Banc d’Arguin

When you think about Mauritania, you probably think of the desert; nevertheless, the interested traveler will find that there is much more to discover. Banc d'Arguin is a beautiful sanctuary that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a big area on the country's northern shore, loaded with stunning and different wildlife, and it is home to a site where one of the largest numbers of migratory birds passes through each year. It's a wonderful site to visit if you want to see and learn about various bird species.

It's a wide mosaic of low sandbanks and rock-speckled beaches that dip into the waters of the Bay of Arguin on Mauritania's far northern outskirts, and it's known for its thriving biodiversity, which is underlined by the enormous number of migrating birds that pass through each year. In the shallows, sandpipers, and flamingos, pelicans and terns can be seen, and the breeding bird population here is said to be the highest in all of West Africa! The traditional Imraguen people live here as well, and can often be seen bobbing on pirogues between the sandy islets and the lapping waves.

Location: the west coast of Mauritania