What to pack for the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania

What to pack for the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania

One of my biggest struggles before riding the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania was figuring out exactly what to pack. I genuinely spent several hours staring at my bags, trying to work out what I’d actually need!

Mauritania is largely a hot, desert country with very few rainy days. But the Iron Ore Train is a completely different environment. You’ll be sitting in an open wagon for hours, exposed to wind, iron ore dust, and cold desert air overnight.

Whether you’re travelling directly from your home country or visiting Mauritania as part of a longer trip (like I was), this guide will cover exactly what to pack for the Iron Ore train – plus what you can realistically find once you’re already in Mauritania.

What to expect on the Iron Ore Train

Before packing for the iron ore train, it’s helpful to understand what the experience is actually like. Check out my full guide on how to ride the iron ore train. Otherwise, here’s a brief overview:

You’ll be sitting in an open iron ore wagon for 12–24 hours, usually overnight. There are no seats, no toilets, and no shelter. The train is loud, dusty, and completely exposed to the elements.

That means you’ll need to pack for:

• Cold desert nights
• Hot desert days
• Intense iron ore dust
• Long waiting times
• No facilities

Iron Ore Train Packing Checklist

These are the essential items I’d recommend packing for the iron ore train.

• Shemagh / Face covering
  • The dust is constant and extremely fine. A shemagh or buff is essential to protect your mouth and nose. I highly recommend a facemask to put underneath.
• Ski Goggles (eye protection)
  • Dust and iron ore can get into your eyes easily, especially when the train speeds up. Ski goggles are ideal. Sunglasses are better than nothing, but expect your eyes to sting if you do this…
• Something soft to rest on (e.g. blanket)
  • If you’re boarding in Nouadhibou, the iron ore wagons are hard metal. Whilst, if you’re boarding in Choum or Zouerat, it’s dusty iron ore. Either way, you’ll want protection. Most travellers bring a blanket, cardboard, or a small sleeping pad to sit or lie on.
• Water (4-5L)
  • Bring more water than you think you’ll need. There’s nowhere to buy anything during the journey. I brought three 1.5l bottles with me. I preferred this to a big 5L bottle – they’re easier to drink from and less likely to get contaminated with iron ore.
• Snacks or simple food
  • Think easy-to-eat food like bread, nuts, fruit, or energy bars. Biscuits were my saviour!
• Wet wipes
  • These are incredibly useful for cleaning your hands, face, and belongings after the journey.
• Power bank
  • You could be without charge for as much as 24 hours, so having battery for photos and to find your way on arrival is important.
• Warm layers
  • It gets cold at night so having the right stuff helps! See below.

What to wear for the iron ore train

Here’s exactly what I wore when I rode the train in early March.

• Thin puffy jacket: This was my outer layer to protect me from the wind. It had zippy pockets which were very helpful for my phone, gloves and other items.
• Thin fleece: Just underneath, my fleece provided warmth.
• Thin jumper: Another thin layer for warmth.
• T-shirt: I wore this as an extra layer over my base layer.
• Long sleeve top: I wore a comfortable, loose sweat-wicking top as my base layer. I thought it best to have a long sleeve at the bottom so I would be protected from the sun.
• Thermal leggings: These were great to keep me warm, and meant I could layer on top.
• Zip-off trousers: I thought this would be helpful if it got warmer during the day. I didn’t end up using the shorts aspect, but the trousers were a helpful additional layer.
• Loose joggers: I wanted something that I could throw over the top of my thinner zip-off trousers at night. I brought some trashy ones from home that I didn’t mind ruining.
• Socks: Preferably dark coloured so they don’t show the iron. I wore sport socks which were fine, but you might prefer something thicker if you feel the cold.
• Salomon XT-6s: These are the dark-coloured trainers I’ve been using for backpacking lately. They’re waterproof, so I was hoping they’d offer some extra protection from the dust. (They didn’t, but they still did a good job and cleaned up well).
• Gloves, Snood, Hat: Once the sun came up, I switched from hat to shemagh.
• Bumbag: A small bag for small essential items that I wanted easily accessible, like tissues and my battery pack.

Despite boarding at 03:00, I wasn’t cold at any point on the train. Nor did I overheat during the daytime once the sun came up.

Things I would consider changing

• Hoodie: I’d maybe swap out my fleece for a hoodie for extra protection around your head and neck.
• Thick socks: Great if you tend to feel the cold. Otherwise, you could even double-layer socks, which also helps protect your ankles from dust (ankles were one of my dirtiest parts post-train).
• Replace the hat/scarf: The shemagh was sufficient for warmth, so I probably didn’t need the hat or scarf. Only thing is it’s tricky to tie up the shemagh (especially in the dark).

Electronics to Bring

If you plan to bring electronics, keep it minimal as they can be particularly sensitive to the magnetic iron ore.

Consider bringing:

• Phone: You’ll likely have data for some of the journey!
• Power bank: Make sure you’re fully charged beforehand though.
• Headtorch (optional): Phone torch is probably fine, but the headtorch is convenient.
• Action camera (optional): Ideally bring one with a cover!
• Headphones/speaker (optional): I wish I had some music for the journey. Bluetooth headphones underneath the shemagh are probably the best bet.

A cover or waterproof pouch for your phone is extremely useful because iron ore dust gets everywhere.

Food and Drink on the Iron Ore Train

There are no food vendors and no stops during the journey. So you’ll need to be fully prepared beforehand.

Firstly, I recommend that you have a big meal before the train. Our homestay provided a great dinner which kept us full for most of the journey!

