This is the Mauritania chapter from Lonely Planet's West Africa guidebook.

Mauritania offers caravan towns, ancient cities, resort-free beaches, the full slate of trekking options and exhilarating camel trips through surreal landscapes. Viewing Mauritania's grandest scenery from a hot-air balloon? Highly recommended.

• experience the Sahara's magic, sleeping beneath a star-studded sky amid the saffron dunes of the Adrar region
• maps
• get up at the crack of dawn to catch a glorious sunrise from the labyrinthine lanes of Chinguetti's old city
• transport & directory
• hop on the world's longest train, and get ready for the most epic journey of your life!
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Nouakchott, The Atlantic Coast, Nouâdhibou, Parc National du Banc d'Arguin, The Adrar, Atâr, Azougi, Terjît, Chinguetti, Tanouchert, Ouadâne & around, The Tagânt, Tidjikja, Matmata, Tichit, The South, Rosso, The Road to Mali, Oualâta.