Nouakchott sits on the coast, with the Sahara beginning almost immediately to the east. Most excursions from the capital involve long desert drives and are better thought of as multi-day trips than true day trips — Chinguetti, the ancient caravan city with its mud-brick libraries, is around 700 km away. The nearest worthwhile destination for a shorter outing is the coast itself: the beach north of the city, where fishing pirogues bring in their catch in the late afternoon, is as close to a day trip as Nouakchott offers.
For those with more time, Atar is the gateway to the Adrar plateau and its extraordinary desert landscapes, carved canyons, and ancient settlements. From Atar you can continue to Chinguetti and Ouadane. These journeys require a 4x4 and typically a local guide.
