Mauritania’s national airline is Air Mauritanie (MR) (website: www.airmauritanie.mr).

None.

Nouakchott (NKC) is 5km (3 miles) east of the city (journey time – 20 minutes). To/from the airport: Taxis are available. Facilities: Shops and restaurants.

Nouâdhibou (NDB) is 4km (2.5 miles) from the city. Taxis are available.

Main ports: The principal port is Nouadhibou and there is a small port at Nouakchott, while St Louis in Senegal also serves Mauritania.

The most reliable way into Mauritania overland is from Senegal. From Dakar, the journey to Nouakchott is along a 575km (360-mile) tarred road (journey time – approximately 8 hours).

The River Senegal has to be crossed by ferry at Rosso. There is also a paved road from Mali.

Travellers intending to drive into Mauritania from the north should contact the nearest Mauritanian diplomatic mission for an assessment of political conditions in the Western Sahara; the Route de Mauritanie via Algeria and Senegal is out of service. The border with Algeria is currently closed.

Air Mauritanie (MR) (website: www.airmauritanie.mr) operates flights between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou. It is possible to charter light aircraft.

The only line runs between Nouâdhibou and Zouérat and is provided by the national mining company, SNIM, to serve the ore mines. Services are free but booking in advance is advisable; journeys are long and arduous and not recommended.

Traffic drives on the right. There are adequate roads linking Nouakchott with Rosso in the south of the country, Néma in the southeast and Akjoujt in the north. A paved highway, namely La Route de l’Espoir, runs east from Nouakchott to Mali. All other routes are sand tracks necessitating the use of 4-wheel drive vehicles. In some regions during and after the rainy season roads may become impassable. Similarly, in the dry season tracks can be obscured by drifting sand; a guide is highly recommended, if not essential.

Car hire: Available in Nouakchott, Nouâdhibou and Atâr. 4-wheel drive vehicles with a driver can be hired and are recommended, but they are expensive.

Documentation: An International Driving Permit is recommended, although it is not legally required.

Note: Travellers should never attempt any desert journey without a full set of spare parts and essential safety equipment. The Direction du Tourisme in Nouakchott, part of the Ministère du Commerce de l’Artisanat et du Tourisme, can give further information and advice on road travel (see Contact Addresses).

Taxis are plentiful but very expensive in the towns (Nouakchott and Nouadhibou). Fares are set, not metered, and a small tip is expected.