Mauritania offers endless, almost untouched sand dunes in the Western Sahara, green oases with singing birds instead of crowds of tourists, and the Kediet Ijill, at 915 mt above sea level the highest mountain in the country. As long as you wear warm clothes, enough water, cover up your face and dont balance on the edge of the wagon unnecessarily, it should not be dangerous, not at all. People we had spoken to had said that the way to Choum was far less comfortable than the way to Nouadhibou, but we didnt find it to be any less comfortable than you would imagine riding in a barren iron train on rusted, ancient tracks with no cushioning through a developing country would be. FESTIVALS & AWARDS Best Cinematography, SIMA 2018 Jury Prize: Stylistic Achievement (Sponsored by Black Magic Design), SIMA . Refuelling of locomotives commonly occurs at over 50C (122F). The train is up to 3km (1.8 miles) in length with over 200 freight carriages, carrying up to 84 tons of iron ore. (LogOut/ Join Young Pioneer Tours on one of our signature African adventures in Eritrea, Somaliland, or Socotra (with new destinations being added all the time), or let us plan an independent trip for you. of 4. He is currently residing in Abu Dhabi leading tours in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. All the people are friendly and helpful. I did it in February and it was great. One option is to get a ride from Nouakchott, in the south, to Choum, a town just a few kilometers from the border with Western Sahara. We busted out our headlamps and were happy to have them (our car-mates were too!) The fire was continually getting blown out by the incessant winds and so it was a stop and go, heat and cool process. Young Pioneer Tours are the leading budget and adventure travel operator in the DPRK (North Korea). In fact, he was friends with the Railway Company director who, by the way, also spoke fluent Spanish, and it was he who took me in his car to the actual station, located 20km from Zourat, not without first filling our bellies in a restaurant whose owner had lived in the Canary Islands for more than 20 years. However, among the 2.5km of loaded wagons, there is one passenger carriage, which tends to be the last one. They spoke very broken French and Gabe was kind of able to communicate with that but mostly it was good old fashioned hand signals (I was also smiling but my face was completely covered so nobody but me knew that so maybe they were also?) Read . After solving these problems the new EMD locos now serving most of the freight trains. Apply within! Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Since there is no road connecting these parts of the country without a 400km detour through the capital, the train is used by passengers as well. Our local guide will provide everything in order that we can enjoy the scenery and the life of Mauritania and make sure we get amazing pictures, as well as an insight into the local rural life. Pretty epic. Assuming things go smoothly and there isnt any breakdown, the journey takes 18-20 hours from Zourat. Daytime temperatures in November are around 20 to 30 degrees Centigrade, while nights can be chilly. Or unless he was planning on waiting until we got off in Choum from the beginning because then we wouldnt have anyone to notify about it. In the late afternoon we expect an empty train crossing our way. Also, for those wondering, Mauritania is indeed perfectly safe as long as you stay out of red zones. Its a strange adventure, kind of masochist, but it has become one of my best experiences ever, and the ultimate adventure that all intrepid travelers should experience once in their life. Youll not suffer from the daily dance performance alongside the battle for the cold buffet each evening. In the morning hours we expect an empty train passing Ben Amira. Yes, you can, but I dont recommend it for two reasons: Most travelers catch the train in Choum, for the simple reason that its closer to Nouadhibou, hence they cut the journey a few hours short. [1] [2] It consists of a single, 704-kilometre (437 mi) railway line linking the iron mining centre of Zourat with the port of Nouadhibou, via Fderik and Choum.The state agency Socit Nationale Industrielle et Minire (National Mining and Industrial Company, SNIM . We were taken aback but not completely surprised and tried to explain we thought he had offered to share a taxi with us. Seems like you have to get well wrapped around and protected, is it? If your tour is arranged to depart from Choum, the train will depart around 6:00pm. Said to be the same as. Tips for local guides, 4WD drivers, extras, crews etc. Got extra time before or after your North Korean group tour? Cheers, Daniel, thanks to you for reading it . And also how long does it take the train to speed up and slow down? The railway connects the deposits to the ore port along a 700km line. (LogOut/ CREDITS:: Director: Macgregor. We have a long and proud history of arranging cultural projects with the Korean people; be it through art, sport, or whatever medium brings people together. The upkeep of the tunnel was adding further unnecessary expenses so in 1991 the tunnel was totally abandoned. From the small mining town to the Nouadhibou coast, you will be riding with ore packed in your freight car. My Father The Mover (SA) at Tribeca Cuties (Diaspora) at Sundance Softie (KE) at Sundance This Is Not A Burial, It's A Resurrection (LS) at Sundance. This is the tremors and loud noises caused when the freight cars slam into each other. Often described on the internet as "the most dangerous train in the world", the iron ore train of Mauritania has become famous among travelers to the region. We somehow managed to collect everything and as soon as we climbed outof the train we were confronted by the flurry of other people scrambling to get into the few taxis available to Atar, the closest real town. The taxis all hurried off and it was just the three of us standing alone, in the pitch-black night, in some bum-fuck Mauritanian town, at 5 in the morning. In The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara documentary we rode atop a hopper car and journeyed through vast Saharan landscapes with the people who rely on the train for their income and survival. 