Aleg is the capital of the Brakna region in southwestern Mauritania. The town of 25,000 inhabitants is interesting for various reasons, but first and foremost the nearby Lac d'Aleg is cause for a visit. Depending on the season, this freshwater lake covers an area of between 2,500 and 5,000 hectares and - similar to its western counterpart in Diawling National Park - represents an ecosystem of its own. Both are refuges for tens of thousands of waterfowl and migratory birds such as the Brown Sickle, Bar-tailed Godwit and Spur-winged Goose. Birds are present all year round, but most often during the cold winter months in Europe. Nomadic life has existed in the area around the lake for thousands of years, but the town of Aleg itself is a modern phenomenon. In the 1970s, periods of drought and the conflict in the Western Sahara led to immigration that turned the village within just a few years into a larger city with regional importance as a trading center. Incidentally, Aleg and Boutilimit are more important for Mauritanian independence than venerable towns such as Chinguetti and Oualata. Visitors are recommended to visit the local market. Aleg is embedded in several two-week southern tours, but on request we can also arrange shorter tours for you that include e.g. Aleg, Boutilimit and the Diawling National Park. We can spend the night inside and outside the city.
