Round Mediterranean Ride

[Paul Narramore]

I'm giving some thought to a bike ride around the Mediterranean, through France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Morocco to Spain. I would ride my Pan European. Some questions - Can this journey be accomplished entirely on tarmacced roads? Are their any countries where the political situation would prevent a safe passage through? Thanks.

[mcdarbyfeast]

Hi Paul,

My wife and I are embarking on a RTW in April next year. We were originally going the 'normal' route down through europe then Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India then ship to Singapore and travel around South East Asia. Lately though I was thinking that maybe we could go down through France and Spain, cross to Morroco at Gib' then South along the West coast before heading East towards Southern Algeria to the Libyan border then up through Tunisia and cross to Southern Italy then pick up on our original route.

Chris Scott says that Southern Algeria is fine for overlanders at the present time, however I'm not sure about the North, which has been a bit dodgy in the past, or the East of the country.


When are you intending to leave and in what direction ? Maybe we can meet up at some point.

....Bob

[This message has been edited by mcdarbyfeast (edited 20 October 2002).]

[jondoe]

Hi!

I'm allso wanted to do that,looking at the map looks very simple,tough!

But!
First,if u go ti Israel,U'll be 'persona non grata' in Jordan,Egipt,Libiya...
So u must skip it and take a ferry from Jordan to Egipt(see posts about details)

Second,north Algeria is not posibile,options:go to south Algeria from Tunisia for a detur trough Niger,Mauretanie,and then up tp Morocco,tought it's imposibile on paneuropean to go from South Algeria to Niger couse u'll have to go on and off piste(track)...

Third,the only option,for paneuropean is to leave Africa in Tunis(on ferry to Italy)

Check out other posts on that theme!

Happy Travels!

jondoe

[Paul Narramore]

Bob, I've only just started thinking about this journey and wondered what the pitfalls might be - political situation, unsuitable bike, poor roads, etc, so thanks for the offer of meeting you but it's still a pipedream at the moment.
Jondoe, I expected Israel to be the problem area. When you say 'persona no grata', how does that effect you travelling through these arab countries? Would I simply not be allowed in? Is it a bit like travelling between North and South Nicosia in Cyprus where neither groups of border guards wants you to travel across the border and try to make things difficult for the traveller, but without actually preventing you? It's beginning to sound as if it's all going to be too much trouble, eh?

[jondoe]

Hi Paul!

As I heard in BB u would not be permited to enter eny country around Israel,u can't exit Israel on land.
I did'nt actualy did it,so it's a second hand information.

I sugest to u to search BB on that theme(eg. Israel) and contact one who actualy had problems,or who knows more ditails about it.I tell u what i'v read in BuletinBord.

Here is a helpfull link : http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000226.html

Cheers

jondoe

[This message has been edited by jondoe (edited 22 October 2002).]

[Paul Narramore]

Thanks Jondoe, there seems to be a fair bit of sound advice there. I don't think I'll be bothering to see North Africa on a Pan

[Kudi]

One prop you might have is that the border between Algeria and Morocco is closed for Non-African residents. There is no way to cross it unless the expensive Algeria-Spain-Morocco ferries or the long way through Mauretania/Western Sahara.

Cheers, Kudi

[GWJ]

Hi

I'm not sure about the situation now, but a couple of years ago I had no problem entering either Jordan or Egypt, both bordering on Israel, with a heap of Israeli stamps in my passport. I can't imagine things have changed that much.

Having said that, these are about the only two countries in the area that will accept travellers that have been to Israel.

Good luck!

Jim