North of Mauritania - Horizons Unlimited

**bernardo feio lightweight** · #1 29 Oct 2002

Hi

I would like to enter Mauritania at north. Maybe in Bir Moghrein or Ain Ben Tili… Is it possible? Is it safe?

We are planning to go to Choum, but we also want to do the track from Nouadhibou to Nouamghar. In this situation we have to do the same track 2 times (Nouadhibou Choum and them the reverse). If we enter Mauritania at north we could do Bir Moghrein to Choum, than from Choum to Nouadhibou and then from Nouadhibou to Nouamghar...

what do you think?

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best regards from Portugal
bernardo feio lightweight

**ctc** · #2 30 Oct 2002

I got conflicting responses to this question when I was in Morocco in September 2001 and asked at Laayoune and Tan-Tan. Some people said yes and some no. Prior to the trip I had been advised that it was possible by an ex british consul in Nouadibou. Local truckers definately do cross here.

However in the event we went to Dakhla as I did not wish to risk engaging in a wrangle with the customs as our Mauritanean visa was only valid for another three weeks. The worst situation I could envisage is getting across one side of the border and not the other. Since Morocco issue visas at the border for EEC nationals theoretically this situation should be retrievable.

Given time I'd be inclined to give it a try, the Dakla convoy although a novelty is very time consuming. I would also see if you can get an official view from an embassy or the military and a letter to support this.

**ctc** · #3 30 Oct 2002

The above post incidentally was with reference to crossing at Bir Mogrein.

Re wanting to do the Nouadibou - Nouamghar trip unless you are interested in the bird life at the Arguin Bank I think you would find the pistes around Atar far more rewarding / challenging.

**bernardo feio lightweight** · #4 30 Oct 2002

hi,

let me see if I understen what you hace writen.

Local truckers do cross from Tan-Tan/laayoune (in Marrocos)to Bir Mogrein (in Mauritania).

meaning that:

-existes a safe(no mines) piste from marrocos to the north of Mauritania, used by local trucks

-existes a open border from Marrocos to Mauritania a norht...

:-)

good news!!!!

any more coments?
did any one did this?

**polpiskra** · #5 31 Oct 2002

Hi!

I have one comment on this topic. I think that the border at Bir Mogrein is closed and for ordinary people impossible to cross. Last year, when I was trying to get out of Mauritania in a direction Nouakchott - Atar – Choum – Zouerat – Bir Mogrein – Al ‘Ayun, it was impossible. On Ministry of interior in Nouakchott said this and also locals and some German travelers confirm this. I heard that some traffic with military escort is going thru now and then, but they open the road and close it back. (?!) I hear that there are also lot o land mines.
I thing this is because of Polisario problem which is lasting for 25 years already. They are coming from Algeria; near Tinduf are big refugee camps, and going deep in to territory or Western Sahara to do some diversions. Polisario is still claiming that the Western Sahara is theirs. Because of this Morocco build 1500 km long fortified wall to protect from the liberty fighters. I am on the side of Saharawi people. Morocco trick UN who wants to help and did nothing in all this years. Just write the formulas and preparing the referendum which is now impossible to make because of so many newcomers from Morocco to Western Sahara.

Look here: http://www.newint.org/issue297/western.htm

But later in Morocco I was talking to some people who help Polisario and they know some illegal ways to cross the wall and come in to Mauritania. I did not use this way but I also cross illegally from Mauritania to Morocco on KM 48, so called smugglers road.
gregor

**bernardo feio lightweight** · #6 9 Nov 2002

hi

gregor,

here did you cross? here is that "so called smugglers road"?

regards

**polpiskra** · #7 9 Nov 2002

Zdravo!
It starts by the railroad Nouadhibou – Chum on a rail mark KM 48 (or finish there, depends from which side you go), goes thru mine field to the border point of Morocco. You avoid Mauritanian border post. We saw tree destroyed cars on this way, it was little stressed. We pee only on a track.

On this way we meet brand new Audi 4x4 and Mercedes E with Italian (Ancona) plates, driven by one Arab and Italian. Stolen cars? Who knows, probably? Locals use this road to “import” cars in Mauritania, so I call it “Smuggler’s way”. We took Gps points of this road.
Have a nice travels.
gregor