October 9, 2019
Walking into Far Southwestern Mauritania
My 129th Country
April 16, 2019
ALONG THE SENEGALESE BORDER IN FAR SOUTHWESTERN MAURITANIA – I walked across the unmarked, unpatrolled border from Saint-Louis, Senegal, into Mauritania this afternoon, achieving my 129th country.
After spending a few hours this afternoon exploring the former French colonial capital of Saint-Louis, I walked 1.2 miles from the end of the road in northwestern Saint-Louis along a track through the sand into undeveloped far southwestern Mauritania on a narrow spit of land called the Langue de Barbarie. It separates the Senegal River from the Atlantic Ocean. It’s my first time unofficially/illegally crossing a national border!
At 3:25 p.m. I reached the traffic circle marking the northern edge of developed Saint-Louis. Although Saint-Louis, population 178,000, is situated on the Mauritanian border, surprisingly there is no official border crossing. That’s located at Rosso, 62 miles (100 km) upstream.
I wanted to check Mauritania of my list of countries visited, but had no time or desire to venture up to Rosso. Not to mention I’d need a visa to enter Mauritania at an official border post, so I began the 1.2-mile walk to the unmarked, unpatrolled border, hoping I’d be able to cross. And it proved to be simple.
At 3:50 p.m. I was less than 500 feet from the border, walking through a sandy no-man’s land between the urban chaos of Saint-Louis the Mauritanian border. It’s a nice day, pretty cool. The Atlantic Ocean was just over the sand dunes to my left, and the Senegal River only a few yards to my right.
Using the GPS map on my phone, I drew a line in the sand on the track demarcating the border. And just like that, I stepped over the line into my 129th nation!
Although there is no former border crossing here, there were a few vehicles loaded with goods and people who passed by me.
I found it odd that so close to a major city, there’s no signage, no border guards, nothing to mark that you’re entering another country.
I picked up a few discarded yellow pitchers and bags, marking the boundary myself in addition to the line I drew in the sand.
Looking at my GPS map, the first village of Mauritania appears to be seven miles north. I’m not going to make it to any populated area.
It’s great to be able to check Mauritania off my Quest for 243. Admittedly It’s a strange way to “visit” a nation by just walking in for a mile in an undeveloped remote area, but honestly Mauritania is not really a place that stands out on a traveler’s wish list. Now I can check this one off and be done with it. Gets me one step closer to my goal of visiting all 195 countries (plus 48 territories and de-facto nations).
I made it one mile into Mauritania at 4:48 and found these abandoned structures on the beach.
This will make a good turn-around point. I’m on a beautiful wide sandy beach here after the crowded, impoverished neighborhood of northwestern Saint-Louis. It’s quite nice to have this all to myself now with the exception of some birds.
I turned back for Senegal, strolling along the ocean and marking the maritime boundary in the sand using a discarded green teapot and a white fuel container.
Returned to Senegal just before 5:30. I passed a few small shacks (for fishermen?) and a few men out walking or jogging on the beach.
What a beautiful day for a walk on the beach. That was quite a fascinating walk into Mauritania!
Now I’m heading back to continue my exploration of Saint-Louis. I’ve got about two hours of daylight remaining.
Excellent – I walked up this track thinking I’d made it to Mauritania. However, a few weeks later I found I hadn’t gone far enough.. Oh well! Have to go back some time.
Like you I’m collecting countries. Done 206 (on my list!) so far!