Length. This has been on my radar for a while now. Built to transport Mauritania's vast iron ore reserves, the Mauritania Railway is a 704-kilometer line that cuts through the Sahara Desert on its way from the mining center of Zouerat to the port city of Nouadhibou on Africa's Atlantic coast. Young Pioneer Tours organize a number of Group and independent trips throughout the old Soviet Union, including Chernobyl, Chechnya, Magadan, Tiraspol, and much more. The total U.S. exports to Mauritania in 2019 were USD 127 million, and imports from Mauritania were USD 61 million, resulting in a U.S. trade surplus with Mauritania of USD 66 million. The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara from Macgregor on Vimeo. Whilst travel is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable ways to spend your time, arranging your travel can be complicated, stressful and difficult. Or I have to spend one night in Choum? Loco wise, the variety is very limited. Mauritania is not famous for having solid internet connection, and heading further inland away from the coastline will put you at slimmer chance of finding a stable cellular network. You can travel by train, but thats a very dusty adventure! However, it was truly one of the coolest, objectively badass things we have done traveling. In the spring of 2016, I traveled to the Sahara desert to ride the legendary Mauritanian iron ore train. Young Pioneer Tours are the leading budget adventure travel company to off the wall, and off the beaten track destinations. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. No material may be reproduced in any form, in part or in whole, without the permission of the publishers. Linesiding in the region of Zourate Choum. The Mauritania Railway is a 704-kilometer lifeline linking the iron-mining centre of Zouerat with the port of Nouadhibou. Sometime around 5:30, one of our car-mates woke us all up saying that we had stopped in Choum. This is the tremors and loud noises caused when the freight cars slam into each other. The railway is Mauritania's economical artery and a relict of her colonial past. Really good info and written beautifully! It was a you had to be there moment. Keep it up have a wonderful life. Tips for local guides, 4WD drivers, extras, crews etc. 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. The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara: Desc: Among the heaviest trains in the world. And search more of iStock's library of royalty-free stock images that features Mauritania photos available for quick and easy download. We knew the train would arrive at nighttime; there would be no announcement as to where we were and whether or not it was our stop; it was likely that the map on our phone would not continue to give us an accurate update on our location (it did not, even with having a Mauritanian SIM card). Neither FarRail Tours nor the local agency can be held responsible and neither will accept any liability whatsoever in the case of any accident, damage or delay. It will include the development of 170 miles (273.5km) of new track between South Florida and Orlando. There are no places to buy any between Nouadhibou and Atar. Morning temperatures can drop to twelve degrees Centigrade. However, the station isnt very far from the town and if its not too late, you may find cars going to Atar. It transports iron ore over 430 miles in blistering heat. We were taken aback but not completely surprised and tried to explain we thought he had offered to share a taxi with us. With our 4WD cars well chase trains in the desert. This experience is the real Mauritanian experience. I did it in February and it was great. You get what you pay for. Here well leave the railway and head south-east for Atar, the home of ancient Mercedes 190 models. Love train journeys and deserts. You see nothing besides the starry night and well, I am not going to lie, but from that moment it can get tough, but not as bad as you may think, and, by the end of the day, the whole experience makes up for it. To be absolutely sure, we recommend not disembarking the train during its unscheduled stops. Looking for all the practical information? Wish I could go!!!!! . Its possible to fit up to 10 travellers in a single empty freight car. The Mauritania Railway is the national railway of Mauritania.Construction of the line began in 1960, with it opening in 1963. Not even in the small ways that we feel we know the people who give us rides hitchhiking. 700 km. Youll not suffer from the daily dance performance alongside the battle for the cold buffet each evening. V3 departure PC (Nouadhibou) 14.40 hrs arrival Tazadit (Zourate) 06.26 hrs, M4 departure Tazadit (Zourate) 12.54 hrs arrival PC (Nouadhibou) 06.40 hrs. What a cool experience! Check out our great links, or get in touch and let us plan your extension for you. Canada: Quebec North Shore Iron Ore - 30,000 metric tons. Catherine. The total journey is 704km across the most offbeat desert landscapes, only disturbed by the occasional Bedouin who for convenience, decided to settle next to the train tracks and it also goes through the disputed or unrecognized territory of Western Sahara. I prefer type 2 and type 1, but you wont get a choice once the train arrives. Some of the trains have a wagon for employees of the railway, SNIM, at the end. Its very dirty, old, worn out, and overcrowded. Bring heaps of water with you. One other advantage of riding in the empty freight car is that youll be able to move around to warm yourself up. Our car-mates were professionals, though. The trains V3 and M4 are the ones which have the passenger coach attached. Travellers loading a wagon of the Mauritanian Iron Ore Train. 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. Directed, produced and photographed by Macgregormacgregor.worksShot on a modified Sony F35 to achieve optimum lightness and speed through the Saharan landsca. The iron ore train has been on my list for quite a long time. I think the worst part of the journey is not being able to sleep for the entire night but otherwise, the iron ore is soft. Our car-mate wandered off into the darkness, leaving his bags by the tracks and I began to question our decision to trust this guy to take us with him to Atar. Throwing in the wind-chill factor and it can get freezing past midnight. 