Bring simple food that’s easy to eat in dusty conditions. I preferred items that were individually wrapped or easily wiped, such as:

• Nuts
• Fruit
• Energy bars
• Biscuits
• Crisps

You’ll also want plenty of water – the desert air and dust can be surprisingly dehydrating. 4-5L should be enough.

Even if you plan to go from Choum to Nouadhibou, which should take 12 hours. You should carry enough supplies for a much longer journey in case it breaks down (which is common).

Other things to bring on the iron ore train

Aside from the above mentioned, you’ll also need to bring:

• Main holdall: I covered this up and left it locked shut in the corner. This held the rest of my travel belongings (including wash bag, toothbrush, sun cream, towel, spare clothes, electronics).
• Day bag: This was filled with the essentials for the journey and things I needed easy access to (power bank, headphones, extra layers, snacks, wet wipes, water etc…)
• Protective gear: Think zip-lock bags for your phone and tough bin-bags for your holdalls.
• Toilet paper: So you’re ready for any runny noses or bathroom situations!
• Sunglasses (optional): If you want a break from the goggles, sunglasses are cooler during the day time.

What you can (and can’t) get in Mauritania

If you forgot something, a few items are available locally.

Easy to find

• Blankets: Easy to purchase across the country in the main cities (Nouakchott, Nouadhibou or Atar). I bought one in Atar for 300 MRU before heading to Choum.
• Warm clothes: Similarly, you can find clothes in any city with a market. You won’t find anything super warm, but there are jackets you can use as a good layer.
• Wet wipes: Easy to find in pharmacies in the main cities. I brought them from home, but friends purchased them in Atar.
• Face masks: Available in some pharmacies. Strangely, our bus driver donated a few to us.
• Shemagh/Headscarf: These are widely available and very useful for the train.

Difficult to find:

• Sleeping bag: Despite asking around markets in Atar, we couldn’t find any sleeping bags. I heard that hostels in Choum or Atar would be able to help, but I didn’t experience this. As someone who’s largely able to function with minimal sleep (thankfully), I wasn’t bothered without a sleeping bag. This is personal preference though.
• Ski goggles: Unsurprisingly, Mauritania isn’t exactly a skiing destination. Therefore, your best bet is borrowing from another traveller – ideally someone who’s finished the train and is willing to donate.

Baggage Tips for the Iron Ore Train

A few things I learned from experience:

• Cover your phone ports with tape: Iron ore can block the charging port, so covering this up was ideal!
• Pack light: If you can leave anything behind to pick up in Nouadhibou or Nouakchott, it’ll make the boarding process (and the cleaning process a lot easier).
• Put all your bags in one corner: Unless you’re resting on your bag, you can leave it untouched in one corner of the wagon.
• Keep bags closed and covered: I minimised opening my bags wherever possible. I arranged my belongings so only one small bag needed opening. The other bag was covered by a cheap cover I bought in Atar.
• Keep essentials easily accessible: Water, snacks, phone and any extra layers should be easy to find. Similarly money and passport should be to hand (just in case), but still packed away safely.
• Expect everything to get dusty: No matter how much you cover up, you’ll still find iron ore!

You can read even more tips for the iron ore train here in my full guide.

What not to bring

Iron ore dust is extremely fine and will get into everything. Here’s what to avoid bringing on the iron ore train:

• Expensive clothing: Just in case it gets ruined.
• Light coloured clothes: These will get covered in iron ore (even though it washes out fine).
• Anything delicate: The ride is jolty and you’ll likely throw your bag around a bit.
• Too many electronics: I packed my DSLR just in case, but was too nervous to damage it.

Plus a few things that you’ll probably have, but don’t necessarily need to hand:

• Toothbrush/Toothpaste (optional): I didn’t brush my teeth on the train.
• Suncream (optional): I decided to cover up my skin instead of using suncream that iron ore would stick to.

How to protect your gear

The best method to protect your belongings is simply layers of protection (or not bringing it at all).

Helpful tricks include:

• Put electronics inside dry bags or plastic bags.
• Cover backpacks with extra fabric or a rain cover
• Keep smaller items in ziplock bags
• Have a bag that you keep completely closed
• Tape your phone port

How to clean up after the train

Even with all that protection, it’s no myth that all of you and your belongings will be covered in black iron ore! So what are the next steps after you get off the train?

Firstly, book a nice accommodation so you have the space to clean. But be prepared to feel awful, as the room will turn black (I felt so guilty because of the mess I made).

Before you get to your accommodation, wipe yourself down as much as possible with wet wipes. If you arrive in Nouadhibou, jumping in the sea is one of the easiest ways to wash the dust off!

When cleaning yourself, use plenty of soap. Cut your nails and clean inside your ears too – both collect a surprising amount of iron ore dust!

In terms of belongings… I brought some clothes that I already planned to throw away, which made life easier afterwards!

Aside from that:

• I kept my dirty clothes separate from everything else
• Waited until I had access to a washing machine or laundrette. One wash was (surprisingly) enough to get everything back to normal!
• Used wet wipes to clean anything and everything that had any contact with iron ore. Metal things like padlocks were particularly tough. Phone cases, bag straps and even other belongings at the top of closed bags needed cleaning!

Before you go

Thank you for reading my guide on what to pack for the iron ore train in Mauritania. If guides, itineraries and travel content like this interest you, head over to my Homepage to find out more.

If you are new to Matt’s Next Steps, check out my About page to find out a bit more about who I am, my travel adventures, and why I wanted to become a travel writer.

Please comment below and let me know your thoughts and experiences, or if there is anything else you want information on.

Happy travelling!