Mauritania travel advice
A summary of the UK government’s (FCDO) travel advice for Mauritania, last updated by the FCDO on 19 October 2026. The full advice on GOV.UK is the authoritative version.
FCDO status
FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country
Latest FCDO update (19 October 2026): New information on risks of travelling on the iron ore train (‘Safety and security’ page).
FCDO notice
Protests
There have been periodic protests in Mauritania relating to developments in the Middle East. Demonstrations can take place with little or no warning.
You should:
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avoid all demonstrations and larger gatherings
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monitor local media for updates
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follow the advice of local authorities
Warnings (from the FCDO, word for word)
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, Akhreijit, Ghallaouia, Zouerat, Fderîck and onwards west to the border with Western Sahara.
Mauritania-Mali border
FCDO advises against all travel to areas within 25km of the Malian border in the south, including Khabou.
Mauritania-Western Sahara border
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to areas within 25km of the Western Sahara border, excluding the section of the Nouakchott-Nouadhibou road and the city of Nouadhibou.
Tiris Zemmour, Adrar, Tagant, Hodh el Gharbi, Assaba, Gorgol and Guidimaka provinces
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the rest of the province of Tiris Zemmour, Assaba, Hodh el Gharbi, Gorgol and Guidimaka, and areas of Adrar and Tagant provinces, west of a line drawn between the towns of Ghallaouia, Akhreijit and Kankossa. This excludes:
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the areas west of a line running between Choum, Ouadane and where the 10th Meridian West meets latitude 18° 40°
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the town of Ouadane
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the Tidjikja-Tichit road
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the Aleg to Tidjikja road via Moudjeria and all areas of Tagant west of that road
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the Bogue to Kaedi road via Bababe
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.
Passport validity
To enter Mauritania, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
From FCDO: entry requirements. Written for British passport holders.
Recent FCDO updates
- 19 October 2026: New information on risks of travelling on the iron ore train (‘Safety and security’ page).
- 24 March 2026: New information about protests (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
- 10 December 2025: New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).
Plan your trip
This page shows the FCDO’s headline status and quotes its text word for word; we don’t reword safety advice. It refreshes automatically, so it can lag GOV.UK by up to a day. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: FCDO foreign travel advice on GOV.UK. FCDO advice is written for British nationals; other nationalities should also check their own government’s advice.