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. Well keep in touch with the railways and will follow developments. Covid-19 outbreak in North Korea What do we know. From there well climb the Amoghar Pass and continue to the famous desert city Chinguetti. Weve heard of people putting up their tents in the cars, which would be a great idea. Nouadhibou Mauritanias second city and economic capital is the trains final destination, where the iron ore is unloaded and made ready to be shipped to different parts of the world. Browse 232 mauritania train stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. 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. In any case, that man helped me a lot. The SNIM company, which is responsible for the passenger traffic (the wagon at the end of train V3 and M4), is called TFM. The four different modes to travel on the trains are: The TFM passenger coach is often crowded and in a poor and smelly condition. The second phase of the Brightline high-speed rail project will extend the railway line from West Palm Beach to Orlando. Also, you should visit Suriname. My daughters have been living in Barcelona for many years now, and I go there quite often he said. 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 people there are the most welcoming Ive seen in any country. By sgsaunde. This train has no ticket, no conductor, no dining cart, or any sort of announcements. I barely slept, but felt comfortable. (LogOut/ MAURITANIA RAILWAY ; 31 July 2015. Choum, Mauritania. Six-Million Passenger Milestone For Senegal's High-Speed Train 08 July 2022 West Africa, Senegal. During daylight you can expect to see at least one or two trains arriving from Nouadhibou and two departing trains to Nouadhibou. The iron ore is transported from the mines in the desert to the port of discharge on the peninsula of Ras Nouadhibou, in Casado. My sleep deprived brain played through these scenarios for about 5 seconds before I became too tired to be paranoid or really even care. If your tour is arranged to depart from Choum, the train will depart around 6:00pm. 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. On the other hand, even finding hot water can be a challenge in both Choum and Zourat. Otherwise the police will waste your time, like they made me waste mine. From Nouadhibou the line heads about 460 kilometres to the east before it turns to the north near Choum. Click here to skip the other content and read my tips about how to ride the Iron Ore Train. But bring more. Pioneers Korea is a fully owned subsidiary of YPT, focusing on business consultancy in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea). Thanks so much for these posts. It was still freezing. And was it hard to get on? With these few tips in mind, you are set to enjoy an experience of a lifetime riding the mineral train of Mauritania. The film has screened at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, the Moscow International Documentary Film Festival DOKer, the 41th Grenzland . Synopsis: The Mauritanian Railway is a 704-kilometre line that connects the mining centre of Zouerat with the port of Nouadhibou. Thank you. Hi Joan, thanks for sharing such a wonderful experience! Change). Dont forget we mentioned earlier theres no train tickets so it operates on a first come first serve basis. Whether all these are in use is impossible to forecast, well find out on the spot. This is the sharp 90 degree corner where Western Sahara borders Mauritania. 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 visa for Mauritania will be issued on arrival (55 Euros plus handling fee of 25 Euros). The Mass Games is the worlds largest performance as approved by the Guinness Book of Records with over 100,000 individual performers participating in a synchronised dance or gymnastics act held in the worlds largest stadium. E&OE. 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. Our car-mate returned from the darkness after a few minutes and proceeded to just sit down on the tracks and ask us what we were still doing there. 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 Marlon Brawndo - 2021-02-08 . Built to transport Mauritania's vast iron ore reserves, the Mauritania Railway is a 704-kilometer line that cuts through the Sahara Desert on its way from the mining center of Zouerat to the port city of Nouadhibou on Africa's Atlantic coast. Dinner preparation was slow going. 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I felt like I had been up all night on psychedelic drugs. Apart from that, I think it doesnt matter but just dont go in the middle, since you wont be able to appreciate the trains real length. Whilst youre in Choum youll notice mountains to the east and where the railway track take a sharp left turn up north to Zouerate. The length of the trains and their load, up to 17,000 metric tons, is an amazing sight. This is the longest and heaviest train in the world. I at least had my sunglasses, which I wore well after the light had faded and it was impossible to see anything with them. If you care about keeping your shit clean, definitely wrap it up in a blanket or some plastic sheets beforehand. Young Pioneer Tours are the leading budget and adventure travel operator in the DPRK (North Korea). The Point Noire-Brazzeville train through Congo is on my list too. 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. We went the opposite direction, from Nouadhibou to Choum. I highly recommend to go there. There are three types of Iron Ore that are delivered to the coastline by train. From here well return to Choum, and in the late afternoon well once again look out for the ore trains. Why was this an embarrassment? 