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Nouakchott
Capital and the largest city of Mauritania

Nouakchott

Nouakchott is the capital and largest city of Mauritania.

Plan a trip to Nouakchott→From Nouadhibou

Located in the southwestern part of the country, it is one of the largest cities in the Sahara. The city also serves as the administrative and economic center of Mauritania.

Get in

Getting to Nouakchott

  1. 01
    Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport

    It is the base for Mauritania Airlines which flies from Bamako, Casablanca, Dakar, Abidjan and Nouadhibou.

See

Worth seeing

Attractions in Nouakchott include the National Museum of Mauritania, the National Library and the National Archives.

  1. 01
    National Museum of Mauritania

    Head to the bustling fishing wharf 'port de peche' for a firsthand look at Mauritania's artisanal fishing industry.

Eat

Where to eat

There is a decent variety of restaurants in Nouakchott with plates from 1,000 to 3,500 UM. Most restaurants in the capital offer pretty much the same menu: pizzas, hamburgers, sandwiches and salads. Nicer places, such as Iman, will have steaks, brochettes, seafood and even curry.

How locals move

Getting around Nouakchott the local way

Share-taxi routes mapped nearby
  • T35 Taxi T35: Arrêt Toujounine → Polyclinique · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T35 Taxi T35: Polyclinique → Arrêt Toujounine · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T9 Taxi T9: Carrefour BMD → arret bus sixieme → Arrivage Basra · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T9 Taxi T9: Arrivage Basra → arret bus sixieme → Carrefour BMD · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T10 Taxi T10: Cité Plage (Plage des pecheurs) → Carrefour BMD · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T10 Taxi T10: Carrefour BMD → Cité Plage (Plage des pecheurs) · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T11 Taxi T11: Ksar → Carrefour BMD · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T11 Taxi T11: Carrefour BMD → Ksar · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T13 Taxi T13: dar Naïm → Polyclinique · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T13 Taxi T13: Polyclinique → dar Naïm · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T14 Taxi T14: Arrivage Basra → arret bus sixieme → Polyclinique · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)
  • T14 Taxi T14: Polyclinique → arret bus sixieme → Arrivage Basra · FBT (Fédération El Bir pour le Transport)

OpenStreetMap contributors.

  • Get in6 hours): minibuses leave from Garage Atar along the N1 northeast of town, fare about 500 MRU to Atar.
  • Get in3 hours): Minibuses depart from garages near Carrefour Madrid, sept-places from the Garage Riyadh 7km further south.
  • Get aroundNormal fare in a shared taxi is 100 UM, but taxis around the city for non-set routes can cost up to 300 UM per person.
  • Get aroundThere are mainly shared taxis running in the city, but if you want to ride alone, you need to pay for all the seats (600 UM).
  • Go nextThough probably more convenient option is shared taxis.
  • Go nextPlenty of minibuses also leave throughout the day from Carrefore Sabah.

From Wikivoyage: Nouakchott, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-07.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.