Route de l'Espoir

The Route de l'Espoir, the road of hope, runs east from Nouakchott to Nema, more than eleven hundred kilometres of sealed road built through the 1970s and 1980s to tie the eastern regions to the capital. It crosses the Sahel from desert into acacia scrub and grazing land, passing Aleg, Kiffa and Ayoun, and the sense of the country's size is the point of driving it.

What you actually see

• The distance - over eleven hundred kilometres of road from coast to eastern border region.
• The changing country - desert giving way to acacia scrub and grazing.
• The towns - Aleg, Kiffa and Ayoun spaced along the route.
• The construction - a road built to connect the east to the capital.

When to go

November to February is the cool season for driving. The rains around July to September can wash out stretches. Summer heat is extreme.

Honest expectations

Stretches of the road are broken and potholed despite being sealed. Fuel and accommodation are spread thin and need planning. Bush taxis are crowded and slow, and night driving is unwise.

Nearby

Aleg is on the western part, and Nema is at the eastern end.