Costs? Uk to Agadez
 

Hi, I'm looking at doing a 2 month trip in a 4x4 from the UK down to Niger, mostly likely to Agadez, and then flying back.

I was wondering if anybody could offer a rough extimate of what the costs might be, given all the ferries, visa's, invites, guides etc involved.

Would I get much change out of £2,000?

Hi Darrin
Once you've paid for guides and ferries, it's diesel and beer that are your biggest expenses. Try and bush camp as much as you can as it keeps costs down. Also, we've found that when we drive long distances in a rush, we consume more luxuries when we stop, believing we've earned them (which of course we have), but they are what eat into our budget most. Slower travel reduces the impact on everything, including the purse. Beer is the main one and you can end up consuming quite a bit in the heat!
I don't keep a record of what I spend every day, but I can tell you that in a month through Senegal and Mali, I spent about 850 euros. (I know this because I changed that in Dakar and was horrified it didn't see me all the way to Niger!) There were no ferries or guides and mainly we bushcamped, but we did have a big blowout one night in Bamako and spent a week drinking beer there (sapping the budget). If you can stay out of the capital cities and all the trappings that go with them, so much the better.
Border posts can also eat up your money and I'd budget about 30 - 50 euros per border. The Mauritania-Senegal border is particularly bad. It cost us 70 euros to get 2 of us and the car out of Mauri and into Senegal. Of course, this is going to be nothing compared with Libya-Egypt, if the info from others is anything to go by!
I hope this helps.
Bel

Well, I don't drink, so no problem on that front!

I know how much food, camping, hotels etc will be roughly, but it's the core costs of the trip that I'd like some guidance on: Visa's & invites, One way Ferry to Tunis (cheapest way for a 4x4?), border crossing into Algeria and guides, border crossings into Niger and all of the other bits and bobs that come along. This would be for 2 people.

Hi Darrin
Not sure of ferry costs, but you should be able to check the online sites of the ferry companies. It sounds like you're starting and finishing in Tunisia. Tunisia is expensive. (I've been languishing here for a month now, waiting for my travel companion to return from the UK and now waiting for a yay or nay from the Libyan consulate in response to our transit visa application.) The campsite at Borj Cedria (closests to Tunis) is normally 12 DT a day, although I'm paying 10 as I'm here so long.
I'm sorry, but I don't have the exact amounts for the border costs for Niger/Algeria and Algeria/Tunisia, but they weren't as steep as in other parts of West and North Africa. Like I said, I think the Mauri/Senegal border was the worst. Normally you don't pay to leave, just to enter, but perhaps budget about 30 euros per person, including the car. You'll probably come out with change from that overall.
Other bits and bobs, for us, were drinks, particularly as we were rushing over big distances and felt we'd 'earned' these rewards. Food prices are nominal. I think you'd probably be fine on about 10 euros per day average. The more you bushcamp, the cheaper it gets.
As for guide costs, I think it's probably best if you approach the companies themselves to get an idea. They usually don't include the food costs (including feeding the guide).
Sorry I can't be more specific than this. Perhaps others are better organised and keep such records.
Good luck with your planning.
Bel

>One way Ferry to Tunis (cheapest way for a 4x4?), border crossing into Algeria >and guides, border crossings into Niger and all of the other bits and bobs that >come along. This would be for 2 people.

Ferry Genova - Tunis one way about 400 EUR
Algeria transit: about 550 EUR, fuel about 20 cent/liter

All best, Yves

Thanks Yves,

Is that Ferry pricing for a vehicle and a seat, no cabin? Being honest about the size of the vehicle (HJ60 with a roofrack) and booking a cabin for 3 people seems to be about 750 euro on the sites I've tried for pricing (for mid October)

Hi,
one way increases the price, keep hight below 2.30m!
The cheapest for 3 pax 2 way is is 758 EUR now.
One way: 612 EUR
see http://www.avimare.ch/ctn/Fahrplan2006/Fahrpreise.htm

Yves

Yves offers good advice on the height. Below 2.3m is cheaper and they are unlikely to get a tape measure out, esp in Oct. My racks are over 2.3m but I've always made it thru on a cheaper (<2.3m) ticket, even at busy times. Worst that can happen is that they make you pay the difference.

2.3m
 

Be careful about that : if your vehicle is over 2.3m AND if there is no place available (for this category) on the boat (due to a lot of 4x4 or vans) the employee of the company will verify your ticket and it's possible you'll stay on the dock.

RR.