Morocco, Mauritania, Mali

[sonjagael]

We are planning to take our two yamaha xt225s through africa. small problem though, we hear al quaeda is threatening to kill all westerners traveling across the sahara. so, to ship to senegal or to go overland anyway? is anyone still taking the atlantic route down? how about the algerian route? or are we all cancelling our trips? sigh.

we are also interested in joining up with people if anyone wants to go, but not sure if we´re overlanding it anymore. we are definitely going to morocco though from spain. don´t know how long we´ll stay but it would be nice to meet some of you along the way.

thanks for the help!

sonja and gael

[mystic]

Hi Sonja & Gael

I'm planning riding down the Atlantic route via Spain, Maroc, WS, Mauri to Senegal & Gambia, leaving mid March. Hoping much of the current panic, concerns, and rumour-mongering etc will have receded by then! The incident involving the shooting of the 4 French tourists occurred way way to the east of the north-south coastal route. It would take a total ban on all tourist movement to stop me. If really necessary, may have resort to traveling in convoy with others through the affected section.
Fingers crossed!
When are you traveling? More than happy to meet up if our respective timings permit.

Ride safe.

Mike

[ArschaufGrundeis]

Hallo Sonja. Hallo Gael,
when are You planning to leave?
I wanted to take the ferry this Saturday Genua to Tangers, but I cancelled to gain a little bit more time to gather information. I guess I will leave around January 15th from Austria and just drive to Spain (4x4 bus) and than the atlantic route down to Mali.

www.insbruck-bamako.at


is my outfit, but now everybody, who wanted to come along, cancelled. Maybe we can join up.

(Sorry hp in German only, got some nice pictures though)

Greetings
Arthur

[HaroldT]

Nice site and and nice and good trip!

We want to go also to Babmako an futher too bokina faso an Ghana and than back by boot and plane.
We going bij Motorbike an Sidecar Do you have tips wahat we must see??

I saw the pic Nice man!

greetings Harold Tijssen

[Tim Cullis]

I've just riden through Western Sahara and northern Mauritania to Nouackchott, the capital. Tomorrow I'm riding to Senegal. There are many other travellers on the road and as it happens, Nick Sanders' group of 25 riders going to Timbuctou are staying at the same auberge.

The travel advice from the British Foreign Office is unchanged since before the attack on the tourists and the rally cancellation.

TIm

[juddadredd]

Not to be harsh but for Once and for all There is NO Al Quaeda.

Do your research on the subject look at Alex Jones many sites, WhatReallyHappened.com etc

There maybe robbers, muggers, Pick Pockets etc but you won't be held by Al Quaeda.

Every Single Muslim I've ever met has been friendly as hell towards me, that includes various places where I was and I really don’t like all the bad press they get all the time (I’m white as most of the guys on here know).

If you think they exist then check all of the arrest rates against actual convictions, then see how many of the convictions are actually terror based less than 0.5% really go check it out. The UK Gov. likes to arrest people then drop the original charges and sentence then with the lesser crimes that they uncover from their background checks.

But have a interesting/eventful/safe journey and please be friendly with everyone you meet whoever they maybe as they really don’t want to harm you.

[mattpope]

I'm also looking at a mid March departure once work commitments sort themselves out. My plan is a 3-weeker one way to the Gambia then fly home. I must admit I am more worried about mechanical reliability than this Alan Quaeda character.

Maybe I'll see you one the road somewhere Mystic. Looks like our paths may cross at some point. Hope your preparations are going well. I now have a map......

Cheers.

Matt

[airamerica]

Know somebody the something about (price & regulation) in Morocco, Mali, Mauritania?

[detnol]

In Mali : in bars and hotels, no problem - legal. Less than an euro for a big bottle (halve a littre) except in tourist places and tourist hotels where they ask max. 2 euros.

[HaroldT]

A question About visa in Those contries.

Are you alle get the visas while your traveling or do you all arange the most visa before traveling.

[sonjagael]

we're glad to know that people are still crossing regularly. To the poster who wrote about Al Quaeda, we understand perfectly well but have been traveling and away from news so when we heard that the dakar was cancelled (by my paranoid and panicked mother) we wanted to know what was going on. Either way, the fact that they cancelled the dakar is something to be concerned about even if the rally takes place in much more remote parts of the desert.

So we are now in CHefchaouen and heading south; is anyone planning to cross along the atlantic towards the end of january or beginning of february? it would be nice to go down with someone else. Keep in mind that we are traveling with 225cc bikes and have top speeds of 90 to 100km/hr. We also have never driven in sand (should be interesting ). Although the atlantic route is paved for the most part right?

Let us know, either way it would be nice to meet up and have a or a coffee if we can't find one.

Safe travels.

Gael & Sonja

[panderingpeter]

Any reports of HUBB folks riding a route from Mauri to Mali (not necessarily the Route de Jihad) recently?

Are Mauri police advising not to take the road; is there some warning sign at the turn-off from the Atlantic route?

[MetusUK]

I leave on the 10th March 2008. Islamic terrorists can be a problem but i spent 3 1/2 months in afghanistan and I have to say common sense is the easiest defence....

[pedrofconti]

We are crossing the strait to Tangiers on the 26, plan to pass the Mauri border around the 29 or 30, then to Atar on the railway trail. To 110's, red and beige, would be nice to meet on the road.

Pedro

[Ronnie79]

sonjagael, Yes there is tarmac all the way from Morocco to Senegal except for a km or two between the borders of Western Sahara and Mauretania. Keep to the tracks there, risk of landmines if you don't!