mauritania iron ore train map

Well, it really is challenging! We arrived in Nouadhibou at 7:30am, shortly after sunrise, so if you had taken the train in Choum on that day, you would have only gotten 10 minutes of sunlight. In Mauritania, an iron ore train runs daily a 704-kilometer route from the interior of the country to the coast and back again. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) notes that the mining sector - which is a core component of the Mauritanian economy - contributes 59% to exports, 9.6% to GDP, and 10.4% to the Mauritanian government's revenue. Operating since 1963, the Iron Ore Train - Train du Desert in Mauritania - is a train that connects the iron ore mines in the town of Zourat, located deep into the Sahara, with the port of Nouadhibou, located on the Atlantic coast. It was they who informed me that, if I wanted to ride on the first wagons, I had to go more than 2km further, but they were actually kind enough to take me there. Trains on the railway are up to 3 kilometres (1.9mi) in length,[6] making them among the longest and heaviest in the world. Blankets are a must. The state agency Socit Nationale Industrielle et Minire (National Mining and Industrial Company, SNIM) controls the railway line. The tourist route is typically operated by a locomotive carrying two passenger carriages. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mauritania_Railway&oldid=1110690691, Pages with login required references or sources, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing cleanup from August 2022, Articles with bare URLs for citations from August 2022, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from August 2022, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 September 2022, at 22:55. However, the station isnt very far from the town and if its not too late, you may find cars going to Atar. Every day, vast amounts of Iron Ore from the country's desert mines deep in the Sahara, are taken out to the ports so it can be shipped abroad. ONLY WAITING LIST. For women might be a bit trickier but perfectly doable. Choum A tiny settlement located between Atar y Zourat, and where the train does a quick 10-minute stop. In any case, riding this train was enough motive for making a trip to Mauritania. We chatted about the purpose of my visit, and he never managed to assimilate why the hell I wanted to ride the train with all the dust, when I supposedly could pay the 15 cost of getting into the passenger wagon, a significant amount many Mauritanians cant. Also, you should visit Suriname. The Train du Desert in Mauritania is 2km long and consists of 200 carriages. Read More Costa Ricas CIA Spy Plane RestaurantContinue, Your email address will not be published. The Point Noire-Brazzeville train through Congo is on my list too. Mauritania Tour Dates and Pricing. Riding the Longest Train in the World: Mauritanian Iron Ore Train Ecommerce mauritania railway speed [citation needed], In January 2019, the railway resumed tourism after a ten-year hiatus; part of the track ran through a forbidden tourist area. All Rights Reserved. Obviously, they will also ask for your fiche (check the security section of my travel guide to Mauritania for further details). Theres much more history, geographical diversity and I just prefer the Middle East over the Maghreb. Our turnover thus rose from $ 880 million in 2019 to $ 1 billion 220 million in 2020, an increase of 39%. From that point, I was all by myself, alone in the middle of nowhere, until the Train du Desert finally came, 200 wagons pulled by an EMD electric-diesel locomotive with an Arabic acronym that said SNIM (Socit Nationale Industrielle et Minire) written on its side. At night, however, its a different story. Cheers, Daniel, thanks to you for reading it . Thanks for sharing and great tips. You can find more country fun facts on The Life of Jords YouTube & TikTok accounts. For more information about the country, dont forget to check my travel guide to Mauritania, Insurance for traveling in MauritaniaI strongly recommend IATI Insurance: COVID-19 + full Mauritania coverageBUY IT HERE TO GET YOUR SPECIAL DISCOUNT. At the same year, Iron Ore was the 271st most imported product in Mauritania. In 2014, the mining company Glencore paid $1 billion for 18 years of access to SNIM's rail and port infrastructure, which would be connected to branch lines to new iron mines at Askaf and Guelb El Aouj. In Zourat, I had a full meal before getting in. Video Player is loading. Mauritania Railway train at the station in Nouadhibou Trains on the railway are up to 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) in length, [6] making them among the longest and heaviest in the world. Construction of the line began in 1960, with it opening in 1963. I dont really remember but I think I saw it in a documentary not so long ago. north korea This time the wagons are empty, which makes the outbound journey slightly more bearable. Some of the links in my content may be affiliate links. Your email address will not be published. Thank you. The mining of iron ore is one of the most important industries in Mauritania. What makes is notable apart from its obvious length is that although a cargo train it is used by the locals, or anyone for that matter, to travel on . Mysterious, impoverished and constantly news-worthy. The train stretches for 2.5 kilometers. I think I jumped on the 4th or 5th wagon. Like you, I cant remember where I first saw it but Ive been wanting to do it for a while! Riding on the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania Through the Sahara Desert The train stretches for 2.5 kilometers. Mauritania iron ore train journey | Nouadhibou to zouerat sahara desert train Vlogmauritania, iron ore train, nouadhibou, mauritania railway, mauritania trai. Your Stories Mauritania's Mining Industry: A Cornerstone of the National Economy The Mauritania