21 17 52.76 N, 13 02 51.36 W. Authority control. During the day, from Zourat to Choum, it was delightful and at night, with a good jacket and sleeping bag, I never felt any cold. Posted on January 7, 2020 So we sat under the one light in the town, playing Would You Rather?, and listening to voices on the radio discuss what I assumed was the whereabouts of the one train (on the one track) until the sun came up and we were able to hitchhike to Atar. You could also wear old clothes you dont mind throwing away once the journey finishes. How about this topic, how would European female travellers be seen in the context of the culture and possible traditional gender roles of that country? Other tours can be arranged departing from Nouadhibou to Choum as the freight cars are empty of iron ore giving the advantage of slightly more comfort by not only giving you an area to walk around, but also shielding you from the harsh sun and the constant sand blowing in your face. Australia: Aurizon - 32,320 metric tons. E&OE. Honestly, I would have liked to make the journey with another traveler, but it didnt turn out to be a big deal anyways. From Eritrea to Sudan, Syria, and Pakistan, Joan Torres has been traveling to some of the most off the beaten track destinations on Earth since 2014. The iron molds to your body pretty well. The Sahara Express Desert railway in Mauritania: 05.03. Thanks for sharing and great tips. Those two trains have a timetable, but delays of several hours are not uncommon. The railwaymen call this place Point Central or, in short, PC. Unless he had some friends here who were going to help. Dinner preparation was slow going. The result is a beautifully-executed 12-minute documentary titled The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara, which follows the journey of Malick: a 27 year-old merchant who relies on the train for his livelihood, even as he risks death each time he climbs aboard. It was some damn good chicken though. Young Pioneer Tours are the leading budget adventure travel company to off the wall, and off the beaten track destinations. THE MAURITANIA RAILWAY ACCOLADES:: Vimeo Staff Pick. Throwing in the wind-chill factor and it can get freezing past midnight. The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara: Desc: Among the heaviest trains in the world. I think most of the places I stayed at were the same as those you stated on other articles, apart form the hotel in Nouakchott. Dont forget we mentioned earlier theres no train tickets so it operates on a first come first serve basis. This train will be filled at the oasis of Boilenoir. In any case, that man helped me a lot. Flight to Gran Canary, Hotel in Tarajalillo. Hi Joan, do you have any recommendations for women travelling there, although you are male and it might be hard to imagine how your travel would have been if you would be a female in relation to the interaction with local men (did you also interact with local women?) If youre going to ride an empty wagon itll be wise to pack empty bottles to assist with going for number 1s during your train journey and best to hold in any number 2s until you reach your destination. Apparently, 1 out of 20 times, the train doesnt stop in Choum but it goes straight to Nouadhibou. I had been wanting to do this for quite a while after watching videos of the ride on Youtube. The brake van FS17 is reserved for the management of the railway. In any case, riding this train was enough motive for making a trip to Mauritania. The branch in charge of tourist traffic (they own a double deck passenger coach) is called SOMASERT. The Most Extreme Railway in the World Nov 22, 2018 At 430 miles long, the formidable Mauritania Railway, nicknamed the "backbone of the Sahara," boasts some of the longest and heaviest trains in the world. Trade between China and Europe, the traditional mode of transport is more dependent on sea and air transport,Its have been difficult to coordinate and solve the practical problems in that time and costs With these few tips in mind, you are set to enjoy an experience of a lifetime riding the mineral train of Mauritania. The aim of the train is to transport thousands of tonnes of iron ore, distributed in more than 200 wagons, making it become the longest and heaviest train in the world, at 2.5km long, although it can be up to 3km, depending on the loading. Death from falls is common. Just spending the night in the desert, far from any civilisation, and watching an ore train in the distance as the rays of a front headlight of a diesel loco fingers its way through the sand dunes is an incomparable experience. Thank you again for all the infos David! Pioneers Korea is a fully owned subsidiary of YPT, focusing on business consultancy in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea). Whether your riding in the open freight car or the passenger wagon, you wont sleep much. