MAURITANIA

Even for those partial to desolate places, Mauritania may have a bit too much emptiness. It does have some spots for fishing and bird watching along the coast, as well as a few scattered caravan towns. But Mauritania's primary attraction is desert -- lots and lots of it. And the dunes are claiming more of the country every year. The country's capital, Nouakchott, which was far from the Sahara when it was founded in the 1960s, is now surrounded by sand. Unless you're simply interested in exploring one of the least-visited countries in Africa, we think you can find more appealing places to explore the Sahara.