Mauritania travel info wanted
 

Looking to travel from Sierra Leone to Germany in the spring of 2013. After poring over maps and guide books the route through Mali to eastern Mauritania looks interesting and off the beaten path.
Anyone have any recent travel info? My thought was come up through Bamako to Nara, into Mauritania through Ayoun el Atrous and then on towards Nouadhibou and into Morocco.
Is that a reasonable route? Too risky given the situation in Mali?

You'll find out when you get there, but I would say Nara is perhaps too far east and close to {former?) AQIM areas. Before the takeover of north Mali there were skirmishes here in the 'Forest of Wagadou' (or something like that) and lately reports suggest they're spreading out.

Better to plan to head into Mori via Nioro. The rest of your route looks fine, either via the road or including a few pistes.

Ch

Mauritania
 

I traveled about a year ago from Nouakchott east as far as Ayoun then south to Diema, Didieni , and Bamako.
No problems, roads are under construction, or in Bad shape. You will be stopped a lot ( 49 times ) by police road blocks, so be sure and have your " fish " .
Mali has changed in the north , from what friends in Bamako have said.
Fuel up every chance you get in Mauritania !

I have collect some links of people who was on the west this year - or are currently on the way.

Trans-Africa: Gerade Unterwegs...

Have a look, when you have enough time for.

Feel free to add some in a comment - you may have meet some more :thumbup1:

why do you need a fish......i actualy remember being on a overland truck out there and we did have a dryed out blowfish straped to the frount of the truck

He means 'fiche' - French for form.

A pre-printed batch of them filled out with your details (download here and adapt as you like) can speed up checkpoints.

Ch

So how many copies of this information sheet do I need? Is 100 copies reasonable? Am I correct in assuming that photocopiers are available at least at border crossings as they were in Latin America?

I have not been down there lately but would have thought 40 (10 pages) will be plenty.
Cant imagine you can rely on photocopiers at Mali/Mori border posts as they're not part of the immigration process like in C Am.
So fill out all but the date of entry bit at any cybercafe with a printer, then do the DoE by hand, as and when.
They may also want a visa#

These forms aren't essential - they just save time and make the job easier for checkpointman. If you're not rushed and like to talk football, don't bother ;-)

Ch

i still want to take a fish