Atar

Atar is the administrative centre of the Adrar and the place everything in northern Mauritania is arranged from, a town of low buildings around a market with the desert immediately beyond it in every direction. Guides, vehicles and supplies for the Adrar come from here. A seasonal charter service has run into its airstrip from Europe in some winters. The old quarter holds mud brick buildings among the concrete.

What you actually see

• The market - the trading centre for the whole Adrar region.
• The old quarter - mud brick buildings surviving among the newer concrete.
• The desert edge - open country starting immediately outside the town.
• The base function - where guides, vehicles and supplies are arranged.

When to go

November to February is the cool season. Summer heat is extreme. The road from Nouakchott is sealed and open year round.

Honest expectations

There is little in the town itself for a visitor and it functions as a base. Accommodation is basic. Guides and vehicles should be arranged through known operators rather than on the street.

Nearby

Terjit is south, and Chinguetti is east.