by car through North and West-Africa
 

Has anyone recent information about the travel conditions (safety) in Northern and Western Africa?
We're planning a journey with a Toyota Landcruiser entering Africa from Marocco and visiting succesively Mauritain-Mali-Burkina Faso-Ghana-Togo-Benin-Niger-Algeria-Lybia-Egypt-... Is it possible to go from Mali to Burkina without to go through Senegal? Can we enter Lybia from Niger or from Chad? Did someone recently crossed the border between Chad and Sudan? Or does anyone know how to go to Ethiopia without using Egypt or Sudan? Via the Central-African-Republic? Is it safe to go through Algeria for the moment,...?
You see we have a lot of questions and any answer is welcome. Also tips for other countries to visit.

Kind regards

Jan

Fairly straightforward down from Morrocco - Western Sahara - Mauritania - Mali - Burkina Fasu - Ghana. No you don't have to go through Senegal to get to Burkina Fasu from Mali - the don't border each other in that way, Senegal is to the West of Mali, Burkina Fasu to the east. You can go straight from Mauritania - Mali - Burkina Fasu if you want.

Have a look at
http://www.sahara-overland.com/routes

Lots of useful info there + a border map.

Ch

------------------
Author of Sahara Overland and the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, among other things

http://www.sahara-overland.com and http://www.adventure-motorcycling.com

In addition to the question of Jan Beyersbergen :
Has anybody any information on the latest situation on the diverse borderpost's of Senegal ?
I mean , are they still refusing to let enter car's , older than 6 year's ?
Peter Peters

I have a letter dated 12 March from the Senegalese embassy in Brussels confirming the situation (and it's 5 years or older).

Can't believe that it will last, but it's still there at the moment...

Sam.

Jan, in het nederlands dan maar zo te zien.
Wij zijn uit gent, staan nu in Fes (Marokko) met onze VW camionette na bijna 8 maand west-afrika. Zijn heen gereden (tot ghana togo benin) en nu terug.
Enfin, met toyota landcruiser geen piste-kopzorg. Mauretanie-Mali is geen enkel probleem, keuze genoeg, wij via Nioro naar Ayoun. Carnet de passage is binnekort niet meer nodig in Senegal, dus langs daar kan opnieuw in de toekomst. Wij hadden wel een carnet, voor o.m senegal en ghana
vrienden van ons staan in Niamey, wachten op visum voor algerije, duurt al een paar weken, dus...

groeten, tom

You can get a visa for Algeria in Accra, Ghana. So no need to wait very long in Niamey, and from my point of view Accra is more pleasant to stay for a longer time than Niamey.
It took us 3 days to get the visa for Algeria, the people at the Algerian embassy in Accra are very friendly and have good connections with the capital city of Algeria.
We got a 90 day visa for the price of 30 days.
After the kidnappings, I don't know whether this all has changed. But it's worth a try I would say...

Good luck,

Andres

[This message has been edited by Andres (edited 25 April 2004).]

Hey Jan,
When are you traveling from Morocco to Mauritania? Would you be willing to carry someone along? I'm trying to get from Casa to Noukchott somehow and would appreciate any help. I'm planning on doing this May 17th onwards..let me know if this meshes with your timing and if your willing...hope to hear from you soon.

We are leaving belgium in august and we only have two places in our car. Sorry, I can't help you. Goodluck.

Hi all,

Thanks for the information. But don't stop we still can use more! It seems that most of the people are heading east from Europe over Egypt to South-Africa. It must be crowdy there!

Hey Jan,

nice to read we're not the only Belgians heading to Africa this summer. Me and my girlfriend will also leave in august, and yes, we start by west africa (to crowdy on the east side i heard). Plans are to see west africa, then travel down to SA by the west coast and head back to Belgium along the east side of the continent.
Anyway, maybe we'll meet somewhere along the way. Keep an eye open for a couple in a Mercedes van, that's us.
Good luck with the preparations,

Koen

we'll keep an eye open! From where in Belgium are you?

Hallo Jan,

wij wonen in Denderbelle (klein dorpje nabij Dendermonde), 30 minuten van Antwerpen.
Groeten,

Koen

Zullen we ergens in Juli eens een feestje bouwen? Zit momenteel in Pointe-Noire in Congo, en hoop eind juni weer in Belgie te zijn. Eerst nog Angola en Namibie mee pikken.

Groetjes,

Rob

Wordt hier inderdaad stilaan een belgensite. Voor ons zou het leuk zijn om een feestje te bouwen en jullie ervaringen te delen. We kunnen de info meer dan gebruiken. Groetjes en nog een fijne reis.