What better way to end the year than by hitchhiking through the Sahara Desert on top of one of the longest trains in the world with some of your favorite travelers?
The Mauritania Railway has been transporting iron ore across the country since 1963. The 704-kilometer (or approximately 437-mile) railway links the mining center of Zouerat with the port of Nouadhibou. Trains on the railway can reach up to 2.5 kilometers (or about 1.5 miles) in length and carry more than 15,000 tons of iron ore—making them among the longest and heaviest in the world. While the iron ore train serves as a means of transport for locals, it offers a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for people like me. Passenger cars are sometimes attached, but most people (locals and thrill-seekers) simply ride on top of the iron ore. No tickets needed.
Riding the iron ore train in Mauritania had been on my list for quite some time. It was one of those adventures that generated a lot of buzz in my travel community. But, it was also one that I thought would be best shared. So, I put it on hold and waited for others to express interest. Before I knew it, one of my closest friends in the group (Adam) pitched the idea of finally riding the train on our next trip together. After setting the date and sharing the plan, three other fellow travelers (Jenna, Zsuzsanna, and David) opted to join.
Itinerary
There are a few places where you can get on the iron ore train. The train runs full from Zouerat to Nouadhibou, and returns empty in the other direction. For the full experience, you can get on just outside of Zouerat. Choum is the next stop; it is known to be an “official” stop—though we would later learn that is not always the case. Our plan was to ride the train from Choum to Nouadhibou. Note: You can ride the train back empty from Nouadhibou to Choum or to Zouerat, but what fun would that be?!
Adam took charge of this trip. He arranged a quick 3-day “tour” for us with Hademine from Time For Mauritania—I use the word loosely, because the “tour” was really just getting us from Nouakchott to Choum to ride the iron ore train.
Day 1 – Nouakchott to Terjit (approximately 5 hours). Overnight: Terjit.
Day 2 – Terjit to Choum with a stop in Atar (approximately 2 hours). Overnight: Iron ore train (approximately 13 to 15 hours).
Day 3 – Arrive in Nouadhibou.
Experience
After a night in New York and a stop in Casablanca, Jenna and I arrived at Nouakchott International Airport just after midnight on Saturday, December 28, 2019. We obtained entry visas on arrival and quickly left for the Casablu Hotel in Nouakchott, where we would be meeting the rest of our group just hours later.
After breakfast, we headed into the city with Hademine and our drivers to stock up on food and drinks before beginning the drive to Terjit—a lovely desert oasis.
There are two camps in Terjit. Both basic. One is located at the oasis, and the other (Chez Jamal) is just a quick walk away. Hademine suggested that we stay at Chez Jamal, since the tents at the oasis are situated next to the water, attracting hordes of mosquitoes. Regardless, staying at either camp is better than spending the night in Atar.
Upon arrival, we walked over to the oasis and explored the area.
Note: If you leave early enough, you could technically just drive directly from Nouakchott to Choum. The road is paved, and the drive is easy. But, do plan to arrive in Choum early. The train does not operate on a fixed schedule. We were told that it does not usually arrive before 19:00, but that it can really come whenever. And when it does, you only have minutes to pick out a “good” wagon and hop on—we were advised to inspect the wheels and levels of iron ore. Also, we were advised to pick a wagon towards the very back of the train in order to avoid having to walk far after arriving in Nouadhibou.
The following day, we arrived in Choum just before noon and spent the day hanging out by the train tracks.
Initially, our tour with Hademine was supposed to end there. However, he offered to join us on the journey to Nouadhibou last minute. Little did we know, this would change everything. After spending the day waiting, we were gutted when the iron ore train just passed us by and did not stop. Shortly after, we learned that no trains were expected to stop in Choum that evening. Hademine mentioned that this has been happening a lot in recent weeks/months—something to keep in mind! We were not prepared for this; we ignorantly just figured that the trains always stop in Choum. Nope. Apparently, if no passenger car is attached in Zouerat, the train will not stop.
Note: There is an actual train station in Choum. I suggest walking over and asking if the trains are expected to stop (just in case you need to make alternative plans). But, unless you speak French or Arabic, you will need to find someone to translate.
