Sahara -> “Le Mure&rdquo

NO Man’s LAND. BE careful be careful be careful. mines, pirates… old asphalt road broken by explosions at least 4 times until the “WALL”. 2 of the times was quite hard to pass. about 36km's.

“Le Mure” -> Way to Gueltat Zemmour

You get to the wall and you have to deliver your passport to the Moroccan authorities. You stay under Moroccan army custody maybe even for a few days. Don’t go out of the asphalt as it has lots of land mines. You have to wait maybe up to a few days to get the permission to go inside morocco with army convoy just for you until Layoune to get a stamp from the airport costumes.

This Moroccan army people are gentle polite and love to talk to someone, as it passes weeks in a row where they don’t see nothing exiting or new like a group of scared tourist coming from Mauritania hehehe.

We were given water (which was already over for many hours), cheese, fresh bread and very tasty olives. WELCOME TO MOROCCO AND WONDERFUL PEOPLE! we camped in a small area free of mines.

Gueltat Zemmour ->To Layoune

We got permission and headed to Gueltat Zemmour with army 4×4 on the front of us. Due to much sand also in this part (no road exists, or many parts are really in bad shape that is better to go into the sand), again my friends had to jump off the car and be transported on the army Toyota until Layoune.