A nice trip :)

[Piotr]

Hi all!
My friends and I got an idea to go more or less around Sahara. There are a few different routes. Please advice if this trip is possible and which route is best.
We start from Turkey
idea no 1) Turkey, Syria, (ferry to) Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali,
Mauritania, Western Sahara, Marocco.

idea no 2) Turkey, Syria, Jordan, (ferry to) Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria,
Mali, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Marocco.

idea no 3) Turkey, Syria, Jordan, (ferry to) Egypt, Libya, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali,
Senegal, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Marocco.

As a time for it we've chosen winter 2010.
Is it very silly ?

br,
Piotr

[donncha]

Pitr

Not silly at all, but it looks like you'll be going through the Sahara, not around it.

A few things to watch for.

#3) Libya-Niger is closed. So is Libya-Algeria. So it must be Libya/Tun/Alg then Niger or Mali.

Libya, Algeria - guide/escort required.

Northern Niger- poor security situtation, military escort required, and border sometimes closed.

Northern Mali - poor security situation.

Apart from that it is ok - #2 looks better than #1, as you will see more of Syria and Jordan, both very enjoyable places.

Your route from there through the Sahara is restricted by border openings. Once you are in Niger or Mali you can decide which countries in W Africa to visit as time/funds allow.

D

[Piotr]

Hi,
thanks, I think route No 2 is better.
Syria and Jordan are not a problem. I was there and it's nice and safe. I have a friend in Syria so all paperwork will be easier. I've been in Libya last Nov and in Tunisia many times.
So far I have no idea how to get into Algeria and Mali. How to get a guide there. Any suggestions ?

br,
Piotr

[Niva Say Never]

Hi Piotr,
You should definitely check out Chris Scott's web site
Sahara Overland ~ the book and online resource
In particular the Country Info & Routes tabs at the top

Happy travels
Sam

[donncha]

Piotr

For Algeria I'd happily recommend Tanezrouft Voyage: Accueil who I used in 2007. I found them very easy to deal with, for us it worked lke this:
- sent some emails describing the approximate route, approximate times and our personal and vehicle details
- they faxed Alg embassy (Paris) who issued visas
- as it got closer to arrival (from Niger) we kept them informed of likely arrival date, and we made contact with others heading for Algeria (partly via this forum)
- we assembled our small group in Agadez and emailed the firm arrival date
- the guide met us at the border, we went to Tam and then planned the itinerary in more detail
- Fantastic trip in S Algeria. Our guide was a great character, and it meant we could relax and take our minds off navigation. Also it eliminated "campsiteophobia" (ie. the fear of setting camp in case there is a better spot 5km ahead)
- we paid in cash at their office in In Salah

D

[thesarasmile]

Just curious what the difficulty factor of such a ride would be (intermediate, advanced, extreme or maybe a scale of 1-10)? I have been riding abroad for a few years and have some good off road skill, but the idea of going through the Sahara is intimidating to say the least! I look forwar to your follow up posts to see how you fared.

[Chris Scott]

On the Route 2 described you could ride all the way to southern Algeria (Tam) on tarmac and then pick it up from Gao in Mali all the way back to Europe, so technically there's not much to it.

Between Tam to Gao is about 1500km of piste. The Algerian section to Bordj Moktar would be pretty easy even on a big bike - lots of space once you clear the Hoggar. The Malian section - especially in the south where rains cut it up - is a bit rougher. I rode it over 20 years ago (without baggage) and recall it was quite gnarly at times. A KTM Adv would make short work of it today.

From Gao you cross the river to Mopti, etc. Or from Bourem (north of Gao) the north bank track going west to Timbuktu becomes 2 very sandy ruts with bushes either side; hard work on a bike and hot too.

So it's a 1000 miles of piste minimum, or of course as much as you want to pack in in Africa; Libya and Alg being the best places to explore IMO, and well worth the extra cost once you're in there if you have the money and energy to spare.

From Turkey to Spain it would be an epic tour for sure - potentially just about the ultimate see-it-all Saharan itinerary, let alone the Istanbul to Cairo stage which is a trip in itself.

Ch

[Piotr]

Hi All,
thanks to all for the opinions and of course I'm waiting for more and more useful hints. Thanks Chris for the above and for your mail. This trip is something realy big for me and it is not easy to plan it and to place it in particular time, therefore I was asking about your trip to Alg in winter.
Regarding to my trip I'm trying hard to colect a right team (4 or 5 cars) and sponsors for us cause it will cost a lot....

br,
Piotr