Bafing River ford Guinea/Mali
 

Hi,

We are going to revise our Timbuktu target after dead of German guy last week. I am affraid we would try resist bandits same way as he. Therefore we postponed our trip to February, 2012 when army plan to open new station there. I wonder also if savanah south Bamako would be safer destination than desert. I found interesting NE Guinea pass from Bamako to Siguiri, then via Fifa/Mbone to Kenieba in Mali again. Reliable Michelin 741 shows 3ton ferry on Bafing River at Guinea No.15 route north (11deg54'N, 10deg38'W), but Google Earth shows nothing there. Is there anybody passing this river there on ferry or ford ?

Danek

Bafing river
 

it's obviously nice to notice that nobody care about Bafing River ford. It means maybe that there is no crowd of boys with guns there.

I am planning on heading that way soon.

See this link:
West Africa - Sierra Leone to Ghana - Lonely Planet travel forum

I will let you know if I use it...

Dave

Well, I checked it out on Google Earth and it doesn't look like there's anything, really. This is very remote. There's certainly no border posts, so if you decide to head that way, think about doing customs and immigration in the last larger town.

...and give some feedback, this sounds interesting.

Dave, are you heading from Sierra Leone to Guinea in the north (i.e. Kabala to Faranah via Gberia-Fotombu? If so, would love to hear some up to date info on this stretch of road (i.e. condition!) Would appreciate any information. Have a great trip!

Hey Dave

I flicked a coin last minute - like I do every day, and I decided to head South-East through Bo, Kenema, Kailahun and Koindu.

The road as far as Kenema is perfect new Senegalese built tarmac - after that it is graded for most of the way, but it becomes a mess once you're in the forest and mountains.

There is a ferry crossing (manual) that costs between 150,000 and 400,000 Franc Guineans depending on how much water/sand banks there are.
From there it's 20km to Gueckedou in Guinea.

After that I headed North to Kissidougou, then crossed into Mali after an amazing road through Kouroussa then Kankan.

From Kankan to Bamaka it is also brand spanking new tarmac - with a few kms before Bamako under repair at present.

Unfortunately I blew my Turbo in Tabou, 7km before Siby, but now I'm in Bamako looking for spares - let me know if you have any contacts for a new Turbo for a Land Rover 300 Tdi Defender from 1996!

Assistance in Guinea
 

Guys, been following the thread - Spent the last couple of years riding the Western Cape - now I live here in Conakry with the only Ducati in country - If I can be of assistance let me know - The Duc is down right now waiting for a rear tire - 180/55zr-17 (like I need speed rated in Guinea)
Mike
U.S Embassy
Conakry Guinea