Ouadane To Tanouchert Oasis

Mauritania

Go back to Mauritania.
Go back to Ben Amera To Ouadane.

Ouadane
Ouadane.

We got up early the following morning to try to catch the sunrise over the old city and did a quick repeat of the tour from the prior evening. We then drove out 90 minutes further east into the Sahara to see the Richat Structure, a nearly perfectly circular geologic formation consisting of ridges and valleys some 40 kilometers in diameter. More spectacular from the air (or from space) but still a pretty interesting trip.

After a quick lunch break back in Ouadane, we continued cross country through the desert some two hours to the Oasis of Tanouchert where we spent the night. This is an isolated community in the middle of the sand dunes that’s somehow eking out an existence made possible by a couple of wells.

Photos

Ouadane
Back to see the old city again in the morning; hoping for clearer conditions (Dec. 2024).
Ouadane
Morning in the old city (Dec. 2024).
Ouadane
Once again the abandoned mosque in the old city (Dec. 2024).
Ouadane
Strolling through the old city in the morning (Dec. 2024).
Ouadane
Ouadane (Dec. 2024).
Oudane
Morning activity in Ouadane (Dec. 2024).
Oudane
Shirley and Mohammad in Oudane (Dec. 2024).
Oudane
Packing up back at the auberge (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
Leaving Ouadane for the Richat Structure some 60 minutes away (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
A small settlement a few kilometers before reaching the Richat Structure (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
Mutton (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
Trinket shopping (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
Same place (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
Pushing towards the Richat Structure (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
The nothingness of the desert (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
Mars-scape (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
Hiking up to the top of the cone that sits in the middle of the circular Richat Structure which itself is some 40 miles in diameter (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
A small settlement inside the Structure (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
A closer look (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
Shirley and Mohammad atop the cone at the center of the Richat Structure (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
We met a babushka on top of the cone. She was selling some trinkets and rocks so we of course bought a few (Dec. 2024).
Richat Structure
Driving along the moonscape of the Richat Structure, heading back to Ouadane (Dec. 2024).
Ouadane
We stopped for lunch right outside of Ouadane and this thing rolled by (Dec. 2024).
Ouadane
Heading out across the desert as we make our way from Ouadane to the Tanouchert Oasis (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Deyah dropped us off a few hundred meters from the Tanouchert Oasis. We hiked straight in along some dunes while he drove around the long way to avoid the dunes (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
A village out in the sand near to Tanouchert Oasis (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Making our way across the dunes to the Tanouchert Oasis (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
In the dunes (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Shirley in the dunes (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
And there it is: Tanouchert Oasis (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Walking through the Oasis (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Tanouchert Oasis (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Tanouchert Oasis (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Shirley and Mohammad (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Our auberge in Tanouchert (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Toilets and showers at the auberge (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Some other lodging options at the auberge (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Shirley in our room (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Enjoying the accommodations (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Village life at the oasis (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
The school and a well (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
More village activity in Tanouchert (Dec. 2024).
Tanouchert
Dust and sand (Dec. 2024).

Go to Tanouchert Oasis To Chinguetti.
Go back to Mauritania.