South Algeria - areas open for travelers

[Joris]

Hi,

What areas are currently open for travelers in South Algeria and under what conditions? - I got some conflicting info from travel agencies in Djanet and Tam. I am particularly interested in:

- Hoggar
- Tassili N'Ajjer between Ihrir/Dider/Essendilene/Djanet
- Tassili N'Ajjer around Jabbaren

Thanks,

Joris

[Chris Scott]

Welcome to the HUBB Joris.

If by 'Hoggar' you mean the Atakor region just NE of Tam (basically the track to Assekrem and back) then I have never known that to be closed.
Tassili du Hoggar - great region southeast of Tam - has been closed in recent years, but now don't know.

I don't believe the road from Ilizzi to Djanet (including sealed dead-end to Iherir) is closed to tourists, nor is Essendilene (short piste), but major pistes off the road may be, including a transit to Tam (as with Tassili Hoggar, reasons unclear).

Tassili N'Ajjer plateau is not closed AFAIK and anyway Jabbaran can be visited in a day trip from Djanet.

We recently got invites to visit Djanet area this winter.

Wherever you go in the south of Algeria you will need an agency escort.

Ch

[andrasz]

We are due to go for a trek on the plateau in two weeks, no restrictions there. To my understanding, no restrictions either on the Djanet to Illizi route and environs. From what I gather, it is still not possible to do Djanet - Tam by the road. Will be able to give more updates when we're back at the end of the month.

[Chris Scott]

Well, according to the London consulate the whole south is closed to tourists.
'the South is too dangerous - it is our responsibility...'.

I explained I was there last January (it was possibly the same woman who issued me the visa in London that time) - she didn't have an answer for that. And that I heard a Brit go a visa in September (not sure if it's true - one of yours, Andras?). She didn't have an answer for that either, but from her manner there was no negotiation so I guess it's a [new?] UK consular edict.
As is widely known, Algerian consulates around the world exercise their own discretion on whether the south is safe for tourism.
And it's not like they took the money and then strung it out for weeks until it gets too late (a tactic used elsewhere), or picked holes in the apps - it was 'no way' up front.

I was told we could travel to the north (some sort of laissez passer was mentioned), so with cars this might be used as a dodge to try and get south.

I was also informed last week by an Algerian that visa regs have changed - but was not told what has changed exactly. Don't know if this is what was meant. I dont think so.

Ch

[Barrie Dunbar]

Algerian guides are required to submit an application to their interior ministry for approval, before issuing invitations. The application needs to include all client details, together with a comprehensive itinerary.
Once the application has been approved by the ministry (and scrawled all over in confirmation), it and the invitations can then be faxed to the relevant consulates.
Regarding faxes vs originals, and indeed access to the south east; this seems to depend not only on which consulate, but also on who the guide is (some are more 'well-connected' than others).
I've got people of three different nationalities (therefore consulates) joining me to the Tadrart in February, Inch'Allah, so we'll see...
Barrie

[Chris Scott]

I have to admit our invite looked rather skimpy (names; DoB, ppt#) and it was an emailed pdf too, not an original (printed in colour it looked reasonably kosher). No MoI stamps/confs either, but I was told it had worked September.

I agree some agencies are better connected than others, but Essendilene have been around for years (I used them in 2000, for a side trip into Tadrart as it happens). And like I say, it wasn't like she picked holes in the apps - it was a blanket 'no' once Le Grand Sud was mentioned.

As we know they stopped all visas last December for a couple of months, but that was during Libya endgame. Maybe this will pass over too.

Ch

[andrasz]

Just picked up our visas today for the fly-in trip to the Tassili (using Essendilene), no hassles at all. One participant an Aussie, the Canberra embassy proved to be the fastest, but no issues in Europe either (no Brits in the party this time, so cannot say anything about London). Visa process was about six weeks, pretty much what we were told to expect. Will keep you all posted on how things look down there when we're back.

[roro]

Hi,

Coming back from a 2 weeks trip in southern east Algéria :

It was not so easy the in 2007 and 2009: we have to sleep very close to control posts along the road from Taleb Larbi to Illizi.
After Illizi, not the same thing (you can have bivouacs almost every where) but you have to check very pecisely your itinerary with your agency, and your agency have to do same thing with the wilaya where your route is planned: On our "prise en charge" it was written Tamedjert, Oued Aharhar, Afara and it was no possible for us this year due to an authorisation problem.
We have done a wonderful 3 days trip in Tadrart, instead, plus some fine loops in erg Admer,Iherir,Dider we have never done.
So I think a lot of areas are open in Tassili+Tadrart+Admer but you have to check the authorisations very strongly.
We have a seen some soldiers in Tadrart and I've heard from the man in charge of tourism agencies' syndicate in Djanet that when they know that some tourists want to visit the area they decide to send army to enforce the security.
Also in all the towns from El Oued to Illizi (including Illizi) we where followed by the Police or the Gendarmerie, also for our security and I have to say they were very kind with us (same thing at every checkpoint), giving us water and fruit juices.
And also we have spent a lot of time (2 days lost on the whole trip) with paperwork (I think it's due to the the fact that our agency hasn't done is work properly)
We have seen any tourists except a couple a group in Djanet (coming with plane).


