The UNESCO World Heritage Tour
14 Days / 17 Attractions
See all five UNESCO World Heritage sites in Mauritania: the four ancient cities, plus the Banc d'Arguin National Park. You'll see tons of phenomenal landscapes and geological wonders along the way and between the cities! This is a longer tour that will cover most of what Mauritania has to offer.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Nouakchott
Travelers arrive in Nouakchott and spend the night in a hotel. There are several attractions available in the city of Nouakchott which can be seen on the first day, depending on the flight arrival time.
Day 2 Off to Kiffa
Leave Nouakchott after breakfast, drive to Kiffa area. Lunch is served along the way by our team. Pass through Kiffa where campsite is set up. Dinner is served before night camping outside Kiffa.
Day 3 Lush Nema
Breakfast is served before leaving Kiffa. Depart for the lush town of Nema, lunch is served by our team along the way. Arrive in Nema and spend the night in a hotel where dinner will be served.
Day 4 The Mud City
Leave Nema after hotel breakfast, travel to the 1st UNESCO heritage city of Oualata. Lunch is served by our team along the route. Guided tour of the ancient city of Oualata, then dinner is served at a campsite in the desert outside Oualata. Night camping under the stars.
Day 5 Desert Elephants
Pack up camp after breakfast and leave Oualata. Travel to the Elephant Mountains and "the fingers" in Makhrougat. Lunch is served along the way. Set up camp at Makhrougat, enjoy dinner, camp under the stars.
Day 6 The Grey City
Leave the Elephant Mountains after breakfast, drive to the 2nd UNESCO heritage city of Tichit. Lunch is taken along the route, prepared by our team. Guests tour the ancient city of Tichit, have dinner, and stay the night in nomadic desert camping outside the city.
Day 7 Northward
After breakfast, leave Tichit for the Desert of Zik. Lunch is served along the way by our team. Campsite is set up along the route, where dinner is served and guests camp under the stars.
Day 8 Zik, Rachid, Madden Oasis
Depart the Desert of Zik after breakfast, drive to the to town of Tidjigja, then see the ancient ruins of Rachid. Lunch and dinner are provided by our team. Night camping under the stars in Madden Oasis.
Day 9 Jumping Oases to Chinguetti
Pack up the campsite after breakfast, leave Madden Oasis for Chinguetti. Lunch is taken at Terjit Oasis. Pass through Oasis of Mhairith along the way. Arrive at the 3rd UNESCO heritage city of Chinguetti, tour the ancient city. Dinner is provided by the guest house where guests will spend the night in a proper bed with air conditioning.
Day 10 Between Ancient Cities
Breakfast is served by the guest house. Leave Chinguetti along the ancient route of caravans, stop at the nomadic oasis of Tenochert, visit the Richat Structure, then arrive at the 4th UNESCO heritage city of Ouadane. Lunch is served between the cities, and dinner is prepared by a guest house in Ouadane where guests spend the night.
Day 11 From the Canyon to the Monolith
After breakfast at the guest house, depart Ouadane for the Canyon of Amogjar. Lunch is taken along the route to Choum. Drive to Ben Amera monolith, campsite is prepared and dinner is served by our team. Spend the night camping at the monolith under the stars. There is a chance to see the Iron Ore train during this day.
Day 12 To the Coast
After sunrise and breakfast at Ben Amera, travel to Banc d'Arguin. Chances of seeing the Iron Ore train during this day. Lunch is served along the way. Arrive in Banc d'Arguin in the evening. Dinner and camping at Cape Tafarit in nomadic tents under the stars.
Day 13 Beach Day
Have breakfast at Tafarit, then leave for Iwik, do a short sailing trip with traditional fishing Imragen fishing boats. Bird watching at small islands off the coast. Return to Tafarit, have lunch, option to visit Cape Tagarit, relaxing on the beach. Watch the sunset from the cape. Dinner and camping again in Tafarit on the beach.
Day 14 Back to Nouakchott
After breakfast, leave Tafarit, stop for Nouamgar (pink flamingo) watching. Lunch is served during travel back to Nouakchott before the evening. Option to visit attractions in Nouakchott before departing.
Upcoming Trips
Add your party to a scheduled group trip
Private Booking
Want to book this itinerary for your private group?
See our base rates below.
Private tours do not include hotel accommodation or meals in Nouakchott, but they can be customised to your group's liking. The tour includes everything from your departure from Nouakchott until your return. Custom destination points can also be coordinated—like terminating in Senegal, or Nouadhibou.
| Tier | Starting Price (EUR) |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | €3,360/pax |
| 2-4 Persons | €2,800/pax |
| 5+ Persons | €2,660/pax |
Tour Attractions
Al Khaima City Center
Visit the tallest building in Nouakchott and overlook all the details of the city. Watch the sun set over the horizon from here for a beautiful urban experience.
Banc d’Arguin National Park
Parc Banck D’Arguin is a coastal region inhabited by traditional fishermen, the Imraguen. It is the nesting grounds for tens of thousands of migratory sea birds, and a preserved, pristine coastline along the Atlantic.
Ben Amera Monolith
The World’s Second-Largest Stone The Ben Amera Monolith is the second largest solid stone in the world, rising 633m (2027ft) above the desert plane (Uluru in Australia being the first). It is a popular destination for photographers and artists, due to its unannounced eruption from the horizon from an otherwise flat area. This giant stone […]
Canyon of Amogjare
The canyon is home to a couple different points of interest, including ancient rock paintings from nomadic tribes of the past, and an cinema relic from the French film “Fort Saganne” created in the 80’s.
Cape Tafarit
Cap Tafarit, part of the Banc d’Arguin National Park is a great place to soak up some sun and swim in pristine Atlantic ocean water.
Chinguetti
Chinguetti is an ancient medieval trading center just east of Atar, in the heart of the Adrar region. It is one of four ancient Mauritanian cities, and easily accessible.
Elephant Mountains
A group of small mountains on the route from Tichit to Oualata that resemble elephants with outstretched trunks and pillar-like legs.
Marché du Poisson
Visit the colorful fishing boats of Nouakchott’s fish markets, with a bustling atmosphere and the freshest fish from the Atlantic.
Oasis of Mhairith
A large producer of dates, the Oasis of M’hereth is the residence of many Mauritania villagers who have access to its fresh water and lush fruits.
Ouadane
Nestled in the Adrar Plateau, Ouadane is one of the four ancient Mauritanian cities. It was a destination on the trans-Saharan trade route and the closest city to the Richat Structure.
Oualata
An UNESCO World Heritage Site, Oualata is one of the four ancient Mauritanian cities, and was once a cornerstone in the trans-Saharan Trade Route as the southern terminus.
Rachid
A Lesser-Known Caravan Town Little is known about this town, but it was used to be a stop on the Saharan trade routes. This little place has some preserved ruins next to Wadis. Coming Soon! We’re working on gathering more images of this attraction.
Richat Structure
The Richat Structure is a prominent geological formation in the Adrar region northwest of Ouadane. It is often used as a frame of reference for astronauts in orbit.
Souvenir Markets
There are many places to buy unique takeaways from your trip to Mauritania. Find unique treasures that you won’t find anywhere else in the world at these rare markets.
Terjit Oasis
The Oasis of Terjit was rejuvenated in the 1970’s and serves as a great place for respite from the desert. Fresh mineral water drips from the plateau edges here, and a swimming pool welcomes visitors.
Tichit
Tichit is one of the four ancient Mauritanian cities and is located in the Tagant region. It is rich with vernacular architecture and is known for its date farms.