Mauritania is a popular destination for travelers doing overland Africa trips. With its ancient cities, stunning desert rock formations, and geological oddities like The Eye of the Sahara and Ben Amera (the world’s 2 nd largest monolith after Uluru), it’s a country with a lot to offer. So how can you get in and out of this country overland and what can you expect from the most common border crossings? In this blog, I’ll take you through tips for the most common points of entry/exit, as well as some of the border crossings we don’t recommend.
A couple of words of advice at all border crossings – you will likely encounter police checkpoints where officers are looking for “presents”. Be prepared to talk your way out of it, or fork over a few dollars. Also, bringing pork, alcohol, or drones into Mauritania is illegal and your bags can easily be searched. If you are driving your own car, note that vehicle insurance is required for Mauritania. It is also advised that you should have experience driving in desert conditions and have a 4-wheel drive, as infrastructure can be limited in many areas of Mauritania. If driving your own car, note that you do not need a carnet de passage (CPD) to drive your vehicle through Mauritania, but you do need one for some of its neighbors, like Senegal. Finally, you may be hassled by some border guards or at police checkpoints near the border – try to take it on the chin and understand that yelling or disrespect won’t get you anywhere.
For entering Mauritania at all border crossings, be prepared ahead of time with your evisa. You can read more about the evisa process here . Be ready with €55 EUR or $60 USD in exact bills to pay the visa fee at immigration. It is also wise to have several printed photocopies of your passport and travel information, or a fiche , for frequent checkpoints.
For more information about traveling to Mauritania, check out our Mauritania Destination Guide . Or if you're more interested in how to get in and out of Mauritania by air, check out our blog about Which Airlines Fly to Nouakchott .
Mauritania/Western Sahara: Guergarat Border Crossing
One of the most popular border crossings for overlanders is between Mauritania and Western Sahara near Nouadhibou. If you are not driving your own car, you can take public buses to/from the border zone to Dakhla or Nouadhibou. There are also companies that will take you the full way. The border is open 24/7, but buses and transportation only operate during business hours.
Between the two immigration offices is a 4km stretch of no-man’s land. A word of caution for this area – many travel bloggers blow the “danger” of this area out of proportion. However, there is still a possibility of unexploded landmines in the no-man’s land zone. If you are sticking near the main official road through this area, you will be fine. One more tip for north to south overlanders in their own vehicle – petrol is much more expensive in Mauritania, so be sure to fill up on the Moroccan side.
Mauritania/Senegal: Rosso and Diama Border Crossings
The Rosso and Diama border crossings between Mauritania and Senegal are the most well-traveled routes between the two countries but are also notorious amongst overlanders as being corrupt and chaotic. The worst stories are from travelers in their own vehicles going from Mauritania into Senegal. So if you are traveling south to north, or taking public transportation, you shouldn’t have more trouble here than any other West Africa border crossing.
The best time to cross is in the morning, after the border opens at 9am. You will be asked to pay for several things to cross into Senegal – some are legitimate, such as mandatory ECOWAS vehicle insurance. Some things do not need to be paid, for example a passport stamp. If you are crossing with a vehicle that is more than 8 years old, you will need to acquire a carnet de passage (basically a document that allows you to temporarily import your vehicle into the country), and it is best to arrange this ahead of time, to avoid paying upwards of 250 Euros for one at the border. Check out the carnet de passage website if you are looking to secure one ahead of time.
At Rosso, to get to Senegal from the border crossing, you will need to take a ferry (which is free, though there will likely be scammers trying to charge you for a ticket). There are also smaller privately owned shared boats you can take for a fee that run more frequently than the ferry.
Tip: have photocopies of your passport as many people will ask you for this at various points. This will likely be a frustrating border crossing, and you will be asked to pay for many things. Hold yourself well, be sure of yourself and firm, and ignore people that you can tell are not affiliated with the border.
Ill-Advised Border Crossings: Algeria and Mali
Mauritania/Algeria: Ould Bardi Border Crossing
This border crossing connecting Zouérat in Mauritania and Tindouf in Algeria opened in February of 2024. Because it is so new, there is little information from travelers regarding their experience, but the border is technically open. However, the crossing is risky and takes very calculated fuel management, making it expensive to organize. The National Office of Tourism advises tourists against taking this crossing.
Previously there was no open crossing between Mauritania and Algeria because of a military zone in this area. This new crossing has opened trade and movement between the two countries. Note, if you do attempt this crossing from Mauritania to Algeria, you will need to have your Algeria visa arranged at an embassy and already in your passport ahead of time.
Mauritania/Mali Border Crossings
It is currently not advised to use any of the border crossings with Mali. The area is known for violence and instability, and the Mauritanian government has put “No Movement Zones” into place along the border. The Kouki Zamal crossing (in the south of Mauritania) is closed on both sides since April 2024.
Want to Travel Overland to Join One of Our Mauritania Group Tours?
We know everyone’s travel dreams are different, and we like to provide flexibility when it comes to joining our group tours. If you’d like to join one of our Mauritania tours while using land borders to explore its neighboring countries, let us know. A popular option is splitting off from the group in Nouadhibou after riding the Iron Ore Train and continuing upwards into Western Sahara. Others choose to finish the full tour then head south towards Senegal. We can arrange transportation and guides or point you in the direction of the nearest public bus station depending on how independently you prefer to travel.
Feeling daunted about traveling to Mauritania? We can help! Send us an email at [email protected] . You can also check out our Mauritania group tours here . Want to learn more about traveling in Mauritania? Check out our handy Destination Guide !
