There are numerous attractions in Mauritania such as various national parks and leisure resorts however most interesting of these is the unexplained land formation of Richat structure also known as the eye of Africa.

Travelling info

All visitors traveling to Mauritania are required to have a valid passport. Entry requirements vary depending on visitors nationality. Citizens of several African countries in the vicinity of Mauritania enjoy visa-free access to the country. All others must obtain a visa in one of the Mauritanian consulates, embassies or missions. Visitors who wish to drive may do so, using their national driving permit. An international driving permit is however strongly advised. Owning such a document will make interaction with the local law enforcement on the roads much easier and will also decrease the chances of trouble while renting a vehicle.

Traveling hazards

Driving in Mauritania can be treacherous, and we encourage travelers to hire a trained local driver. Roadway obstructions and hazards caused by drifting sand, animals, and poor roads often plague motorists. These hazards, when combined with the number of untrained drivers and poorly maintained vehicles, make heightened caution imperative at all times. Drivers should be extremely vigilant and all vehicle occupants should always wear their seat belts. Motorcycle and bicycle riders should wear helmets and protective clothing. Nighttime driving is discouraged. The traditional route to Nouadhibou, prior to the completion of a paved road, was along the beach during low tide. Some travelers continue to use this route, as do visitors to coastal fishing villages and other points of interest, as well as smugglers and others who try to avoid the security checkpoints that are often established along the asphalt roads. Pedestrian visitors to the beach should exercise caution because of the beach’s use as a route for motorized vehicles. Public transportation is not safe and road conditions in Mauritania are generally poor, particularly in the interior. Overland travel is difficult and roadside assistance is nonexistent.

Environmental hazards

Mauritania is a vast country and takes 11th place on the list of largest African countries out of 54. Large swaths of Mauritania are covered by sands of Sahara desert making parts of it very harsh for any habitation. There are however many animals which still make Mauritania their home. There are no large dangerous land animals in Mauritania, there are however many reptiles which pose a threat to people. Among these are several viper species which are capable of delivering lethal bite if left untreated. The distance between medical facilities in Mauritania makes them more dangerous than in other countries. Emergency services response is also not as efficient as in many other places. The west African crocodiles have adapted to living in the arid lands of Mauritania. This species is less aggressive than their Nile crocodile cousins. They’re also relatively smaller. Mauritania has a large coast however there are no records of any shark attacks. Such incidents, however, cannot be ruled out as neighboring nations saw such reports and shark range is not limited to those but also stretches along the Mauritanian coast.
There are many natural hazards occurring throughout Mauritania including the most common being dust storms, floods, and droughts. Floods are responsible for most damage and carry the biggest death toll of all the natural hazards occurring in Mauritania.

Health hazards

The government of Mauritania requires proof of yellow fever vaccination upon arrival if you are traveling from a country with risk of yellow fever. Apart from the yellow fever vaccination, there are no other required vaccines. There are however numerous other vaccines which are recommended before travel. These are the routine vaccines aka MMR vaccines, hepatitis A and B, typhoid and rabies vaccines. Malaria is present in Mauritania and unfortunately, there is no approved effective vaccine against it. There are however alternative ways to protect against the disease. Since the disease is transmitted through mosquito bites, the use of mosquito repellents and mosquito nets is recommended. There is also medicine on prescription against malaria which should be available after consulting your local general practitioner. The healthcare system in the country is predominantly public, however, over the past decade, the private medical sector has experienced a steady increase. There is only one major hospital in the country and it is located in the capital: Nouakchott. The hospital is capable of taking care of emergencies however it is not fully equipped to house inpatients.
There is no ambulance emergency number in Mauritania. In case of an emergency dial 17 (Police) / 18 (Fire department).

Crime

Crime statistics are hard to obtain in Mauritania as the officials only loosely track and report consolidated crime statistics. While crime data is generally available at the local and community level, the collection, reliability, and dissemination of such information are impossible to assess. It is also highly probable that many crimes go unreported, further skewing what little data is available. Generally speaking, there has been a noted increase in a violent crime such as murder, assault, battery, robbery, occupied burglary, kidnapping, carjacking and nonviolent crimes such as theft, vehicle burglary, vandalism, unoccupied burglary. The Mauritanian government has taken small measures to mitigate rampant crime, and the National Guard and Gendarmerie patrol the highest-crime neighborhoods, particularly in the southern side of Nouakchott. Crime reports outside of the city of Nouakchott are not gathered or included in the crime statistics. Tourists, especially westerners are particularly targeted by criminals in the hope of economic gain as they are perceived as lucrative targets. Terrorist acts can occur in Mauritania as al Qaeda has a historic presence in the Maghreb lands including Mauritania. Although the Mauritanian government denies the presence of organized terrorist cells in the country, citing the lack of successful terrorist attacks since 2011, there have been numerous cases of Mauritanians self radicalizing and pledging allegiance to terrorist groups. Narcotics of any kind are illegal and possession, distribution or cultivation are all considered a criminal offense. The government of Mauritania, however, has admitted that it does not have sufficient means to adequately enforce the law.

Summary

Although Mauritania remains a rather unpopular tourist destination there are truly many great attractions to witness in the country. The richat structure is truly one of the most amazing places to see in the country. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/mauritania/visas
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/mauritania