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. Its a modern hotel costing 50 a night. I was still a bit timid, being the only woman and all, but right when I was about to overcome my insecurities about squatting down in front of these devout men, the train stopped and I was able to hop out and pee outside. Miguel de Olaso, (aka Macgregor), is a Spanish filmmaker who typically specializes in high-speed racing filmography, . Terminus. After traveling around Mauritania and visiting places such as Terjit, Chinguetti or Atar, Zourat feels like a surprisingly modern town according to Mauritanian standards and, despite being so remote, it is home to the most relevant and important industry for Mauritanias economy. At more than 430 miles long, the Mauritania Railway has been transporting iron ore across the blistering heat of the Sahara Desert since 1963. The station itself was not much more than a concrete shell of a building, the entryway to which was simply a break in the barbed wire fence blocking off the rest of the tracks. Thats why it is incredibly important to have a local guide who will be able to arrange your trip and receive the latest updates on the departure to ensure you dont miss the train. We discourage packing or hauling large luggage around Africa so allow us to assist you with what are the essentials to pack to better prepare you for your Saharan train journey. If you dont feel like taking such a wild journey, there is the option of traveling in the actual passenger wagon, even though some intrepid travelers may tell you its not that worth it. IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON RIDING THIS TRAIN YOU MUST BRING SOMETHING TO COVER YOUR FACE. Weve traveled enough in these kinds of places to know that 15:30 is a very rough estimate and you might as well have just pulled a time out of a hat. on top of the open ore wagons or the flat wagons with the lorries on. Rummaging through old Vimeo Staff Picks during some downtime this morning, I came across this beautiful short. The Mauritania Railway is the national railway of Mauritania.Construction of the line began in 1960, with it opening in 1963. For the rest of the country, no need to book ahead. The train stopped another two times before we reached Choum and every time it did, we had a solid 15-20 minutes before it started up again. You mentioned the iron ore as toxic. For camels (on their way to slaughter) and lorries theyll attach some flat wagons behind the ore wagons. There is no guarantee for the number of trains well see, for punctuality or certain stops at sidings and stations. Im planning to go to Mauritania and ride the train in April. However, I definitely recommend starting your journey in Zourat, and my reasons are as follows: Learn more about how to organize your trip in my Mauritania 2-week itinerary. Thanks for sharing it. 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. This is carried out by a single locomotive as the line locomotives leave the train as soon as they arrive. The line was opened in 1963. The office is where shared taxis to the station depart from. He is currently residing in Abu Dhabi leading tours in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Read Time: 1 min. No, thanks, I want to ride on top of the wagons. Its journey begins in Zouerat . 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). Totally riveting. I felt way much safer during my 10 days in Mauritania than during the 1 day layover in Tunis. All I was focused on was our bags and getting to Atar. Summer The sun will be harsh but nights will be warmer. Every couple minutes there were strong jolts, due to the change in speed between the train's wagons, and if one caught you unaware and you fell - no one could rescue you. The initial idea was to jump in one of the first wagons but, apparently, I was at the place where the tail of the train would stop. Director's bio-filmography: MacGregor (1981) loves speed and collects classic . Whether your riding in the open freight car or the passenger wagon, you wont sleep much. Thanks! If you are interested in traveling through the old USSR, YPT are your people. There is no pharmacy in the desert either. 87 Mauritania Railway Premium High Res Photos Browse 87 mauritania railway stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The 5km of track inside Western Sahara is the only railway running within the unrecognised country, and making it the smallest railway network in the world among countries that have any railway within them whatsoever. Bear in mind that hefty delays are common and unpredictable. Our North Korea independent tours are suitable for solo travellers, families, couples, friends, or for people who simply cant find group tour dates to match. You could also wear old clothes you dont mind throwing away once the journey finishes. Youll experience authenticity and meet open minded people who still see tourism as an opportunity for their country. www.Rail-Pass.com No 1 Pricing for Rail Pass & Rail Tickets + Train Tickets www.Rail-Pass.com is a travel portal selling all modes of travel at No 1 Pricing with no additional fees . Concepted and produced in . Well stay overnight in small tents in the desert. We also didnt have to wrap ourselves and our things in sheets or plastic, like people recommend you do in the other direction, because in empty cars there is less iron ore dust whipping around (although there is still A LOT). What weve discovered is ultimately the experience of a lifetime by blasting through the Sahara under the pristine desert sky, gazing upon the stars and being rocked by the sheer power of the locomotive. On the other hand, undecided travelers have the alternative of making the journey from Zourat to Choum on top of the iron ore, and once in Choum, getting down to the passenger carriage. To get in that carriage you have to pay, but no more than 10-15. You can definitely stop in Choum no problem. If the production levels are high it can be three or even four pairs of trains. I went to Auberge Triskell, close to the US Embassy. There are two options for riding the train which offer, Im sure, two