Are you traveling to or from Senegal or Mauritania and looking for a crazy, unforgettable experience at the most corrupt border in Africa?
If so, this guide is exactly what you need to cross the Rosso Border safely from Senegal to Mauritania.

Oh, before you start reading. You should know that there’s also a smooth, safe, and pleasant way to reach Mauritania by crossing through the Diama border.

And…It will not be covered in this blog, as that route is for Merenderos, in my opinion.

I crossed the Rosso Border from Senegal to Mauritania, starting my journey in Saint-Louis and finishing it in Nouakchott in approximately 8/9 hours!

To do so, I took a car, then a donkey (there’s also a horse option), then a boat, and finally another car to cross this crazy border!

From St.Louis (Senegal) to the Rosso border

The first step, if you’re in Senegal and want to travel to Mauritania, is to get to Saint-Louis. I don’t recommend starting your journey to Nouakchott from Dakar, it will take an enormous amount of time (around 14–16 hours)…and you’ll miss the chance to visit Saint-Louis.

We started our journey very early in the morning, around 7:00 a.m., from my accommodation in the old center of Saint-Louis also called “Ile de Saint Louis” (I stayed in this cozy and cheap villa) and i decided to arrive at the border by using a shared Taxi.

I stopped a driver on the road, and for about 1 USD each, he drove us to the city’s central Gare Routière, the place where you can find a shared taxi to reach the Senegalese side of the Rosso Border.

Once you arrive, you’ll find total chaos, but this place is beautiful in its own authentic way. People will ask where you’re going (they’re not used to seeing tourists in this area) and will guide you to the shared taxis, usually old cars. From here, you have two options:

• Ask to a driver (you will find many of them) to drive only you there by renting the whole car. It will cost around 50 USD
• Wait for a car to be full and join a shared taxi for around 6 USD. I highly recommend to you to go by this option, is fun and a more authentic way to enjoy the culture there.

Don’t expect to travel comfortable in a shared Taxi, usually drivers fit 7/8 people inside their very old “cars”. Relax and enjoy you 2 hours drive, and be prepared to the next.

The car will leave you near to the Garage – 7place – Saint Louise/ Dakar, in a spot in the middle of nothing I like to call the “Crazy Station“.

But… just a few meters before entering, you’re required to hand over your passport to the police! Don’t worry, this is the procedure.

From the Crazy Station to the Senegal River

From now you’ll be without your passport for at least one hour 🙂 First time right?

So, as I mentioned above, the car will drop you off at the “Crazy Station.” Why do I call it that? Because as soon as you arrive, around 30 or 40 people will rush toward you, all offering to take you to the border. It’s the total chaos!

Some will have donkeys, others tuk-tuks, and a few will show up with horses. You never really know what you’ll get, you just have to accept being taken there with “something” for about 3 USD.

I used an horse (I didn’t choose), that takes more time than a tuk-tuk but it’s faster than a donkey…recommended!

The driver will drop you off in front of the Rosso Police Station. In my case, someone followed us there and gave us all the necessary information. Trust these people, they’re usually locals just trying to earn a bit of money, and you can support them with 1 or 2 USD.

You now have to wait inside the Rosso Police Station office, until your passport arrives there and they’re ready to apply to exit stamp (Senegal one) on it.

I’ve heard stories of corruption inside these offices, but nothing happened to me. In fact, I even met some friendly police officers who let me take a picture with their logo!

After getting the directions, the person who was accompanying us took us to exchange money at a friend’s house. At first, it seemed like a good idea, but the rate he offered us wasn’t very favorable.

I had to bargain a lot to get a rate that was only 3% worse (we started from 13%) than the market one, all while being shut inside a tiny room with three locals…but this is another story.

With your passport and the exit stamp, and some Mauritanian money now you can go to the Bac de débarquement Rosso Sénégal.

To cross the Senegal River

On foot, once you’ve left the Rosso Police Station and exchanged some money, you need to head to the “Bac de Débarquement” area, which is located right here.

Here you have to find a boat, don’t worry also here people will support you and bring you as soon as possible in the other side of the river. The price for a both was around 5 USD per person, the experience is extremely nice and rare.

The trip takes around 20 minutes. It’s mandatory to wear a life jacket and… be careful not to fall into the river! Once you’re on the other side of the river, you’re not far from entering to Mauritania!

From Rosso Border to Nouakchott

The boat is going to leave you in the Mauritania river side, approximately at this point. From here, you’ll meet very kind police officers who will ask if you already have a visa.

If you didn’t do it before, now it’s too late. Be sure to request your visa with some days in advance (1 week at least) to the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization website. Once you have it, Stamp it! It’s also not possible to pay for visa online, so be sure you have enough cash with you (USD or EUR) are accepted at the border, to pay for it.

You will be directed by officers and local people to the office located near to the police station, to complete visa registration and payments. Here a local supported us (for only 2 USD) and helped to speed up the process. It took almost 1.5 hours for us to complete all visa registration, payments and get the stamp on my passport (and on my visa as well).

Then for last passport check you have to walk till the National Gendarmerie Station here. A quick check and you are free to go.

To arrive in Nouakchott there are not many options, to be clear there’s exactly one single option…that is to use a shared taxi again!

The cars are waiting for customers in the Star Gas Station area, and for only 12 USD you can get your drive to the Mauritanian capital city! Don’t expect to be comfortable inside the car, we were in 9 people and 2 goats on the roof for around 4 hours!

The car doesn’t leave you in a really good area, it’s pretty far from city center. Ask me if you need taxi driver contact to bring you to your hotel!

Crossing this border in this way requires a lot of patience and a good dose of adaptability, but it’s all part of the adventure.

I didn’t experience any corruption along the way, and I met only amazing people who made the whole journey unforgettable.

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