Algeria: access in the south - update

[Chris Scott]

This is what I hear of where you can go in south Algeria right now.

Tassili du Hoggar (SE of Tam) and Teffedest (north of Tam) are not permitted anymore

Only Ahnet, Immidir and Tam to Assekrem are permitted, as well as Djanet and Tassili n Ajjer on the east side.

But you can't go from Tam direct to Djanet without a permit and a gendarmerie escort.

So far east or far west - both great areas.

Ch

[Yves]

Hi,
I can confirm the situation as reported by Chris.
In spring the new rules had only communicated verbally, now they exist in written form and are binding for the agencies.
Actually a few agencies which broke the rules had been put to justice.

Also, a new law for agencies had been published which is much stricter than the old one. I expect a lot of agencies will not be able to renew their license.
The laws had been published on pages 5-8: http://www.joradp.dz/JO2000/2010/044/FP5.pdf

[Hannes]

Hello !

So this restrictions means , that only fly-In-tourism into both regions is possible/wanted , or may overlanders further go down from Taleb L. with the obligatory guide ??

What do you think about this rules : is it possible that they will be cleared until this winter , like numerous, similar rules in the past ( e.g. Libian blockade of EU-Travellers this spring, Erg Chech , etc)

IMO,if this situation continues , it will be again an end of Algerian Sahara Tourism in this wonderful country with extremly nice people due to governement disposal !!!

Ciao Hannes

[Chris Scott]

...only fly-In-tourism into both regions is possible/wanted,

I suppose they have more control over this, but the fact that they have closed Tasssil du Hoggar - one of the best and most accessible areas to Tam, shows that they have no prefs for fly-in or self drive.


or may overlanders further go down from Taleb L. with the obligatory guide?
Yes, you can still do this where allowed.

What do you think about this rules : is it possible that they will be cleared until this winter , like numerous, similar rules in the past ( e.g. Libian blockade of EU-Travellers this spring, Erg Chech , etc)

Alg is not like Libya in this regard, IMO. The rules will not change soon.

IMO,if this situation continues , it will be again an end of Algerian Sahara Tourism in this wonderful country with extremly nice people due to governement disposal !!!

True, but Alg never really recovered from the 90s before 2003 finished off what there was.

Its not so bad anyway and it's been like this on and off for a couple of years.
Ahnet west of the TSH as far as the tanezrouft piste is a big area; Immidir - well mostly for camels; and Djanet + Tassili N'Ajjer as we all know is a fantastic area, though maybe more for fly-ins if you must drive back the same way.

I find this block on crossing from Tam to Djanet a little odd and of course a big shame for self driving. Is there an GSPC threat or some other explanation? In Algeria as always, who knows.

Ch

[Richard Washington]

[quote=Chris Scott;305273
I find this block on crossing from Tam to Djanet a little odd and of course a big shame for self driving. Is there an GSPC threat or some other explanation? In Algeria as always, who knows.

Ch[/quote]

My guess is that the new travel restrictions relate to the incident earlier in the year, around March 2010, when Algeria intercepted comms from AQIM planning to abduct tourists on the Djanet-Tam piste. Recall the FCO and French travel websites warned against travel south of Arak. I think it takes some time for the response to these events to become official. In the same way that Algeria closed the Amguid corridor on account of the kidnappings near there in 2003, they have no closed the region between Djanet and Tam. Interestingly, there is a big piste running from the south of Algeria across the Amadror and on to near Illizi (not on maps) which is probably a big smuggling corridor. They may also want to be having a go at any traffic on this route.

[Hannes]

Hello !

It would be important to know more details about the areas that are still possible :

East: Tin Merzouga, Wadi In Djerane , Erg Admer - where´s the western "border" in direction to Tam ?
Crossing the Plateau d. Fadnoun in the East from Illizi- Ft. Tarat - Dider ?
G.E.Orient. is closed , although I have GPStracks from people crossing it 2010 ?!

West: G.E.Occ. , Erg Chech(B.F.Saint Marie) ,InSalah-Reggane ?

How to cross West/East south of the Tarmac-Road Oargla/El Meniaa/Timimoun legal ?

