Ksar and Tevragh-Zeina Walking Routes

Advisory, October 2026: Canada warns against being in the Cinquième district after dark and on unpatrolled beaches, and the US rates Mauritania Level 3, Reconsider Travel. Nouakchott itself has no FCDO warning, though the FCDO page should be read for any trip beyond the city.

Walking tours in the usual sense are thin here. The capital sprawls across sand, footpaths are scarce, traffic does not stop for pedestrians and the heat often tops 40 degrees. Cross-town strolls are miserable, so treat walking as something for two small areas, with a taxi in between.

Route 1: Ksar, morning

Time needed is 1.5 to 2 hours. Go early, before the sun is high.

  • Begin at the Marché Artisanal on the Route de Nouadhibou. Silversmiths cast pendants and leatherworkers emboss camel saddles in the alleys.
  • Head east toward the old brick streets of Ksar, where Nouakchott began in 1957 beside a small ksar.
  • Buy warm mbourou bread at a neighbourhood bakery.

Route 2: Tevragh-Zeina, late afternoon

Time needed is 1.5 to 2 hours. The district is quiet, shaded and the best place in town for an easy stroll.

  • Start at Galerie Zeinart, Ilot C. The garden space shows Mauritanian painting, sculpture and jewellery, and its founder is Isabel Fiadeiro. Its website is zeinart.com .
  • Continue along the tree-lined avenues to the Institut Français de Mauritanie, which hosts photography shows and has an open-air cafe.
  • End with a pastry and espresso at Pâtisserie Charlotte or Restaurant Le Prince.

Where not to point a camera or your feet

Guards detain anyone who lingers near the Presidential Palace. Barracks, ministries and police compounds are equally off limits, and nobody should photograph embassies. Port de Pêche is for watching boats from the sand only, since the sea there has a lethal undertow.

Walking kit

  • A hat, sunglasses and water, because shade is rare.
  • Closed shoes for sand.
  • Modest clothing: covered shoulders and knees, and a headscarf for women.
  • Small ouguiya notes (MRU) for bread and tea.

Timing

Mauritanians keep to groups after dark, so finish by dusk. A private taxi between the two routes costs a few hundred ouguiya, and the fare must be settled before you get in.

Read more: Sightseeing in Nouakchott has the museum and markets, and the 2 day Mauritania itinerary offers a brief plan.

Booking help

Guided walks can be searched on Viator .