Tea, Food and Craft Visits in Nouakchott
Travel advice, October 2026: US guidance is Level 3, Reconsider Travel, for the whole country. Britain gives Nouakchott no warning but advises against travel in the east and along the Mali border, and Canada asks visitors to avoid non-essential travel. Keep guided plans inside the capital unless the FCDO regional risks page says the roads you want are open.
Mauritania’s food and hospitality come from Moorish nomads, Berbers and West Africa, and a guided visit is the easiest way to taste them. Nouakchott has no coach tours, so every visit is private and built around a guide and a car.
Tea first
The tea ritual is the centre of social life. Strong green gunpowder tea is brewed over charcoal with fresh mint and a lot of sugar, then poured from high above the glass to raise a thick froth called reghwa. Three glasses follow, and the saying goes that the first is bitter like life, the second sweet like love and the third gentle like death. Hosts and craftsmen will offer it, and turning it down is considered rude.
Dishes worth asking for
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Thieboudienne | Seasoned coastal fish with broken rice, cassava, carrots and tamarind |
| Camel steak, mechoui | Grilled camel fillets with rice or couscous |
| Zrig | Camel or goat milk whipped with water and sugar, served in a carved wooden bowl |
For lunch in Tevragh-Zeina, Restaurant Le Prince is known for Lebanese grills and juices, and Pâtisserie Charlotte and Pizza 2.8 on Avenue Charles de Gaulle are options for coffee and light meals.
Craft cooperatives
Guides often take visitors to the Ksar workshops, where silver, copper and leather are worked by hand, and to the women’s cooperatives that sell mats, cushions and dyed cloth. A guide helps with the language and with agreeing a fair price.
Six questions
How are visits arranged? Through a hotel, guesthouse or local agency, usually as a half-day or full day with a driver.
What does it cost? Rates differ by guide, so ask what is included, whether the car is private and how long the driver waits. Quote and pay in ouguiya (MRU), in cash.
Is there a bus option? No. Taxis and private cars are the choices.
Can we photograph what we like? No. Ask before photographing people, and keep cameras away from the Presidential Palace, ministries and military sites.
What about mosques? The Saudi Mosque admits Muslims only, so visitors look from outside, and the Moroccan Mosque is also seen from the street.
What do I need to enter the country? An e-visa from ANRPTS , printed, with the fee paid in exact cash in euros or dollars on arrival. Your passport must be valid six months after arrival.
Read more: Walking tours in Nouakchott covers two routes you can do alone, and the 4 day Mauritania itinerary shows how the capital fits into a longer trip.
Booking help
Look up private city tours on GetYourGuide , and check the FCDO entry requirements for visas.