Banc d'Arguin

Banc d'Arguin stretches across 200 kilometres of Atlantic coastline, between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, along a strip where the Sahara meets the ocean without transition. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1989, the national park covers 12,000 km², with half of it marine territory. This shallow marine zone, where depth rarely exceeds five metres across tens of kilometres, is swept by the cold Canary Current. The meeting of cold, plankton-rich waters and warm coastal currents makes it one of the Atlantic's most productive fishing ecosystems.

Between two and three million migratory birds winter here each year, mainly from November to March. Red knots, bar-tailed godwits, grey plovers, greater flamingos, white pelicans and African spoonbills concentrate on the mudflats exposed at low tide and on the park's dozen or so islets: Tidra, the largest, but also Niroumi, Nair, Kijji and Arel. For ornithologists, it is one of the three major sites of the Western Palaearctic, comparable to the Wadden Sea.

The park is home to the Imraguen, approximately 1,500 people spread across seven villages including Iwik, Mamghar, Teichott and Agadir. Their name means "those who gather life" in Hassaniya. They practise non-motorised fishing for mullet using seine nets drawn from the beach, and historically with the help of large dolphins that drive schools of fish towards the shore. This cooperation between cetaceans and fishermen, documented since the 15th century by Portuguese navigators, is becoming rarer today but remains observable in certain seasons at Iwik. The Imraguen dry and salt the mullet on wooden racks, and prepare bottarga from the eggs, sold in Nouadhibou and exported.

We navigate the park aboard lanches, wooden sailing vessels with lateen sails introduced by Canarian fishermen in the 19th century and adopted by the Imraguen. It is the only type of vessel permitted for visitors in the strictly protected zone. A three to four-hour trip from Iwik takes you to the nesting islets, where you can observe colonies of Caspian terns and white-breasted cormorants, and land on Tidra. The silence aboard, due to the absence of an engine, fundamentally changes your relationship with the landscape and wildlife.

The oceanic climate significantly moderates temperatures compared to the interior Sahara. In winter, daytime temperatures peak around 22 to 25°C, nights drop to 12-14°C. The northerly wind, the trade wind, blows almost year-round and can be strong in the afternoon. Morning mist is frequent between October and April: it generally clears around 10 o'clock, revealing raking light across white dunes that plunge into the ocean, particularly at Cape Tafarit. Landscapes alternate between sebkhas (salt lagoons), dune ridges, low cliffs and deserted beaches where you can walk for hours without meeting a soul.

Access to the park is via the paved Nouakchott-Nouadhibou road, then by track for 60 to 80 km depending on which village you're heading to. Allow five to six hours of travel from Nouakchott to Iwik. Accommodation remains rustic: traditional tent camps with Imraguen families at Iwik and Mamghar, sometimes basic structures. No permanent electricity, brackish water, meals centred around the day's catch. This simplicity is part of the experience and conditions the quality of your encounter with the residents.

To discover

Sailing in a lanche from Iwik. A three to four-hour trip in a motorless wooden sailing vessel to the nesting islets. Silent approach to tern and pelican colonies, landing on Tidra.

Traditional Imraguen fishing at Mamghar. Observation of seine nets drawn from the beach for yellow mullet, and depending on the season, of the cooperation with large dolphins that drive schools of fish towards the shore.

Cape Tafarit and coastal dunes. Walking along low cliffs where white dunes plunge directly into the Atlantic. Raking light after morning mist clears, around 10 o'clock.

Birdwatching on the mudflats. Counting shorebirds at low tide between November and March: red knots, bar-tailed godwits, grey plovers, flamingos by the thousands from the points of Iwik and Tessot.

Evening and meals with the Imraguen. Dried mullet, bottarga, rice with fish and three rounds of tea under the tent, in Hassaniya. Conversation about the transformations in the fishing trade since the park's creation.

When to visit

The optimal window extends from November to March. Daytime temperatures range between 22 and 25°C, nights remain cool around 12-14°C, and this is when migratory birds are most numerous, with a peak in December-January. The sea is generally suitable for lanche trips, though the trade wind can strengthen in the afternoon and make morning sailing preferable. Morning mist is frequent but usually clears by mid-morning.

From April to June, temperatures gradually rise (28 to 32°C) and migratory birds return northwards. July to September remains feasible for temperature thanks to the oceanic effect, around 28°C, but humidity is high and ornithological interest is limited. October marks the return of the first migratory waves. We advise against visiting in May and June if your trip focuses on the park: few birds, strong winds, and rising heat on the access tracks.

Practical advice

We recommend a minimum of two nights on site, ideally three, to offset the five to six hours of travel from Nouakchott and enjoy two lanche trips as well as a day of coastal walking. The entry point is Nouakchott (international airport), with paved road then sandy track requiring a 4x4. Entry via Nouadhibou is possible if combining with the desert train.

Banc d'Arguin logically combines with Nouakchott and the southern coast at the beginning or end of an itinerary, and with the Adrar (Atar, Chinguetti, Ouadane) for a striking contrast between ocean and interior desert. Combining the desert train from Zouérat to Nouadhibou, then heading down to Iwik, constitutes one of our classic itineraries over twelve to fourteen days. Comfort remains rustic: simple camps, shared facilities, no network coverage. The destination suits contemplative travellers, ornithologists, those curious about coastal societies and those who accept material simplicity as a condition for accessing the site.