very different experiences. Also, for those wondering, Mauritania is indeed perfectly safe as long as you stay out of red zones. This is Mauritania, and having an extra load of patience is a must. What I recommend is going to the railway office (located here) to ask for the approximate departure time from that day in particular. However, one of our car-mates had conveyed to us that he was also going to Atar and we could go together so we didnt feel the need to rush the already full taxis. Supply. The train arrives and you jump on, thats it. The Sahara Express Desert railway in Mauritania: 05.03. While its true that traveling with all the dust is, weirdly, an outstanding experience, each traveler has a different worldview with different objectives and life ambitions and, depending on your preferences, not everybody enjoys 20 hours sitting on top of a toxic pile of dusty iron, plus this is an adventure for which you need to be logistically prepared, with proper clothes and gear, and there are few who travel with all this equipment. The fire was continually getting blown out by the incessant winds and so it was a stop and go, heat and cool process. How serious is the risk that some of it gets into your mouth or nose, or even on your hands and other body parts? High speed refuelling nozzles, receivers, vents, and swivels for the upgrade of diesel locomotives and locomotive refuelling points. Director: Macgregor Producer: Macgregor 2017 | Spain Languages: English FILMMAKER Q&A: https://simaacademy . Join one of our Worldwide Adventures to places as diverse as Cuba, The Philippines, Cambodia, Nepal, or Antarctica, with off the wall places your mother would rather you stayed away from being added all the time. Choum A tiny settlement located between Atar y Zourat, and where the train does a quick 10-minute stop. Our friend asked if we would rather have our own car or ride with the men and we opted to join their group and ride together. The train stops a few kilometers outside of Nouadhibou, in the middle of nowhere, where several taxis will be waiting for the passengers. 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. The absolute up to date on guide, facts and fun information about where we visit and what we do, 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, YPT Southern Iraq tour standing in Firdos "Paradis, While the idea of North Korea customs might, YPT's Spring Socotra group tour posing in front of, Greetings from #Australia! Category: Travel Tags: Africa, hitchhiking, Mauritania, trains, Travel, This is an amazing account. Here well stay in simple houses but with a shower pure luxury in the middle of the desert. Nighttime came quick and although our car-mates were still trying to get dinner prepared, we took the opportunity to try and get some shut eye, which was convenient because my eyes were already almost always closed at this point since it was finally way too dark for my sunglasses. Have a question about travelling to North Korea? 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. Always use common sense when crossing roads and railway tracks. The advantage of riding on one of the first wagons is that you wont be bothered by the dust coming from the 200 wagons in front of you because of the wind. 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. The construction of phase two began in May 2019 and service is expected to begin in 2022. It was 1pm and, apparently, the train could show up at any time between 11am and 7pm, so I was there waiting, with the uncertainty that the train could arrive at any moment, but I only had to wait for two hours when, all of a sudden, I felt the noise of a locomotive approaching followed by an endless line of wagons. While the majority of the production was ordered for use in North America, various models of the series have . The short doc was shot entirely on a Sony F35 that was modified to use a . Its way more epic and, as you have already traveled all the way to Mauritania and youll probably never ride the Iron Ore Train again, you should do it in its entirety, otherwise you may regret it. Our Mauritanian friends had brought us to the train station and were waiting with us, chatting it up with other passengers and ultimately made friends on our behalf with three men who were apparently also getting off at Choum. Said to be the same as. Especially as a way to see Western Sahara. It was they who informed me that, if I wanted to ride on the first wagons, I had to go more than 2km further, but they were actually kind enough to take me there. He pointed to the lights of Choum, maybe a half kilometer in the distance, and said we needed to walk there. It then unloads the iron ore in the Mauritanian coastal town of Nouadhibou, and returns empty, back deep into the Sahara, to the area . 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?) Find the perfect mauritania railway stock photo. Then why not join our tour extensions in North Korea or China? To allow for two-way traffic on the single rail track, nine sidings are distributed along the line to allow empty trains to cross paths with loaded ones.. Seriously, not having even a bandanna would be miserable. Apart from people, also general freight, camels and lorries are common goods on the railway. Required fields are marked *. Mauritania Railway, Photo Credit Macgregor Death from falls is common. Two pairs of trains run daily. People had mentioned how heavy and massive this train was, but no description was able to put it in perspective until I saw firsthand this behemoth of metal screaming into the station and screeching to a halt in front of us. The branch in charge of tourist traffic (they own a double deck passenger coach) is called SOMASERT. This mini documentary film is real nice also. The train is up to 3km (1.8 miles) in length with over 200 freight carriages, carrying up to 84 tons of iron ore. Two of the major reasons, cited to account for this situation, 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.

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