Hi everyone!

I am totally new to the site, but i just came back from a round trip with my VW van from the 70ths trow West Africa. I always just this site to get information about the country i was going to, so i think it is only fare to give back my experience. For every country i will talk about the road conditions, visum, carnet, border crossing and other info. So kind of spoiler alert but maybe useful to someone.

Mauritania;
Visa
The visa for Mauritania is NOT available at the border anymore! Get your visa in Rabat, because i had to fly back. I think 2 pictures and a copy of your passport. You get your passport back the same day.

Carnet
I did not need a carnet. They wrote all the info in my passport.

Road conditions
There is no road between the Morocco and Mauritania boarder and if you have never driven it, or can follow someone, i would advise you to take a guild. We could stuck in the sand just min before the boarder closed.
The road to Nouakchott was no problem at all. If i remember correctly the road from Nouakchott to Kiffa was alright but between Kiffa and Tintane it was bad. 200km had taken us the whole day. It was a road under construction with a lot off put hols. The road from Tintane to the boarder was no problem at all.

Boarder crossing
The boarder crossing with Morocco was easy, just as the boarder between Ayoun to Mali. We heard that the boarder between Senegal and Mauritania at Rosso is terrible. The on at the beach suppose to be a lot better and the dirt road suppose to be passable.

Other info
Everywhere in Mauritania there are roadblocks. Make in advance a letter with all your passport info, car info en info about your destination. We had great time in Mauritania and consider it to be very same with very friendly ppl! Also the fuel situation is not so good in the south, expesally petrol. Buy it where you can!


Mali;
Visa
The first time we could the visa in Nouakchott. Couple off pictures (i think 2), don't know the price anymore maybe 20euro and got the passport back the same day. The second time i could a 5 day visa at the boarder, witch you can extend in Bamako and Mopti. If i would go again, i would get the 5 day visa at the boarder and expand it; a lot cheaper.

Carnet
I did not need a carnet. The second time i had to leave my car behind because it was to broke.... In the airport i had no problem with the douane, they didn't even ask about the car.

Road conditions
The main road are most off the time good. The only bad roads i remember are the roads between Bandiagara and Sanga (Dogon Country) (bad piste, especially when it has rained, we could stuck in a river..), Bandiagara and Burkina Faso (road under construction) and Kita to Kayes (this is where my car broke down, it is passable but it is a very bad dirt road, especially after rain fall!) All the other road i drove on (Nioro - Bamako, Bamako - Segou, Segou -mopti, Pogo - Sikasso, Sikasso - Bougouni, Bougouni - Bamako) where great!

Boarder crossing
The boarder crossings where no problem, easy and no corruption.

Burkina Faso;
Visa
DONT GET THE VISA AT THE BOARDER! This was a lot cheaper a couple off months ago, but it is not any more! The visa is still very expansive, we payed 47.000 in Bamako for a visa, but at the boarder you pay double! We got the visa the same day.

In Oagadougou,Burkina Faso i buyed the combined Visa for Burkina, Benin, Togo, Niger and CDI. I have read ppl say this visa does not exist any more, NOT TRUE! But a lot off embassies don't want to give it, because most off the time it is a lot cheaper than getting the visa for just 1 country! The price was around 25.000 CFA and took a lot off days to get ready, but there where some holidays in between. The amount off pictures was 2 i think...

Carnet
Did not have it, did not need it.

Road conditions
Road conditions are good. The only bad road was between the boarder of Mali and Ouahigouya. Is a road under construction and most off the time we drove next to it.... The road to trow the National Parks with Benin are nearly impassable in the raining season. The other roads (Ouahigouya - Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou - Fada, Fada - Boarder Benin, Hamale - Bobo, Bobo - CDI) where good.

Boarder crossing
Easy, no problems

Other info
Apparently the road between Ouahigouya and Ouagadougou is under terrorist thread, but we had no problems at all.

Benin;
Visa
Read Burkina, no problems.

Carnet
No Carnet, no problems.

Road conditions
Oew! Benin had the most interesting roads! First, the pistes in Pendjari are not possible in the reaning season with a VW van. The piste to Batia is agreable, with 1 bad spot at Tannogou. The road from Pendjare to Abomay was good and the road between Abomay and Cotonou was a great adventure! A lot off holls and a lot off traffic = a lot off fun! Road from Cotonou to Togo was no problem at all.

Boarder crossing
Easy, np

Other info
Also the fuel situation is not so good, expesally petrol. Buy it where you can!

Togo;
Visa
Same as Benin

Carnet
Nop, no problem

Road conditions
From Benin to Lome and Lome to Bassar the roads where good. From Bassar to the boarder of Ghana, the road was bad. Under construction. Passable, but hard for a 2 weel drive.

Boarder crossing
np

Ghana;
Visa
I got the Visa at Ouagadougou. Take 4 passfotos! And it takes 1 day to make it. Apparently there where no more transit visas, but maybe you have more luck.

Carnet
Finally i can write some for the carnet, because you can not enter Ghana without a carnet. I have read many storys off ppl gett stuck at the boarder, well not me!:P Go to the smaller boarer crossings! The one at Natchambe gave me no problem at all! The just gave me a Laissez pase like my car was from west africa. They needed some info from my insurance card and other juseless info. I heard that other boarders like Hamale and Po are next to impossible.

Road conditions
The road between Natchambe and Yendi was terrible, but doable. The road between Fufulsu and Sawla is also not that good, but the road between Wa and Hamale was terrible! That road was almost inpassable for me and my 2weel drive! Expassely afther rain fall! The road from WA to the hippo's was doable, but a brige is gone so you can not make it to the hippo's.

Boarder crossing
Besides the wholl Carnet thing, np.

Other info
The cops at the road blocks can be terrible! Expasaly the ones at Yendi I did not like! And dont tell them that you drove from Europa to Ghana, because that will give you questions about your Carnet.

CDI;
Visa
Same as Benin and Togo.

Carnet
No carnet, no problem.

Road conditions
No problem but i only know the road from Burkina to Ouangolodougou and from Ouangolodougou to Mali. Read the other info part.

Boarder crossing
Corruption! I payed a lot to get in and out off the country....

Other info
The north is controlled by rebels and they whant your money. In the 2 days i was in CDI i lost a lot paying the rebels at the boarders and the roadblocks.... It is relatively save, but i would evoide CDI during the elections at the end of this month.


This info is from between 17/07/10 and 11/10/10. It was raining season and road conditions in Afrika can change fast. But maybe i helpt some on out. If you need more info, you can allways send me a email on jitseydel@hotmail.com

Safe travels!
Jitse

thats a very usefull post as i am planning a very similar trip in a few months going to the same places as you and beyond,

Brilliant post, Lots of useful up to date info.
Did you leave your van over there or drive it back?
Richard

Sadly the car broke down beyond repare on my way to Dakar in Mahina, Mali. The engine was in suce bad shape (my pistol rings started to give up all ready in Morocco) that i doneted here to the local hospital...

I'am really sad about it but i did not have any other option... some pictures;
Trip | Facebook
And Desert Driver; have a lot off fun!

In Oagadougou,Burkina Faso i buyed the combined Visa for Burkina, Benin, Togo, Niger and CDI.

Where did you get this visa in Ouaga - a visa d'entente I take it?

thanks

Ch

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Adventure Motorcycling Handbook 8 • Morocco Overland 3 • Overlanders Handbook 2 • Twit

Dont really know the name of the place anymore, but if i look at google maps i think it was at (what google maps says is) the police station on the corner of Av Kadiogo and rue827. 99% this sure this was the place.

And yes, a visa d'entente.