If you are heading Mali from Mauritania and want to avoid Senegalise border (Rosso/Diama), most straight forward, less expensive option is to drive through Nouakchott - Aleg - Kiffa - Ayoun - Nioro - Diema.
Now all route is asphalt, only some potholes between Kiffa- Ayoun but if you go slow, there's no problem.

Border crossing at Gogui(Mauri/Mali) is very peaceful. 3000UM for customs
on Mauri side, and 5000CFA (Sat&Sun 10000CFA) for customs in Mali side.
(Police stamp additional 3000CFA)

Carte Brune for ECOWAS is available at the Malian border for the price of
1month: 24657CFA, 3months: 28388CFA, 6months: 47045CFA,
this insurance covering most West African countries inclulding Ghana.

Places to stay on this route (2010):

Nouakchott
"Auberge Sahara"
GPS: N18°06.163 W015°59.854
1800UM per person. Hot shower, Kitchen, Free WiFi!
#Walking distance to Malian Embassy.

Aleg
"Auberge L'espoir"
GPS: N17°02.939 W013°54.923
Need to negotiate, putting tent on the terrace was
4000UM for 2 people. (Air conditioned rooms 8000UM)

Kiffa
"Camping Le Phare du Desert"
GPS: N16°38.758 W011°26.854
Camping 2000UM per person. Nice restaurant covered with plants.

Ayoun
"Hotel Nezaha"
GPS: N16°39.810 W009°35.859
Camping at the terrace 2000UM per person.
(Rooms 15000UM! Maybe the best hotel in town?)

Diema (Mali)
"Village Ventures"
Village Ventures Home Page
GPS: N14°33.036 W9°11.184
This is a development project run by an English lady.
Walking dictance from the roundabout. Near water tower.
Camping about 5Euro donation per person.

Hope this information helps.

Great info, thanks!

I will be doing this route in the opposite direction in a few weeks, thanks a lot. I have a range of 500 km, do I need extra fuel as I heard gasoline is harder to find?

__________________
http://tony-ontheroad.blogspot.com/

Hi Omnipot

Thanks for info

we will be traveling > Nouakchott Bamako in a few weeks time
we are pressed for time , how long did drive take you ?
How did you feel about security on this route ?
we are trying to decide on this route or go thru Senegal I love Senegal but the border is a lot of hassle

Any other opinion on which route to take from others ??

Thank You
Maurice Joyce
Dublin

Very useful info, thanks for that !!!!

hi omnipot,
many thanks for the info. we're now north of laoyunne and will be going to dakhla in 2days. had a pretty strong sandstorm today...
cheers

darius

Thanks for this info omnipot,
We too are heading south in a couple of weeks time so I am very interested in fuel stops. my bike goes for about 340 kilomettres between fills. I carried a five litre container across Russia and central asia but only needed it once. Do you know what the greatest distance between fills for you was, as I dumped my container when I got to Europe and have to decide wether to buy a new one.

Simon