Travel Guide

Travel Essentials: Mauritania

Before finalising your next big adventure devote some time to pre-planning to ensure you are as best prepared as possible. Included here you'll find useful 'Essential Info' with links through to the experts in Travel Health Advice, Visa Regulations, Government Travel Advice, Books and Maps.

To get the most out of your next adventure it makes sense to consider some of the very local factors that combine to make up what you feel is the best time to travel to a destination. Many of these factors are very personal - some people prefer to travel when the weather is not too hot, or sites too crowded - others prefer to travel when a traditional local event is taking place. Taking into account the dates of public holidays can also make sense as these may have an impact on opening times of attractions, shops and restaurants, or might affect public transport or other services. Conversely public holidays can be a time of great local festivities and celebrations providing a feast of local expressionism and culture.

Climate	Mauritania's climate is predominantly hot and dry. The climate is characterised by extremes in temperature and by limited and irregular rainfall. Annual temperature variations are small, although diurnal variations can be extreme. The harmattan, a hot, dry, and often dust-laden wind, blows from the Sahara throughout the long dry season and is the prevailing wind, except along the narrow coastal strip, which is influenced by oceanic trade winds. Most rain falls during the short rainy season (hivernage), from July to September. Average annual precipitation varies from 500 to 600 millimetres in the far south to less than 100 millimetres in the northern two-thirds of the country. Belts of natural vegetation, corresponding to the rainfall pattern, extend from east to west and range from traces of tropical forest along the Senegal River to brush and savanna in the southeast. Only sandy desert is found in the centre and north of the country.
Seasonality	The cooler winter period from November through to March/April is the best time for travel in Mauritania. Temperatures drop from a summer high of 45C down to between 25-30C. To see the bird migration at Banc d'Arguin visit between November and January.
National Holidays
20 Mar 2008	Phophet Mouloud's Birthday
01 May 2008	Labour Day
25 May 2008	African Liberation Day
10 Jul 2008	Armed Forces Day
02 Oct 2008	End of Ramadan
28 Nov 2008	Independence Day
28 Nov 2008	Independence Day
08 Dec 2008	Feast of the Sacrifice Day (Tabaski)
09 Dec 2008	Feast of the Sacrifice (Tabaski)
29 Dec 2008	Islamic New Year
01 Jan 2009	New Year's Day
10 Jan 2009	Islamic New Year
National Events
Ramadan	Occurs: Variable Ramadan is the month of fasting and celebration and commences 1/1 Sep 2008, 21/22 Aug 2009 and 10/11 Aug 2010. At this time offices, museums and cultural sites operate reduced hours, however this generally does not affect the traveller too much. Ramadan finishes with a 3 day celebration of feasting called Eid el-Fitr, a National Holiday. Eid al-Adha, a 3-day feast and National Holiday, marks the time of the pilgrimage to Mecca and begins 9 Dec 2008, 29 Nov 2009 and 19 Nov 2010. The Prophet Mohammed’s birthday is celebrated and is a one-day National Holiday on 20 Mar 2008, 9 Mar 2009, 27 Feb 2010. The Islamic New Year is a one-day National Holiday on 9 Jan 2008, 29 Dec 2009, and 19 Dec 2010.