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Pro Tip Choose a wagon with a tall iron pile, so you will have a clearer view of the whole train. in the ex-SNCF passenger coach of TFM with compartments and a non-subdivided passenger compartment in the centre, in the large brake van with sleeper compartments, non-subdivided compartments and a viewing platform. In recent years they added two sidings to allow four pairs of trains per day. Over adventurous tracks we drive to the green oasis Terjit. Flight Gran Canary Nouadhibou and back in economy class, Accommodation in twin rooms or in tents, in tents no single or double rooms available (there is a single tent for each participant), Flights to Gran Canary and visa fees (80 Euros). My previous experience of travel in West Africa is that you can just rock up in a town and find somewhere and it doesnt appear that either of the websites you suggested have bookings available in Mauritania anymore. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to bring warm clothes and blankets with you for the journey. The Mauritanian Iron Ore Train is one of the most unique and incredible train journeys one can take. Love the top tips, too Get in one of the taxis when you arrive in Choum unless you want to wait until morning. This is a very dusty mode of transport, but the old SNCF passenger coach isnt much better. As with most things in Mauritania, there are very few safety protocols involved with riding the train. As I said in the introduction, I was feeling frankly nervous at that precise moment, especially because I had no company for making such a journey, but I didnt think it twice when I dropped all my luggage on the wagon and decided to climb up the metal ladder. The line speed is 40 km/h, the rails are designed for 26 tons axle load. In the case that you need to release any ballast in the desert there might be no bush to hide behind (but there are dunes)! The trains V3 and M4 are the ones which have the passenger coach attached. The daytime air was still thick even this late into the evening and I was beginning to assume that everything we heard about the temperature dropping might not apply to our trip. The train has a few unscheduled stops along the way, and its up to you to guess the length of the time the train will be stopped if you are without a guide. In the desert, no medical aid is available. The massive, heavy cars, each one capable of carrying up to 84 tons of . I went from being comfortable (enough) and close to dozing off to being freezing and under dressed in what seemed like mere minutes! It is a good place to meet mostly french tourists and expats there. Canada: Quebec North Shore Iron Ore - 30,000 metric tons. Spain (Gran Canary) can be entered visa-free for many nationalities. First, a few facts: Operating since 1963, the iron ore train covers 437 miles (704 kilometers) on its journey across the Sahara Desert from Nouadhibou, on the coast, to Zourat, an iron mine in . Morning temperatures can drop to twelve degrees Centigrade. And second, because one of the good things about arriving in Nouadhibou is that it is a city with all modern comforts, filled with all types of hotel where you can get a good shower after the long, dirty ride, besides having plenty of food options. I am thinking to go to Mauritania or to Iraq.I know they are completing different destinations, but what is your recommendation ? Two of the major reasons, cited to account for this situation, Its journey begins in Zouerat . Thanks a lot! Our hotel in Nouadhibou has a sufficient standard and offer electricity, hot water and internet access. Browse 232 mauritania train stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. In this direction, the cars are empty, which was great because we got to enjoy tea and dinner made by our car-mates (in Mauritania it is sacrilegious to go longer than a few waking hours without tea). Young Pioneer Tours organize a number of Group and independent trips throughout the old Soviet Union, including Chernobyl, Chechnya, Magadan, Tiraspol, and much more. From there well climb the Amoghar Pass and continue to the famous desert city Chinguetti. Hi Peter, I didnt know about this train in Congo but I am very curious now! It was one of the most beautiful scenes from our travels and we had that feeling you get when you feel you are part of something special, like you are the only person getting a chance to witness a secret spectacle. Hi Margarida, its not about the age, but how you feel phisically. We continued on, the light becoming fainter. The train stops a few kilometers outside of Nouadhibou, in the middle of nowhere, where several taxis will be waiting for the passengers. I did this in August 2021, I was 19. August 30, 2018. The Mauritania Railway, opened in 1963, consists of a single, 704-kilometer (437 mi) railway line linking the iron mining center of Zouerat with the port of Nouadhibou. The history of rail transport in Mauritania began in 1940, with the commencement of preparatory work for the construction of the Mauritania Railway, a single track, 704 km standard gauge line connecting a then proposed iron mine in Zouerate with the port of Nouadhibou, via Fderik and Choum.wikipedia After the line was nationalised in 1974 the