Cheap flights to Nouakchott
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Quick summary
Country
Mauritania
Continent
Africa
Airport
NKC
Currency
Ouguiya (MRU)
Time zone
UTC
Deals already spotted to Nouakchott
Real flight examples detected by SniperAir, with their reference price.
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First, a plain statement: Mauritania is the subject of official travel advice that differs from one departure country to another and can be restrictive. It sometimes advises against travel to the country or to certain areas. Do not assume that the whole country is accessible for you: read your own country's official recommendations before considering anything, and check them again before any booking. SniperAir monitors prices and alerts you; it does not sell or book tickets and does not recommend travelling.
This page therefore offers cultural and geographical background only. Nouakchott, the capital, is a young city: according to Wikipedia (EN, FR) it rose in the late 1950s on the site of a small military post and a ksar, to give the country a capital. Its grid plan is organised around Avenue Gamal Abdel Nasser, and Wikivoyage (DE, EN) says it is now home to more than a million people, between the Atlantic and the Sahara.
For health, ask a doctor or a vaccination centre well before any possible departure: yellow fever and malaria are among the usual topics.
Airport and getting into town
Nouakchott-Oumtounsy (NKC), about 25 km north of the city
Nouakchott – Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport (NKC)
Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport is the capital's newest airport: it replaced the old airport, which sat too close to the centre, according to Wikipedia (EN, FR, DE). It lies about 25 km north of the city according to Wikipedia (EN, DE) and Wikivoyage (FR); Wikivoyage (EN) mentions 40 km, a gap we do not settle. Wikipedia (FR, DE) says it can handle large aircraft. Airlines and routes change often, and official advice may discourage some flights: check before buying anything.
Approximate distance: 25 km per Wikipedia (EN, DE) and Wikivoyage (FR), 40 km per Wikivoyage (EN). We give no journey time, no taxi fare and no list of airlines.
In town, Avenue Gamal Abdel Nasser runs east to west to the fishing port, about 6 km away, according to Wikipedia (FR, DE). Three main paved roads leave the capital: the road to Rosso and Senegal, about 200 km south, the road to Atar to the north-east and the "Road of Hope" to the east (Wikipedia FR, DE; Wikivoyage FR, EN). Wikivoyage (DE) states there is no passenger railway and no regular ferry.
For any trip by road, especially outside the capital or into the desert, official advice often singles out areas that are discouraged. Do not build any itinerary without reading it.
Landmarks
Mosques, the fishing port and the Saharan horizon
Nouakchott is best approached through its mosques, its fishing port and its markets rather than through old monuments: the city is recent. The places pictured below are described from our sources; the others appear as text only.
A capital between ocean and desert
Wikipedia (FR) describes a grid-pattern centre organised around two main boulevards, and Wikipedia (DE) stresses that the city lies very low, behind coastal dunes, only a few metres above the sea. This aerial view shows flat-roofed neighbourhoods, a stadium and sports pitches, with the ocean on the horizon.
The so-called Saudi Mosque
Wikipedia (FR) lists among the best-known mosques the so-called Saudi Mosque, an imposing building with slender minarets given by Saudi Arabia, the "Moroccan" mosque, whose architecture recalls the Koutoubia of Marrakech, and the Ibn Abbas mosque, described as the oldest. Wikipedia (ES) says access is limited to Muslims unless the imam gives permission. The two-minaret, sand-coloured building in the photo carries the name Saudi Mosque in its original caption.
Donkey and cart on the beach
Wikivoyage (EN) describes the fishing port, where the catch is loaded onto donkey carts or old cars before being resold in town, and warns that swimming in the sea is dangerous because of treacherous currents. Here a harnessed donkey walks along the sand, in silhouette against the waves.
Dromedaries packed under the sky
Wikivoyage (EN) lists a camel market on the outskirts, on the road to Boutilimit, as an interesting visit. Here dromedaries of every shade crowd around a trough under a blue sky.
An avenue at dusk
Wikipedia (FR, DE) recalls that the centre was planned on a grid, with wide avenues. This late-day view shows a long straight avenue lined with low flat-roofed houses stretching to the horizon under an orange sky.
