Algeria-Niger border

[Yves]

Hi,
Alex experience in Algeria is an exception but is, in my opinion an example of individual travel at its best. With time and ingenuity (how did he managed to get the visa?) it is still possible to travel w/o guides. My compliments.
On the other hand, security forces regularely face serious issues with smuggelers of arms, explosives and drugs and worse, thus any tourist should ensure that his journey is known to security forces to be on the safe side.

Regards, Yves

[Majmolo]

Hi, Alex!

Thank You for the useful information! I am planning to travell from Tam to Agadez, but I don't have my own bike or car and renting is too costy for me. Is there any transporation I can travell with? ( trucks, cars, etc. )

Greetings,
Majmolo

[Guidokleene]

hi there

we just arrived in mali after trip trough algeria and niger, the old hoggar route
it was a great trip
some info on the route

algeria travel with tanezrouft guide Fouad was very fine, algiers to inn guezzam without any problems, great trip
if arriving by ferry with a car, the customs in algiers are terribly slow, taking six hours to get through
northern algeria has quite a lot of uniformed people, but more south everything gets very friendly

between assamaka and arlit travel was possible, but according to locals its still not very safe
car dealers in agadez prefer to taker the much longer mauretania route to get their cars from europe, so its a little risky
we had a guide in assamaka, and got through safely with our old nissan vanette minibus fully loaded
some digging was needed, but we could get through

between arlit and agadez and agadez and tahoua there is still a convoy,
locals said the convoys will stop this month around 24 february, the route is safe again they said.
the convoy formed itself in themorning, but it turned out to be a race, and within an hour the whole convoy vanished, everyone driving as fast as possible, so i guess its safe enough to travel...

the air region is still very unsafe, according to some people its especially the iferouane region

for those who dare to take the risk, you will have the greatest journey through algeria and niger without any other tourists, although the assamaka -arlit track is not advised by anyone cause of insecurity...

guido

[Chris Scott]

Thanks for the news Guido.

Reports like this that bring a situation right up to date are always welcome here.

Ch

[anonymus]

I few days ago I crossed the Algerian-Malian border by land from Tamanrasset to Gao. Entered to Algeria in the north and pushed down with a bus without a guide to Tamanrasset. The bus have not been controlled even we passed the half of the journey at night. From Tam it was very difficoult to find any transportation to Malian border, but after one day of asking I was succeed with the help of a local guy. It was 2500 DA until Khalil, it is a transit station in Mali for fuel smugglers and illegal immigrants just a few kilometers from the Algerian border near Bordj Badji Mokhtar. The journey took about 24 hours with a Landrover. The Sahara is beautiful, we slept in the sand and the touaregs were prepairing food on fire. During the trip we took some water from reservoires in the middle of the desert. I do not know how the driver was succeed to navigate because in some places there were no signs at all, even most of the piste is signed with old tyres. The car avoided the Algerian border controll and entered to Khalil without being stopped. This village is full of barrels and tanker trucks. I was almost beaten when some smugglers realised that I was making photos from them, but the driver helped me to solve the problem. From Khalil to Gao I took an other pickup, sitting back side together with 14 illegal Nigerian immigrants coming from Algeria or Libya via Alg. The route to Gao is dangerous, frequent carjackings and very tireing. Took about 20 hours and costs CFA 15000 backside and 20000 front side. We also avoided the Malian immigration. Even I had the visas it was impossible to find any transportation wich passes immigration and cfoss the border on a legal way!

[famous_walker]

Any recent experiences on crossing In Guezzam-Assamaka? Is it open? What's the convoy situation now, Assamaka-Arlit and further to Agadez? Any news on safety in the region?

Here's what I've got today from a travel agency in Tamanrasset (my translation from French): "Niger poses a problem with security, it is not advised to go there".

That sounds like "you can go if you want, but we don't recommend". And it doesn't quite sound like "the border is closed completely", does it.

Peter

[Yves]

My latest information from the Algerian-Niger border, about 2 weeks old: the border is open, from Assamaka to Arlit you have to drive in a convoy which goes several time a week (no detailed info on this). It seems that the route from Arlit to Agadez is open w/o convoy. The security is still not good, but had improved.
I should new info in about a week-10 days.

[famous_walker]

Thanks Yves. This got me slightly confused though:

Originally Posted by Yves

...from Assamaka to Arlit you have to drive in a convoy which goes several time a week

followed by

Originally Posted by Yves

the route from Arlit to Ain Guezzam is open w/o convoy.

- did you mean Arlit-Agadez?

Anyway, please do let us know when you have the new information. I am sure I am not the only one heading that general direction the coming winter.

Peter

[Yves]

Peter,
I did a typo, it is NOT: Arlit to Ain Guezzam w/o convoy but Arlit-Agadez w/o convoy.

[Yves]

I just had - bad - news from a group crossing into Niger on Oct. 19., they were experienced travellers.
They returned to Algeria, they were not able to enter Niger!
I don't know the reason yet, hopefully in a few days.

[Richard Washington]

I have read that Niger closed its borders because of the election.
Some more detail here:
Niger to Hold Parliamentary Vote; Ecowas Calls for Postponement - Bloomberg.com

[Yves]

Hello,
I talked to the tourist who was not able to enter Niger Algeria.
It looks like an temorary issue.
The problem must have been related to the elections and the convoy schedule. He told he was no able to get a convoy from Assamaka to Arlit in time.
The schedule of the convoy is said to change for November.
The visa issue to travel back to Algeria was quickly solved by their Ambassy, the got new visa for Algeria at the border.

[famous_walker]

Well, will be waiting for the new news then. I am really curious to know what it is like now in Assamaka and what the convoy situation/schedule is. Planning to be there early Dec.

[priffe]

If/when I go again I will get the Niger Visa before leaving home, as the consulate in Tamanrasset may have a bad day and refuse the visa for any reason.

Even if you get updated information here on the situation, it can change quickly and then Mali is the only option. That or turn back north.

[Sam Rutherford]

the more it stays the same...