Ben Amera (Arabic: بن عميرة) is Africa’s largest monolith, rising 633 meters (2,077 feet) above the desert floor. It is the second-largest monolith in the world, only surpassed by Uluru in Australia. It is located in Mauritania, near the border with Western Sahara, approximately 4 km north of the train tracks where the famous Iron Ore Train travels between Nouadhibou and Zouwerat.

Nearby, a smaller monolith, Aïsha, lies about a 20-minute drive west of Ben Amera. In 1999, a group of renowned international artists celebrated the millennium by carving sculptures into the boulders at Aïsha’s base.

Reaching Ben Amera requires a 4×4 vehicle and an experienced desert driver, as the unpaved, sandy track leading to the monolith is challenging. Drivers can be hired in Atar.

The monolith is part of our tours to the Iron Ore Train and, at times, to the Adrar region, offering an unforgettable experience of Mauritania’s vast desert landscapes.