Attempting to enter Niger via Assamaka, Dec 2009

[Trichelia]

Please excuse my ignorance, do any of the people at the Border check points etc..speak english, or do most tourists speak french....or is it just hand signals all around ?

[Sam Rutherford]

They speak French, no English.

Safe travels, Sam.

[Chris Scott]

Excepting Libya and Egypt, in the other Saharan countries, among European languages French is much more useful than English, but you will get by. Younger people may know English.

To the other guy asking about buses from Agadez to Tam; I've never heard of such a thing in the formal sense since the 1930s (like the old bus in the Tam camping), but there is always space in or on a truck (though that does have its risks.)

Ch

[famous_walker]

Hi Trichelia

An Algerian customs officer at In Guezzam spoke English to me in a way that suggested education. The chief of the customs spoke some English too. The rest of them there spoke French of course.

No one spoke English on the Niger side of the border. At least no one tried their English on me. I speak French though, so there may have been no need.

Generally, the kind of French spoken in the Sahara is easy to pick up - it is simple, with little respect for the complicated French grammar. Besides, people in places like Tam or Agadez are so much used to the fact that they all speak different languages that they have a habit of guessing what you're trying to say.

Peter

[Trichelia]

Thanks Peter.

Apologies as this is not the forum to discuss languages.
One question, could the complete lack of knowledge of the French langauge be an advantage in these situations (ie: border guards not prepared to spend the time getting you to understand their scam to rip you off) or would it just be a hinderance?

[Chris Scott]

IMO just a hindrance.
I find it's more useful to pretend you dont speak French at times, rather than being in the dark. But at a border the intention will be pretty clear, people have managed before

Ch

[TransSaharaRally]

We did not buy any 'convoy' from Assamaka to Arlit a month ago.

The most important thing is to let them understand that you are 'regular tourist' not part of a humanitarian / TV-press / any declared caravan or any organization.
They ask you this question a couple of times.

After the formalities they let you go.

If they know or they realize that you might be different from a regular tourist, you need to get escort which means preparations hence delay in your schedule.

It's the decision of the chief police officer in Assamaka, he's a nice guy, called Ibrahim.

"No one spoke English on the Niger side of the border. At least no one tried their English on me. I speak French though, so there may have been no need."

Obviously if you speak French they won't try talking to you in English. Since we were driving a Landy on British plates (and a LC with German) they started to - or tried to - speak English.
Don't expect more than a couple of words though...


TSR

[TransSaharaRally]

Ah,

and Sam - thanks for the hints!

[larsdewit]

Originally Posted by TransSaharaRally

We did not buy any 'convoy' from Assamaka to Arlit a month ago.

The most important thing is to let them understand that you are 'regular tourist' not part of a humanitarian / TV-press / any declared caravan or any organization.
They ask you this question a couple of times.

After the formalities they let you go.

If they know or they realize that you might be different from a regular tourist, you need to get escort which means preparations hence delay in your schedule.

It's the decision of the chief police officer in Assamaka, he's a nice guy, called Ibrahim.

"No one spoke English on the Niger side of the border. At least no one tried their English on me. I speak French though, so there may have been no need."

Obviously if you speak French they won't try talking to you in English. Since we were driving a Landy on British plates (and a LC with German) they started to - or tried to - speak English.
Don't expect more than a couple of words though...


TSR

This would be really good news, planning a bicycle trip from Holland to Cape Town later this year.
Is it true that you aren't allowed to travel on your own from lets say El Golea to In Guezzam, I think I read it somewhere, do not know where

Safe travels !

[Chris Scott]

Is it true that you aren't allowed to travel on your own from lets say El Golea to In Guezzam, I think I read it somewhere...

Probably here. I think you will be lucky to get anywhere alone on a bike in Algeria; getting the visa then getting out of the port/airport will be the trick. There are many more checkpoints in the north and they wont know what to make of you as it has not been done for 20 years or more, I would guess.

Down south I believe In Salah will be the block on the TSH (if you get that far) - a shame as that is where the good desert starts.

Actually, we met a young French woman (with some Alg descent) in January and she was getting around OK travelling solo on buses. But down south she was passing herself off as a local woman - not especially clandestine as she didnt speak Arabic - just for practical reasons.


By the way, who knows how much tarmac there is from Tam to IGZ these days? 70%?


Ch

[famous_walker]

Tam to IGZ village and further to the border post is 100% tarmac, some of it brand new. No permanent checkpoints on that stretch and no one asked for a guide when I drove southwards. On the way back (that is entering Alg at IGZ) the border police won't let you past the border post without a guide.

Coming south on the TSH, the first time I was asked for a guide was at the infamous police block at In Salah, at the southern exit. They wouldn't let you pass without a guide. I had to go register with the police in town, wait for my guide to arrive from Tam and have his papers registered at the police too before we could go. Sweet talking at the police station didn't help this time (it had helped there a few years before).

There were several other roadblocks along the TSH but north of In Salah none of them were concerned about the guide. Some don't even stop you. A fiche helps still when they do.

Peter

P. S. All that roadblock info might be good for a car, but I am not sure if it's the same for a bike.

[Chris Scott]

Thanks for the news Peter.
So that's it then, they finished the job (Tam to IGZ ~ 400km) I saw them starting in '82. No presidential parade or a 'golden spike' moment, not that I heard at least.
Nothing to shout about I suppose: roadbuilding @ 1km/month, an endless maintenance task ahead and 150 clicks until it starts again in Arlit.

Ch

[larsdewit]

Thanks for the ( bad ) news guys.
I think I have to forget this dream about cycling through the Sahara desert and have to go through Marocco and Mauritanie on my way to Cape Town.

Interesting and helpfull site this one, enjoy following it !

Regards Lars