{"id":18227,"date":"2023-08-21T11:36:13","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T15:36:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploringed.com\/?p=18227"},"modified":"2023-08-21T12:13:35","modified_gmt":"2023-08-21T16:13:35","slug":"mauritania-where-the-sahara-meets-the-sahel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploringed.com\/mauritania-where-the-sahara-meets-the-sahel\/","title":{"rendered":"Mauritania – Where the Sahara Meets the Sahel"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
Mauritania is a country most people can\u2019t find on a map. The few who are familiar with the name often confuse it with the very different Mauritius. It\u2019s a large country and not particularly far to fly to from Europe and the United States, yet it\u2019s one of the least visited. I\u2019m mystified why, as there\u2019s so much to see in its expansive deserts and long Atlantic coastline.<\/p>
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Here the Sahara Desert transitions into the semi-arid Sahel. The people of the northern part of the country resemble the Berber \/ Arab mix of people found in Morocco and Algeria and the southern part the tribal groups of Mali and Senegal. In the capital Nouakchott, all national ethnic groups live here, navigating the traditional and modern worlds.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t There\u2019s plenty of room in Mauritania, one of the least populated countries, even in the sprawling capital Nouakchott has few buildings over four-stories.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Almost all villages, towns and cities are small. and provide a snapshot into the slower rhythm of life there.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Most of the country is the intermingling of barren deserts and stark landscapes.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t You can drive for hours and the only living and moving thing you see are a few grazing camels or perhaps a line of them returning home.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Then seemingly out of nowhere, you meet people who have lived in the desert their whole lives.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t I could go on and on about Mauritania, but if you are intrigued by this intro, you must read on.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t It\u2019s bordered by Senegal, Mali, Algeria and the disputed territory of Western Sahara partially controlled by Morocco. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t My wife, Khadija, and I were visiting a friend in Senegal and almost as an afterthought, we decided to spend time in bordering Mauritania. This rather impulsive action turned out to be one of my best travel decisions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t We spent one week in Mauritania which is the minimum anyone should consider, given it\u2019s the size of Finland or the combined Texas and Arizona. In two weeks, with an aggressive schedule, you could see all regions of the country. To see the whole country at a reasonable pace and explore a few places off the beaten path would require a month.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t It\u2019s a safe country but here, as everywhere you travel, employ basic safety precautions and use common sense to avoid problems.\u00a0<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> The police have had accusations of human rights abuses, but not directed towards tourists. The country has fended off insurgent groups which have destabilized Libya, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso with its military forces.\u00a0<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> There are credible reports that some form of slavery exists in the country, although the extent is widely debated and the government vociferously denies it. However, a visitor is unlikely to notice anything in this regard.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Mauritania, for Americans and others, is generally inexpensive. However, reliable vehicles for driving long distances with drivers could easily be over $300 \/ day if there\u2019s a guide speaking fluent English or French, and this doesn\u2019t include lodging and food.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t In Nouakchott, there are good hotels for the few tourists that visit each year. We stayed in the Sunset Hotel<\/a> which was clean, centrally located and offered a hearty buffet breakfast. Outside of Nouakchott, there are inns and guest houses or you can arrange to sleep in a tent in the desert.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\tWhere is Mauritania?<\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
Why We Went to Mauritania<\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
How Long to Spend in Mauritania<\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
Is Mauritania Safe?<\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
Is Mauritania Expensive?<\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
Where to Stay in Mauritania<\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t