It would be great and very helpful , if somebody with reliable infos would draw a *.kmz reffering the recent forbidden/allowed areas ( last only some minutes )

Ciao Hannes

[Yves]

Hi Hannes,

I have my knowledge from the Algerian tour agency Tanezrouft which I support. The permitted areas:

Yes: East: Tin Merzouga, Wadi In Djerane , Erg Admer

>- where´s the western "border" in direction to Tam ?
Don't know it exactly but certainly east of Thiodaine. I suppose Afara and Bordj El Haoues as the western delimitation.

>Crossing the Plateau d. Fadnoun in the East from Illizi- Ft. Tarat - Dider ?
Tarat closed since several years.

>G.E.Orient. is closed , although I have GPStracks from people crossing it >2010 ?!
Closed since years ( exceptions confirm the rules :-)

>West: G.E.Occ. ,
Unclear, might be permitted but also might be unsafe.

>Erg Chech(B.F.Saint Marie) ,
closed

>InSalah-Reggane ?
open (road)

>How to cross West/East south of the Tarmac-Road Oargla/El >Meniaa/Timimoun legal ?

Unclear which itinerary you address.
Some crossings on the plateau de Tademait are permitted (via Ain Bel Bel)

Rule of thumb: stay on tamac north of In Salah respectively Illizi

Regards, Yves

[Hannes]

Hello Yves !

Regarding your post I try to make the recent restrictions better visible with this attached GE-overlay.
The area between Gassi Touil and N1 , also the HBG - In Salah Piste has no overlay , because I don´t know whats about there ??
Maybe this helps planning a trip through DZ and to avoid bad astonishements !

Ciao Hannes

[Chris Scott]

Here is your kml as an easy to see picture - looks about right to me and rather restricted, but then Alg is the 10th biggest country in the world.

Dont forget Tam-Djan seems to be possible - all you need is an escort and permission. I presume that is not impossible?

Ch

[Image updated following post below]

[Yves]

Hannes,
also closed: Erg Issaouane, Erg Tiffernine, the whole area north of Amguid between the tarmac roads (since years)
Erg Oriental west of Gassi Touil (since years)

Ahnet: closed south of In Ziza and the part of Wilaya Adrar south of Reggane.

Immidir: no closed!

Erg occidental and Tam Djanet with escort: I don't know for sure, should have more information in 1-2 weeks.

Travel on the road to Ain Guazzam however remains permitted.

[Richard Washington]

Notwithstanding Algeria's size, its an ever narrowing strip of desert that is open to tourism. The system seems to work like a ratchet - it tightens but does not loosen. For example, Amguid is still closed following the 2003 events even though AQIM are long gone from there and only ever really passed through on their way south.

[Chris Scott]

It also concentrates tourists into an area which makes them easier to protect, but also to track, though the chances of grabs in Algeria seem to be small.

AQIM are long gone from there...

Hard to know that for sure, but that is why IMO:
... a big smuggling corridor. They may also want to be having a go at any traffic on this route...

... could also be interpreted as leaving others to get on with it- or even engage in the contrabanding, uninterrupted.

It could also simply be nothing more sinister than a battle between Tam and Illlizi wilayas; one or the other (prob Illizi - which includes Ajjer and Djanet) effectively closing their 'borders'. Maybe even to keep fly-in tourists on their 'patch'?
Adrar wilaya too seems quite strict on mobility (with good reason IMO, compared to the east), and as we have read, has laid on big gendarmerie escorts along the roads around Adrar town.

The restriction of long-range desert tourism harms no one, except a few people in Tam and Djanet - and who cares about them, they can go dig a pipeline.

Ch

[desertfox]

Hi Yves
Good information you've posted, thanks to Hannes and Chris too - I'll keep checking from now on as these are 'need to know' info!
Ta

[trans-african]

Can anyone please confirm that I can transit Algeria down via Tam to Agadez? In about 4-5 weeks time? What is the situation for this atm?

[Chris Scott]

Algeria transit same as usual. The IGZ-Assamaka border is not closed as far as I know, and you'd imagine in Niger they will lay on a convoy as far as Arlit and then Agadez. To Arlit convoy may turn out to be expensive if they can get away with it. From there to Agadez is free (military) I believe. Beyond Agadez is less unsafe, you'd hope.

Ch