Riding the Mauritanian Iron Ore Train (the Train du Désert) is often dubbed the ultimate bucket-list adventure for hardcore travellers. It is loud, brutal, freezing, choking with dust, and absolutely wicked.
Most travellers only ride it one way – from the desert interior (Choum) down to the coast (Nouadhibou). I decided to ride it in both directions.
In this blog, I’ve put together my essential survival tips, logistics, and the raw personal stories of the people I met along the tracks. Plus, it is the story about the journey that nearly kept me from making it back to where Sarah and my boys, were waiting for me in our campervan in Nouadhibou.
Well, it isn’t quite that dramatic. But I did tell Sarah that I’d see her back in 24 hours, when three days later I rolled back into town almost unrecognisable!
Here is everything you need to know.
What is the Mauritanian Iron Ore Train?
The iron ore train is the backbone of Mauritania’s economy. It is up to 2.5 kilometres in length with three to four diesel locomotives pulling over 200 cars. It is one of the longest and heaviest trains in the world.
Which if you’re anything like me, and have a fascination with big diesel-powered things, made of steel – that is seriously epic.
Where Does It Go?
The train runs a single, 704-kilometre of track through the Sahara Desert. It connects the iron mining town of Zouerat to the port city of Nouadhibou on the Atlantic coast.
Travellers usually catch the train at the remote desert outpost of Choum to ride the loaded carts down to Nouadhibou. But by riding the full loop from Nouadhibou to Zouerat and back, I got to experience the raw reality of both the empty and loaded journeys.
Nouadhibou to Zouerat: Empty Carts, Shakedowns, and Windproof Tea
Getting to the station in Nouadhibou is straightforward enough. It is a quick taxi ride out to the main line. But nothing prepares you for the sheer scale of the train as it snakes into view.
If I’m honest my original plan was to ride the passenger carriage out there, not realising that riding the empty carriage was even an option. I even bought a ticket – which in fact ended up saving my ass – more about that later!
When the train arrived, seeing the absolute chaos of screaming children, arms and legs flying, guards pushing people around boarding passengers into the carriage, I very quickly decided this was not going to work. These locals, and especially the women and children clearly needed the passenger carriage more than I did.
If Not the Passenger Carriage?
I stood back for a moment to gather my thoughts when a guy who’d approached me earlier at the station came up. This guy turned out to be a key part of my journey. He spoke very little (none) English, and his French was about as good as mine (also none!).
He used his phone with a message to say, ‘Come with us’.
Before we climbed up into the carriage, he had one more message for me on our new friend Google Translate:
“The cold wind can be fatal”.
Bound for Zouerat
I climbed into the empty wagon joining ten local guys who looked both confused and excited I was joining them. Remember, they’d seen me back at the station, so I guess I was kind of a familiar face by this stage.
We were now bound for Zouerat.
Trying To Fit In
These guys ended being some of the humblest people I have ever met. Some didn’t even have shoes.
I had packed a pair of high-tech ski goggles to protect my eyes from the dust, but looking at them, I couldn’t bring myself to wear them. It felt entirely wrong to flex my flash expensive gear in front of people travelling out of pure necessity.
As the night desert air turned freezing and the wind howled over the top of the open car, these men didn’t complain. Instead, they rigged up a makeshift tarpaulin across the corner of the metal wagon to block the wind.
They fired up a tiny gas cooker to boil water, making traditional Mauritanian mint tea.
Stranded in Zouerat with the Gold Miners
When we finally rattled into the mining hub of Zouerat, the real adventure – and a bit of anxiety – began. The train schedule in Mauritania is a loose concept at best. Due to a massive delay on the tracks, I completely missed my scheduled returning train.
With no other options, I had to wait a full day for the next batch of iron ore to be loaded, knowing that Sarah, Harry, and Oscar were parked up in the campervan in Nouadhibou wondering where I was.
My new mates, who turned out to be illegal gold miners, by now had realised my predicament and invited me to stay with them. All of this, without actually uttering a word…
Staying in Zouerat
We headed into town and to our accommodation for the night.
However, this wasn’t a hotel. It was a little concrete structure with a tin roof, tucked up a narrow alleyway.
By this stage our group had downsized to just five guys. It struck me how happy they looked when we arrived – kind of like, “Ahhhh, we’re home” – and how quickly they set up camp.
The gas cooker was on, with water on the boil and blankets rolled out. They even seemed to have their own favourite corner.
I was appointed a corner; I was part of the crew now and they looked after me like family.
