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Voykit pocket guide · Mauritania
Nouakchott
نواكشوط
Nouakchott is a one-or-two-night stop before the Adrar: museum and mosque exteriors in the morning, the fishermen's beach late in the day with a driver, and check your own government's travel advice before you book.
Nouakchott is a flat, sand-blown capital with long distances, few pavements and no meter, and many governments limit or advise against travel to parts of Mauritania. The trips that go wrong arrive at night without a booked car, walk in the midday heat, or plan the Adrar road on the first morning. Four small clusters cover a first visit by car; the Adrar is the trip that follows.
- Country
- Mauritania
- Local name
- نواكشوط
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Nov · Dec
- Time zone
- Africa/Nouakchott
- Stay
- 1 days: Museum and mosque exteriors in the morning; fishermen's beach late
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MRU
- Money
- Cash only for almost everything. Cards are accepted in very few hotels and are not reliable. Bring euros in clean, recent notes and change at your hotel or a known exchange office; keep MRU 1,000 in small notes for taxis, tea and tips. Mobile-money apps (Bankily, Masrvi) work only with a local number.
- Daily spend
- Budget MRU 300–600 excl. bed · Mid MRU 600–1,500 excl. bed · High MRU 1,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Mauritel, Chinguitel and Mattel sell prepaid SIMs at the airport and in shops with a passport; registration is required. Coverage fades quickly outside the towns.
- Emergency
- Police 17 (check) · Fire 18 (check) · Ambulance Check locally; ask your hotel
- Plugs
- 220 V, 50 Hz; two-pin European sockets (types C and E). Bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Not expected at stalls; round up taxi fares; 5–10% at a sit-down restaurant if service is not added; a small tip for a guide or a driver.
- Water
- Drink sealed bottled water only; check the seal.
- Toilets
- Hotels and larger cafés; carry tissues and small notes. Public toilets are rare.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Mint tea (atay), one glass | MRU 10–30 |
| Rice and fish plate | MRU 100–250 |
| Large bottle of water | MRU 15–30 |
| Short taxi ride | MRU 100–300 |
| Airport car to the city | MRU 500–1,000 |
| Tourist SIM, about a week | MRU 200–500 |
| Museum entry | MRU 100–300 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport (NKC)
- NKC to the Ksar: one hotel car or a pre-agreed taxi, 35–60 minutes over about 25 km (16 mi) — the risk is a night landing without a booked car and a hotel gate that nobody answers.NKC to the Ksar: one hotel car or a pre-agreed taxi, 35–60 minutes over about 16 mi (25 km) — the risk is a night landing without a booked car and a hotel gate that nobody answers.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Bush-taxi stations (garages) | Shared taxis and minibuses to Rosso, Akjoujt, Atar, Nouadhibou and Kiffa (check) | Car 15–40 min |
| Rosso border crossing | Senegal (Saint-Louis and Dakar) | Road 3–4 h (check) |
| Hotel or agency pick-ups | Atar, Chinguetti, Banc d'Arguin and other agency trips | Already there |
Typical fares
- Airport to the city, hotel car or taxi
- MRU 500–1,000, 35–60 min
- Short taxi ride, centre
- MRU 100–300
- Ksar to Fishermen's Beach
- MRU 300–600, 20–40 min
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk short distances in the Ksar by day; use a hotel car or an agreed-fare taxi between districts and always after dark. There is no metro and no ride-hailing; the main avenues are wide but traffic and sand slow everything.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Short distances in the Ksar by day |
| Taxi (shared or private) | Agree first: MRU 100–300 for a short ride | Short hops in daylight |
| Hotel car or driver | MRU 1,000–2,000 for a half day (check) | Between clusters, night, the beach |
| Minibuses | MRU 10–30 | Adventurous local routes |
| Rented 4x4 with driver | MRU 4,000–8,000 a day (check) | Day trips and the Adrar |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Fares are agreed before the ride; short rides are cheap.
- Late at night
- No rail or metro (the iron-ore train is far north); taxis thin out after dark, so book the last ride back through the hotel.
See and do
01Fishermen's Beach at landing timeشاطئ الصيادين
The liveliest sight in the city: painted boats and the fish market on the sand.
Hours: best 15:30–17:00 · Price: Free; driver extra · Time: 1 hHours: best 3:30 PM–5:00 PM · Price: Free; driver extra · Time: 1 h · 18.0385, -16.0290
02National Museumالمتحف الوطني الموريتاني
A small museum that gives the context for the Adrar and the culture of the country.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: MRU 100–300 · Time: 1 h · 18.0895, -15.9740
03Grande Mosquée (exterior)الجامع الكبير
The main religious landmark of the city; a respectful outside view.
Hours: best Mid-morning · Price: Free · Time: 10 min · 18.0925, -15.9722
04Ibn Abbas Mosque (exterior)مسجد ابن عباس
A landmark on the main avenues.
Hours: best Late afternoon · Price: Free · Time: 10 min · 18.0855, -15.9760
05Three glasses of mint teaأتاي
The ritual that defines hospitality.
Hours: best Afternoon · Price: MRU 10–80 · Time: 45 min · 18.0885, -15.9730
06Thieb lunchتيب
The national dish, eaten at lunch where locals eat it.
Hours: best 12:30–14:00 · Price: MRU 100–250 · Time: 45 minHours: best 12:30 PM–2:00 PM · Price: MRU 100–250 · Time: 45 min · 18.0880, -15.9745
07Cinquième marketسوق الخامسة
The city's busiest market; cloth, spices and street life.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free to browse · Time: 1 h · 18.0715, -15.9700
08Crafts centreالمركز الحرفي
Silver, leather and woven goods in one place.
