Niger info

[Bartosz]

Hi folks
I got this info yestrday from guide in Niger. It can be useful for planing travel:
"For schedule in Niger the route you trace is no go area for now ,because the Ministry of tourisme did not allowed any travel agency to go to that side for this year .:

Gougaram,Iferouane,Temet,BlueMountains,AdrarChirie t,Arakao,Kogo,Timia,Assodé et Elmeki is no go area at the moment;
The place we can go now is :
Arlit,Agadez,Falaise de Tguidit,barghot,oufagadod,Arbre Ténéré,Fachi,Bilma,Dirkou,Seguedime,Chirfa,Djad o,Orida,Ténéré Tafassessat,Adrar Madet,Arachima Sud,Amzegar et Agade"

It seems that the most woderfull part of Niger is closed now.

[Richard Washington]

Fachi,Bilma,Dirkou,Seguedime,Chirfa,Djado,Orida,Tà ©néré Tafassessat,Adrar Madet.....


are still amazing parts of the Sahara to visit

[mudmaps]

Its only a few weeks since the peace agreemnet has been signed and there are stories about a lot of unexploded mines.

I'll ask my tour operator mate up there for more info.

[mudmaps]

Yep, got partial confirmation from Niamey. Landmines are the worry.

There are tracks open including to Arlit, Arakao, Tafassaset, Arbre Tenere and Yofagadot. Apparently Blue Mountains are open, as is Chiriet.

Shame about Timia, Assode and Temet though - I loved those places.

[Chris Scott]

From what I heard the land mines were in the Aïr where tracks have to funnel through defiles so a mine can be effective. The Temet dune route is also a well-defined corridor to mine.

But if you can get round the outside of the Aïr via Anakom and then as Mud says from Arakao to Chiriet and Blue Mountains (if not Temet) and over Tafassaset to the east side then it's all good for desert tourism (if not for people in Aïr villages).

Ch

Later: Actually Arakao Chiriet and Blue are still off limits I have just been told (as well as Aïr in general).

[priffe]

There was a thwarted kidnappng attempt of fout geologists near Arlit in October, An Aqim operative was arrested
Wanted Mauritanian terrorist caught in Niger (Magharebia.com)

I can't find any info anywhere on the kidnapping attempt in Tahoua, November 13 when US embassy employees were attacked in a hotel?