The Next Day
When it was finally time to head back to the tracks, they insisted I take their heavy personal blankets to survive the freezing night ride back to Nouadhibou.
Knowing how vital those blankets were to them, I accepted them gratefully. But before leaving town I snuck straight to the local market and bought them a brand-new set of blankets to replace the ones that I took, and left them with my deepest thanks.
Standing My Ground: The Guard Shakedown
Not everyone on the tracks was as welcoming, though. On the journey back to Nouadhibou, a couple of train guards decided I was an easy target for a payday. Every single time the train ground to a halt, I’d look down and see them sprinting along the gravel from their passenger carriage at the back.
They would frantically climb up the side of my wagon and spend a solid five minutes aggressively hassling me for money. I knew that if I gave in once, they’d never leave me alone, so I stood my ground and firmly refused.
The funny part was watching the clock tick in their heads. They were terrified of the train suddenly starting up again and leaving them stranded in the open, filthy ore carts.
Like clockwork, after a few minutes of shouting, they’d panic, scramble back down the ladder, and sprint at full speed back to their carriage before the wheels turned. They tried this four or five times, each time asking me for something different.
This is where my ticket came into play. On the last stop, they were getting pissed off. They had asked for money multiple times and this time asked for my ticket. I remembered I had purchased the ticket way back in Nouadhibou and flashed it at them.
They finally gave up.
The Ultimate Packing List
If you are crazy enough to attempt this, you need to be entirely self-sufficient, with the ability to think quick and make good decisions. I went into this with my eye wide open and I’m comfortable being uncomfortable!
There are no conductors, no bathrooms, and no food carts.
- A Tagelmust (Saharan Scarf): Wrap it tight around your face. It works better than any mask against the iron dust. Plus, if you are doing this, remember you aren’t from here and you’re not always welcome. Try to blend in as best you can.
- A Rubbish Bag: If you have one, wrap your backpack in this, or your gear will be permanently stained black.
- Warm Layers: The desert drops to near-freezing temperatures at night.
- Torch or Headlamp: A good idea for navigating the pitch-black carts.
- Plenty of Water and Snacks: Pack more than you think you need in case of delays.
A Serious Note to Future Travelers
Social media has made the Mauritanian iron ore train famous, but please remember; this is a functioning piece of industrial infrastructure, not a personal film studio.
⚠️ Word to the Wise
This iron ore train is a vital lifeline for local people, their families, and their livelihoods. Approach this journey with deep respect and humility. Do not treat the locals as props for your photos.
If tourists continue to behave disruptively or treat this like an amusement park ride, the mining company will inevitably tighten the rules and ban travellers altogether.
Furthermore, prioritise safety over everything else. Standing up on the edge of a moving iron ore car to get the perfect Instagram shot is incredibly dangerous! The train jerks violently without warning.
If you fall off, the train is not stopping for you. You will be left behind in the middle of the Saharan desert.
Go for the raw adventure, keep your head down, and stay safe.
Also – note that in Mauritania people often don’t like cameras. You are in their opinion a tourist with money and expensive cameras, phones and cash. Be careful taking photos.
Logistics: Where to Stay in Mauritania
To pull this trip off, you will need bases on both ends of the iron ore train line. Mauritania’s hospitality industry is basic, but there are good options to rest your head before and after the gruelling ride.
Where to Stay in Nouakchott (The Capital)
If you are flying into the country, you will likely start in Nouakchott to arrange your visas or transport.
- Auberge Triskell: A legendary spot for overlanders and backpackers. Good for meeting other travellers and finding up-to-date travel info.
- Hotel Terjit Vacances: Located right on the beach, offering a more comfortable stay with great ocean views to relax before hitting the dust.
Where to Stay in Nouadhibou (The Coast)
This is where you will either start your journey to Zouerat or wash off the iron dust after coming down from Choum.
With our motorhome we stayed at Villa Maguela just outside of Nouadhibou which we can highly recommend.
Villa Maguella has parking for a vehicle (campervan or overlander) for 10 EUR per night or simple private rooms for 15 EUR per night.
If you don’t have a campervan like we did, these are your best bets:
Travel Planning for Mauritania & Beyond
These are the companies we use and can recommend for planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere in Asia.
- Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, adventure ticket, local tours and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Make sure you have insurance before travel anywhere in the world!
Gavin is our people-meeter wherever we go. For all the stories we share about the kindness of strangers in Uzbekistan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and more, it is Gavin that extends a handshake and meets a new friend without even sharing the same language.
