Driving From Nouakchott To Zouerat Iron Ore Train (1)
Intro
Over the next several blog posts, I will be writing detailed information on everything that went into riding the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania. For years, I have wanted to ride it, and finally, I had made time to take this journey.
As you might have read about in my previous flight review of Air Senegal, Mauritanian Airlines canceled my flight, so I had to book a last-minute transfer from Nouakchott to Zouerat.
The cost came out to 170$ per person (3 people). For an 800km drive, it's not bad at all for a private 4x4.
Nouakchott Airport-Nouakchott
At the unholy hour of 3:15 am, we finally exited the Nouakchott airport. The parking lot of the Nouakchott airport is a small place; thankfully, we were able to locate our driver in no time. The company had arranged a sim card for me to pick up since I wasn't sure how much service I would get with Verizon in this beautiful yet remote country.
Due to last-minute bookings, I had not prepared the cash needed for this trip. Thus, we had pre-arranged to drive to an atm in Nouakchott first to pick up the money.
If you are looking to take out cash in Mauritania, Nouakchott is probably the only location in the country (maybe Nouadhibou) where you can do so.
Additionally, we stocked up on supplies for the longest drive I have ever done in my life...
Why Do I Keep Saying We?
Before we embark on the 800km journey, I want to touch on why I keep saying "we." Originally, this trip was planned solo since that is how I roll. However, at the gate, when we boarded Air Senegal up to Nouakchott, I informed this couple that the flight to Zouerat had been canceled. Since they were heading up to Zouerat, we decided to split the cost of a ride and drive together.
Fantastic people. We still stay in touch to this day...
Nouakchott-Atar
At 4:30 am, the first long leg up to Atar began. With no soul in sight, in the outback of the Sahara desert, we cruised along the single-lane highway. As the sun began to rise from the night prior, the driver pulled over to take a quick nap. He asked me if I wanted to nap in the back, which I politely declined, and he decided to nap there instead😅.
45 minutes later, we began cruising again on our way to Atar. Driving around Mauritania makes you realize just how deserted this country is. You'll drive for 30 minutes without seeing a car, but perhaps you'll see a shepherd with his camel in the middle of absolute nowhere.
As the journey trekked on, I began to get tired. You must remember that 24 hours ago, I had somehow made it home after a night out in Dakar. I had this wild idea; as our vehicle was a 4x4, I inquired if I could sit in the back while we were driving 100 km/hr down the highway. You only live once, right?
This woke me up very, very quickly... Talk about a sunrise view!
However, the only issue with riding in the back is that it is illegal. Every hour on this drive, there happens to be a police checkpoint; every time, without failure, one must present their passport. (DO NOT TAKE PHOTOS).
By 10:00 am, we arrived at Atar to grab breakfast. So, from Nouakchott airport to Atar is about 5 hours direct and 6 hours with a stop. Oof, only a little over halfway there 😳.
Around Atar
Once arriving in Atar, the man who runs the company I booked with offered to meet with us and take us for breakfast. He was such a lovely person, and you could tell he wasn't just interested in this for the money but also in developing tourism and being a kind person.
For breakfast, we had some local tea and camel sandwiches. When in Mauritania, am I right?
Atar is where you want to stock up on the final supplies for the train. There are plenty of local markets that sell blankets, shopping bags for your luggage, and whatever else you might need. THIS IS CRUCIAL AS ZOUERAT DOES NOT OFFER THIS!
At this point, we had sacrificed any hope we had of making the departure of the train for the day out of Zouerat. So, after hanging out for a couple of hours in Atar, I grabbed a picture with a mate, and we continued on our final journey to Zouerat.
Atar-Zouerat
The last leg from Atar to Zouerat is the shorter of the two. The total travel time without stops is around about 3.5 hours.
However, with the beauty of this country, there was no chance there was going to be "no stops."
The first stop occurred when we came across one of the most gorgeous "canyons," which was like the views I had ever seen in my life. My jaw dropped as I looked out over this "canyon."
The 4x4 taking us on this insane journey...
As we continued on the winding roads into the north of Mauritania, the funniest aspect of the whole journey occurred. About 2.5 hours away from Zouerat, we had to slow down... due to a friggin camel...
He wouldn't move at all. No matter what we did😅. So, we decided to just go around it. Only in Mauritania...
About an hour and a half away, we came across the train we were looking to ride. I'll touch on it later, but the iron ore train runs from Zouerat-Choum-Nouadhibou, with the Zouerat-Choum part running perpendicular to the highway.
The driver pulled over so we could admire/contemplate (wtf we were doing with our lives) the train.
Yeah, 18 hours on this? I am not so sure...
Okay, this is a long drive. If only Mauritanian Airlines didn't cancel their flights 90% of the time😡.
With an hour and 15 minutes left to Zouerat, we pushed on through Northern Mauritania.
Well, we finally started to see signs that the iron ore deposits must be close by. Did you know that Mauritania is the 13th largest exporter of Iron ore in the world, producing 1.56 billion in revenue annually?
If you are wondering how you go to the toilet, the driver pulls over, and you piss on the side of the road...
14 hours after being picked up at Nouakchott, we arrived in the very small town of Zouerat. I'll have to touch on this town in another post, but wow, is it small and rural?
Off to the hotel now! Except, we didn't actually have a hotel booked...
Final Thoughts
Sitting in a car for 14 hours, traversing across 800km, usually isn't pleasant. However, this drive across Mauritania was one of the most invigorating experiences I have ever lived through. From sitting in the back of a pickup truck going 100 km/hr, having local tea in Atar, being roadblocked by a camel, and coming face to face with the iron ore train provided excitement beyond expectation.
It also helped that I had met these two friends. Otherwise, I might have gone crazy, haha.
Comments