Nouamghar

Mauritanian fishing village where Imragen fishers work with dolphins beside Banc d'Arguin coastal wetlands.

Nouamghar is a fishing village on the Mauritanian coast, about 155 km north of Nouakchott along the beach "road" to the Banc d'Arguin National Park. The village is home to the Imragen, a small community of fishermen who use a remarkable technique: they strike the water with wooden sticks to attract dolphins, which drive schools of mullet toward the shore and into the fishermen's nets. It is one of the few places in the world where humans and dolphins cooperate to fish.

Getting here requires a 4x4 and some determination, but the Banc d'Arguin — a vast coastal wetland and UNESCO World Heritage Site — is one of the most important bird habitats in West Africa. The neighbouring Imragen settlement of El Mamghar is a short drive up the coast and is the more usual jumping-off point for boat trips into the park.

Guide

Getting There

There is no public transport to Nouamghar. The standard approach is by 4x4 from Nouakchott — about 155 kilometres up the beach at low tide, or on the inland piste track when the sand is too soft. The tide-dependent beach drive takes around four hours; do not attempt it without an experienced local driver who knows the tide tables.

From the north, Nouadhibou is roughly 220 kilometres away across the desert via the Cap Blanc peninsula. Tour operators in both Nouakchott and Nouadhibou run Banc d'Arguin trips that include transport, a park permit, and accommodation in Imragen camps.

You must hold a Banc d'Arguin park permit (purchased in advance in Nouakchott, Nouadhibou, or at park headquarters) to enter the area legally.

Guide

Things to Do

The two reasons to come here are linked: the Banc d'Arguin National Park and the Imragen fishing communities that live inside it. The neighbouring village of El Mamghar is another Imragen settlement worth visiting if you have a 4x4 and a guide.