The road from Dakhla to the border of Mauritania
The road
from Dakhla to the border is asphalted and in good state (no
potholes, 100 km/hr possible); after the Moroccan border post there is no
road anymore, only several pistes and it seems you need to know which one
to take or to have a guide to avoid the mines which must be lying around
somewhere. A French guy which crossed with an 25 year old mercedes which
he was going to sell in Senegal told me he called a Mauritanian guide on
his mobile, which then awaited him one km after the border and leads him
all the way through to Nouackchott for 70 euro. This guide also brings
several cars together for more safety.- Motel Barbas : there is an unexpectedly nice cafe-restaurant-motel at 80 km before the border where most drivers eat, it is also the last place to get some fuel.
- Landmines along the road are indicated with little towers of rocks.
- The border between Morocco and Mauritania closes at 6pm , but the guards are quite relaxed about this (we passed at 630pm) and it seems you can also register in Nouadhibou if you would pass later. But as the stretch after the border is so bad, it is best to arrive well before dark at the border. We left at 1pm, arrived at 630pm at the Moroccan border post, at 730pm at the Mauritanian border post and at 930 pm in Nouadhibou after having been stuck a few times with the jeep in deep sand.
Border Morocco - Mauritania
Moroccan
border post : friendly and quick, no luggage control, 10 minutes, wanted
2 bottles of water as bribe for tea.- Mauritanian border post :
- Bribe : our Moroccan driver gave a few kilos of tea as present to the guards, we were not asked for bribes
- Customs declaration form : at the second Mauritanian post you have to get a declaration form where you declare how much money you have with you, at the border post in Rosso (Mauritania - Senegal) they asked for this for but did not checked the amounts. Remember that it is illegal to import Mauritanian money, so don't declare any if you have.
- The "point d'entree : aeroport de Nouackchott" on our visa did not give any problems or questions at this land border
- Registration : it is not necessary to register in Nouadhibou.
