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Off the Beaten Path in Mauritania
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Mauritania Off the Beaten Path


meeting with a nomad riding a camel - Mauritania
meeting with a nomad riding a camel
by sachara
Tips and photos of unusual, out-of-the-way Mauritania attractions, posted by real travelers and locals.
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Kankossa, wetlands
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  • sachara
  • Updated By sachara on December 21, 2004
  • Mauritania Page by sachara
  • Karokoro river north of Kankossa - Mauritania
    Karokoro river north of
    Kankossa
    by sachara
    In the area around Kankossa in the south of Mauritania is a permanent wetland of about 1500 ha. This wetland is situated in the valley of the Karokoro, which seasonal river flows from Kiffa to the Senegal river west of Kayes. The river is frequently blocked by sand deposits, but in years of high rainfall the river can fill up to 50 km north of Kankossa.

    In the centre of the depression around Kankossa is a vegetation of acacia woodland. In the water you can find water-lilies. And the banks of the wetland are lined with vegetable gardens. And livestock find here a year-round supply of water.

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    Nomad tents in the south
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  • sachara
  • Updated By sachara on December 21, 2004
  • Mauritania Page by sachara
  • Nomad tents - Mauritania
    Nomad tents
    by sachara
    Travelling the first KMs in the south of Mauritania, we had sandy tracks, sometimes in ondulating grasslands, sometimes in the sand.

    Instead of small villages with thatched roofs like in Mali, we saw at this side of the border Mali-Mauritania the first white nomadic tents in different sizes and forms. Now we knew for sure, that we arrived in Mauritania.

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    Kankossa, no crossing for cars
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  • sachara
  • Updated By sachara on December 21, 2004
  • Mauritania Page by sachara
  • local boats - Mauritania
    local boats
    by sachara
    We passed Kankossa at the westside. After we spent the night in the acacia woodlands, we discovered early in the morning a track to the Karokoro river at the eastside, We found out, that there was a lot of water in the river, so we couldnīt cross the river with our two cars.

    At the riverbank we saw these nicily decorated pirogues in bright colours. There were no boatsmen around, but we hadnīt time to spend here or to cross either, because we had to reach Kiffa in time and to continue to Tidjikja the same day.

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    Tidjikja - Chinquetti, not only sand
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  • sachara
  • Updated By sachara on December 29, 2005
  • Mauritania Page by sachara
  • rocky track - Mauritania
    rocky track
    by sachara, 2 more photos
    After the first sandy tracks in the flat empty landscape with small trees and bushes north of Tidjikja we were surprised to see a lot of black rocks. There was a good track between the rocks. Slowly we climbed into a mountaineous area.

    I was surprised, how quickly the scenery changed within every hour. The desert boring ? Not at all I can you tell.

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    Tidjikja - Chinquetti, we manage to pass the rocks
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  • sachara
  • Updated By sachara on December 29, 2005
  • Mauritania Page by sachara
  • Tidjikja- Chinquetti, rocks !! - Mauritania
    Tidjikja- Chinquetti, rocks !!
    by sachara
    Though we didnīt believe surveying the rocky surface, it seemed to be possible to cross the rocky area according the opinion of our guide. So what else we could do than believe Baba. We came out of the car and found out that the sand between the stones was very soft and deep. It would not be easy, so we had to look very good and to drive very slowly and carefully.

    Finally we managed to reach the plain at the other side without any damage or getting stuck in the sand between the stones. It felt like a victory.

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    Tidjikja - Chinquetti, Paris-Dakar passed here
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  • sachara
  • Updated By sachara on January 1, 2005
  • Mauritania Page by sachara
  • Paris-Dakar, this car didn't make it - Mauritania
    Paris-Dakar, this car didn't
    make it
    by sachara, 3 more photos
    After we had conquered all the sanddunes, we crossed easy sandy plains, further heading north. In this area we could drive rather fast.

    We drove for hours without seeing any car or person. Suddenly in the middle of nowhere we saw the remains of a car of the Paris-Dakar Rally. So now we were sure, that we were at one of the routes of the rally !

    We stopped to have a look at the car. And of course some of us had to sit on the seat of the driver of this Paris-Dakar car.

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    Lost in the desert, but not alone
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  • sachara
  • Updated By sachara on January 2, 2005
  • Mauritania Page by sachara
  • meeting with a nomad riding a camel - Mauritania
    meeting with a nomad riding a
    camel
    by sachara, 2 more photos
    The railway with its KM signs was our orientationpoint and life-line. They told us it was easy enough to find our way without a guide, just by following the most fresh tracks in the often soft sands.

    Most of the time we saw the KM signs of the railway very clearly. Sometimes the most fresh tracks , we followed were a few KMs away from the railroad and after some time they bend again to the railway. A few times we headed straight north to find back the railway to be sure, we didnīt get lost, after our experience the first day, when we followed the fresh tracks of pickups, leading to a nomadic camp a few KM south of the railway.

    So we had to drive back to the railway without tracks, so we drove as straight north as we thought we did, having the low west sun at our lefthandside. No tracks, no railway, but we did meet a nomad at a camel, coming from nowhere and going to nowhere.

    He had never heard of the railway or didnīt understand the French word for it. He did know the word for aspirin, which he needed badly. After we gave it to him, we tried to find back the railway ourselves again before dusk.

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    Village near Kankossa
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  • sachara
  • Updated By sachara on December 21, 2004
  • Mauritania Page by sachara
  • Kankossa 2 - Mauritania
    Kankossa 2
    by sachara
    At the westside of the river was a small village, where we saw the sign Kankossa 2 at one of the buildings. Though it was very early in the morning, maybe around 7 am, there was a French speaking schoolboy around. He could explain us in which direction in the sandy and dusty village with scattered huts, tents and small buildings we could find our way out in the right direction and track to the north, to Kiffa.

    Early in the morning we didnīt see any small shop or streetstall for buying some food or fresh bread. We had to wait till Kiffa for shopping.

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    Sandy track from Kankossa to Sani
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  • sachara
  • Updated By sachara on December 25, 2004
  • Mauritania Page by sachara
  • sandy tracks - Mauritania
    sandy tracks
    by sachara
    Some parts of the track from Kankossa to the north and west were very sandy. Luckily our two 4WDs had no problem at all to cross those soft sands. It was an amazing feeling to be here and to do this with two Dutch cars.

    After some time we reached a badly paved road with many potholes, near Sani. And after a trip of 4 hours we were surprised to see a smooth asphalt road again, which was leading into the town of Kiffa.

    Our one-and-half day tour off-road from Kayes to Kifffa was completed.

    The next part of the trip from Kiffa to Tidjikja is described at the ''must see activity" tips.

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    Track from Kankossa to Sani
  • Tip Rating:
  • sachara
  • Updated By sachara on December 21, 2004
  • Mauritania Page by sachara
  • north of Kankossa - Mauritania
    north of Kankossa
    by sachara
    The track, we were following from the Kankossa area to Kiffa, was not leading straight to the north, but bended after some time to the west. We had no other choice, so we followed these tracks. It was again a pleasant route through undulating grasslands with scattered acacia trees.

    Like yesterday we didnīt see any other traffic, we just followed the most used and fresh track. Sometimes we saw some herds.

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    More Mauritania Tips
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