Recent info on Marlboro route

[Redhouse]

I am looking for (recent) information about travel by 4x4 on the “Marlboro piste” from Al Quatrun in Libya down through Dirkou to Agadez in Niger. I have read it is not recommended for first-time Saharans but I would like to understand what exactly makes this route challenging. Is it because of security issues (smugglers/bandits) in this area? Or is it because of remoteness, long distances between water/petrol supplies? Or does it require technically difficult driving?

In fact, does anyone have recent info on the security situation in northern Niger (in particular Tenere desert & Air mountains). After arriving in northern Niger we would like to visit Djado and do a trip through the Tenere and the Air mountains. Is it possible to find a good guide in Segoudine, Dirkou or even Bilma for this or does one have to drive straight via the main piste to Agadez and arrange it from there?


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Cheers!
Michiel.

[ferdi]

Hi Michiel,
contact Elkontchi (Le pelerin de desert-Agadez/Niamey) for secure staying in Air: +227979500 (portable).
Good luck an tell something, when you're back
Ferdi

[Chris Scott]

Hi Michiel, go here: http://www.sahara-overland.com/typos/
and click in p.601 for a recent pdf as far as Madama. From there it's fairly clear.

I think some American guy on this forum - Tim or Tom? - did this route recently as a first timer?? in an old 60, but IMO it's quite a steep learning curve unless you have a lot of money behind you. All the reasons you give are what makes it challenging (though I have not done the El Gat-Dirkou section myself).
Much depends on appropriate preparation (which is not as easy as just buying heaps of gear)

From what I hear, Tenere is the same as it's been for a while: not without risks.
Djado plateau safe and occupied by jumpy Niger Army, inner Air always a risk (northern part closed).

Escorts are not hard to find on the east side; they may force one on your anyway as early as Sequedine. Getting a guide and not a just some soldier who wants a lift to Agadez, is another matter. To get an agency guide out of Agadez will cost you his transit to Dirkou, etc but would be be worth it to have an actual guide not an escort if you actually want to see the area and not just shoot through.
Have a look at some of the agencies listed here: http://www.sahara-overland.com/country/niger.html or the guy above. I'm sure others will was recomendations too

Chris S

[roro]

Hi Chris

My english is not very good and I don't unterstand very well the following points :

"it's quite a steep learning curve"

What does it means ?

"(which is not as easy as just buying heaps of gear)"

Idem .

"they may force one on your anyway as early as Sequedine "

Does it means Niger army won't let you pass without an escort to go to Bilma or to Agadez ?

I have already done the trip between Seguedine and Agadez in 1991 ( after a loop in Air ) and I plan to do the same route in 2006 with 2 vehicles ( only Seguedine-Bilma-Agadez and coming from Libya ) .

Thanks for your reply .

RR .

[Chris Scott]

Hi Ro,
"it's quite a steep learning curve" is a bit of jargon meaning that you have a lot to learn in a very short time which can cause problems.

"(which is not as easy as just buying heaps of gear)"

I think first timers can mistake 'preparation' with the act of fitting a snorkel and buying sand ladders - the 'cool' expedition things. IMO preparation includes taking on a smaller trip on which you will learn much about what to expect in the true Sahara from yourself or your vehicle.
We tend to forgrt it but this is the Sahara after all - at the very least sliding back down that steep learning curve (as I have done) costs you a whole lot of money.

Does it means Niger army won't let you pass without an escort to go to Bilma or to Agadez ?
It is possible but then it is also Africa - Dao Timmi may radio on, a patrol may spot you. Generally I think it is rare to get out of Dirkou (fuel) without picking up a guide/escort. Then again, for Bilma Fachi Agadez you may want one.

Right now I think the Tumu-Agadez is the only real trans-Sahara route going and a guide in the Tenere need not be seen as such a wasted necessity as escorts currently are in Algeria and Libya.

Ch

[tmborden]

Hi Michiel:

As Chris mentioned, my wife and I did the Marlboro Piste crossing in December of this year in a 1985 HJ60. This was actually my second Sahara crossing - I did the Tanezrouft route through Algeria and Mali in 1991 in one vehicle. On this recent trip from Al Gatrun to Agadez, we made plans (thru this forum) to meet up with another couple from Germany who were planning to the same route at the same time in an HJ61. We set a date to meet at Mohammed's fort in Al Gatrun and set out from there together with no guide. I would not recommend this route to anyone who wants to do it solo in one vehicle. But in two vehicles with spare parts and a knowledge of how to fit them, with experienced travelers who know how to use a GPS and navigational maps, this route is definitely doable without a guide. But the driving is very hard on your truck for all 2-3 days to Seguedine, lots of soft sand, rutted tracks, rocky piste. And the navigation for the first 150 km is confusing because of all the lorrie tracks heading in many directions (most of them not the direction you want to be heading). We had no problem with the military checkpoints at Madama and Dao (we skipped the one at Tumu b/c our GPS route ran east of the camp) - in fact, they were very friendly at both.

