Mauritania/Mali Border

[NCR]

Hi,

Going to Timbouktou next year.

Is it possible to cross from Mauritania to Mali through Nampala (and not Nara)???

Thanks and regards,

NCR

[Luis]

Originally posted by NCR:

Is it possible to cross from Mauritania to Mali through Nampala (and not Nara)???

Hi NCR,

As you know I'm very interested in this answer

About crossing near Nampala, looking at Michelin 741 it seems that you have Mauritania customs posts at Medd Allah and Mali customs posts at Léré, northeast of Nampala. Also seems (map flag based conclusion ) that you can check-out at Nema and check-in at Tombouctou... going east through Lerneb and Gargando...

But this is 'on the map'. Actually I've only reports of people crossing clear at Abel Bagrou to Nara. And reports of customs problems crossing at Medd Allah/Nampala and bandits at Lerneb/Gargando...

Anyone have more info on this subject?

Thanks&Rgds,
Luis Lourenco
LC8

[earthworm]

Are there any possibilities to cross further West? e.g. Kiffa - Kayes (Kankossa) or Ayoun el Atrous - Nioro (Kobenni)?

[BenW]

For Earthworm:

Yes, it is possible to cross from Mauri into Mali from Ayoun el Atrous to Nioro du Sahel. It's tarmac road almost all the way from Ayoun to the Mali border, then it's dirt tracks from there onwards. I went that way in August and the road was almost completed (just a couple of k's short at the Ayoun el Atrous side.

B

[gjackson]

It is also possible to cross from Kiffa to Kayes. It is a nice dirt track, not too hard. Have to do customs and immigration in Kiffa then in Kayes.

cheers

Graham Jackson
www.africaoverland.org

[NCR]

Hi Luis,

Where can I get more info on the bandits issue???

Regards,

(Very alarmed) NCR

[bernardo feio lightweight]

hi

We did Kiffa - Kayes passing through Kankossa in august 2004. A big part of the piste was under water. We had to leave the main track lots of times and we took two and a half days!!...


------------------
best regards from Portugal
bernardo feio lightweight

[Luis]

Originally posted by bernardo feio lightweight:
hi

We did Kiffa - Kayes passing through Kankossa in august 2004. A big part of the piste was under water. We had to leave the main track lots of times and we took two and a half days!!...

[Luis]

I meant not blank, but

Better to switch on Portuguese

[Luis]

Originally posted by NCR:
Hi Luis,

Where can I get more info on the bandits issue???

Regards,

(Very alarmed) NCR

Let's stay on English

Last banditry occurrence in the area
here. It seems that bandit groups are active around Timbuktu, mainly in the north regions, but also in the Mauritania border. I think it was exactly in this area that last year Dakar Rally stage was cancelled due to bandits moving around. You can easily find reports searching for banditry and Timbuktu. But most of them advise against travelling all regions around Timbuktu, rather than only north area...

So, better not to take risks... and choose the most used roads. As far as I know it is through Nara and Nampala.

Anybody has more info?

Thanks&regards,

Luis

[gjackson]

We did Kiffa to Kayes last March. No water except in the river, but that can be avoided by driving around. Took us 2 days easy driving.

. . .but maybe the water would have been more fun! :-)

Graham
www.africaoverland.org

[Luis]

More important for us than info about Mauritania/Mali border at Nara/Nampala, has anyone more info about the security situation around Timbuktu? And in the north track of Niger river from Timbuktu to Gao?

Thanks,

Luis

[africanik]

Does anybody have recent experience on crossing the Mauri-Mali border between Ayoun and Nioro (via Kubanni), or the one between Kiffa and Kayes (via Kankossa)?

This thread is quite old and I could not find up-to-date information elsewhere.
Of course traffic has been very limited in this sector given troubles that have happened in the past; but I suppose some travellers are still passing by (or attempting to). Any recent information would be useful.

Thanks!

[priffe]

No problems either route.
Ayoun-Nioro is asphalt and fairly boring.
Kankossa - Kayes is a lovely piste, hard to do in wet season but in dry season can even be done with 2wd with some although not easily.
Usual precautions apply. Don't drive after sunset etc.

[africanik]

Thank you priffe, very useful info!

One more question regarding the border crossing. I am about to apply for Mali visas in my home country's embassy, and among documents they require copies of flight tickets. I seem to understand that telling that we'd arrive by land is not likely to work (it would do in Rabat or NCK, but probably not here). Pretending to have a flight ticket seems to be an option, but I wonder if the planned entry point is then recorded on the visa, and if so, if they may care about it at the border.
Just an excess of caution maybe...

Thank you!!