One is located at the oasis, and the other (Chez Jamal) is just a quick walk away. No purchase necessary. After spending the day waiting, we were gutted when the iron ore train just passed us by and did not stop. Geography in Mauritania. HOLY SHIT. The aim of the train is to transport thousands of tonnes of iron ore, distributed in more than 200 wagons . Get to Nouadhibou, Choum, or Zourat in advance. Mauritania is one of thirteen countries where atheism is illegal. The tourist route is typically operated by a locomotive carrying two passenger carriages. It was designated as the country's capital only in 1960 and is therefore one of the world's newest capitals. 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/camera. A video example of the sonic boom (this was one of the lighter ones): Hitchhiking this train will be anyones ride of his or her lifetime: Running through one of the harshest environments on earth from the scorching desert heat of daytime and the bitter cold at night, the train offers no shelter, no bathrooms, and no food. Passenger carriages also can be attached to the train, but people are uncomfortably packed in like sardines and youll miss the true experience as a passenger sitting inside the wagons meant to carry the ore, or on top of the ore itself. Built to transport Mauritania's vast iron ore reserves, the Mauritania Railway is a 704-kilometer line that cuts through the Sahara Desert on its way from the mining center of Zouerat to the port city of Nouadhibou on Africa's Atlantic coast. Anyways if you plan on taking the train in the other direction sitting on TOP of the iron ore . (June 2018) Mauritania is a country in northwest Africa. Mauritania has one of the longest trains in the world. . With Hademines help, we hunted down the chief of the train station, and paid him a visit at his home. Departure: When the train arrives just jump into the back of one of the cars. More information about the video content bellow: 1. [3] Following Mauritania's annexation of southern Western Sahara in 1976, the line came under constant attack by Polisario militia, effectively putting the line out of use and thereby crippling Mauritania's economy. The deal would have saved the company the cost of constructing their own tracks and facilities. Mauritania is one of the poorest countries in the world, with 40% of its population below poverty line. The mining town of Zourat in northern Mauritania is one such isolated outpost. Mauritania quartz Mauritania quick facts Mauritania quotes Mauritania quran Mauritania quran mp3 Mauritania quran radio Mauritania quran recitation Mauritania quran school: Mauritania railway Mauritian recipes Mauritania region Mauritania religion Mauritania resources Mauritania restaurante Mauritania results Mauritania rivers Mauretania rms . One of the longest trains in the world is found in Mauritania. This remarkably well-preserved mosque stands amid an 11th-century caravansary. As a result, only one bullet train derailed that day. with 200 carriages, 3-4 locomotives, weighing up to 84 tons, capable of carrying 17,000 tons of iron ore, and operating all 365 days of the year since 1963. At 3-kilometers in length, trains on this line are among the longest and heaviest in the world. He was a local guide Yaya of Sidi Tours and was leading the couple (of Rutas Salvajes) around Mauritania. The rest is covered by the sands of the Sahara. 2. Passengers are also occasionally transported by train; these services are managed by an SNIM subsidiary, the socit d'Assainissement, de Travaux, de Transport et de Maintenance (abb. Winner will be selected at random on 12/01/2022. At the moment the train was still, we quickly inspected a few wagons to make sure they had good wheels, picked one to call home, climbed its ladders, half hanging on while being passed all our bags. 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). I suggest bringing empty water bottles in case you need to do the same. Videos. Quizzes. The train then continues on to the harbor to dump the 22,000 tons of ore. Three hours later, the train is back at Nouadhibous station for the return trip. It is considered to be the worlds most gruelling automobile race. According to the UK Foreign Office, Mauritania is one of 17 countries deemed to be entirely unsafe for tourists to visit in 2020 due to the risk of terrorism. Source:The Telegraph, 18. The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara is earning early praise, including the top prize for cinematography at the XVI International Film Festival of Almeria, and the jury prize for stylistic achievement and best cinematography at the Social Impact Media Awards 2018. In 1904, Mauritania was established as a French colonial territory. Source: BBC News, 7. The Trans-Australian Railway crosses the Nullarbor Plain for 478 km (297 miles), not deviating even slightly from its straight course Shutterstock. One of the longest trains in the world is found in Mauritania. Day 2: Terjit to Choum with a stop in Atar (approximately 2 hours). It provides some of the most isolat. 