Discover Mauritania

Mauritania combines remarkable historical sites with vibrant food and tea traditions. Oualata’s World Heritage site and architecture, the ksar of Ouadane and the seasonal festival culture in Atar offer different perspectives on the country. Mauritanian cuisine also offers more than individual dishes: its specialties reflect influences from the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa. When planning a trip, you can first consider whether historic buildings, culinary traditions or a festival should be your main focus.

Oualata and Ouadane: two historical highlights

Oualata, formerly Birru, is a World Heritage site and is known for its great age and unique architecture. The pink-and-white decorations on the houses are particularly striking. The town is also home to family libraries with valuable old manuscripts. The architecture and written records thus offer distinct historical highlights: the houses shape the town’s visible character, while the libraries represent the preservation of ancient texts.

In Ouadane, history leads to the ksar: it was founded in 1141 on the ruins of a settlement whose history dates back to the 8th century. The ksar stands on a mountainside and was surrounded by a defensive wall. The area around Ouadane also has a diverse landscape. It includes the “Eye of Africa,” rock paintings, impressive mountain passes, dune ranges and oases. These features belong to the area surrounding the town; they form a different thematic focus from Oualata’s architecture and manuscript tradition.

Tea culture and Mauritanian cuisine

Tea culture is closely associated with socializing and sharing. The tradition includes three glasses of tea prepared according to a ritual. During tea gatherings, people talk, recite poems, discuss history and tell anecdotes. Tea is also served at the end of a traditional meal: it begins with dates and ends with a ceremonial mint tea ritual. These two customs show tea both as part of a social gathering and as a festive end to a meal.

Popular drinks include fresh camel milk, zrig—a fermented drink made from water and sugar—the hibiscus infusion bissap, and tajmakht, made from baobab pulp. The dishes also reflect diverse cultural influences. Specialties include Mauritanian couscous and leksour; the cuisine is shaped by Maghrebi and sub-Saharan African cultures. Tiéboudienne, a rice dish with fish, is also one of Mauritania’s specialties and is associated with sub-Saharan African culture.

Festivals throughout the year

In Atar, the summer date season draws visitors from across Mauritania to the Guetna date festival. The festival takes place every year and is tied to the season; check the latest dates before your trip. Another festival gives many visitors the opportunity to discover Tichitt, its oasis and the surrounding area. Alongside historic buildings, seasonal events and the experience of visiting an oasis landscape are therefore also options to consider when choosing what interests you on a trip.

Visiting Banc d’Arguin National Park

A guide is required for first-time visits to Banc d’Arguin National Park. Check the park’s current visitor information before your trip, as visitor guidance may change. This requirement is especially important when planning a first visit and should be taken into account early.

When planning a hotel stay, the focus of your trip can be a helpful starting point. Oualata stands for World Heritage, architecture and family libraries; in Ouadane, the history of the ksar meets the landscape around it. Cuisine and tea culture are a cultural focus throughout the country, while the Guetna festival in Atar offers a seasonal perspective. This makes it easier to clearly prioritize the interests that matter most for your trip from the outset.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Assaba, Nouakchott, Chinguetti, Atar, Nouadhibou, Rosso. Discover more countries: Burkina Faso, Lesotho.

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