Mauritania visa requirements for Gambians

Travel and visa requirements

Mauritanian Visa is not required for Gambians

Stay Duration: 90 days

Entry Requirements

  • Gambia citizens visiting Mauritania are not required to apply for a visa if they intend to stay for a period of 90 days.
  • Passport of visitors must be valid within the duration of stay stipulated in the visa application form.
  • Visitors are expected to present a passport with at least one blank page for visa stamps.
  • Visitors are required to provide a certificate of Yellow Fever vaccination at entry.
  • There are no currency restrictions on entry or exit from Mauritania.
  • Visitors must have return or onward tickets to enter the country.
  • Visitors are not required to pay any airport tax upon their departure from the airport.
  • To bring in sporting guns for a temporary period, a gun license and an import license are required and they can be acquired before arrival from the Home Ministry.
  • It is prohibited for visitors to possess the local currency on departure.
  • Only foreign currencies up to the equivalent of MRO 10,000 are allowed to be taken out of the country.
  • Children aged less than 10 years old are allowed to take up to MRO 5,000 out of the country.
  • Mauritania is the eleventh largest sovereign state in Africa and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
  • Southern Mauritania has a Sahelian climate, Daytime temperatures are warm in most areas for over 6 months of the year, but the nights in Mauritania are always cool.
  • The country’s most popular attraction is Banc d’Arguin National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage site is home to one of the world’s largest bird sanctuaries and is an absolute must for bird lovers.
  • Rainy season in Mauritania starts from/between July to October.
  • In Mauritania, the power plugs and sockets are of type C. The standard voltage is 220 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.
  • Mauritania uses the Greenwich Mean Time zone (GMT) hence, there is no time difference between The Gambia and Mauritania.
  • The estimated flight time from Banjul, the Gambia to Mauritania is 1 hour, 35 minutes.
  • The popular vehicle for transportation in Mauritania is bush taxis, which travel between towns as city cabs can be expensive. 
  • It is possible to rent a vehicle in Mauritania, with most of the car rental agencies located at the airport or in the large cities of Nouakchott, Nouadhibou and Atar.
  • Mauritania adopts the Mauritania ouguiya as its national currency and it is symbolised as “OM”.
  • The whole population of Mauritania practices Islam.
  • Modern Arabic is the official and national language of Mauritania.
  • Lying on the back is usually not acceptable for women and lying on the stomach is not acceptable for men.
  • No displays of public affection between members of the opposite sex are accepted.  Married couples are not allowed to hold hands, and it is often difficult to identify husbands and wives because they seldom sit together and never touch.
  • Mauritania’s coast is essentially one long sandy beach that is almost devoid of vegetation but supports an astonishingly varied population of birds.
  • The Banc d’Arguin National Park is one of Mauritania’s top attractions. it comprises sand-dunes, coastal swamps, small islands and shallow coastal waters.
  • The most famous landmark in the capital, Port de Pêche, is a colourful and buzzing boardwalk and fishing port on the west side of Nouakchott.
  • During the holy month of Ramadan, drinking or eating in front of Mauritanians is particularly rude.
  • The main attractions for most tourists are the desert in Adrar and the Tagant areas around Atar and the ocean in Banc d'Arguin (a natural reserve with dunes ending in the sea, full of millions of birds and protected by UNESCO).
  • Mauritania’s Bay of Nouadhibou hides one of the biggest ship centimetres in the world. There are more than 300 wrecks from all nations beached permanently on its shores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to visit Mauritania?

Most parts of Mauritania is very safe for visiting but It is also not safe to travel to the eastern and northern provinces of Mauritania - Tiris Zemmour, Adrar, Tagant, and Hodh el Chargui - due to the continuing high threat from terrorism throughout the country.

Can I drink alcohol in Mauritania?

Alcohol in Mauritania is illegal in Mauritania and there are no restaurants in the country that legally serve alcoholic beverages.

On what side of the road are cars driven in Mauritania?

The people of Mauritania drive on the right-hand side of the road.