Cities and regions／Mauritania
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Ouadane

Ouadane is an ancient Saharan ksar connected to caravan routes between the Maghreb, the Sahara and lands south of it. Its stepped settlement shows how the town relates to the valleys and the arid surroundings.

Stone lanes of the ancient ksar of Ouadane beside the desert.
Photo by www.Bildtankstelle.de Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 1.0
The place

What makes it special

  • The stepped settlement reveals the relationship between the town, the valleys and the arid landscape.
  • Its historic architecture belongs to an urban tradition shaped by caravan routes.
  • Together with three other Mauritanian ksour, it forms part of a jointly inscribed World Heritage property.
Ouadane
Photo by Clemens Schmillen Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Ouadane
Photo by Clemens Schmillen Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Travel atlas

Articles in Ouadane

Guides to this place

1 article

Ouadane

journal.travel Editorial

Guides to this place

1 related guides

Stone lanes of the ancient ksar of Ouadane beside the desert.

Chinguetti and Ouadane, two Adrar ksour to visit later

The ancient cities of Chinguetti and Ouadane preserve an exceptional Saharan urban form, but current warnings for Adrar make it prudent to postpone a tourist trip.

Read guide →
Information in context

Sources and references

This profile summarises our destination guides. Their research sources and the geographical reference are listed below.

Profile updated: 25/09/2026