With Hademine’s help, we hunted down the Chief of the train station, and paid him a visit at his home. We basically begged (and incentivized) him to call the conductor of the next train to have it stop—a first for him! Although he could not make any guarantees, he agreed to make some calls. The next train was expected to arrive in Choum some time after 04:00. It was barely midnight. We ended up having dinner with the Chief and his family, before walking back to wait by the train tracks.
By this time, we had spent more than 12 hours waiting around. Exhausted, but not giving up hope just yet, we decided to all take a quick nap. Shortly after 04:00, we woke up to a pickup truck pulling up next to our “camp”. It was the Chief! We quickly started throwing everything into the back of the truck in preparation for the train’s arrival. We still had no confirmation. But, if the train did stop, we only had minutes to get everything and everyone up on the train.
At first, it did not seem like the train was slowing down or was going to stop. Nevertheless, we all jumped into the truck and raced alongside the train waiting for it to slow down. Suddenly, all we could hear was loud screeching sounds—the train was stopping! I cannot even begin to describe how happy we were.
It was pitch-black outside; we could hardly see anything. With no time to waste, we scrapped the plan of picking out a “good” wagon and started throwing everything up. Boarding the train, we were hit with another curveball. The wagons were filled with water—something none of us were expecting. Per Hademine, for whatever reason, they have been adding water to the wagons in recent weeks—something else to keep in mind! Before we could even process the situation, the train lurched forward causing us to panic. Were we about to be stuck on an island of iron surrounded by water, holding onto our things and each other for the next 13 to 15 hours? F***.
It took us a moment to calm down and start thinking creatively. Initially, we tried kicking the mounds of iron piled in the center of the wagon into the surrounding water. But, we quickly realized that the iron was obviously not absorbing any of the water, it was just turning into slush. Instead, we cut open three water bottles and used them to scoop out as much water as possible before we leveled off the mounds. It took us about two hours and a lot of effort to fix our problem.
Note: Normally, the journey from Choum to Nouadhibou is overnight. But, since we did not leave Choum until 04:45, we spent almost the entire ride under the desert sun. Depending on the time of year, it can get quite cold at night (that night’s low was 6C or 43F, plus windchill from the moving train). Come prepared! You can buy blankets in some of the towns along the way (and in Choum for twice the price). On the way to Choum, we each bought one in Atar. There are two types of blankets for sale (they are identical from town to town)—one cheaper in quality, and the other better in quality. The blankets are relatively expensive. We shopped around, and the lowest we were able to negotiate anywhere was €30 EUR for the “better quality” one (and €15 EUR for the “cheaper quality”). If you are traveling with someone else, and do not mind sharing, one “better quality” blanket for two people is enough (the blankets are huge).
The journey proved to be unlike any other—a truly unforgettable experience. As the night turned into day, we were greeted by a spectacular sunrise.
Exhausted, I could not even think to sleep; I did not want to miss a moment of this unique experience. We spent the ride enjoying the views and time together. And, of course, we spent a lot of time taking pictures of our once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
After spending close to 15 hours on top of the iron ore train, we finally arrived in Nouadhibou. Little did we know, our adventure was not over just yet. But, that is a story for another time [see post: NYE in Dakhla].
Things to Note
Make sure you have enough water and food to last you a day. Do not wait until Choum to go shopping—there is not much there. We bought cases of water and snacks in Nouakchott (also widely available in Atar).
Other than that, bring the obvious: some type of goggles, a face mask or two, and something to cover your hair with (you can buy turbans in Atar for cheap). It sure is a dusty ride! I also suggest bringing “contractor-type” trash bags (one for your bag(s), and one for you to fit into or sit on top of), as well as smaller bags for your phone and/or camera. Also, I suggest bringing empty water bottles in case you need to scoop out any water from the wagon. And, of course, have a back-up plan! I can assure you that public transportation is limited in Choum.
If you are worried about taking the iron ore train alone or without a local, reach out to Hademine. He is just wonderful; one of the best the guides that I have ever used. Highly recommend.
