Vene naine sõitis läbi Sahara kõige ekstreemsema rongiga

Russian woman traveled across the Sahara on the most extreme train

Traveler Katya Snap took a ride through the desert in a coal car. They sell official tickets for the train, but the Bedouins know other ways.

This material was created for informational purposes and does not promote illegal ways of traveling. Be careful and follow the rules of the country’s official carriers.

The largest of the hot deserts, its vast expanse of sand covers a quarter of the continent – the Sahara. You may have heard about these places, their beauty and danger. The temperature not infrequently exceeds 40°C, and to pass through it on foot will take a lot of strength, time and effort, because you will have to walk on the sand.

There is another way – the Moorish Train du Desert or “Desert Train”. Since 1963 it has been transporting ore, coal and passengers who are not afraid of difficulties. But it is worth realizing that for some Mauritanians it becomes the only way to travel. It is possible to buy a seat in passenger cars, which are sometimes attached to the train, but more often people just ride in open freight cars.

The one-way trip is 704 kilometers long and the travel time is about 14 hours. The train is up to 2.5 kilometers long, making it one of the longest and heaviest trains in the world. Every day, several trains depart from the port of Nouadhibou towards Zouerat through the desert. The heroine of this article took a ride on this train and shared her impressions.

reisija

“I advise such a trip to all adventurers and thrill seekers.”

“The desert train is a logical continuation of my underground tourism”

I have been traveling on unusual routes all my conscious life. I visited Chernobyl, Fukushima, Baikonur, so the desert train was a logical continuation of my underground tourism.

I learned about it from an old National Geographic documentary and waited for tickets at an adequate price, as Mauritania is a very unpopular country. Eventually Russia opened direct air service with Morocco, and from there we had already made our way to the train “by land” across the Western Sahara. I went, of course, not alone, my faithful companion is my man, he accompanies me in all my adventures.

“Such trips always change the mind…”

A trip like this is always a mind-altering experience. Being in the middle of nowhere, past the dunes and the largest desert in the world is an amazing experience. There are no cities within hundreds of kilometers, so there is a unique opportunity to see bright stars. The only problem was the dust that clogged our breath, stained our clothes and got even through our socks and sneakers, but these are the little things of life that were easily washed away afterwards.

What should be in a desert traveler’s bag?

You should take a handkerchief with you on the desert train to wrap your face, plus it is desirable to have a respirator, because the dust from the cars and sand is so finely dispersed that a handkerchief was not enough. Also in the desert there is a very large temperature difference between day and night. It is necessary to insulate yourself during the dark hours of the day. And also try to organize a place to rest – sleeping bags we did not take, we bought mats from the locals at the market.

Africa is an amazing place, not like what we are used to seeing, so I hope to explore the region more in the future and get more into their way of life. A big plus is that traveling to countries like this, with the exception of airfare, is very budget friendly!