Ben Amera is Africa’s largest monolith rising 633m (2027ft) above the desert floor. It’s the world’s second-largest monolith only behind Uluru in Australia. Locals will tell you that geologists think it might be larger than Uluru if the rock that lies beneath the Saharan sands were included in the measure of its size. Ben Amera is located in Mauritania near the border with Western Sahara. It lies 4 km north of the train track where the famous Iron Ore Train travels between Nouadhibou and Choum.
Nearby, a lesser monolith, Aïsha lies a 20-minute drive to the west of Ben Amera. “In 1999, a dozen artists of international fame celebrated the millennium by carving into the boulders at the base of Aïsha. They etched deep into the stone creating animal shapes as well as abstract. Some of the artworks are installation pieces that go beyond the boulder’s surface and use multiple stones in specific configurations to create their effect.”
Ensure you take your cameras with full charges batteries as there will be no places for charging and being very hot make sure you take enough water and snacks like biscuits with you and a hut and sunscreen are very vital while visiting the Monolith.
Both of these monoliths are worth a visit.
How to get to Monolith of Ben Amera Mauritania
Getting to Monolith of Ben Amera requires a 4×4 vehicle and an experienced desert driver is required to handle the deep, sandy track out to Ben Amera, as there is no paving once you leave the road that runs from Atar to Chinguetti.
Where to stay Monolith of Ben Amera Mauritania
Travelers may need to stay in Atar and a day trip to see the monolith and places to stay in Atar include Auberge et camping inimi, Les toiles Maures, Bab Sahara, and odar kanawal.
