When people think of Mauritania, the desert train is unlikely to be the first thing that comes to mind. In fairness, nothing usually does as most people don’t even know where Mauritania is! However, despite its many natural attractions, the desert train was the one thing that made me really want to go there.
Departing daily from Nouadhibou, this cargo train – one of the longest in the world, measuring up to 2 km in length – makes its way across the Sahara carrying iron ore from the mines at Zouerate. Sleeping under the stars as you ride 450 km into the desert make this a truly unique adventure. A wild ride, you could say.