10. No car? rail transport in Mauritania. The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara, a short documentary film. 10 minutes ago I was debating whether to go off on my own, even forcibly convincing myself to get over my fears to explore the town alone instead of stay with the group. It runs 12,617 trains to carry more than 23 million passengers per day. . Although he could not make any guarantees, he agreed to make some calls. Mauritania is surprisingly massive. Browse 87 mauritania railway stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Bear in mind that there are no paved roads. See. 1. Overnight: iron ore train (approximately 13 to 15 hours). 12. 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. Hademine mentioned this has been happening a lot in recent weeks/monthssomething to keep in mind! We arrived in Choum just before noon and spent the day hanging out by the tracks. The lowest located place in the country is Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha - 5 m.p.p. Said to be the same as. Nouadhibou railway station. In 2014, the mining company Glencore paid $1 billion for 18 years of access to SNIM's rail and port infrastructure, which would be connected to branch lines to new iron mines at Askaf and Guelb El Aouj. Oh hey David. The newly completed Golmud-Lhasa section zigzags 1,142 kilometers across the Kunlun and Tanggula mountain ranges. Phoenicians and Carthaginians and was later annexed to Rome around AD 44. Source: Britannica, 4. Mauritania formed part of the Dakar Rally, first held in 197879 and covering nearly 15,000km between Southern Europe and Senegal. Mauretania existed as a tribal kingdom from around the 6th century BC. This railway, the only one in the country, serves as the lifeline for one of the worlds poorest nations, hauling iron ore from the mines at Zourat to the port city of Nouadhibou to be shipped to China and Japan, as well as to Switzerland, Spain, France, Italy and Germany. We shopped around, and the lowest we were able to negotiate anywhere was 30 for the better quality one (and 15 for the cheaper quality). About 550 kilometers of the tracks run on frozen earth, the longest in any of the world's plateau railways. [Note: There are two camps. To the south along the Senegal River is a fertile belt, which is watered by the river's regular floods. After a 17-hour-long arduous journey, the train arrives at Nouadhibou, where the ore-blackened passengers climb down from their perches and unload their cargo. How to say Mauritania with audio by Macmillan Dictionary. Mauritania's culture is a mixture of many influences, both indigenous and external from the ancient Berber people, the Moors and the French, especially visible in both music and cuisine. A photo of me and Yaya? Mauritania has a generally flat territory with vast plains . The journey is long and miserable. You can buy blankets in some of the towns along the way (and in Choum for twice the price). More than 40,000 black Mauritanians were driven out of the country into Senegal. Source: New York Times. I suggest walking over and asking if the trains are expected to stop (just in case you need to make alternative plans). We shopped around, and the lowest we were able to negotiate anywhere was 30 for the better quality one (and 15 for the cheaper quality). The open-air top provides no respite from the scorching heat of the day and the frigid air of the night. This is the time where wed recommend that you plan out an exit strategy and order of who leaves first (using your trash bags as a booster) and who can leave last simply by using upper body strength to swing their legs over. Mauritania Gains Independence . And, have a back-up plan! with 200 carriages, 3-4 locomotives, weighing up to 84 tons, capable of carrying 17,000 tons of iron ore, and operating all 365 days of the year since 1963. We bought cases of water and snacks in Nouakchott (also widely available in Atar). Understand Those who are interested, Washington Post published a nice photo essay on the journey a few years back. The wagons were filled with watersomething none of us were expecting. The wagons were filled with watersomething none of us were expecting. Boarding the train, we were hit with another curveball. He remained in power until 2005 when he was ousted by the military while out of the country. Source: BBC News, 11. The name Mauritania originates from the ancient kingdom of Mauretania which itself derives from Mauri (meaning Moors), the Berber-speaking people of northwest Africa Source: CIA World Fact Book, 3. Mauritania country facts (area, population, GDP, currency, location, capital, population density). Over the decades as the industry evolved, many new iron ore deposits were discovered in the region and half a dozen or so communities sprang up along the railway tracks. The train is up to 3km (1.8 miles) in length, travels on a single track of 704 kilometres (437 miles), with 200 - 300 freight carriages, weighing up to a total of 84 tons and making it the longest and heaviest train in the world. Come prepared! Trains on the railway are up to 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) in length, [6] making them among the longest and heaviest in the world. It is now one of the country's main exports. Easy drive. It measures almost three kilometers long. Mauritania passed a law to abolish slavery only in 1981. 