Flights to Nouakchott with Air France from $1,013*

Flights to Nouakchott

Nouakchott is a city in West Africa located at the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital city of Mauritania and the country's largest city. Find the best prices to fly to Nouakchott with Air France in the coming months, departing from a number of US airports. Before your flight to Nouakchott, consult your country's current travel advice for traveling to Mauritania.

Nouakchott, Mauritania's capital city on the Atlantic Ocean

Nouakchott, the capital and largest city of Mauritania in West Africa is located right at the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, in the desert-like Sahel area between the Sahara Desert and savanna. Translated from Berber, Nouakchott means 'place of the winds', in reference to its location. Designated as Mauritania's capital in the 1970s, initially Nouakchott was just a small fishing village. Currently the city's population is just below one million people – almost the fourth of the country's entire population. Although Mauritania is the eleventh largest country in Africa, most of its territory is occupied by the Sahara Desert, making it one of the least densely populated countries in the world.

Your flight to Nouakchott will land in Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport, one of the country's two international airports opened in 2016. The airport is connected to the center of the city by the broad Abdel Gamal Nasser Avenue. The official currency of Mauritania is Mauritanian ouguiya.

The landmarks of Nouakchott

Mauritania's capital is the country's economic and business hub that has access to a deep-water port and is connected to West African major city by the Cairo Dakkar highway. Nouakchott is also the country's most modern city and the first capital of the independent Mauritania after the decolonization of the region.

While staying in Nouakchott, make sure to pay a visit to the National Museum of Mauritania that highlights the Moorish culture of Mauritania. Port de Pêche is a major attraction of Nouakchott – lively and bustling, it is where colorful fishing boats – pirogues – are docked. Come here at the end of the day and take in the excitement and bustle, as fishermen are returning with their daily gains. The Grande Mosque is an elegant building with tall white minarets, easily distinguishable among Nouakchott's low-rises. The mosque is open for visitors outside the times of prayers – stop by to enjoy the peace of its sandy inner yards. For shopping, head to Marche Capital and Artisans Market, where you can stock up on silver jewelry and traditionally crafted wooden boxes. You might also want to check out the cultural program of the Institute Français Mauritanie that regularly organizes concerts, exhibitions and film screenings.

When to visit Nouakchott?

Nouakchott has a hot desert climate. Daytime temperatures throughout the year remain high, but the city cools down at night. Thanks to its oceanside location, Nouakchott is not as hot as other desert cities. And yet, the weather can get sweltering here – while average high temperatures are relatively constant at around 33 °C, temperatures peak during September and October, the hottest months. January and February are the coolest months, when nighttime temperatures can fall down to 10 °C.