Holiday in Nouakchott

What makes Nouakchott special as a destination?

Nouakchott is the capital of Mauritania and the only million-city in the Sahara — a 1.2 million metropolis that began as a small settlement in 1958 and has since grown explosively as nomads from the desert flocked to the new capital. The city is located on the Atlantic coast, and this location between the Sahara and the ocean gives Nouakchott a surreal atmosphere: camels on the beach, sand dunes between residential blocks, and the smell of ocean and desert mixed together. The Port de Pêche (fishing port) is Nouakchott's most spectacular experience: hundreds of brightly painted pirogues land on the beach every afternoon, fishermen carry tuna, sharks, and rays on their heads, and the entire catch is sold in a chaotic auction right on the sand. It is one of the last great artisanal fishing spectacles in the world. The Marché Capitale is the shopping center of the desert dwellers: Tuareg jewelry, Mauritanian garments (Dara'a for men, Melhfa for women), camel milk products, and the ubiquitous Ataya tea. The Grande Mosquée Saudienne, a Saudi gift, dominates the skyline. Nouakchott is the gateway to the Sahara: The Adrar region with the ancient caravan city of Chingütti (UNESCO), the ergs, and oases is only a 6-hour drive northeast and is one of the last great desert adventures in the world.