Algeria: access in the south - update
 

This is what I hear of where you can go in south Algeria right now.

Tassili du Hoggar (SE of Tam) and Teffedest (north of Tam) are not permitted anymore

Only Ahnet, Immidir and Tam to Assekrem are permitted, as well as Djanet and Tassili n Ajjer on the east side.

But you can't go from Tam direct to Djanet without a permit and a gendarmerie escort.

So far east or far west - both great areas.

Ch

Hi,
I can confirm the situation as reported by Chris.
In spring the new rules had only communicated verbally, now they exist in written form and are binding for the agencies.
Actually a few agencies which broke the rules had been put to justice.

Also, a new law for agencies had been published which is much stricter than the old one. I expect a lot of agencies will not be able to renew their license.
The laws had been published on pages 5-8: http://www.joradp.dz/JO2000/2010/044/FP5.pdf

Hello !

So this restrictions means , that only fly-In-tourism into both regions is possible/wanted , or may overlanders further go down from Taleb L. with the obligatory guide ??

What do you think about this rules : is it possible that they will be cleared until this winter , like numerous, similar rules in the past ( e.g. Libian blockade of EU-Travellers this spring, Erg Chech , etc)

IMO,if this situation continues , it will be again an end of Algerian Sahara Tourism in this wonderful country with extremly nice people due to governement disposal !!!

Ciao Hannes

...only fly-In-tourism into both regions is possible/wanted,

I suppose they have more control over this, but the fact that they have closed Tasssil du Hoggar - one of the best and most accessible areas to Tam, shows that they have no prefs for fly-in or self drive.


or may overlanders further go down from Taleb L. with the obligatory guide?
Yes, you can still do this where allowed.

What do you think about this rules : is it possible that they will be cleared until this winter , like numerous, similar rules in the past ( e.g. Libian blockade of EU-Travellers this spring, Erg Chech , etc)

Alg is not like Libya in this regard, IMO. The rules will not change soon.

IMO,if this situation continues , it will be again an end of Algerian Sahara Tourism in this wonderful country with extremly nice people due to governement disposal !!!

True, but Alg never really recovered from the 90s before 2003 finished off what there was.

Its not so bad anyway and it's been like this on and off for a couple of years.
Ahnet west of the TSH as far as the tanezrouft piste is a big area; Immidir - well mostly for camels; and Djanet + Tassili N'Ajjer as we all know is a fantastic area, though maybe more for fly-ins if you must drive back the same way.

I find this block on crossing from Tam to Djanet a little odd and of course a big shame for self driving. Is there an GSPC threat or some other explanation? In Algeria as always, who knows.

Ch

[quote=Chris Scott;305273
I find this block on crossing from Tam to Djanet a little odd and of course a big shame for self driving. Is there an GSPC threat or some other explanation? In Algeria as always, who knows.

Ch[/quote]

My guess is that the new travel restrictions relate to the incident earlier in the year, around March 2010, when Algeria intercepted comms from AQIM planning to abduct tourists on the Djanet-Tam piste. Recall the FCO and French travel websites warned against travel south of Arak. I think it takes some time for the response to these events to become official. In the same way that Algeria closed the Amguid corridor on account of the kidnappings near there in 2003, they have no closed the region between Djanet and Tam. Interestingly, there is a big piste running from the south of Algeria across the Amadror and on to near Illizi (not on maps) which is probably a big smuggling corridor. They may also want to be having a go at any traffic on this route.

Hello !

It would be important to know more details about the areas that are still possible :

East: Tin Merzouga, Wadi In Djerane , Erg Admer - where´s the western "border" in direction to Tam ?
Crossing the Plateau d. Fadnoun in the East from Illizi- Ft. Tarat - Dider ?
G.E.Orient. is closed , although I have GPStracks from people crossing it 2010 ?!

West: G.E.Occ. , Erg Chech(B.F.Saint Marie) ,InSalah-Reggane ?

How to cross West/East south of the Tarmac-Road Oargla/El Meniaa/Timimoun legal ?

It would be great and very helpful , if somebody with reliable infos would draw a *.kmz reffering the recent forbidden/allowed areas ( last only some minutes )

Ciao Hannes

Hi Hannes,

I have my knowledge from the Algerian tour agency Tanezrouft which I support. The permitted areas:

Yes: East: Tin Merzouga, Wadi In Djerane , Erg Admer

>- where´s the western "border" in direction to Tam ?
Don't know it exactly but certainly east of Thiodaine. I suppose Afara and Bordj El Haoues as the western delimitation.

>Crossing the Plateau d. Fadnoun in the East from Illizi- Ft. Tarat - Dider ?
Tarat closed since several years.

