I was there last November and we found petrol/essence/gasoline at the pumps in Atar (which suprised our local contact!) as well as in drums on the side of the road. There was a guy offering petrol and diesel in Choum (he will find you if you ride through slowly!) There was petrol available from drums in Chinguetti (ask at the fuel station in town and they'll take you) 1.5 times the price of Atar, but you can't blame them for that! I don't think we tried for fuel in Ouardanne, but there is a guide agency that will show up when you stop at the checkpoint who will probably know someone with a jerrycan or two, but of course, the further it has to be brought from Atar, (or Algeria!) the more it costs. If you're down around Ouagchodda or Oujeft and you're desperate, the farmers may have petrol powered irrigation/well head pumps, but I couldn't be sure - just as likely to be diesel I suppose.
The thing that suprised me the most about Mauri was the lack of mopeds/mobilettes/small motorcycles, so there's not the demand for petrol that you get elsewhere in Africa (particularly Maroc)
Have a great trip,
Simon.
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