Erg Occidental

[hansgruyaert]

Dear hubbers

Any suggestions for routes or guides for a 10-day trip in the Erg Occidental? We'll probably fly on Algiers an go by public transport to Ghardaia or Timimoun. We are a group of 7 people and would like to hire 2 or 3 cars.

Thank you!
Hans

[Tomek]

Hi Hans,
If you get visas for your group, please let us know how.

My group is waiting for Algerian visas since 27. XII. 2010.
We planned to drive our cars, used Tanezrouft to get invitations. As far as I know our visa documents are still in Algiers.

Maybe flying in and hiring cars would be a solution since Algerians seem to avoid tourists in their own vehicles...

Regards

Tomek

[roro]

Do you think you can't obtain your visa because your group is too big?
I've read on Chris Scott's Sahara Overland ~ The book and the website that it's not easy but not impossible....
RR.

[hansgruyaert]

We didn't start looking for visa, but we're not intending to drive ourselves so maybe (hopefully) that will make things a little easier. We're renting cars over there.

But any suggestions about routes would be nice !

[TurboCharger]

Originally Posted by Tomek

Hi Hans,
If you get visas for your group, please let us know how.

My group is waiting for Algerian visas since 27. XII. 2010.
We planned to drive our cars, used Tanezrouft to get invitations. As far as I know our visa documents are still in Algiers.

Maybe flying in and hiring cars would be a solution since Algerians seem to avoid tourists in their own vehicles...

Regards

Tomek

Tomek,

Did you pay already the 10% deposit with Tanzerouft for the invitations?

This seems pretty unreliable system and it means you will be out of pocket if the visa is never obtained. Also it means that Tanzerouft end up with the unrefundable 10% deposit for doing nothing but sending a letter of invitation to the consulate/embassy.

Something smells fishy here.

Incidentally we are very interested by your situation as we obtained an offer from Tanzerouft for them to provide the letter of invitation. But I don't want to be stuck for 12 months, we plan to enter Algeria in November with our own bike... it might be a bit tight, I want to hedge my bets and not lay out too much money.

Thanks for any insights.

[Chris Scott]

I thought a good route through the western GEOc would be to follow the flat areas south from Taghit, then turn east across some occasional cordons and then south along a line that leads to Timimoun.
I cant recall if I made this up looking at Google Earth, or if it was based on previous routes - I think the latter. I have not done this route.
Flying over the GEO into Adrar last Feb, parts of it did not look like places where driving a 4x4 would be much fun, although if you look at the picture I've posted to show this, there is actually a sanded-over exploration road winding through there.

Hiring self-drive cars locally, forget it. Flying and and sitting in the back as part of an all-inclusive tour, easily done.

Ch

[Rui Pedro Tremoceiro]

Hi Hans,

Apart from that visa issue, the best part of Grand Erg Occidental is between Taghit oasis and Timmimoun. Check any map our book, all that route is nice.
Good luck.
Rui
Portugal

[TurboCharger]

What are the distances between petrol stops, anyone know where we can get reliable info on unleaded petrol in this region?

[hansgruyaert]

Thank you all for the input! I've been looking at pictures of the area between Taghit and Timimoun and indeed it looks very nice. We've been driving ourselves on previous occasions, but for this one just sit back and enjoy the ride seemed like the best option anyway . I'll let you know how things work out with the visa's...

[Chris Scott]

They'll have it up north but there is no UNL in the Algerian Sahara (anywhere south of Ghardaia) last time I looked.

Ch

[Tomek]

Hi Roro,

Originally Posted by roro

Do you think you can't obtain your visa because your group is too big?
I've read on Chris Scott's Sahara Overland ~ The book and the website that it's not easy but not impossible....
RR.

We wanted to go in two cars up to 8 people. I don't consider 8 people to be a big group but i may be wrong...

Regards

Tomek

[Tomek]

Hi Pascal,

Originally Posted by TurboCharger

Tomek,

Did you pay already the 10% deposit with Tanzerouft for the invitations?

Yes, we have paid it.

Originally Posted by TurboCharger

This seems pretty unreliable system and it means you will be out of pocket if the visa is never obtained. Also it means that Tanzerouft end up with the unrefundable 10% deposit for doing nothing but sending a letter of invitation to the consulate/embassy.

We still have a slight hope that eventually we get these visas, but if we don't we will ask for refund.

Originally Posted by TurboCharger

Something smells fishy here.

I do not want to accuse anybody of anything without a proof.

Originally Posted by TurboCharger

Incidentally we are very interested by your situation as we obtained an offer from Tanzerouft for them to provide the letter of invitation. But I don't want to be stuck for 12 months, we plan to enter Algeria in November with our own bike... it might be a bit tight, I want to hedge my bets and not lay out too much money.

How did you get visas? Which frontier post are you going to choose?


Regards

Tomek

[hieronymus]

When Tanezrouft sent an invitation to the embassy in The Hague last january by fax, I got my visa within 2 days......

[roro]

Originally Posted by Tomek

Hi Roro,



We wanted to go in two cars up to 8 people. I don't consider 8 people to be a big group but i may be wrong...

Regards

Tomek

2 cars is not a big group, for sure.
I don't understand where is the problem with your application considering that some other people have obtained their visas quickly with Tanezrouft.
RR.

[TurboCharger]

Originally Posted by Tomek

How did you get visas? Which frontier post are you going to choose?

Regards

Tomek

We haven't applied for the visa yet, we are waiting for Tanzerouft to provide more detail on the Itinerary and confirm travel dates, that's why I am so anxious.