>G.E.Orient. is closed , although I have GPStracks from people crossing it >2010 ?!
Closed since years ( exceptions confirm the rules :-)

>West: G.E.Occ. ,
Unclear, might be permitted but also might be unsafe.

>Erg Chech(B.F.Saint Marie) ,
closed

>InSalah-Reggane ?
open (road)

>How to cross West/East south of the Tarmac-Road Oargla/El >Meniaa/Timimoun legal ?

Unclear which itinerary you address.
Some crossings on the plateau de Tademait are permitted (via Ain Bel Bel)

Rule of thumb: stay on tamac north of In Salah respectively Illizi

Regards, Yves

Hello Yves !

Regarding your post I try to make the recent restrictions better visible with this attached GE-overlay.
The area between Gassi Touil and N1 , also the HBG - In Salah Piste has no overlay , because I don´t know whats about there ??
Maybe this helps planning a trip through DZ and to avoid bad astonishements !

Ciao Hannes

Here is your kml as an easy to see picture - looks about right to me and rather restricted, but then Alg is the 10th biggest country in the world.

Dont forget Tam-Djan seems to be possible - all you need is an escort and permission. I presume that is not impossible?

Ch

[Image updated following post below]

Hannes,
also closed: Erg Issaouane, Erg Tiffernine, the whole area north of Amguid between the tarmac roads (since years)
Erg Oriental west of Gassi Touil (since years)

Ahnet: closed south of In Ziza and the part of Wilaya Adrar south of Reggane.

Immidir: no closed!

Erg occidental and Tam Djanet with escort: I don't know for sure, should have more information in 1-2 weeks.

Travel on the road to Ain Guazzam however remains permitted.

Notwithstanding Algeria's size, its an ever narrowing strip of desert that is open to tourism. The system seems to work like a ratchet - it tightens but does not loosen. For example, Amguid is still closed following the 2003 events even though AQIM are long gone from there and only ever really passed through on their way south.

It also concentrates tourists into an area which makes them easier to protect, but also to track, though the chances of grabs in Algeria seem to be small.

AQIM are long gone from there...

Hard to know that for sure, but that is why IMO:
... a big smuggling corridor. They may also want to be having a go at any traffic on this route...

... could also be interpreted as leaving others to get on with it- or even engage in the contrabanding, uninterrupted.

It could also simply be nothing more sinister than a battle between Tam and Illlizi wilayas; one or the other (prob Illizi - which includes Ajjer and Djanet) effectively closing their 'borders'. Maybe even to keep fly-in tourists on their 'patch'?
Adrar wilaya too seems quite strict on mobility (with good reason IMO, compared to the east), and as we have read, has laid on big gendarmerie escorts along the roads around Adrar town.

The restriction of long-range desert tourism harms no one, except a few people in Tam and Djanet - and who cares about them, they can go dig a pipeline.

Ch

Hi Yves
Good information you've posted, thanks to Hannes and Chris too - I'll keep checking from now on as these are 'need to know' info!
Ta

Can anyone please confirm that I can transit Algeria down via Tam to Agadez? In about 4-5 weeks time? What is the situation for this atm?

Algeria transit same as usual. The IGZ-Assamaka border is not closed as far as I know, and you'd imagine in Niger they will lay on a convoy as far as Arlit and then Agadez. To Arlit convoy may turn out to be expensive if they can get away with it. From there to Agadez is free (military) I believe. Beyond Agadez is less unsafe, you'd hope.

Ch

to update people about my friends coming down through Algeria (in 2 Landys) because of a delay in their original leaving date(the Algerian embassy lost their passports for 3 weeks and then a long breakdown in France) their visa for Niger had expired ,so on arrival at Tamanrasset they have been refused a visa to cross at in Guessam despite pleas and hanging around for 3 days to see if the situation would change they are now having to try to cross via Libya and come down the eastern route.Whether they would have got across the border if they had still their original visas and not had to stop in Tam I don't know as I'm receiving the info 2nd hand. will keep you all informed. LES

So I take it the Niger consulate in Tam is not issuing visas at the moment? No great surprise there I suppose as things currently stand. What a drag having to go right across to the east!

I was visiting another Alg forum and this 'lost passport for 3 weeks' sounds familiar and might be interpreted as a ploy by the Alg consulate in London to discourage visits without actually saying no. I have had delays like this with them before - especially on irregular trips and certainly if you're trying to get in without an agency invite. Once they get to know you it seems OK and it's only a London thing, AFAIK. Of course visas are being issued for oil/gas workers every day, it's just tourists they're not always so keen on - these days more than ever.