Hours: best Daytime · Price: Free to browse · Time: 45 min · 18.0900, -15.9720
09Grilled fish by the seaسمك مشوي
Fish from the boats, grilled to order.
Hours: best Lunch or early dinner · Price: MRU 200–500 · Time: 1 h · 18.0388, -16.0285
10Atar and the Adrar
The desert trip that the city is the gateway to.
Hours: best Nov–Feb · Price: Agency, ask your hotel · Time: 3–5 days
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Banc d'Arguin National Park | 4x4 with a licensed agency and park permit, about 4–6 h | Two days |
| Atar and the Adrar plateau | 4x4 about 6–8 h on the road, or a domestic flight (check) | Three to five days |
| Chinguetti and Ouadane | 4x4 from Atar, about 2–4 h | Two nights |
| Akjoujt | Road about 3 h (check) | Long day or overnight |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atay: mint tea café | Mint tea and a snack · Ksar | MRU 10–80 | Budget |
| Thieb lunch, Ksar canteen | Thieb (rice with fish or meat) · Ksar | MRU 100–250 | Budget |
| Sandwich and shawarma counters | Sandwich or shawarma · Ksar streets | MRU 60–120 | Budget |
| Grilled fish by the sea | Grilled fish with rice · Fishermen's Beach | MRU 200–500 | Mid-range |
| Restaurant Zeitouna | A sit-down lunch · Ksar | MRU 300–700 | Mid-range |
| Méchoui: roast lamb restaurant | Roast lamb (méchoui) · Ksar and Tevragh Zeina | MRU 400–900 | Splurge |
| Hotel restaurants | French and international menus · Tevragh Zeina | MRU 600–1,500 | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Addresses change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | MRU 1,000–2,000 | Ksar guesthouses | Guesthouses and small hotels |
| mid | MRU 2,500–5,000 | Ksar and Tevragh Zeina | 3-star hotels |
| splurge | MRU 6,000–12,000+ | Tevragh Zeina | 4–5 star hotels |
Per room per night in MRU, 2026 estimate.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Peace be upon you | السلام عليكمas-salaam a-lay-koom |
| Hello (French) | Bonjourbon-zhoor |
| Thank you | شكراshook-ran |
| How much is this? | بكم هذا؟bi-kam ha-tha |
| Too expensive | غاليgha-lee |
| No, thank you | لا، شكراla shook-ran |
| Water, please | ماء من فضلكmaa min fad-lik |
| Please take me to this address | Emmenez-moi à cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtahm-nay mwah ah set ah-dress |
| God willing | إن شاء اللهin-shaa-Allah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greetings: Greet and ask how someone is before any question or purchase; skipping it reads as rude.
- Right hand: Give, receive and eat with the right hand; the left is used for washing.
- Mosques: Non-Muslims are not admitted to most mosques, including the Grande Mosquée and Ibn Abbas; view from the outside and do not photograph worshippers.
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered for everyone; women often cover their hair; no shorts or sleeveless tops.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people; never photograph police, soldiers, government buildings, the airport or the port.
- Tea: Three glasses: accept at least the first; do not refuse a host's tea lightly.
- Ramadan: Avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight; restaurants open after sunset.
- Alcohol: Do not carry or drink alcohol; it is illegal for Muslims and not available in ordinary shops.
Red lines
- Alcohol is prohibited: do not carry or drink it.
- Do not photograph the military, police, government buildings, the airport or people without permission; ask first at the fishing beach.
- Dress conservatively: shoulders and knees covered, and women often cover their hair.
- Non-Muslims are not admitted to most mosques, including the Grande Mosquée and the Ibn Abbas Mosque.
Scams and watch-outs
- Taxi drivers who quote a special foreigner fare: agree the fare first, use your hotel's driver at night, and keep small notes.
- 'Guides' at the airport or hotel who offer permits or a free introduction to an agency: book only a licensed agency through your hotel or a trusted contact.
- Street money-changers offering a better rate than a bank or a hotel: short-changing and old ouguiya notes are common. Use a hotel or a known bureau.
- Requests for a 'gift' or 'payment' at checkpoints: stay calm, show your passport and permits, and ask for the officer's name if you are pressed.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover between flights. Skip: The Adrar and Banc d'Arguin: they need a licensed agency and several days.
- 09:009:00 AMNational Museum
- 10:3010:30 AMGrande Mosquée from outside
- 13:001:00 PMLunch in the Ksar
- 15:303:30 PMFishermen's Beach with a driver
- 18:006:00 PMBack at the hotel before dark
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- UK FCDO foreign travel advice: Mauritania: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mauritania
- Wikivoyage — Nouakchott: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Nouakchott
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Nouakchottنواكشوط
Emmenez-moi à cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- شاطئ الصيادينFishermen's Beach (Plage des Pêcheurs)
- المتحف الوطني الموريتانيNational Museum of Mauritania
- الجامع الكبيرGrande Mosquée (Saudi Mosque), exterior
- مسجد ابن عباسIbn Abbas Mosque
- أتايAtay: mint tea café
- تيبThieb lunch, Ksar canteen
- Police17 (check)
- Fire18 (check)
- AmbulanceCheck locally; ask your hotel
Most embassies are in Tevragh Zeina or the centre; write your own embassy's 24-hour line below.
Give your driver a landmark and the district, not just a street name.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/nouakchott). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.