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.
 | Off the Beaten Path in Mauritania 
 
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Mauritania Travel Guide
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 | Kankossa, wetlands   |  | |
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 |  on December 21, 2004 |
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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| on December 21, 2004 |
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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| on December 21, 2004 |
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 couldn´t 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 hadn´t 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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| on December 29, 2005 |
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, Paris-Dakar passed here | | |
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| on January 1, 2005 |
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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| Tidjikja - Chinquetti, we manage to pass the rocks | | |
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| on December 29, 2005 |
Though we didn´t 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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| Lost in the desert, but not alone | | |
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| on January 2, 2005 |
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 didn´t 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 didn´t 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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| on December 21, 2004 |
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 didn´t 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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| Entering Mauritania from Mali | | |
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| on December 29, 2005 |
From Ouid Yenjé at the Malinese border we could easily follow the tracks in the grasslands. We drove first in the west direction and bended later more to the north. The only thing we knew, we must be somewhere between Sélibabi in the south and Kankossa in the north. It was really pleasant to drive in this grassy ondulating landscape in the late afternoon. More to the north in the direction of Kankossa the landscape changed into sandy plains with small trees without grass. We judged, that the distance to Kiffa was still about 100 KM, but Kankossa must be near. We decided to drive till dusk. We didn't reach Kankossa or maybe we missed it, so we made a bushcamp somewhere between the trees beside the track. |
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| Sandy track from Kankossa to Sani | | |
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| on December 25, 2004 |
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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More Mauritania Tips
| Overview | General Tips Tips: 22 - Photos: 12 |
| Restaurants Tips: 13 - Photos: 7 | Hotels and Accommodations Tips: 24 - Photos: 15 |
| Things To Do Tips: 64 - Photos: 56 | Nightlife Tips: 1 - Photos: 1 |
| Off the Beaten Path Tips: 62 - Photos: 61 | Tourist Traps Tips: 5 - Photos: 1 |
| Warnings or Dangers Tips: 13 - Photos: 8 | Transportation Tips: 16 - Photos: 13 |
| Local Customs Tips: 14 - Photos: 12 | Packing Lists Tips: 6 - Photos: 4 |
| Shopping Tips: 8 - Photos: 7 | Sports Travel Tips: 1 - Photos: 1 |
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