Deep in the Sahara, in Mauritania's Adrar region, El Ghallaouiya (also spelled El Galawiya or El Ghalawiya) is a major historical and archaeological site and an essential stop for 4x4 expeditions and camel treks crossing the Mauritanian desert.
The site is dominated by an old French colonial military fort, built to watch over and control the strategic water points — the wells through which the caravans and the herds of the region's nomadic tribes passed. The fort is still relatively well preserved. Because of its isolated position on the approach to the remotest areas, the Mauritanian army sometimes maintains a checkpoint here, where travellers' papers are inspected for security reasons.
Above all, El Ghallaouiya is one of Mauritania's foremost rock art sites. The surrounding canyon holds an exceptional concentration of Neolithic remains dating from 4,000 to 8,000 years ago: the rock walls carry a multitude of engravings and drawings of the animals of the time, cattle above all — evidence of the era when the Sahara was green and fertile, long before it turned to desert. Pre-Islamic tombs, stone arrowheads and prehistoric tools are also found here.
The setting matches the place: the fort stands wedged between the immensity of the Maqteïr erg — an ocean of dunes stretching to the horizon — on one side, and the rocky escarpments of the dhar and Mount Tikika on the other. In Adrar itineraries, El Ghallaouiya is usually combined with El Beyyed and its prehistoric museum, the fort of Bir Ziri, or the famous Richat structure, the Eye of Africa. Travellers most often spend the night bivouacking under canvas in the middle of the desert.