Border crossing Rosse from Mauritania to Senegal
No highlight, more of a warning from February 2022
There are special conditions for this border crossing:
A letter of recommendation from the Senegalese embassy in Nouakchott must be submitted in duplicate, original + photocopy. The letter is available free of charge from the Senegalese embassy. To do this, submit a handwritten request and a photocopy of your passport between 9:00 and 11:00 in the morning (photo page). The request must follow a specified wording. Tourist accommodations in Nouakchott (e.g. Triskell, just around the corner) as well as letter writing service providers at the embassy have a sample ready.
As a rule, you can pick up the letter from the embassy on the same day in the evening.
Make a photocopy of this letter.
Original + photocopy are handed in at the police counter when leaving Mauritania. The photocopy is retained, the original is stamped.
As soon as you have the Mauritania exit stamp in your passport, you can take the ferry to the Senegalese side. The ferry is free; two ships shuttle back and forth.
At the Senegalese border post, present your passport and the letter of recommendation from the Senegalese Embassy in Nouakchott. This document is now also stamped by the Senegalese side.
This regulation applies exclusively to the Rosso border crossing; for all other border crossings Mauritania/Senegal no letter of recommendation from the Senegalese embassy is required.
For a long time, travelers have complained about pushy helpers who want to offer you some kind of service in exchange for money, e.g. a ticket for the free ferry. It is best to only speak to people in uniform and ignore everyone else.