Mauritania
Warnings and insurance
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advice.
Areas where FCDO advises against travel
Eastern Mauritania
FCDO advises against all travel to areas east of a line drawn between but excluding the towns of Kankossa, Tichit and Ghallaouia and then west to the Western Sahara border (except for the town of Zouerat in Tiris Zemmour).
Mauritania-Western Sahara border
FCDO advises against all travel to areas within 25km of the Western Sahara border (except the section of the Nouakchott-Nouadhibou road within 25km of the Western Sahara border and the city of Nouadhibou).
FCDO advises against all travel to the rest of the Ras Nouadhibou peninsula.
Tiris Zemmour, Adrar, Tagant, Hodh el Gharbi, Assaba and Guidimaka provinces
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to areas of the provinces of Tiris Zemmour, Adrar, Tagant, Hodh el Gharbi, Assaba and Guidimaka west of a line drawn between the towns of Ghallaouia, Tichit and Kankossa.
Nouakchott-Nouadhibou road
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the section of the Nouakchott-Nouadhibou road within 25km of the Western Sahara border and the city of Nouadhibou.
Zouerat in Tiris Zemmour Province
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the town of Zouerat in Tiris Zemmour Province.
Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
UK government support
The British Embassy in Nouakchott cannot provide consular services in person. British nationals in Mauritania should contact the British Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, for support.
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and any specific travel advice that applies to you:
- women travellers
- disabled travellers
- LGBT+ travellers
- solo and independent travel
- volunteering and adventure travel
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
About FCDO travel advice
FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.
Update history
2025-01-24 14:57
Additional information about the introduction of e-visas to enter Mauritania (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2025-01-03 11:35
New information about the introduction of e-visas to enter Mauritania from 5 January 2025 (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2024-12-10 13:27
FCDO now advises against all travel to 25km from the Malian border and all but essential travel to 25km from the Western Sahara border and parts of Tiris Zemmour, Adrar, Tagant and Gorgol, and no longer advises against travel to parts of Tagant, Adrar, Gorgol and Dakhlet Nouadhibou (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Regional risks’ pages).
2024-08-02 14:47
Removal of information about the presidential election on 29 June (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-06-10 10:54
Information about the presidential election on 29 June (see ‘Political situation’ on the ‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-03-11 14:51
This travel advice has been rewritten to make it easier to read and understand.
2023-06-22 11:10
Information about the global terrorism risks to British nationals abroad on all FCDO travel advice pages.
2023-04-03 11:19
Travellers arriving into Mauritania are no longer required to present a negative PCR test and/or proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry Requirements’ pages).
2023-03-13 09:41
Removal of information about the 5 March security incident in Nouakchott (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2023-03-08 12:22
Updated information on security incident in Nouakchott on 5 March 2023 (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2023-03-06 11:23
Information on security incident in Nouakchott, 5 March 2023 (‘Summary’, ‘Safety and security’ pages)
2022-10-19 10:26
Updated information on terrorism (‘Terrorism’ page).
2022-04-11 15:19
Updated information on entry requirements to Mauritania in relation to COVID-19 (requirement to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival) (‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Coronavirus’ pages)