Aah yes, the famous iron ore train of Mauritania. Famous among the adventurous travelling community that is. I am quite certain that 90% of people have never heard of the country of Mauritania let alone the iron ore train that runs through the Sahara desert.

What makes this train so special? This isn’t just any old freight train transporting goods. For decades people have used the train to transport themselves and their goods on the train as well. While there are a couple of passenger cars attached most people opt to jump in the freight cars themselves. It is precisely this way of traveling that draws in adventurous travelers from around the globe.

The map below shows the route the train takes. It fills up with iron ore in mines near the town of Zouérat. Usually, the train is several kilometers long! It then runs through mostly empty desert and technically crosses into Western Sahara for a bit. It then crosses hundreds of kilometers of empty desert until reaching the coastal city of Nouadhibou. Here the iron or is unloaded and the train returns towards the mines in the desert.

On its way to the coast, the train briefly stops in the quiet town of Choum to allow for people to hop aboard. This is where most travelers get on the train, as did I back in 2018. Inspired by a brief National Geographic video I decided I wanted to experience this one-of-a-kind train ride for myself.

While making my way from the coast of Mauritania towards Choum I learned so much about this mysterious country. Most notable is that it is truly a melting pot of ethnicities. Walking through its towns and cities I saw and spoke to people of Arab, Berber, and Sub-Saharan descent. As far as I could tell these different ethnicities coexisted harmoniously, all contributing to and sharing a similar cultural identity.

Not-so-fun fact: Mauritania is the last country in the world to officially abolish slavery. The law criminalizing slavery was only passed in 2007. Most of the younger population I spoke to were very eager to get rid of this image.

When I finally arrived in Choum I learned that the train does not operate to any kind of schedule. Instead, you just wait by the tracks until it gets there. It only took several hours for it to arrive, and what an entrance! The cars are huge and it seems like the train is endless. Then as soon as it stops everybody frantically tries to hop aboard, because no one knows exactly how long it will be stationary. I found a car filled with iron ore that I shared with a local boy and settled in for the night.

I came prepared with a blanket, some goggles, and a local headscarf to protect me from the worst of the iron ore. Still, that stuff is so fine it will find its way anywhere! I cannot say the ride was comfortable, but it honestly wasn’t too bad. And the amazing views of the Sahara more than makeup for it.

As night fell I knew I wasn’t going to get much sleep, it gets really cold and the metal train cars are very noisy. However, I was eager to experience the night sky in the middle of the desert and it did not disappoint! Unfortunately, my photography skills weren’t good enough to capture it. So you just have to go and see it for yourself!

Overall I had a great time in Mauritania. The people were hospitable and kind, and the country offers some stunning scenery. While riding the iron ore train is not for the faint of heart it is an adventure that you will talk about for many years to come!

Happy train surfing!