Cost of escorts + tour through Niger/Algeria

[luadraman]

Hi, from what I can gather on the other posts it's necessary to have an escort from Agadez to the border and then be part of a tour (needed to get your visa anyway) to bring you north from there. Is this correct?

Does anyone know how much you have to pay for an escort through North Niger? Does your tour guide in Algeria have to stay with you all the way to Tam?

Looking into doing this route but it may be seriously expensive...

[priffe]

What kind of vehicle do you have?

Some of the agencies can become seriously expensive, but you could also find an authorized guide without using an agency, thus avoiding middlemen. And it can become affordable. If the guide is good and communicative his company will be a pleasure. Even better if you can share cost with other travellers.

Whaddyamean, "all the way to Tam"?
They will follow you to the border or at least as far north as In Salah. Normally.

[qwer1234]

It seems that this route nowadays is only for millionaires. From what I have read here the cost of the escort from Agadez to the Algerian border is about 550 euros one way and then, once in Algeria, a guide will charge you about 100-150 a day. You need him until you reach the north of the country(which seems to be more dangerous than the south, but where you don't need a guide) or to the southern border of Tunisia.

Just remember, it's for your own safety (otherwise you may get robbed illegally (or kidnapped: another interesting fact is that guides in Algeria do not seem to carry firearms with them, but terrorists do)).

[luadraman]

Originally Posted by priffe

What kind of vehicle do you have?

Whaddyamean, "all the way to Tam"?
They will follow you to the border or at least as far north as In Salah. Normally.

Heh heh, of course I meant In Salah... I'm on a Tenere 34L, here's the response from Tanezrouft Voyages:

Solo (unescorted) travel is not permitted in the whole south of Algeria. For safety reasons our agency even does only escorts from border to border.
For a motorbike we would provide a guide with car at 110eur per day. For the journey to the border and back 4 days at 70eur - 280eur.

Will keep looking...

[priffe]

Originally Posted by luadraman

Heh heh, of course I meant In Salah... I'm on a Tenere 34L, here's the response from Tanezrouft Voyages:

Will keep looking...

Actually those rates are reasonable. With a bike they need their own vehicle.
If you have a car they can ride with you and you may get down to a rate around 30-50 per day.
The agencies usually want to escort you border to border, "for safety reasons", but good for business, too. Perhaps you can convince them to let you go free after In Salah.
Not many kidnappings in Algeria these days. Niger is where you have to watch out.
There's been several portuguese bikers in Algeria this year, read their reports.
Rui Pedro and Bernardo.

[luadraman]

Originally Posted by priffe

There's been several portuguese bikers in Algeria this year, read their reports.
Rui Pedro and Bernardo.

Found that, great help! http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...n-routes-47471

Actually those rates are reasonable. With a bike they need their own vehicle.
If you have a car they can ride with you and you may get down to a rate around 30-50 per day.
The agencies usually want to escort you border to border, "for safety reasons", but good for business, too. Perhaps you can convince them to let you go free after In Salah.
Not many kidnappings in Algeria these days. Niger is where you have to watch out.

I emailed again for more info and it's 280 for him to meet me at In Guezzam and return to In Salah after leaving me at Algiers plus 110 for min 5 days transit through Algeria is 550 euro which is 830 euro total. And that's just straight long drive on tarmac from Niger border to Algiers without sightseeing. And that's not even considering what I'll have to pay for escort from Niger. TBH, sounds like a lot of money for what basically would be getting shuttled from one place to the next with no sightseeing (unless I pad a lot more of course). I'm waiting to hear back from them on joining another group or him leaving me at In Salah as well as from other tour operators. Will post back if anything worthwhile comes up.

[priffe]

With Niger and Algeria you never know. You may just show up (if you have the visa arranged beforehand) and ask for a guide, or wait for another party you can join and only pay your share. But things can get complicated, borders or desert areas can be closed, rules can change. Niger is unstable. You may have to pay for a convoy and if you get robbed it can become gruesome...
Famous Walker turned back at the border. Kobus was robbed. We were denied visa for Niger in Tam and had to go through the Malian desert. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...a-jusqua-42600
There's need for a plan b and also money in the bank if things go badly.
A guide/escort may be compulsory and he may help you avoid being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but in the case of a robbery or kidnap attempt there is not much he can do. This has been debated here on the forum before.