Best Time to Visit Nouakchott

Cool, dry months: November to March

This is the easiest stretch. Days are warm but mild, nights are cool enough for a light jacket by the sea, and it almost never rains. January is the coolest month, with highs of 23°C, and February matches it. Dec to Feb is the sweet spot if you want to walk around without wilting.

Nouakchott isn't a sightseeing city in the usual sense. The best stops are the Port de Pêche, where painted pirogues (long wooden fishing boats) land the catch on the beach in the late afternoon. The Marché Capitale and the Grand Mosque, the Saudi Mosque, are also worth your time. This is also the best window for desert trips. Heading out to Chinguetti or Ouadane by road is far more pleasant when the Sahara isn't baking.

March to June: warmer, hazier, still dry

Heat creeps up, and humidity rises as the ocean breeze brings in moisture. May stays dry, with highs of 25°C. June reaches 27°C, and you'll feel it more on sticky afternoons. Wind can kick up dust, so skies are sometimes milky rather than blue.

Travelling with kids or hate big crowds? These months are quiet. Mauritania isn't a mass-tourism country, so there's no true high season. Hotels fill more with business travellers and aid workers than holidaymakers. Dates for Ramadan and Eid move each year, so check them. Daytime life slows down during Ramadan, and many restaurants close until sunset.

July to October: the wet season

Rain here comes in short, heavy bursts, not weeks of grey. August is the wettest month, with 59 mm over 11 days, and September is close behind. Nights are warm and muggy, with lows of 27°C in both months. Those two are also the hottest on the lows, and September and October share the top highs at 30°C.

The city's roads flood easily, because drainage is poor. Sandy side streets can turn to muddy ponds, and getting around may take longer. Desert routes inland can also be harder after storms. If you've got no choice but to come now, stay flexible and keep to the city and coast.

October is the exception. It's mostly dry again, with just two rainy days, which makes it a good shoulder month before the cooler air arrives.

Which month for which trip?

For a desert-and-coast trip, go November to February. For fewer people and lower heat stress than summer, try April or October. Skip August and September unless the rain doesn't bother you.