The country’s currency is the Mauritanian ouguiya, denoted by the symbol “UM” or “أوقية‎‎” (ISO code: MRU). It was revalued in Dec 2017: 10 old UM (ISO: MRO) = 1 new UM (MRU).

Mauritania is poorly connected to the international banking system. Many ATMs in Nouakchott now accept international Visa cards at banks such as BNP, Attijari and Societe Generale (the latter also accepts Mastercards) in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, but otherwise, credit cards are accepted almost nowhere. It is easy to change euros, dollars and CFA francs in Nouakchott. There are few Mastercard and Visa card ATMs in Nouadhibou.

BY TRAIN:

There is only one train line in Mauritania, linking Nouadhibou, Choum and Zouerat, but it’s a tourist attraction itself. It’s used to carry iron ore from the Zouerat mine to Nouadhibou harbour.

The train departs daily from Nouadhibou at around 15:00 and arrives in Choum (for Atar) at around 02:00 the next morning. Check departure times on arrival.

In Mauritania there is only one passenger car, but travel in iron ore hopper is also possible (and advisable, as the passenger car is usually overcrowded and tickets are required). There is also first-class accommodation – first-class seats are limited, but they allow access to a smaller room with bunk beds. It does not necessarily ensure more comfort, though. Ticket price is 300 ouguiya (2018) for second class in the passenger car and travel in the hopper is free of charge. Remember to have a scarf to cover your face, as there is a lot of dust.

From Choum it’s possible to get to Atar with a bush taxi. The journey could take up to eight hours if the vehicle has a breakdown.

EAT:

There is a decent variety of restaurants in Nouakchott with dishes costing from UM100 to 250. Most restaurants in the capital offer much the same menu – simple pizzas, hamburgers, sandwiches and salads. There is a string of restaurants on the road from the Stade Olympique to the French Embassy. Good ones include Pizza Lina, Café Liban and Le Petit Café. The Sahara Café, on the other side of the stadium, is also a good place for pizza, sandwiches or Lebanese dishes, and has some of the best reasonably-priced food in town. Near Marche Capitale, there is a street of sandwich shops that offer near-identical menus, the best of which is the Prince (which taxi drivers know by name).

Outside of Nouakchott, it is possible to find a hamburger in Atar. Otherwise, the choice is local dishes: fish and rice (chebujin) in the south and rice and meat or couscous in the north. Hole-in-the-wall restaurants can be found everywhere and serve meals from UM 20-50. Mechui, or grilled sheep, is also delicious if a little more expensive. Look for carcasses hanging by the side of the road. Some fruit can be found in most regional capitals. Note that most restaurants outside of Nouakchott do not have very high standards of cleanliness. Since most small restaurants go under within a few years of opening, your best bet in trying to find one in a regional capital is to just ask locals for directions to whatever is nearby. Another alternative, in the absence of a restaurant, is paying a family to prepare food for you, which should be relatively inexpensive (no more than UM 150), even if it takes a while (up to a couple hours to buy the food and prepare it).

Bottled water can be bought for UM 20 and is a good idea for anyone not accustomed to Africa.

If none of this sounds good, keep in mind that boutiques everywhere sell bread, cakes, biscuits and drinks if nothing else.

Tea is usually served after a meal, but it is not included with the meal at restaurants. If you are offered tea in someone’s home, it is impolite to leave until at least the second (of three) glasses. The whole process takes about an hour.

DRINK:

Despite being an Islamic country there are a few fun bars in the capital. Drinking can be expensive, with a beer costing up to US$6. There is a nightclub inside the French Embassy compound. For the non-French, try the Salamander or the trashy (but open late) Club VIP. Next door to VIP is the Casablanca, a more low-key bar with live music on the weekends. It is illegal to import alcohol beyond 0.5 litres, which must be declared.

All ranges of accommodation are available, with the highest class hotels available only in Nouakchott and Atar. “Auberges” and Campsites can rent beds/mattresses for as little as UM 150 in the Adrar and Nouadhibou.

There is usually at least one hotel in the regional capitals in the rest of the country, although they can be expensive for what you are getting. If possible, make friends with a local and try to get invited to stay with their family. As long as you don’t mind sleeping on the ground on a foam mat, sleeping/eating near animals or using a latrine, you will probably end up having a pleasant and memorable stay.

Souvenirs can be bought at Marché Capital or Marché Sixième in Nouakchott, or at tourist shops in the Adrar. Fabric will be sold in boutiques all over the country, but Kaedi is famous for its tie-dying.

In general, the quality of most Mauritanian souvenirs is not as good as one might expect. That said, you can find leather products, pipes, wooden bowls, tea pots and silver jewellery among other things (be careful with the quality of jewellery). Fabric, however, is tie-dyed by hand and can be quite beautiful. Fabric will be sold as a mulafa (veil)–usually gauzy and one piece–or as material for a boubou, with two separate pieces for a skirt and top. Fabric is sold anywhere for anything from UM 150-800, depending on the fabric quality and work involved.

When buying anything in Mauritania, be sure to bargain. Sometimes the starting price will be three times the actual price. Stay friendly, but don’t worry about insulting anyone by asking for a lower price.