train is the longest train in the world at 2,500m. Iron Ore in Mauritania | OEC - The Observatory of Economic Complexity The train arrives and you jump on, thats it. 2020 operational and financial results. Passengers are also occasionally transported by train; these services are managed by an SNIM subsidiary, the socit d'Assainissement, de Travaux, de Transport et de Maintenance (abb. My experience with the train began upon my arrival in Zourat, in a hotel I booked into named Tiris, whose owner spoke impeccable Spanish. Socit Nationale Industrielle et Minire, Hitchhiking and Backpacking in Saudi Arabia, Is it Ethical to Visit Saudi Arabia as a Tourist, Travel Guide to Afghan Village in Pakistan, The day I was accused of being an Islamic State Spy, Tips and how to travel to Mauritania in 2022, How to travel to Syria in 2022: Need to know. This is Mauritania, and having an extra load of patience is a must. Nouadhibou Mauritanias second city and economic capital is the trains final destination, where the iron ore is unloaded and made ready to be shipped to different parts of the world. Join GLT in the adventurous Mauritania! A mining centre was constructed at Zouerate together with port facilities at Nouadhibou on the Atlantic coast, both with power plants and linked by a 700km railway. I did it all by myself. Mauritania. Some passengers dig small holes in the iron ore pile and build stoves, burning charcoal to make tea. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. where is gabriella quevedo now benefits of 8 mukhi rudraksha mauritania iron ore train map By In is an eagle a primary consumer February 21, 2022 no comments Some engineers invited me into one of the locomotives, where they gave me a small tour around the tiny compartment, while they also prepared some Mauritanian tea, which we all drank together later. The deal would have saved the company the cost of constructing their own tracks and facilities. The Mauritania Railway is the national railway of Mauritania. Did you know that in North Korea, they dont follow the same timeline as Western countries. Those ores are so important for the poor country that they are mined around the clock. IRON ORE TRAIN - GROUP TRIP - 2ND MAY to 8TH MAY 2022 - gus1thego (2022), 1000 True Fans Theory Explained: Monetise Your Online Following, 12 Tips to Start a YouTube Channel (The RIGHT Way), How to Start a Travel YouTube Channel (Do THIS First). The journey is long and miserable. 7 nights/8 days. Click to reveal Iron Ore Train Experience (Mauritania), Nouadhibou to Choum The Iron Ore train journey from Nouadhibou to Choum lasts about thirteen hours. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. If you are using a CNAME origin record, make sure it is valid and resolvable. I think the worst part of the journey is not being able to sleep for the entire night but otherwise, the iron ore is soft. Mauritania Railway - Wikipedia Riding Iron Ore Train in Mauritania The Longest Train Adventure in Africa If you haven't heard of Iron Ore Train in Mauritania, its one of the longest trains in the world. The mining town of Zourat in northern Mauritania is one such isolated outpost. Check out more of our fun country facts here, 13 Reasons to Visit Acapulco in 2023 (and Is It Safe? Roads often have to make detours hundreds of kilometers long just to avoid the drifting sands. The Iron Ore: From Nouadhibou to Choum the train is empty. My daughters have been living in Barcelona for many years now, and I go there quite often he said. Twice daily over two hundred connected cars - a distance of nearly three kilometers - rumble along the tracks between the port city of Nouadhibou and the inland iron ore mines of Zouerate. Hi, Jon, yes, Id love to go one day . As long as you wear warm clothes, enough water, cover up your face and dont balance on the edge of the wagon unnecessarily, it should not be dangerous, not at all. Iron Ore Train Experience (Mauritania), Nouadhibou To Choum On the other hand, traveling to Nouadhibou by train also saves more than 500km from the journey by road, which inevitably passes through Nouakchott, the reason why there are many Mauritanians who like to undertake such a trip, either in the passenger wagon, or riding on top of the iron ore. And that was the main reason why I wanted to travel to Mauritania: To cross 700km of the Sahara sitting on top of an iron ore pile. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); My name is Jordan Simons and over the past few years I've learned how to travel the world continuously.Now I want to show you how to do the same. GLT Mauritania Adventure 2023 in Mauritania - wetravel.com I went to Auberge Triskell, close to the US Embassy. The couple who spent their honeymoon riding an African iron ore train MAURI-TRAIN-IA: The Ultimate Train Journey | The Mauritania Railway The rest is covered by the sands of the Sahara. We'd recommend bringing a GPS or using your phone as a navigation tool. That's a lot of. The Iron Ore train journey from Nouadhibou to Choum lasts about thirteen hours. Take that skeleton of a train carriage, and add a layer of dust covering every surface. Then think of it being overcrowded to the point of danger, luggage and goods stacked ceiling-high in the corridors, holes in most exterior walls, a smell of pure filth, and finally, remove any illusion of comfort or cleanliness, and there you have the passenger carriage of the Mauritanian iron ore train.. Train to Mauritania's Remote Mining Town - Business Insider The total journey is 704km across the most offbeat desert landscapes, only disturbed by the occasional Bedouin who for convenience, decided to settle next to the train tracks and it also goes through the disputed or unrecognized territory of Western Sahara. Make sure to download music and maybe an offline map of the . ATTM). As I said in the introduction, I was feeling frankly nervous at that