Two Short Walks in Nouakchott

Advisory, October 2026: Canada advises avoiding the Cinquième district after dark and unpatrolled beaches, and the US rates Mauritania Level 3, Reconsider Travel. Nouakchott itself carries no FCDO warning. Walk by day; the FCDO warnings have current detail.

A walking tour in the European sense does not suit Nouakchott. The city is a sprawl of wide sandy avenues with few paved footpaths, deep sand at the verge, fast traffic and few crossings, and afternoon heat often above 40 degrees. Two small districts are good for short walks, early in the morning or in the late afternoon. Take a taxi between them.

Ksar craft walk

Allow 90 minutes to 2 hours. Ksar is the early town that grew around the original ksar settlement before the capital was founded in 1957.

  • The Marché Artisanal on the Route de Nouadhibou is the start. Silver is hammered and cast here, and leatherworkers make saddles and chests.
  • Walk east into the old brick quarter.
  • Stop at a bakery for warm mbourou, the round bread of Mauritania.

Allow 90 minutes to 2 hours. This leafy district holds embassies and quiet streets, which makes it the easiest place to stroll.

  • Galerie Zeinart at Ilot C shows Mauritanian painters, sculptors and jewellery in a garden. It was founded by Isabel Fiadeiro; see the gallery site .
  • Next comes the Institut Français de Mauritanie, with changing photography exhibitions and a cafe in the open air.
  • Finish at Pâtisserie Charlotte or Restaurant Le Prince for pastries and coffee.

Safety rules for any walk

  1. Keep the Presidential Palace, ministries and military barracks off your route. Guards detain people who linger or photograph.
  2. Never photograph people without asking. Women, fishermen and vendors are especially sensitive to cameras.
  3. Wear a hat and carry water, since shade is scarce.
  4. Dress modestly, with covered shoulders and knees.
  5. Return to your hotel before dark. Mauritanians stay in groups at night.

Why not walk further

Long cross-city walks are tiring, and the distances between districts are large. The sea is not a walking route either: Port de Pêche is for watching boats land from the sand in the late afternoon, and nobody should swim or wade there.

Read more: Sightseeing in Nouakchott lists what to add by taxi.

Booking help

Compare guided walks on GetYourGuide . The Wikivoyage entry has current taxi tips.