Hoggar Route - Public Transport?

[saharacross]

Hi there

Is there any way of taking public transport (bus/bush-taxis) from the Tunisian border area to the Hoggar mountain region?

If so, would a guide need to be hired to travel with you?

Thanks in advance!

[Chris Scott]

This is occasionally asked so FWIW I will give my HO as as I understand the situatiuon now.

An independent, unescorted road trip through the Algerian Sahara is not currently possible. Coming in from the north (not Tuni) and speaking the language and quickly making local friends may get you far, but it takes some travelling nous to do it this way.

There is plenty of transport from town to town, all the way to the south. Tam to Algiers in a benzadrine minibus takes 3 days I think!

My advice would be to avoid the Tuni border where they know too well what to do with tourists, and fly or ferry into Algiers where you can walk out free (or hop on a morning plane to Tam next day).

Restrictions on road travel/foreign tourists in the south begin at El Meniaa for Tam (or Hassi Messaoud on the road to Djanet), last I know. You may not get let on a bus/taxi here if for no other reason than the driver risks getting in trouble, and maybe you too, at the several town checkpoints thereafter (because the checkpoint guys will get into trouble too). So you may need an escort which is either galling or a cultural opportunity, depending on your pov.

But if you fly into Tam (£100-ish) I had a feeling you can get out of the airport without the expectation of being with a guide - just blend in with the group tours spilling out and getting into the agency 4x4s. Then you can wander around Tam unhindered, FWIW.
But getting to the nearby mts will require a 4x4 or camel support, all of which must be arranged locally. Generally in Tam they are a bit cooler about tourist but you can't wander alone into the desert alone without attracting attention.

If you do it this way I would advise obtaining the visa with the "evidence of first night hotel booking" option (in Alger). A young bloke I met at the London embassy recently got one by the skin of his teeth so you need a good story (he was on the trail of Camus). Make out you are visiting the north (currently not entirely safe), then slip off south and see how far you get. Dont take the more conventional "agency invite" visa route so you dont get them into trouble should you do something wrong.

By regional standards Algerians are particularly great people: bright, interested and hospitable giving no hassle. But remember (you, or anyone reading this), acting irresponsibly (as some Germans did near Djanet in 2004/5 was it?) will only delay any possible lifting of restrictions which has really nailed independent tourism in Alg since 2003. So be adventurous but do the right thing.

Ch