precise moment, especially because I had no company for making such a journey, but I didnt think it twice when I dropped all my luggage on the wagon and decided to climb up the metal ladder. An exhilarating train journey across the Sahara - BBC Travel Everybody was telling me to hurry to get in. Almost 3km long, with only one passenger wagon, the train carries iron ore from the mines of Zouerat in the middle of the Mauritanian Sahara, to the Atlantic port of Nouadhibou, on the west coast of the country. This year Im running an Iron Ore Train tour to Mauritania. Tour itinerary can be seen below. Over the decades as the industry evolved, many new iron ore deposits were discovered in the region and half a dozen or so communities sprang up along the railway tracks. Indonesia The train is up to 3km (1.8 miles) in length with over 200 freight carriages, carrying up to 84 tons of iron ore. Originally only used for the iron ore transportation, this line distinguishes itself by having the longest trains in the world as they are 1,25 mile long but they also are the slowest with a speed under 37 mph. If you have a fun country fact to contribute, please drop it in the comments below. [3] Following Mauritania's annexation of southern Western Sahara in 1976, the line came under constant attack by Polisario militia, effectively putting the line out of use and thereby crippling Mauritania's economy. While its true that traveling with all the dust is, weirdly, an outstanding experience, each traveler has a different worldview with different objectives and life ambitions and, depending on your preferences, not everybody enjoys 20 hours sitting on top of a toxic pile of dusty iron, plus this is an adventure for which you need to be logistically prepared, with proper clothes and gear, and there are few who travel with all this equipment. Well if you end up planning it, let me know! Their journey extends between Zouerat - the largest town in the country's north, known for its iron. If you dont feel like taking such a wild journey, there is the option of traveling in the actual passenger wagon, even though some intrepid travelers may tell you its not that worth it. Nouakchott, the new capital of Mauritania. The iron ore is pretty soft, with a similar texture to sand. A mining center was constructed at Zouerate together with port facilities at Nouadhibou on the Atlantic coast, and both centers were linked by a railway line 700 km long. The Iron Ore Train departs every single day of the year, with absolutely no exception. Share this video: Mauritania's Iron Ore Train: World's most dangerous train. You must wear warm clothes. Wise enables you to send money across the world, without international transaction fees or outrageous exchange rates. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The World's Deadliest Train - Mauritania Iron Ore Train 20+ Mauritania Free Stock Photos - StockFreeImages Your Pinay Travel Blogger is again within the groove and is extra adventurous than ever! Image of waggon, pusher, mechanical - 8589365 D5107 leads an unidentified class mate on an iron ore train at Low Fell. You can also hitchhike it and travel across the Sahara desert in style just make sure you dont fall off. The train makes its way out through the distant Sahara, fills up with iron ore, and returns the next day. Here is a map of the Iron Ore trains route: Mauritania is a country in West Africa. Riding the Iron Ore Mauritania Train across the Sahara Desert Youtube. During the 15-minute stop, there is a rush to load the wagons with cargo, because the train doesnt wait for the passengers to finish loading. The Flag Of Mauritania In The World Map; Panorama Of Rocky Pond On Adrar Plateau Mauritania; Mauritania Map; Home. Thank you again for all the infos David! For toilet, just over the edge of the wagon. I did bring a sandwich and ate it during the 10 minutes that we stopped in Choum. Here is a map of the Iron Ore train's route: Where is Mauritania? However, there is one way to get around - the iron ore train. Additional troubleshooting information here. Crossing the Sahara: A Journey on Mauritania's Infamous Iron Ore Train He is also the author of Against the Compass, an alternative travel blog, quite different from the rest, which aims at HELPING and INSPIRING you to do the same, always in a responsible way, with no rush, showing you the human side of the story and, above all, in a safe manner. You can check where Mauritania is on Google Maps here: The people of Mauritania are very open to the few tourists they receive, and welcome foreigners with open arms. I Want to Travel But Not Alone Try This! What is the Iron Ore Train of Mauritania? Photo Author's Collection. All coming from Essential Packing List For the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania . Each wagon carries up to 84 tons of iron ore, making the train one of the heaviest and longest in the world. Travel Continuously It consists of a single, 704-kilometre (437 mi) railway line linking the iron mining centre of Zouerate with the port of Nouadhibou, via Fderik and Following Mauritania's annexation of southern Western Sahara in 1976, the. You've requested a page on a website (www.atlasobscura.com) that is on the Cloudflare network. Located deep in the Sahara Desert in Mauritania is one of the largest iron ore mines in the world. Love train journeys and deserts. city of orange activities From Zourat to Choum takes 4 hours, approximately, so the train can leave at any moment between 3pm and 10pm, but it may be delayed even more. I disagree. The Mauritanian rail network is a single 435 miles long line that connects the Fderik iron mine to Nouadhibou harbor since 1963. One of the stops on the tourist route is an iron mine. Baba is the man! Riding the Iron Ore Train on top of the wagons is completely FREE OF CHARGE. Pretty epic. 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