Timbuctou to Taoudenni by camel

[wiaderko]

how many days take one way trip with caravan from Timbuctou to Taoudenni, or from Taoudenni to Timbuctou

any fresh news ?
thx
P.

[jonathanhfxns]

Something like 15-18 days, depending on your rate of travel of course.

[ferdi]

Hi P. wiaderko,
look there:
Orion-Tour :: Routenplan
Ferdi

[Alistair]

It takes about 15 - 18 days BUT you should have enough flexibility to take 20 days, and add to the total round trip the time it takes to get from Timbouctou to Taoudenni by vehicle. (about three days).

You could read my account of the (2-way) journey in Chris Scott's SAHARA OVERLAND (2nd edition), and/or Men of Salt by Michael Benanav.

[zaziworld]

hi

can anyone help me some how get a contact number or a way to contact Dramane Alpha?
i do have Chris Scott's book,but it does not say how to get in contact.
i would like to do join the salt caravan from Timbuktu to Taoudenni and back.


thanks
zazi.

[Alistair]

Zazi,

I used to recommend the services of Dramane Alpha in Tombouctou, having been the contributor to Sahara Overland 2nd edition. Last time I went to Tombouctou to travel to Taoudenni and back by camel (November 2005), he organised the trip (up to a point) but in doing so insisted that I pay a travel permit fee of EURO1000.00, although I had used his services three times before. (I know he has also charged a permit fee on other camel travellers since then.) Once he knew I was intending to go, he knew and I knew that I would not be able to go without him knowing. He knows many people in town, and could have made my life difficult. No such permit fee was required. He is not really interested in being a guide any longer, as he is the manager of the Hotel Hendrina Khan. I am sorry that this is what has happened, -but it may save you being fleeced of a large 'permit fee'.

I can only recommend that you go to Tombouctou and then organise the trip there. It does not matter if you try to organise the trip in advance -guides will only really start doing something when you actually arrive there. I suggest that you start asking for a guide at the Hotel Bouctou. You will have several from which to choose.

[zaziworld]

Alistair,

Thank you very much for that information,is there a way we can talk more about that? i have lots of questions,as I would love to go on this journey.
i can not send privet messages yet as I'm too new, so maybe via email?

zazi

[jonathanhfxns]

I'm going this November and have had fruitful correspondence with Alistair and with Michael Benanav, who has written a book, Men of Salt, which is an allround good read and useful for those who are thinking of going themselves. I believe the book was reviewed on Sahara-Overland.

There is also a BBC radio interview with John Pilkington on the program Excess Baggage (2006.05.13) that you can download online.

[zaziworld]

thank you,

i will look for the book,
how often those caravans going on this journey,once a month,once a week?
do you know of any females travelers that attended this journey?
do you think i should go first time by myself or with company?(from the reason of being a woman)

lots of questions i have :confused1:

thanks again

[jonathanhfxns]

They would seem to go fairly often. The 'best' time to go, is late October and November, though they generally travel during in cooler months, so through until February/March, perhaps April. This also depends sometimes on how much rain has fallen and thus how much the camels can eat on the way.

The general set up for going on a trip seems to be that you and your guide go and join up with a caravan that is already formed up. Your guide may or may not have camels of his own to transport salt. It seems as though there can be issues with getting guides to travel with the caravans the entire time, as they travel slower and longer hours than a small party on its own. This is one instance in which having some sort of communication is important. There are not that many guides that speak French, and fewer with English, although this is less of an issue with the agent arranging the trip in Tim.

I have read that both men and women have made the trip, but that a man and woman(persumably a couple) tends to be a difficult combination, as there is nowhere to hide any issues whether short or long term in genesis. Although it always depends on individuals, in general there are probably fewer serious issues for women in predominantly muslim countries, though this is of course only what I have been told and read.

Don't worry, the whole idea of the trip becomes less confusing after a decently short time. If you have more questions do keep asking.