Seguedine is another story. The military there were fairly unfriendly and chose to give us quite a few hassles over our paperwork (Feuille de Route - make sure you have one). And when we told them we were headed to Djado, they insisted that we take a local kid as a guide. Which was actually fine with us as he knew the area very well. I would definitely recommend going straight to Djado from Seguedine before you then double back and head to Dirkou for your passport control.

Setting out on the Bilma-Fachi-Agadez route, we checked in with the authorities in Bilma and they didn't seem to mind that we were doing this route without a guide. The driving on this route was relatively easy - once you're up on the erg the sand is flat, the gassis are pretty easy to navigate with the balises. And even if you didn't have GPS points to follow, you could often just follow the camel tracks (at least the time of year we went) almost all the way to the Arbre du Tenere. But again, we were in two vehicles - I wouldn't recommend doing it solo unless you were experienced and knew the route and your vehicle well.

As for bandits/outlaws, we had no problems during our entire trip. But that may not say anything about the situation right now.

Have a great trip. Tell Mohammed in Al Gatrun that 'the Americans' send him our hearty regards.

Cheers,
Tom

[roro]

Thanks for your reply , Chris ( and I agree with you about "preparation" and utlity of a guide ).

RR .

[Redhouse]

Thanks guys, you have all been very helpful so far!

To explain a bit further: Yes, this would be our first Sahara crossing. But we are not completely new to Africa, having travelled in Ethiopia, Zambia and Madagascar earlier. Also have a bit of 4x4 driving experience but not yet enough.

The trip is planned for next winter, starting october/november. We have a fine travel-ready HJ61 and will spend all spring and summer learning to take various bits apart and putting them back together again. And of course we will do a lot of terrain driving. BTW does anyone know a place in Northern Europe where you can practise dune-driving?

Once one our way, we plan to spend up to one month in Libya doing the classic routes before deciding whether we are ready to cross down into Niger. Most likely, we would only do this if we manage to hook up with another vehicle in Al Quatrun. So: anyone going this way middle/end November?

I'm planning to make arrangements for a guide with an agency in Agadez, to make sure we don't end up with a 'zombie soldier' as I have read in several travelogues. This depends a bit on the price though.

I'm used to GPS navigation and we will of course get the IGN maps and possibly the Russian ones (not sure whether I want to be dragging a laptop around though). Thinking of renting a Thuraya phone although I realise you don't just call the "wegenwacht" (mobile roadside mechanics) if you are stuck with a problem.

Does this sound like a feasible plan? Anything else you recommend? Or do you consider this completely irresponsible and likely to get us killed?

[Redhouse]

One more thing: I was under the impression that the "feuille de route" is something you obtain when you enter a country. A sort of authorisation to proceed along a certain route. How can you possibly have a Nigerien feuille on arrival in Seguedine?

Oh and don't worry; I'll be back with more questions later on I'm sure.

[Chris Scott]

Your plan sounds OK to me, especially if you hook up with another car for the crossing. The worst that can happen is you get robbed.
I think a Thuraya is always useful/wise, whether you need repairs or not.

Regarding your "feuille" question - I also thought it was a permit issued out of Agadez (and maybe Bilma?) to travel in the Tenere. So why would Seguedine ask for one if they know you have come direct from Madama unless they are just trying it on, as they do...
Maybe they expect people to have come up from Agadez via Bilma/Dirkou like most tours.

Ch

[tmborden]

regarding the Feiulle de Route, we didn't have one and the military/police gave us a lot of hassle in Seguedine because of it. they also hassled us quite a bit for one in Chirfa, the small village that you hit after you pass the military post at the entry to the Djado area. in fact, we were forced to pay about 50 euro for a "special Feuille de Route" for Djado that the tourism official in Chirfa wrote up for us.

we met a group that had their own fake Feuille de Route that they printed up in Europe - that worked well for them.

[gvdaa]

Feuille de route is a travel permit. You officially need it for the area east of Agades. When entering from Libya, you normally buy it in Madama. If not there, then in Dao Timni, Seguedine or any other place where they ask for it. In some places, like Segeudine, local authorities will ask for loads of money for the permit. In other places they are more reasonable, or even say you don't need one (like Bilma or Dirkou).

[Redhouse]

OK, Thanks!

So Tom (or others), my obvious next question: Could I somehow get a copy/scan of your feullie de route documents? I could probably 'construct' a version for our trip that could come in handy.

Also, another 'paperwork' question, although strictly speaking not a Sahara issue: Is a carnet needed to enter Cameroon? The Dutch AA (ANWB) says it is "recommended". Does this mean a bit of money at the border lets you pass without one? Will it cause problems when we ship out our vehicle? (planning to ship it back from Douala).

Thanks once more!

P.S. Chris: Excellent book, thanks very much for writing it! I have the 1st ed. from the library but the new version is on its way (as should the desert driving DVD).

[ferdi]

Hi Redhouse,

if you tell me your e-mail, I will give you a concept.

Ferdi

[Redhouse]

The address is mrodenhuis#tiscali.nl (replace # with @).

Thanks Ferdi!