Other places cited: the fishing port, or Plage des Pêcheurs, about 5 to 6 km to the west, where boats are drawn up on the sand over more than a kilometre; the fishermen are mostly Wolof from Senegal and the catch comes ashore in the late afternoon (Wikipedia FR, DE; Wikivoyage EN, DE). Wikipedia (EN, ES) also cites the markets, including a so-called Moroccan market and a silver market, and Wikipedia (FR, EN, ES) notes that Nouakchott is a place where Saharan meteorites are sold. Access, hours and conditions vary: check the local situation before any trip.
Museums and culture
National museum, library and crafts
The National Museum of Mauritania
Housed in a two-storey building put up by Chinese builders in 1972, the museum has two permanent galleries and a temporary exhibition room (Wikipedia EN, FR, DE). The ground floor shows Mousterian, Aterian and Neolithic artefacts and finds from excavations at Koumbi Saleh, Aoudaghost, Tichit, Ouadane and Azougui; the upper floor gathers objects from different Mauritanian cultures. Hours and fees change: we publish none.
National Library and manuscripts
The same building houses the National Library, the Mauritanian Institute of Scientific Research and the Manuscripts Conservation Centre (Wikipedia EN, FR, DE). Wikipedia (EN, FR, ES) also lists the National Archives among the city's attractions.
Markets and crafts
Wikivoyage (EN) mentions traditional crafts, silver jewellery, camel-wool rugs, saddles and chests, sold in hotels, at the museum and in a few shops, while warning that quality is uneven. Wikivoyage (FR) lists jewellery, fabrics, rugs and traditional khaima tents. Wikipedia (DE) describes the Marché Capitale (food, fabrics, men's robes, jewellery) and a larger market, the Cinquième, about two kilometres to the south.
A city of several cultures
Wikivoyage (FR) lists the languages spoken: French, Hassaniya Arabic, Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof. Wikipedia (FR) notes that Nouakchott sits on the border of two cultural areas, Moorish and Black African.
Food and drink
Thieboudienne, mechoui and mint tea
Dishes of the coast
Thieboudienne, fish and rice in a red and white sauce, is considered the national dish according to Wikipedia (EN, ES). Wikipedia (FR) notes that fish, long disliked by nomads, entered Mauritanian cooking under Senegalese influence.
Moorish dishes
Wikipedia (EN, FR) lists mechoui, couscous, dates, dried meat and lamb dishes, and mentions camel meat as less common. Wikivoyage (FR) also lists couscous, dromedary meat and fish.
Milk, tea and juices
Zrig, camel or cow milk thinned with water and sugar, was the national drink before tea displaced it (Wikipedia FR). Mint tea is poured from height to form foam (Wikipedia EN, ES); Wikipedia (EN) also lists baobab and bissap juices.
Alcohol and places to eat
Wikipedia (FR) states that alcohol is officially prohibited in the Islamic Republic, while Wikipedia (EN, ES) says its sale is largely limited to hotels. We name no restaurant.
Getting around
Shared taxis, buses and roads
Taxis
Wikivoyage (DE) describes yellow taxis and shared taxis where passengers squeeze in together; Wikipedia (FR) notes that they are numerous and often in an advanced state of wear. Wikivoyage (DE) advises knowing a landmark, such as a roundabout, to name your destination. We publish no prices.
City buses
Wikivoyage (EN, DE) says buses exist but information for visitors is lacking: no route numbers, few marked stops, and full buses at rush hour.
Bush taxis and minibuses
Wikipedia (FR) says you can go anywhere by bush taxi, often very full. Wikivoyage (EN, DE) mentions minibuses leaving from depots for Atar, Nouadhibou and Rosso, mostly early in the morning. Do not build any itinerary without reading the official advice.
On foot and by car
Wikivoyage (DE) notes that the markets are easy to explore on foot and that traffic is a little chaotic, with little regard for pedestrians and many vehicles in poor condition.
Budget and precautions
Budget and precautions
Price level
We give no range: prices in our sources are several years old, differ from page to page and are not independently cross-checked. The currency is the ouguiya (MRU). Wikivoyage (DE) notes that restaurants and international-standard hotels can reach European price levels.
