It's a very African solution. If you don't have a carnet then you're 'stuffed'.

But if you do have a carnet, then they don't use it, but issue you a Senegalese document in it's place.

So, your carnet never gets stamped, but you do need it... doh

Travel safe, Sam.

Somebody told me that ATA carnet is good as well. I bought it (its cheaper then normal carnet) and will try if it works. I plan to get to the border on 1.12
will let you know what happened and wish me luck :D

Thanx Sam, it is a true African solution indeed:) How much did the Senegalese document (passevant I suppose) cost? Or a better question: how much was the total cost of the border crossing WITHOUT the Carnet?
thanx and good luck to P4jk!

just crossed the mauritania,
no visa at the border!
the situation seems much better than 9 months ago,they let us driving during the night,we camp at the beginning of the track to Djema without problems,
there are a lot of militars around the east part of the country they told us.
Andrea.

1. Price of diesel 375 ougia - pretty much the same everywhere. "Bandit diesel" from a canister is about 350 ougia - in Oadane for example.
2.Senegal border - best to go to Rosso -Diama is more complicated. At Rosso either chance the chaos or ask for assistance from Alpha, very helpfull and sensible. On the Senegal side you will need to ask for a Pass avant - which cost 2500cfa for 24 hours - it needs to be extended in Dakar at the port - a real hassle - we are just transiting so no need. Will do the crossing on Thursday with a 4x4 so will confirm newest info.
3. Everywhere in Mauritania we kept hearing the mantra - "pour votre securitee". Police and Gendarmerie are courteous and take great care to know your whereabouts. We travelled to to Adrar and from there to the Tagan region and everywhere they took our details and wanted us to register at every check point.
4. Have your "fiche" , the gendarmerie want it - also include your visa number and the date of entry.
5. Definetely no VISA or chance of getting a VISA at the Mauritanian border. Get it in Rabat....

Can confirm the above
WITHOUT a CARNET you are stuffed.

The current situation as of 1.11.2012 is as follows>
the crossing at Rosso from the Mauritanian side is 14500 ougia

On the senegal side it is 10000 cfa
The Senegalese DO NOT accept the Carnet but WILL NOT issue a passavant without it. If you do not have it then you will need an escort to Dakar which can be astronomical, it was suggested to me the price is around 150 000 cfa....but you will be directed to discuss it with the station chief.

At Diama the going price for the passavant without the escort is 200 euro through the station chief Zargan.

In our case we obtained a passavant for 5000 cfa on the back of an old expired Carnet page with the assistance of a local fixer. Our regular assistant in these matters is a Mauritanian by the name of Ifra, a relaxed sensible guy in the midst of all this craziness. Importantly he speaks english.

Also do not forget the insurance.......without it you face a grande infraction and loads of hassle.

Sorry for making things more muddier

jeiger

Excellent update by everyone.

I did this leg in 2009 (Morocco-Dakar) and at that time we got our Mauri visas on the border going south from WS - things have definitely changed. It was murky though, only in French were we able to get the visas - speaking English led nowhere...

Diama Nov 2012
 

Hi all,
Just wanted to post our experiences from November 2012.
The Diama crossing was an absolute breeze, the piste was good and everyone very friendly.
The 48 hr passavant officially costs 25000 CFA, but we were chatting and joking and they forgot to collect payment.
We managed to extend for a further 10 days at zero cost via the Colonel du Douane in St Louis. (see other Diama thread http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...crossing-65665) Again, a thoroughly pleasant experience.
I would seriously think before assuming Rosso is easier, 2 days after we crossed Diama we got a text from a friend recounting his Rosso experiences from that day.
Extortion, violence and corruption of the highest order were enough to put him off west Africa for the foreseeable.

ATA carnet works without a problem.
good luck to you all, I had big troubles in Mauri border at Diamma, but Senegal side went easy.