Mauritania, the Conveyors of the Desert | Deadliest Journeys

The Harmattan and Desert Trucking00:01:03

The Harmattan desert wind creates massive sand dunes that bury roads, trapping vehicles and plunging the country into chaos. Drivers must deflate tires to escape sand traps, highlighting the difficulty of transporting supplies to remote villages.

Sid Ahmed's Journey to Tichitt00:05:15

Truck driver Sid Ahmed and co-pilot Muhammad traverse 250 kilometers of dunes to supply Tichitt. Using a decades-old 'peasant truck,' they manage engine leaks, extreme heat, and sandy terrain with makeshift repairs and mint tea for energy.

Fish Distribution and Bush Taxis00:14:24

In Nouakchott, men load fish crates onto colonial-era trucks for transport across the desert. Driver Massoud faces a 300-kilometer journey to Akjoujt, battling flat tires and extreme heat to deliver perishable mackerel without refrigeration.

The Iron Ore Train00:21:51

The poorest Mauritanians travel on one of the world's longest trains, carrying iron ore across 700 kilometers. Passengers endure sand, dust, and extreme temperatures while workers distribute bread to nomads and deal with mechanical breakdowns.

Arrival in Tichitt and Environmental Threats00:47:02

Sid Ahmed reaches Tichitt, a UNESCO site where inhabitants harvest 'earth salt' for camels. The video concludes with a warning about global warming, as advancing sand and drought threaten to empty the desert of its inhabitants.