government negotiated a new route with Western Sahara, to avoid the mountainous part, and in 1978 they inaugurated this new section, which crosses Western Sahara for 5km (3.1 miles). Especially if you are riding to Choum, there is not shit there until you get to Atar. On our cultural travels, a chef will travel with us and offer us some traditional food. Between 1961 and 1963, the mining company "Socit Anonyme des Mines de Fer de la Mauritanie" built a 652km long standard gauge line from the Atlantic port of Nouadhibou to the iron ore mines in Zourate. Im planning to go to Mauritania and ride the train in April. It turned out to be a very good call. Eventually we began to wonder where we would use the bathroom but our questions we answered when one of the guys went to a corner of the car and took a piss there. A few more minutes passed and we tried to politely ask where his ride was. The distance between Choum and the Port of Nouadhibou is 460km (285 miles). Though the train occasionally includes a carriage for . It then unloads the iron ore in the Mauritanian coastal town of Nouadhibou, and returns empty, back deep into the Sahara, to the area . While the majority of the production was ordered for use in North America, various models of the series have . We can partner with travel agencies or individuals who want to sell our group tours to individuals or small groups, Find out what makes YPT stand out from the crowd and how we got to where we are today. The result is The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara, a short documentary that delicately balances spellbinding vistas with a touching reflection on human resilience. Miguel de Olaso, (aka Macgregor), is a Spanish filmmaker who typically specializes in high-speed racing filmography, . The train arrives and you jump on, thats it. Nouadhibou railway station. Overnight in simple tents. Wish I could go!!!!! Mr. Purple Cat Esq. Linesiding in the region of Zourate Choum. Or maybe he was part of a Mauritanian kidnapping band that people had spooked us about and we were about to become the dreaded statistics. Your email address will not be published. 700 km. It certainly gets the adrenaline pumping and we feel that it only adds more to this unique experience. Well also visit the small loco depot in Zourate. Socit Nationale Industrielle et Minire, Hitchhiking and Backpacking in Saudi Arabia, Is it Ethical to Visit Saudi Arabia as a Tourist, Travel Guide to Afghan Village in Pakistan, The day I was accused of being an Islamic State Spy, Tips and how to travel to Mauritania in 2022, How to travel to Syria in 2022: Need to know. Hotel in Zourate. High speed refuelling nozzles, receivers, vents, and swivels for the upgrade of diesel locomotives and locomotive refuelling points. Try to pick a car near the passenger car because this is where you'll want to be when you get out in Choum. It is probably the most memorable adventure of my life. Winter During the day, the trip is particularly pleasant but nights are cold. They had brought blankets to spread out and had the fire up and going for tea and dinner before we had even left the station in Nouadhibou! Last advice: bring at the very least 10L of water on the train in summer, especially when its 47C outside. Packing books, a pack of cards and some games would help break up the journey. Here well stay in simple houses but with a shower pure luxury in the middle of the desert. Travellers loading a wagon of the Mauritanian Iron Ore Train. Do you think it is difficult to do it for a person with 60 years old? REF: 528a4 15 07 26 . You can travel by train, but thats a very dusty adventure! Because this is what it is about, a one-lifetime-experience, thats it. Really good info and written beautifully! Its very dirty, old, worn out, and overcrowded. Obviously, they will also ask for your fiche (check the security section of my travel guide to Mauritania for further details). Nevertheless, I guarantee you that, despite a 20-hour journey in which I barely slept, ate, and ended up covered in dark, toxic dust, I got off the train with a huge smile from ear to ear. Also, you should visit Suriname. Being such an important industrial center, the security level in Zourat is stricter than in other parts of the country and remember to have your hotel contact details handy on your arrival. A friend of mine told me a story about a long train in Mauritania that you could hop on and take a ride through the Sahara. I rode the infamous iron ore express deep into the Sahara desert and discovered its much more than just a freight train. Whether all these are in use is impossible to forecast, well find out on the spot. The iron ore train has been on my list for quite a long time. If the production levels are high it can be three or even four pairs of trains. Bring heaps of water and snacks with you. Notes From The Home: Quarantine And The Ascent IntoMadness, Crossing Into Mauritania From Western Sahara, Bring something to cover your face and eyes, Try and ride in a car with other people if you are riding to Choum (if youre going to Nouadhibou it will be daytime when you get there and will be very easy to tell you have arrived), Have warm clothes/blanket accessible for when you need it at night. Well go to the airport and board our return flight. Another, maybe even bigger thing to know is that when the train actually does begin, you need to be holding on to somethingtight.
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