I can also now confirm the border details. I don't have an update on Rabat.

55€ or 660dhs for visa.

When I went through 23 April, there had been technical issues since the previous day, preventing issuance of visas. Fortunately, at 5pm (6pm Morocco) the system was working again. 2hrs and a bit of anarchy later, visa in hand. At least I didn't spend the night there.

It would have been nice to have gotten that visa in Rabat to have avoided the delays.

Also, there is a Polisario checkpoint, but my taxi just got waved through. Commercial vehicles seemed to be getting checked.

Border Crossing
 

Hey, I figured I'd post my experience as I just crossed the border from Guerguerat into Mauritania on May 14th 2017. We got in a shared taxi at Dakhla and left at round 9 am and we got to the border at around 1:45-2ish. Moroccan customs was pretty easy to clear and the POLISARIO has pulled out of the area as of a couple weeks ago since they listened to the UN. There was a small structure in the middle of no-man's land that looked like the former checkpoint though as it had a POLISARIO flag painted on some rocks. Mauritanian customs was pretty easy too. The visa cost 55 euros as others have said and after a relatively brief interview with a man in an office they waved us through.

Rosso the border between senegal and mauritania is the worst crossing i've ever experienced in six years of travelling. Try to avoid it. Especially when entering mauritania. Theres another one as well. All people ive spoken to got scamed in some way.
-theres people telling you they work for the customs, but they are bandits. But the tricky thing is, the police teamed up with them and plays along. They told me to pay a deposit, which i would get back when leaving the country.
-other people (acting like passengers waiting for the shared taxi to fill up) tell you to get a vacination certificate. A shop sells fake ones. Dont buy it. Ive never been asked at checkpoints for one. Bring one from back home just in case.

Dont talk to people who dont wear an uniform and dont pay any money for anything except the 55€ visa fee and you should be fine.

Are visa for Mauritania available at the main borderpost coming from Mali: Nioro - Ayoun al Atrous?

Mauritanian Visa and the Border
 

Hello,

RIM-visa is available on this route, border post is Gogui.
RIM-Side is closed from 12-3p.m., visa ofice closes at 5 p.m..
Next place to stay on RIM-Side is Kobenni, a few kilomters away from the border.

Have a nice trip

Juergen

Hi guys, coming up from Senegal in early Sept, we want to go Diama, would you grab a Mauri visa in Dakar before going to the border? I heard at one point the Diama border crossing couldnt issue visas

Could be wrong but I get a feeling northbound it has to be Rosso, so all the more reason to get one in Dakar if possible.

Just to pick up on this thread, 2 of us on bikes are planning to enter Senegal via Mali to avoid Rosso and Diama. We were heading for Kayes and crossing into Senegal from there. With this Mauri exclusion zone and "high risk" area it puts the Ayoun el Atrous route in doubt. I see on iOverlander there is a crossing at Melgue/Melga but it is not clear what the road is like. Has anyone used that Melgue border crossing recently? Is it viable for 2 guys with basic off-road skills, one on an R1500GS the other on a G650 XCountry? Cheers

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Hi jim
Selibaby-Melgue-Kayes is a flat piste with a few dry river beds to pass
easy in the dry season
roadless land
several nice bambara and peul villages
lovely route
We're going to Casamance next trip and will take this route to avoid Rosso/Diama
enter Senegal at Kenieba

Thanks Priffe, that sounds great. I believe we can manage that OK. I went through Rosso last time, South and North. Going South was the worst and not an experience I want to repeat. This route also takes me into a different area which is great.

We are also heading for the Casamance area this time. Looking forward to it. Thanks again for the info.

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Will you please enlighten me, where; what is Casamance ? I can't see it on my map. Mali, Senegal, Guinea?


Ali.

It's southern Senegal - the part below Gambia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casamance

Whilst in Casamance, highly recommend a stop at The Little Baobab in Abene, Simon Fenton's widow now runs it with their two small boys.

There are other posts on here about Simon; a great guy, sadly missed!

Visa Mauritania
 

As of sept 2017 we paid 690 Mad per person in Rabat

No visas available in Dakar, had to be Rosso or Nouakchott airport going north. Rosso sucked as per usual