We entered Senegal via Kedougou, briefly rode into The Gambia, then returned to Senegal again. Crossing borders here went relatively smoothly, though in The Gambia we had to wait for a quick COVID test before being allowed to enter. Temperatures reached 45°C.

The initial plan was to follow the Gambia River to Banjul and cross there the next morning, but we heard the process was long and not very interesting. So we changed plans and headed toward the Senegambia Bridge: the only bridge crossing the river.

At Zebrabar in Saint-Louis, a classic overlander stop, we enjoyed a BBQ and what would be our last beer before entering the Arab world, as Ramadan was starting the next day.

We had heard: “Do not use the Rosso border.”

We did.

The crossing left a bad aftertaste. After arriving on the Mauritanian side, we were welcomed quite friendly at first. We gave our papers, waited, moved from one room to another, waited again. Then the chief of the station came and started asking questions in a less friendly tone. Alcohol? Money? Shipping documents?

He asked for original shipping documents from Antwerp. Of course I did not carry them. I told him I had copies on my laptop. That gave them something to use. The tone became hostile. We were separated, luggage searched. Finally, after negotiation, we were allowed to enter — after paying a $600 bribe each.

We did not have that amount of cash, but conveniently there was an ATM nearby. Lesson learned: do not use the Rosso border.

Mauritania is vast and fuel stations are sparse, roughly every 250km — and even then, it is not guaranteed they have petrol available.

Riding in the desert, temperatures easily reach 45°C. With constant headwind, fuel consumption increases significantly. That is when you realize how important preparation is.

Mauritania lies at the crossroads of the Sahel and the Maghreb, both geographically and culturally, and is closely tied to the Arab world. Arabic is the country’s sole official language, while French remains widely spoken due to its colonial past.

Despite rich deposits of iron ore and petroleum, it remains one of the region’s less developed nations, with an economy still heavily reliant on agriculture, livestock, and fishing.

Mauritania has also faced long-standing human rights challenges, particularly linked to the legacy of a historic caste system between the Bidhan and Haratin communities. Although slavery was officially abolished in 1981 and criminalized in 2007 — making Mauritania the last country in the world to formally outlaw the practice — reports suggest that forms of modern slavery and servitude still persist today.

In the afternoon, wind started picking up. At first it looked spectacular — sand blowing across the road like fog at a rock concert. We stopped for photos. Within minutes the wind became extremely strong. Visibility dropped to just a few meters. We leaned against the wind for more than 100km, avoiding piles of sand while our helmets slowly filled with dust.

After a couple of hours, we rode out of it. Our bikes were sandblasted clean on one side.

We found “Chez Victor” on iOverlander and stayed with Victor, a Dutchman who had been living in Mauritania for years. After hearing about the trouble we had entering the country, he handed us 5 liters of his homemade camel milk and suggested we give it to the immigration chief when leaving.

Hours later, after a long ride through the desert heat, we arrived at the border crossing. The officers silently checked our passports while I placed the now probably butter-like camel milk on the desk. After a moment of suspicion — and a quick explanation about Victor — our passports were stamped, and we were free to go.

Text and photos by Sven Vandenbroucke.