Nouakchott to Bamako - Advice Needed

[borneoman]

Hi,

Has anyone recently traveled from Nouakchott (Mauritania) to Bamako (Mali) using Nouakchott - Kiffa - Ayoun el Atrous - Nioro - Bamako road. How is the road like, gas stations along the way, places to stay, police escort still required etc.

It is about 1,500 km desert road and what is your advise to a person riding a motorcycle which can go 350 km full tank.

Is Nouakchott - Dakar - Bamako route a better choice?

Appreciate your advice and thanking in advance.

Borneoman

[schenkel]

I have travelled on this route early December 2013.
The road was good, only that bit between Kiffa and Tintane was not tarred.
Gas stations are a bit of a problem as not every station stocks petrol. Every time I stopped at a station I could see petrol and diesel pumps but always it was diesel only available, so get your Jerrycan ready.
There was petrol in Aleg, Kiffa and Ayoun el Atrous but don't count on this info as they might not have petrol. On the other hand you can get petrol from the black market at a little higher price. There was no petrol in Guerou.
With 350 km tank range you will be fine just top up every time you see a petrol station.
In Guerou there is a nice hotel called Saimpex in Marche Mahfoud. It is located right behind the market. Nice rooms, air conditioning en-suite and tv very clean with secure inside parking. In Ayoun el Atrous there is Aioun Hotel, en-suite, basic, but clean, with secure parking. You can also bush camp.
There was no police escort in Mauri.
There was police escort in Mali and still is, but I didn't need any. I think you probably wouldn't need escort on a bike, just make sure there is no room for pillion rider.
Top up your tank at Ayoun el Atrous and head south to Nioro, the road is good. Then down to Diema, Kolokani and Bamako. Petrol available everywhere in Mali.
When it comes to hotels I just ask locals and they are always very helpful, and will show you the way, they can even ride/drive in front of you to show you the way!
Look out for camels and other animals and particularly donkeys.
All info above is nine month old.

Cheers
Schenkel

[Whiskey]

@Borneoman: keep in mind that in Mauritania petrol has just round 70 octanes. Consumption will be much higher.

[Surfy]

We did Kiffa - Keyes at Dezember 2012 - which was a lot of fun. At first you see many traces in the sand. You try to follow the best visible one.



And later you will got lost.. Driving in the direction to Mali without a path, that was an adventure like we love it.

We did got lost severall times, because the lane vanished in the sand.. Therefore we was in villages where it was sometimes not possible to drive trough with a 2m wide vehicle Had to seach a driveable way severrall times. We dont know if it can be easier, mabye we just loose the "normal" path.

The trackbuilding is in progress there, so we dont know how long you can enjoy that area like we did.

There we didnt see police or military till the border are, this way is probably not the safest route.

Nouakchott - Ballou - Keyes - Mahina - Kita - Bamako looks safer to me.

Personally I guess i would think about the Kiffa-Keyes tour... But if the risk is worth the fun - that is stuff you just can decide yourself.. On a transafrica there are enough areas to have a lot of fun - without risk...

Surfy

[borneoman]

Hi again,

Thank you all for the responses, really appreciate them.

Another question - is there any way I could get TKC 80 tires in Dakar or Bamako - either buying from someone or somebody who could order them. Need to change my tire badly.

Thanks again.

Borneoman

[Itsalongwaytotipperary]

I drove that way about a month ago in my LC. Tarmac the whole way, no problems. I didn't stop for fuel so can't comment there but I know it's available in Kiffa, Alyoun and Diema at least.

Lots of road blocks on the Mauritanian side and no police escort on the Mali side.

For lack of a better and safer option I bush camped just east of Diema (where someone was kidnapped in 2012) and twice during the night it seemed as if a group of men with torches were searching for me, quite scary so I really would not recommend stopping in that area at all, either in the town or not.