When picturing a national park, most of us probably think of rangers that help to protect the wildlife and answer visitors questions about the surrounding area and the flora and fauna that reside there. As you get farther and farther from the main tourist tracks in the world, the standard and definition of national parks changes dramatically.
In Mauritania there is a park called “Banc d’Arguin National Park.” It is a World Heritage Site, and like many other World Heritage sites we have visited on our journey, it has a long way to go before one could call it protected. It does, however, offer something that no other national park has that we have been to…vastness.
The “entrance” to the park is a GPS coordinate listed on a small map provided by the park office in the small town 200kms away. This map has a list of GPS coordinates that we tested before we left for the park, of which over 30% of them were incorrect. We knew this going in, but figured that we navigated Mongolia with just binoculars and compasses so with the GPS…how could we go wrong?
The local population is only approximately 500 Imraguen tribesmen that live in seven villages within the park. We visited most of these villages and with so few people inhabiting over 12,000 square kilometers of space with no real infrastructure, it is safe to say you are on your own if something goes wrong. For three days we navigated the park, digging out of sand traps and motoring over sand dunes with a moderately accurate map and a couple of boards to help drive over soft sand.
I would not call this the most stunning or spectacular national park in the world, but it does offer a playground for a real deep in the dunes style Sahara experience. We left the park at the end more dehydrated and dirty than any of us have ever been in our lives, nearly out of gas, with sun and wind burns, but for three days we gave the largest desert in the world our best and came out triumphant.
At least you get the beach to yourself when there are no roads to it.
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4 Comments
I have been following your journey since I recently saw (and bought, you’re welcome) Brook’s documentary; I somehow google-ly linked to your site and have followed what you guys are up to (maybe a few days, what loyalty), but honestly as someone who has travelled extensively, (ok maybe not the foray into the african sahara dunes, but as a female travelled to over 30 countries by myself, not 96, but still a mental feat), I find myself drawn every day to see if you have a new journal up, and I’m so glad when you do. I wish I was there; and who knows, maybe one of these days our paths will cross. In the meantime, to keep you up on the US gos: Gov. Spitzer of NY was just found to have a “situation” with a high paid call girl (i.e. 10s of 1000s of $$$) and been forced to resign. Barack Obama is winning more delagates by the day (sure you know that). Not so much else to report, oh yeah Janet Jackson has the flu and Mariah Carey is replacing her this weekend on SNL….all VERY important stuff. So keep digging out of the dunes, watch out for the check points, be safe, and as your new friend, obviously, I will send you the important scoop from home. HAHAHA
It saddens me how most national parks are becoming more and more like outdoor Disney Lands! It is refreshing to know that parks are still be set up that do not fit this mold and are set aside as they are to be the wild places that we need to be able to go to and enjoy them as they are. Sans gift shop!
under inflating your tires works great in sand…
see:
http://www.sunnybank-nc.com/?p=20
boards were cool and all tho
but let some air out next time
Many have given us the advice to let air out of the tires, and we do appreciate anyone’s advice along the way. Just as a point to all of you that may be out in the Sahara someday…
Runs like this leave you still hundreds upon hundreds of kms to drive before being able to fill up with more air. And in many cases 100s of kms on rock and really rough roads with serious potholes waiting to eat soft tires. If you are ever going to deflate your tires in Africa, be sure to have your own air pump to reinflate the tires, as filling stations with air are few and far between.
Unfortunately we did not have a pump for this one, but thanks for the info Arn.
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