Mauretania, train route to Atar then south

[RuggedHall]

Hi,
we are planning Dakar upcoming march, preparing a track and what I would like to ride is a famous road (is it road actually?) alongside train track from Western Sahara border to Atar. As far as I know, the route is quite demanding, especially in terms of fuel. We are all travelling on LC4 (2xKTM 690 pre 2020, 2x Husky 701). In addition to that, if we are lucky we are thinking of taking the route south from Atar, 600kms if I am right...
Do You guys have experience of riding those routes? What obstacles should we be prepared for? What fuel consumption we would count on? I heard 10litres on LC4 is no out of question here... Knocking combustion? Any further advices? We will be travelling without any support-car or whatsoever.

[backofbeyond]

I've not ridden the first bit (Nouhadibou to Choum) but I did travel alongside it on the train. It's about 250 miles from where the border road picks up the train line and it looks pretty hard going (to my little dirt experience eye anyway) with no options but to go on or turn back. Bits of it looked very sandy and I think you'd take a big hit on fuel consumption. With four bikes you should have enough safety in numbers but pack more fuel than you think you need. I put up a short (30 sec) video on YouTube many years ago of the approach to Choum and I'd guess others must have covered the route as well.

That gets you to Choum which is (or was when I was there) a small tin shack town with very little in the way of amenities or supplies. We didn't need fuel but there wasn't a formal fuel station there so you'd have to ask around and see if the locals have any spare. The route from there to Atar is about 75 miles and pretty straightforward - initially across a mostly hard packed plain (a few sandy bits) before rising up on to the plateau. Atar is quite a big town and will have most everything you'll need.

Where's 'south' afterwards? I went from Atar to Nouakchott and that's about 300 miles of good (mostly tarmac) road with loads of fuel stops etc. I did it in one day.

[RuggedHall]

Thank You! If it comes to route south from Atar I was thinking of going straight in direction of Boutilimit, through gorges and desert. It gives another 600kms or so.

[backofbeyond]

My knowledge of the area is now well out of date but I didn't think there was a route from Atar to Boutilimit - or not a recognised one anyway. It's not that far from Nouakchott on the N3 anyway. The other route south from Atar is to Tidjikja but as a solo traveller that was a risk too far for me as it's another fuel free remote piste of around 250 miles. Again with four bikes you might be able to carry enough fuel and provide safety in numbers.

I guess you've got Chris Scott's books and checked out the current safety / security issues for the area. When are you thinking of going?

[mossproof]

I have driven the "railway" route to Choum by 4x4. It is mostly sand and low dunes as far as I can remember, hard work but rideable for experienced bikers with plenty of fuel and water. (Check out Austin Vince's film Mondo Sahara for his trip down through Mauri using pre dropped fuel caches)
There was no fuel station in Choum, but if you hang around someone will probably appear and offer you some nice high quality Algerian black market gas.
Ben Amira monolith is worth a stop 2/3 of the way across.
We didn't have time to go further south, but I was informed that the route south to Tidjikja is more severe (deeper, softer sand, more dunes, even less passing traffic...)
From Atar a side trip to Chinguetti and piste and dune trip to Ouadane or even El Ghallaouiya (if you have the fuel capacity) would be good. There is a Gandini guide with gps waypoints for this circuit of the Guelb er Richat - the Eye of Africa (which is so big you can't actually see it!)
The people of Mauritania will be glad to see tourists again. Things were pretty quiet even before Covid, but that might make them more pushy for a share of your wealth. Be patient with them - the mining wealth doesn't trickle down very far!

[RuggedHall]

Originally Posted by backofbeyond

My knowledge of the area is now well out of date but I didn't think there was a route from Atar to Boutilimit - or not a recognised one anyway. It's not that far from Nouakchott on the N3 anyway. The other route south from Atar is to Tidjikja but as a solo traveller that was a risk too far for me as it's another fuel free remote piste of around 250 miles. Again with four bikes you might be able to carry enough fuel and provide safety in numbers.

I guess you've got Chris Scott's books and checked out the current safety / security issues for the area. When are you thinking of going?

Thank You, we are going this March, now gathering all the information and preparing bikes and ourselves. As You can see, I am not choosing the main path alongside ocean, but trying to find some adventorous way in interior... When drawing straight lines on a map, it is no more than 300kms from Atar to Tidjikja, maybe this is out way. BTW do You know if we can count on resuply water in Inal (this village half-way the train route)?

[backofbeyond]

Originally Posted by RuggedHall

Thank You, we are going this March, now gathering all the information and preparing bikes and ourselves. As You can see, I am not choosing the main path alongside ocean, but trying to find some adventorous way in interior... When drawing straight lines on a map, it is no more than 300kms from Atar to Tidjikja, maybe this is out way. BTW do You know if we can count on resuply water in Inal (this village half-way the train route)?

Well if people are living there they'll need water themselves so there will be some, and water is the one thing that's usually shared, but personally I'd want to have enough to at least get to Choum without worrying.

It's tough terrain on a bike (or at least I thought it was); not so much for the effort of riding but for the consequences of things going wrong. It's hot - even in Jan, so hotter in March and gets hotter the further inland you go. Plus it gets very remote very quickly and you start realising just how dependant you are on everything working - no injuries, accidents, breakdowns etc. Maybe I'm over cautious but I looked of the logistics and risks of riding that route on my own and took the train option (picture below). With four bikes the breakdown consequences are lower but you can still only take so much fuel and water on each one.