Ch

Thanks, I have visas for Algeria and Niger, as well as an agency guide for Algeria. I was just concerned about the border. As it stands, I am still not certain if my guide is leaving me at IGZ or is crossing to Arlit or not. I am a little annoyed, but hopefully it should become clear soon.

Thanks for the advice.
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Planned route:
UK-France-Switzerland-Italy-Egypt-Libya-Tunisia-Algeria-Niger-Chad-Cameroon-CAR-Sudan-Ethiopia-Kenya-Tanzania-Zambia or Cameroon-Congo-DR Congo-Zambia then onwards to Mozambique!

Hi,

I've got involved with the three friends (now in Tunisia) and we're sorting out their crossing through Libya at the moment. If they had their Niger visas then we could have got them to Agadez, but with no visa at all it was going to be complicated. I'm going to Niger embassy in Brussels on Tuesday to get visas for the Assamakka crossing so we'll see a little more then...

Certainly, the Algerians are being boring with freedom of movement (although it is worth pushing for what you want as doors do open).

Safe travels, Sam.

If I was planning to go Algeria-Niger route I would not start the trip without having the visas ready before leaving Europe. Based on last year's xperience, and from talkng to the people we met in Tam, I would not rely on the Tam consulate for visas to Niger.
Then even with the Niger visa in hand, I would get a double-entry visa to Algeria in case there is trouble at Assamaka, so I could have the option of returning north.

As it were, we went through north Mali, which was exciting but nothing I would recommend. If someone gets in a situation where that route seems the only option, get in touch as I may have a few useful leads.

edit: moro, your email is bouncing!

Not clarifying much, but... - Salima Tlemcani writes for El Watan from Tamanrasset. Interview with Abderrahmane Dehadj, Director of Tourism. «If just one tourist is kidnapped we can forget about Saharian tourism» "This is only a temporary crisis that inevitably we will overcome."
Mohamed Rouan. President of the National Union of Associations of alternative tourism agencies, is upset with the new rules.«They are trying to kill in the egg the Saharian tourism»
"The provisions of this order is fatal for Saharan tourism. They do not correspond to the mode of operation, the ethics and mindset of the local culture. We act in a specific region, which differs completely from north."
Situation in Tam.Tamanrasset region under high pressure
In French, use google translate.

What new rules is the Union referring to? Unfortunately the links take me through to a subscription page......

What new rules....

I believe it is in the pdf as mentioned by Yves earlier:
http://www.joradp.dz/JO2000/2010/044/FP5.pdf

I had a quick scan and can't say I saw or understood anything significant, but I hear many agencies are not able or willing to comply anyway, and are hoping to carry on and be left alone. It is possible that what is demanded and what is actually enforced may not be the same.

I think there is some fear that GSPC-types may infiltrate/buy-off agencies to pass on info - as I believe happened earlier this year but was intercepted.

Ch

Yes, EL Watan sometimes wants you to register to view the pages.
Like Chris wrote, they are still wrangling with the new rules from earlier this year.

Algerian trip
 

Hi guys
Since we plan to visit Algeria in coming April, do you have any info about the current security situation?
We contacted Tanezrouft and they say that the following places are open for tourists
- Timimoun
- désert de in salah
- Ahne
- in ziza
- assekrame
- djanet (tadrart -platoue - tassili N'aajir).
- ghardaia
Are they all worth visiting ? We have 2 weeks net for the desert.
Thank you very much
Kostas

You'll be 'busy' to see all that in 2 weeks, it's all worth seeing.

Any word on the crossing Hirafok-Djanet?

Thanks, Sam.

I'll be in Tam and Djanet in January - feel free to contact me in Feb for feedback (I'll forget to post on here otherwise!).

Safe travels, Sam.

That looks like a near complete list of some of the best places in Alg and you will struggle to see all of it in 2 weeks. In the time available I would choose to stay either east of the TSH (Tassili) - better if you come from Tunisia; or west of TSH (Ahnet, etc), with Tam as your turn around point for either circuit.

April will be getting on the hot side but if you are from Greece I imagine you will be used to that.

Broadly speaking, security in south Alg is the same as it has been for the last couple of years and is detailed closely on this forum or in links from it. The threats are more over the border - mostly Mali.

Things can change, but where it is not considered safe they wont let you go.

Ch

Thank you very much Chris and Sam...I really appreciate

"Any word on the crossing Hirafok-Djanet?"

Yes, any info on this one?
As far as I know the Djanet-Tam piste through Ideles/Hirhafok is still closed... for the past 6 months or so.
Someone wrote before that it can be done in case you inform the police in Djanet so they know you're there... but I'm not sure...

g.