A British content creator has described riding Mauritania's iron ore train as one of the most extreme journeys on Earth, leaving him covered in toxic dust that took nearly a week to clean off. Tom Ruck, 29, who has visited 103 countries, fulfilled a lifelong dream by hitching a ride on the train that stretches up to 3 kilometres long and hauls tens of thousands of tonnes of minerals across the Sahara.
The Journey to the Train
To reach the starting point, Tom flew from the UK to Spain, then to Dakhla in the occupied Western Sahara, crossing into Mauritania by 4x4 and minivan. In the remote settlement of Choum, he found a local man known as the 'train wizard' who helped coordinate the ride. There are no tickets or timetables; travellers rely on local knowledge to board.
Originally scheduled for 8pm, the train arrived around 3am, giving Tom and his friends a five-minute window to climb aboard. 'We were tired but super excited, kind of nervous,' Tom told Metro. 'It felt like we were robbing a bank.'
Onboard the Iron Ore Train
Operated by the state mining company since 1963, the train runs 17 hours from Zouérat to Nouadhibou. Riding on top is technically illegal but tolerated. Locals use it to transport goods and even camels, but there are no seats, shelter, or bathrooms. Tom wore ski goggles and a headscarf to protect against the iron ore dust, which he said gets into 'every orifice.'
The journey offered mesmerising desert scenery, especially at sunrise. Temperatures ranged from brutal heat during the day to below freezing at night. Tom passed the time taking photos and dancing, eventually falling asleep on mounds of black soot. 'Towards the end of the last few hours you do get a little bit sick of it, but it's a once in a lifetime thing,' he said.
The Aftermath
Arriving in Nouadhibou, Tom was covered head to toe in iron ore. 'It took a good four or five days of cleaning consistently to feel human again,' he added. He advised bringing ski goggles, a headscarf, plenty of water, layers, a headlamp, and rubbish bags to protect valuables.
Growing Trend of Extreme Travel
Tom is part of a rising number of travellers seeking physically punishing adventures. Pinterest reported a 75% increase in searches for adventure tourism in 2026, forecasting a boom in 'darecations' among Gen Z and Millennials. SportsCover Direct saw a 182% increase in travellers taking out sports travel insurance over the past two years, with growth in trekking, mountaineering, and marathon travel.