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 sun). Good things always happen when you do. Both basic. I rode the infamous iron ore express deep into the Sahara desert and discovered its much more than just a freight train. Mauritania is located in North and WestAfrica bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Algeria, Western Sahara, Mali and Senegal. Source:Britannica, 2. Documents: You will want at least two Fiches for Mauritania. It is one of the largest cities in the Sahara. 21 17 52.76 N, 13 02 51.36 W. Authority control. Sometimes the train slows down enough for some breakdancing: Even after the sun had long disappeared, the sky above us just got more purple, especially in the haze of the desert sands blowing past the train: And while it gets really really cold here (subzero temperatures; I recommend putting on all your layers while its still warm around sunset), the true show comes out once it gets completely dark if the moon isnt full you can usually see the Milky Way stretching across the night sky. Director MacGregor Writers Tim Hyten MacGregor See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 3 User reviews Awards And those of you who are lighter sleepers, good luck as carriages slam into one another constantly and unexpectedly throughout the journey in a way where we called it the sonic boom. (And yet through all of it I was still able to sneak in 2 hours of sleep). https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mauritania_Railway&oldid=1110690691, This page was last edited on 16 September 2022, at 22:55. These changes caused a brief period of unrest among Mauritanians. Fortunately for us, he pulled through. Consisting of more than 200 carriages and three or four locomotives, the train can reach over a mile (about 2.5 to three kilometers) in length and carry 17,000 tons of iron ore, making it one of the longest and heaviest trains in the world. Railways, goods transported (million ton-km) The value for Railways, goods transported (million ton-km) in Mauritania was 7,536 as of 2010. Capital: Nouakchott. At 2pm we headed out to the train station outside the city limits of Nouadibou to board the famous Mauritania mineral iron ore train! It is one of the last countries to do so. Images, top tourist attractions and famous people of Mauritania. However, if you find an error or have any questions, please contact us. A train should get going within 24 hours. Festivals and Mountaintop Temples of Bhutan, Layer by Layer: A Mexico City Culinary Adventure, Vietnam: A Culinary Adventure from Hanoi to Saigon, In the Footsteps of Pharaohs: Exploring Ancient Egypt, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: The Maryland Snallygaster, Antiques and Their Afterlives: Anatomical Wax Figures, Learning the Language of Art w/ Art Muse L.A.: Contemporary Art, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Krampus, Artful Stitches & Fixes: Visible Mending With Erin Eggenburg, Color in Motion: Suminagashi & Ebru Marbling with Linh My Truong, The Table as Canvas: Designing a Bizarro Dinner Party With Jen Monroe, Constraint-Based Cooking with quori theodor, Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, https://onestep4ward.com/the-best-train-journey-in-the-worldthe-iron-ore-train-in-mauritania/, https://safarijunkie.com/mauritania/riding-iron-ore-train-mauritania/. It is also the world's second-largest railway network operated under single management. The blankets are relatively expensive. And when it does, you only have minutes to pick out a good wagon and hop onwe 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 (to avoid having to walk 1+ km after arriving in Nouadhibou). For those of you wondering where do I sleep? Nouakchott, capital of Mauritannia. So heres to fear, and the courage that follows. Q802901. [citation needed]. British nationals in Mauritania requiring consular assistance . Ask around, especially if you want to get your vehicle on board. Mauritania Mauritania country facts Islamic Republic of Mauritania Africa Nouakchott 3,516,806 inhabitants 1,030,700 sq km 3.41 inhabitants/sq km ouguiyas (MRO) population evolution Introduction Geography People and Society Government Economy Energy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues Largest cities Tourist attractions Shortly after, we learned that no trains were expected to stop in Choum that evening. Trains on the railway are up to 3 kilometres (1.9mi) in length,[6] making them among the longest and heaviest in the world. The train length expands to 2,5 kilometers with 200 train cars carrying cca 85 tons of iron ore from mines in Zouerat to Mauritania's second largest commercial centre Nouadihbou. However, he offered to join us on the journey to Nouadhibou last minute. We were not prepared for this; we ignorantly just figured the train always stops in Choum. But at least the passengers have a working toilet. 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