(now almost like in Libya) ?

I don't think so : I know some travellers who have obtained (these days ) their algerian visas with only an invitation and no guide is mandatory at the border post ( until now ).
I think that algerian tourist agencies want that all tourists travel with their guides from border post to border post but not the authorities .

News from south Algeria:
- no importation of GPS, mobilephones and Binoculars by tourists allowed
- all Amguid pistes closed for tourists
- very few tourists
- No guide after border required, but tourists are strongyl advised to have their itinarary confirmed by the autorities!!!
- No off piste for tourists
- Guide cumpulsary to visit touristic sites in the Djanet area (Tassili N'Ajer National Parc)
- rumor: Algerian military camp near Mali border had been atacked recently
- often helicopters in the air
- heavy rain falls with lots of damage

Bye, Yves

[no importation of GPS, mobilephones and Binoculars by tourists .... are strongyl advised to have their itinarary confirmed by the autorities....No off piste.... Guide cumpulsary to visit touristic sites in the Djanet area (Tassili N'Ajer National Parc...military camp near Mali border..often helicopters in the air...

WHAT ELSE MORE !!!!

The question now is not to believe or to think but what to do ? And before this linea makes new proselytes in others Saharian Countries . Suggestions -If any and that can travelled over - very much welcomed .

To Budrinna :

"- No guide after border required"

For me it's very important : I want to go to Djanet all by myself and after take a guide for a loop in South algeria

Roro .

To Budrinna ?????

I can foretell the future !

What I can do for You if You really wanna go " all by yourself" ???

My perso suggestion is : to go,- the soonest the better- check the matter,and if You like or possible reports us the trip outcome in order to enable all to evaluate
if it can be feasible or suitable to evade this new disposals
Here and elsewhere, this no respect of the law in general is always possible since .......

PS. I will no answer anymore to this matter as uselees to the forum. Salam !Budrinna

Good God! Is a spare tyre allowed ?

I was hoping to join a bunch of people early next year for a trip there, , but am wondering how serious these guys are in prohibiting the use of such very basic items.



------------------
Roman (UK)
www.overlandcruiser.info

I would be interested to know where people on bikes are supposed to hide all this stuff - seriously.

I think the news is actually quite good:
mobiles and binoculars were always 'interdit' and easy to hide anyway, GPS is unnecessary on the clear pistes you get in Algeria - those that are open that is (off piste, where you might want GPS is now interdit and it sounds like you might get spotted). fyi, Amguid is the site of an army base that is probably now busier than it used to be.
"Guide cumpulsary to visit touristic sites in the Djanet area"
This was always the case (tho sometimes ignored). About 15 years ago we had to to pay a park entry fee at Bordj el Haouas...

So, with some pistes open and no guide demanded at the border the only bad news seems to be the weather ;-)

Ch

Hi Roman,
yes they are very serious about it.

If you enter an leave DZ at the same border post, customs will keep theese items for you during your stay. I you're on transit, then your're stuck...

I don't expect teese rules to change until the end of the next elections in spring 2004.

Yves

Good God! Is a spare tyre allowed ?

I was hoping to join a bunch of people early next year for a trip there, , but am wondering how serious these guys are in prohibiting the use of such very basic items.

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I agree with Chris about news from Algeria and I hope that paranoia will fade away in the next monthes !
Can somebody give me more infos : If I decide to go Djanet via Ghat ,do yo know if this border is (now) open for tourists ( to enter in Algeria , I know that to enter in Lybia is impossible ).
And what about the Gps at this border post ( in your humble opinion )?
Thanks for your infos !

The post frontier of Ghat is usually closed in both way for the tourists.
With a valid motivation - (of course the tourism intent is not accepted ) it is possible anyway to cross the border only in direction from Ly to Dz and accompanied by guide( usually police frontier's guides) .

This kind of permit must be requested -and accorded -in advance to/by the police station of Ghat trought the agency that invites the group - minimum four - and is officialy encharged to follow all the matter.

At the entrance time in Libya - Ras Ejdir or airport- on the questionaires to be filled it must be specified that the exit will be trought Ghat customs .

All the operation is expensive, also in time required, and very difficult to perform .

I have done this trip several times and always following this official procedure or directly with the police authorities - but in this case You must be resindent in LY and this is not your case.

Budrinna, I was just about to apply for a visa to enter Algeria from Ghat. (I have today faxed Zeriba for an invitation with this itinerary.) From what you say this is a waste of time.

If entry from Ghat is forbidden, can you suggest which entry point I should put on my visa application?

Hi,

Until the kidnappers are caught, I'm convinced the so called "paranoia" is justified (I would better call it Caution).
You're much less free to go where you want to then in the past.

Is is not a bad idea to follow: http://www.algeria-interface.com/new...dispatches.php

To cross from Ghat to Djanet you should talk with the Libyan agency you will need anyway for getting your visa. Normaly, one way Ghat->Djanet is possible for tourists - or at least had been in the past.
For the GPS: negotiation could work.

Good luck, Yves

Well I'm torn between two schools of thought: (1) the kidnappers succeeded in getting their ransom so they will do it again (2) there are now so many military patrols in the area that it is a relatively safe time to go. What's your opinion?

I don't think the kidnapping was a real succes tey like to repeat: too many people and material were involved over a very long time and everybody is hunting them now (to get them or the money if payed). The local contrebande business had been disturbed.

It doesn't matter if a ransom had been payed or not: the rumor is enough to think about kidnapping as interesting business, even with only 1/100 of the sum mentioned .

I think the risks in the central Sahara (not limited to DZ!!) are more:
- simple bandits go into kidnapping and robbery ("arresting" tourists for some days and release them after "payment" of a car is not unknown in the past and could become more frequent
)
- military, surprised by tourists in unexpected situations will shoot without warning (happened once in DZ in 2001).

- terrorists, pursued by military will take hostages as human shield.
See: http://www.algeria-interface.com/new/rubriques/french/depecheafp.php?doc=031 031102259.ds6gqy0q.xml

- a new, unexpected action by terrorists

In DZ tourist groups are said to get armed escorts depending on the situation even for a simple trip in the Teffedest area.

This said, I don't consider traveling by your own vehicle in central sahara, on normal pistes as in remote areas, actually as a sensible adventure. The risk could be limited by close cooperation with locals and local authorities.

Yves

[This message has been edited by Yves (edited 01 November 2003).]