Air travel and official advice
SniperAir monitors prices to NKC and compares them with the route's history, but it does not sell or book tickets. Official advice on Mauritania differs from one departure country to another, can be restrictive and sometimes warns against certain areas or against travel altogether: read your own country's advice before creating an alert, and again before any purchase.
Precautions on the ground
Wikivoyage (EN) advises staying in groups after dark and warns that swimming in the sea is dangerous because of currents. Mauritania is an Islamic republic: dress should remain modest and alcohol is officially prohibited. None of this replaces official advice.
Health and entry rules
Entry conditions depend on your nationality and change: check official websites. Ask a doctor or a vaccination centre well before any possible departure: yellow fever and malaria are among the usual topics, and Wikivoyage (DE) reports a rise in malaria in the city since 2000.
When to go
A hot coastal desert all year, with cool winter nights
Steady heat
Maximum temperatures stay fairly constant at around 33 C according to Wikipedia (EN, ES). The nearby ocean makes the city a little less hot than other cities with the same climate, according to the same pages.
Winter nights
Minimums range from about 13 C in winter to 25 C in the hot months according to Wikipedia (EN, ES); Wikipedia (EN) adds that they can drop below 10 C on some winter nights.
Summer rain and floods
Wikipedia (DE) places the rare rains from July to September and notes that heavy downpours sometimes flood streets and low-lying districts.
Wind and dust
Wikivoyage (EN) mentions a dust-laden harmattan, and Wikipedia (DE) a north-easterly trade wind that blows on the coast almost all year.
Sources classify Nouakchott's climate as hot desert (Köppen: BWh). We give no monthly averages and no annual rainfall total, because the sources differ: 113 mm according to one, 150 mm according to another. These climate pointers say nothing about conditions on the ground: only official advice can judge that.
By length of stay
What to discover in Nouakchott depending on the length of stay
Museum, mosques and port
If official advice one day allows travel: one to two days for the national museum, a mosque seen from the outside, the markets and the fishing port in the late afternoon, according to Wikipedia (EN, FR) and Wikivoyage (EN, DE).
Camels and beaches
Add the camel market, the crafts and the Atlantic beaches, without swimming lightly.
Beyond the capital
The caravan towns, the Adrar and the Banc d'Arguin are described for cultural purposes on our Mauritania page; distances are huge, official advice often singles out areas that are discouraged, and our country page notes that people go there with a local agency and a suitable vehicle.
In pictures
Nouakchott in pictures
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Nouakchott
Does official advice allow travel to Nouakchott?
Travel advice on Mauritania differs from one departure country to another and can be restrictive: some advise against travel or against parts of the country. Do not assume that the whole country is accessible for you: read your own country's official recommendations before any booking and check them again before departure.
Where is Nouakchott airport?
Nouakchott-Oumtounsy airport (NKC) is about 25 km north of the city according to Wikipedia (EN, DE) and Wikivoyage (FR); Wikivoyage (EN) says 40 km. We quote no taxi fares.
What is there to see in Nouakchott?
The national museum and its archaeological and ethnographic collections, the large mosques seen from the outside, the markets, the fishing port and the camel market. Access to some places may vary: check the local situation.
What is the best time of year, climate-wise, for Nouakchott?
Sources describe a hot desert climate, with fairly constant highs and cooler nights in winter. The rare rains fall from July to September. This climate information does not replace official advice.
How do I get around Nouakchott?
Wikivoyage (DE, EN) mentions shared taxis and city buses that are hard for a visitor to use; Wikipedia (FR) mentions bush taxis for long distances. We publish no fares.
Do I need a visa or vaccinations for Mauritania?
Entry conditions depend on your nationality and change: check official websites. For health, ask a doctor or a vaccination centre well before any possible departure: yellow fever and malaria are the usual topics.
How much does a flight to Nouakchott usually cost?
The price depends mainly on your departure city, the time of year and how far ahead you book. The "opportunities" section above shows real examples of prices SniperAir has already detected to this destination.
How do I get alerted when a flight to Nouakchott drops below my budget?
Create an alert profile with your departure airport, Nouakchott (NKC) as the destination and your maximum budget. You are notified automatically as soon as a matching price is detected. SniperAir monitors and alerts, it does not sell or book tickets.
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