RR.

[Chris Scott]

Thanks for the report RR. In a way it sounds reassuring that they are on the case with protection, if rather restricting in that you can't roam around as we used to (at least in the wilaya of Ilizzi - maybe Tam wilaya is more flexible?).

Did you get an impression that you could have crossed to Tam from Djanet, maybe even by some of the southern routes?

I am trying for UK visas again this week. Apparently the MoI permit which may have arrived at the consulate could make the difference (although no MoI permit was initially mentioned).

Ch

[roro]

Hi Chris,

Yes for sure they are on the case with protection! Never feel so safe than this year.
I think it's the same in Tam's Wilaya after the discussion I haved with the man in Djanet ( and also with the Illizi tourism director we have met the same day).
No way for Tam-Djanet, I've also asked for it and it's because there 2 wilayas and each one is reponsible for the security on his area.
I've asked to cross Admer to go to Oued Taffassasset: it's not possible, because this oued is in Tams wilaya's area! Only cross erg Admer from Djanet to Zaouatenlaz.
About visa, my consulate told me that it was MFA in Algiers and not MOI who gave them his permit ( 2 monthes for the whole process! ) to give us our visas.

RR.

[Chris Scott]

I thought Oued Taffassasset (including Monts G and In Afellellah) are on the Djanet side of the wilaya border according to various paper maps and Google.
I was told yesterday that a loop Djanet-Tadrart-Monts G-In Afel-up to Essendilene and back) was open, but this was in local cars.
And all maps show a different border in that area so who really knows.

Better to plan itineraries in one wilaya then.

If it takes us 2 months to get visas then we have left it too late...

Ch

[ktm990]

Thanks for the report Roro.
I was told from a friend in Beni Abess that the erg occidental is now closed for crossing.
What about the erg issaouane/tifernine near Illizi ?

[roro]

Originally Posted by ktm990

Thanks for the report Roro.
I was told from a friend in Beni Abess that the erg occidental is now closed for crossing.
What about the erg issaouane/tifernine near Illizi ?

Forget about crossing big ergs for the moment, you'll never find a guide (and a accredited agency) because if they are caught by the army he can be jailed and the agency loose his accreditation!
About possible ergs: only Admer (just a little crossing), Thiodaine (not sure), Mehedjibet (Ahnet).


RR.

[roro]

Yes, I agree with you about Tafassasset, but may be it's because the man in Djanet ("chairman" for all agencies of Djanet, speaking French very well and very friendly) didn't want I travelled so far from Djanet (and not a question of which wilaya is in charge): As I told in my little report, when they know some tourists arrive in the area, they give the info to the army and the army send some soldiers there (that's what I've seen in Tadrart) .

About your visa, try to tell your agency to make "something" (not bribe, I think) in Algiers, I was told that what happened for me .

RR.

[CreosoteChris]

Going slightly OT - but the following may be of interest to readers of this thread.

I live in Manchester UK and tried to arrange a trip to Algeria (not the grand south). Through a personal contact I obtained an "Authorisation d'Hebergement" duly stamped and signed by the right people. The same contact also provided the same doc for a Japanese friend (who is, as I type, in the air en route to Algiers). Then the timeline goes like this:

Wed 10/10/12 – Application mailed (next-day service) to consulate

Thu 18/10/12 – I received a telephone call from the consulate visa section, stating “your visa is ready – but there was no Special Delivery envelope included for return of the passport. We need the envelope by tomorrow”. I immediately went to the Post Office and investigated – I discovered that Special Delivery is different from Recorded Delivery. Sent the correct (shiny silver-coloured) SD envelope by guaranteed next-day service to the consulate visa section.

Fri 19/10/12 – SD envelope received (next-day service) by consulate. Post Office tracking system reports “Your item with reference ZX063754170GB was delivered from our SOUTH KENSINGTON Delivery Office on 19/10/12 .”

So that cost me an extra £12 but on the whole I was happy - the words of the consular official were "your visa is ready" and they had over a week to deliver it to me.

It never showed up. I'm about to miss my 06:30 flight tomorrow, and I can't even pay to reschedule it because I have no passport and no confidence that I will be issued with a visa before the new schedule. I visited the local post office depot this morning just to check - they say they are 100% certain that no attempt was made to deliver whilst I was out.

So it looks like "they took the money and then strung it out for weeks until it gets too late" situation mentioned earlier by Chris. Not nice, beware

Regards Chris