Crossing Northern Africa

[Steven vdb]

Hello everybody,

would like to get some people's advice. I'm currently working in Zimbabwe and in January 2011 I'd like to go back to Belgium/Europe by land using public transport. I'm planning to go through western Africa and then Nigeria - Benin - Burkina Faso.

What could be a possible way to cross northern Africa by public transport? Anybody with experience in this? Advices?

Thanks very much in advance!

Steven

[markharf]

What do you mean by "cross Northern Africa?" Mauritania to Morocco to Spain? Morocco to Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt? Niger to Algeria to France? Etc.

This is not a public transport forum, although someone might answer your question here if you're more clear about what you're asking. It's also worth knowing that such questions are routinely asked and answered on the Lonely Planet (Thorntree) Africa forum.

Hope that helps.

Mark

[bobrayner]

For what it's worth, Nigeria, Benin, and Burkina Faso (and onwards via Mauri and Morocco) do have some kind of public transport; but it's mostly the same terrifying minibuses and shared cars that you have probably seen in southern Africa.

The Bamako-Niger railway is, apparently, better categorised as "an adventure" rather than "practical transport from A to B". I really wanted to use it last year but I didn't have enough days spare in my schedule.

Travelling this way is likely to pose some challenges. It's achingly slow, there may be some surprising costs, and consulates are likely to be baffled by the idea that a visa applicant plans to travel in the same way that locals do. Oh, and forget about booking bus tickets online or paying with plastic :-)

I can't speak for the more central countries like Congo (somebody else here surely can) but my understanding was that they posed even bigger problems for anybody trying to travel across them rather than just fly over them.

[davidmarcus]

Originally Posted by Steven vdb

Hello everybody,


What could be a possible way to cross northern Africa by public transport? Anybody with experience in this? Advices?

Steven

Hey Steven
I've been up and down that route several times and have met many independent travellers (mostly European) who were doing exactly what you want to do, only in reverse though...

Your biggest headache will be visa's, as most of the time you have to visit the capital city of the country to get a visa for the next one - which is time consuming, but part of the adventure of traversing Africa...

Quite a few people I met were Hitch-hiking - as they were irritated with sitting on the back of trucks/trains/matatus etc...

As for an adventurous route, I suggest:
Zimbabwe
Zambia
DRC (Lubumbashi to Kinshasa)
CAR (if there is enough flow in the Congo River, take a ferry upstream to Bumba - 2 to 3 weeks, then pirogue across the border and truck to Bangui)
Cameroon
Nigeria
Benin
Burkina Faso
Mali
Senegal
Mauritania
Morocco
Spain

As for public transport, the most difficult will be DRC and Mauritania.
The rest - do what the locals do - hitch a ride with a truck (they do it with livestock!)

In Capital cities, try hook up with Couchsurfers - who are only too happy to share everything with you...

I hope you speak some French.
Good luck!

[Steven vdb]

Thanks everybody for the advises so far.

My question more specific: which is today a recommended route to pass through Northern Africa safe:

Burkina Faso --> Mali --> Mauritania --> Western Sahara --> Morocco

or: Burkina Faso --> Mali --> Algeria --> Spain

or:...

What is the situation today in Mauritania with Al Qaeda militants, in North Mali? And in Algeria? In Western Sahara?

Any people with current experiences/knowledge?

Thanks,
Steven

[Niva Say Never]

Hi Steven,
By far the biggest security concern on those routes is Northern Mali, so forget Mali - Algeria.
Burkina - Mali - Mauri.....is the only sensible option right now (and for a fair while yet i suspect)

Sam

[bobrayner]

Originally Posted by Niva Say Never

Burkina - Mali - Mauri.....is the only sensible option right now (and for a fair while yet i suspect)

Seconded!