February 1-2: We only spent one night in the capital this time, as we planned to return later. In Mauritania, many people sleep on mattresses on the floor (their living room is often a large space covered with carpets and cushions where they can relax), while in rural areas, many live in tents. For the night, our accommodation was a small tent set up on the rooftop of an apartment building, with two mattresses and a very kind host.

We arrived in Mauritania at the perfect time of the year, as daytime temperatures only rise to about 30°C, compared to the scorching 45°C heat of summer. Due to the desert climate, the air cooled significantly at night, so we had to dress warmly, as we slept in temperatures ranging from 5 to 15°C. The capital was still very windy – fortunately, this calmed down in the following days.

From the capital, we headed towards the Terjit oasis. For several hundred kilometers, we traveled across a rather monotonous desert plain, until suddenly, we spotted mountains in the distance. Massive sand dunes stretched out before the mountains as we approached the oasis. The entrance to the oasis was a huge rock crevice, leading us into the valley, where we were completely blown away. Rocky mountains, stunning dunes, and endless palm trees greeted us.

As night was approaching, we searched for a tent camp to spend the night so we could explore the oasis the next day. Our accommodation was probably one of the most beautiful locations we had ever stayed at, and in the evening, we enjoyed a delicious spiced vegetable stew with couscous.

Tourism in Mauritania is still very underdeveloped, and it has only been in the last few years that more backpackers have started visiting, mainly to experience the legendary iron ore train, which crosses the desert and carries cargo for hundreds of kilometers. Many travelers climb onto the top of the train and ride it for 20 hours. At our accommodation, we met a Slovenian traveler who was thrilled to continue the journey with us to the next desert town. He had been worried that it would take him hours of waiting by the roadside before a minibus or shared taxi would pick him up.

The next day, we walked into the oasis, where even more palm trees and an abundance of greenish-blue water awaited us. A small trail was marked around the oasis, so we hiked through the river valley, crossed the dunes, and climbed rocky hills.