Peter Boller and I took these photos on a trip from Dakar through Nouakchott, Atar, and Nouadhibou in 2018. They are arranged chronologically- starting from the Senegal/Mauritania border, going into the deep Sahara, riding the iron ore train to the coast, and then returning down the coast to Senegal. Read the full story of the trip here; or, watch a video of the train ride at dawn here.
The Rosso border between Senegal and Mauritania. There is no bridge, so most people cross by pirogue. One slow ferry waits for cars.
A work crew in Nouakchott
Nouakchott streets
Nouakchott
Nouakchott
Nouakchott
Nouakchott
“Garage Atar” in Nouakchott, loading vans for the journey into the desert
A prayer stop in the deep desert between Nouakchott and Atar
Teenage girls in a small, deep desert town between Nouakchott and Atar
Loading goats in Atar
The road from Atar to Choum
The desert outside Choum
Sunset in Choum
Sunset in Choum
Men talking at the Choum train depot
Sun sets over the tracks at Choum
Boys in an unused rail car at Choum. They wanted us to say “Allahu Akbar” which we did
Dawn rises on the Choum-Nouadhibou train
Dawn rises on the Choum-Nouadhibou train
End of the line in Nouadhibou. Throwing sheep off the train
Selfie at the Nouadhibou ship graveyard, with iron particles from the train on my face
The Nouadhibou ship graveyard
A military stop between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott
Unloading a fishing boat in Nouakchott. The guys in green suits have the boxes of fish
