algeria-mali guide problem

[immanuel]

hallo to all,
i´m planning a trip from algeria to gao. i´m in contact with some companies in algeria and mail. they telling me that its obligatory to have a guide from bordj mokthar to gao, but this cost about 600 euro for an easy route i can do almost in one day! i dont want to pay! has anybody any idea if its realy compulsary to have a giude. because i have a guide from tunis to bordj mokthar and i would try to do the last part without guide. for every advice ore contact to some agency in mali i would be thankful.
regards immanuel

[Chris Scott]

I dont believe it is compulsory (the way it is in south Alg or Libya) but it may be a good idea at this time.

600 euro for an easy route i can do almost in one day!

600 euros is a lot but tho it's not that easy/fast/flat (like the Algerian Tanezrouft).

Ch

[Yves]

Hi,

if the price is for a guide with car then it is not expensive at all.
Fuel is very expensive in northern Mali! about 40% of the price will be for fuel only (when the guide comes with his car).

Also to my knowledge the guide is not compulsive (I had been in Tessalit in April).
But if you like to arrive with your own car in Gao a guide is recommanded.

Yves

[ag]

Originally Posted by Yves

Hi,

Also to my knowledge the guide is not compulsive (I had been in Tessalit in April).
But if you like to arrive with your own car in Gao a guide is recommanded.

Yves

Absolutely true, depending on your feeling and if you have a 6-cylinder car... ;-)
In my opinion, now the bad portion is from Bordj M. to Tessalit (normally is there that you risk attaks) so, think about and choose.

Safe sand
ag