Mauritania is a mysterious, little-known Saharan country, where temperatures in the dry desert heat can reach 57˚C (135˚F). Much of the land is dry and inhospitable and many locations are difficult to reach without long journeys in 4-wheel drive vehicles. There is an oasis settlement in the north concealed by waves of colored sand dunes.
The coast is an 800km sandy beach, devoid of most vegetation but supporting an astonishingly large and varied population of birds. Hotel accommodation is very limited in Mauritania and visitors are advised to book well in advance. The larger hotels in Nouakchott are comfortable and have air conditioning but, even in the capital, accommodation is limited and expensive. Bills normally include service and local tax. Consumption of alcohol is prohibited by the Islamic faith, but alcoholic beverages may be found in hotel bars.
Discover the port and center of the fishing industry, meet the tribe that survives through a symbiotic relationship with wild dolphins, An oasis lying on the route of salt caravans, it is the market center for the nomads of northern Mauritania and has an old quarter, the Ksar, with flat-roofed houses and a fine palm grove. You can take an excursion over the breathtaking mountain pass of Homogjar, a holy city of Islam founded in the 13th century.
Most of the country is hot and dry with practically no rain. In the south, however, rainfall is higher with a rainy season which runs from July to September. The coast is tempered by trade winds and is mild with the exception of the hot
Nouakchott region (where the rainy season begins a month later). Deserts are cooler and windy in March and April.
