Back from Algeria
 

Helllo

We have just arrived from Algeria.

Excellent country to travel even with all misleading information that we receive everyday.

The guide is only necessary in the north of the country and I believe that someone that wants to travel in the north can do it without much fuss.

The guide is necessary in the south and we (travellers) should make an effort to leave more money to the guides and less to the tourism agencies. The amount that the guides receive is ridiculous (at least in our case) compared with the amount we par to the agencies.

We travelled with a diesel land rover lightweight from 1977 and with a modified KTM 950cc

The route: (I will give all the details if some one is interested)
Almeria
Gnazaouet
Bechar
Reggane
Aoulef (Akabli)
Fort Ouallen
In Ziza
Tam
Ideles (near)
60 kms sought Amguid
In Salah
Gnazaouet
Almeria

We had an “gendarmerie” escort from Figuid to Aoulef. 25 Patrol GR, 50 “gendarms” and 50 kalashnikovs! Two and an half days with very pleasant traveller companions (I obviously would prefer not to have them but almost no complains about them)

The reason: “for your security”. We tried hard to have a more complete answer but it was always the same “for your security”.

After Aoulet we fill all water, diesel and petrol tanks and started our first off road section. 910 kms passing near fort Ouallen, in Ziza and finishing in Silet.

We only catch humans again near Silet 3 days after departure J

Then Tam.

This was the first part of the trip. I will complete this topic ASAP.

Bernardo Feio
:D:D

Wishing more data about your Algerian journey
 

Hi Bernardo,

please, share with us more information about your Algerian trip. At Tamrarasset you had 44º C... and what about the 1977's Land Rover?

Rui

I'm back as well!
 

And here is the KTM driver back in Holland as well.
I spend an extra week in the north of Algeria (without any problems due to not having a guide anymore!) before 2 extra weeks in Tunesia.

The Land rover cooped with the heat perfectly IMHO. Better then the KTM anyhow :)

The climate was harsh to say the least, but i guess whe knew that before departure to a may trip in Algeria. Sand storms and especially a problem to me, the dry wind from the south drying out my eyes while riding. This harsh environment was part of why i wanted to go, so i felt in my element. It was a perfect trip and all the story's about how butifull the algerian sahara is where true in my opinion. and it is HUGE overthere. Distances are vast and terrain slow to change. so plenty of time to soak up the incredible environment before it changes again.
Definately a trip to remember.

Bernardo and Tobe, thans again! :funmeterno:

Hi Steven!

Welcome back. Bernardo and Tobe told me about your journey. I'm very interested on your "two wheels point of view". What about the long crossing from Akabli to Silet? Too hard and too remote to do it alone? It´s a 900 km route without any water and fuel support, right?

Rui Pedro
Alentejo, Portugal.

"Bernardo and Tobe, thans again"

it was a pleasure! :) it’s always fun to make a trip with some one with a so vast Africa travel experience!

...and obviously I can now tell everybody that I had to pull a KTM for more then 40kms! :P


:taz:


BTW
We manage to do all my planed routes except the direct route from Amguid to In Salah. The guide and the agency were not very relaxed about it. The guide said it was forbidden and still dangerous (?) . Can any one coment this?

Bernardo

I’m now out of Portugal but as son as I return I will download the GPS and then I will send the tracks to any one interested

bernardo@Barsinghausen, Germany


ps: CH recomended Erg Mehejibe. It's a very nice loop to every one that wants’ to experience dune driving or, if that's not your cup of tea, to any one that just wants pist travelling avoiding tarmac. If you go around it you can avoid roughly 110kms of tarmac

Hi Rui Pedro,
The route was definately not to hard, i recon a fast driver can do it in a day with the terrain your on, i would count for 2 easy day's on bike's. Water is not your issue, exept when you come to a stand still. there is none, exept for 2 locations we passed by, although the fort probably has water as well, be we did not bother to say hello to the possible gendarmery on the site.
Remote it is, and fuel will be your major issue on most bike's.

It took me 56 liter's and came about 3 liter short (hence the 40km being pulled by Bernardo :scooter:) So next ride, i'd take 70 liter for this stretch. and a 20 liter water. I drank an easy 10 a day. But only with intell IF the water holes are wet. We did not check if the water listed on the map is there. If they are still alive and with waypoints of them water won't be the biggest issue.

I'd love to do that route again, it's absolutely butifull there!

Hi Steven

Thanks a lot for your text. Who knows.... maybe we can do it together. But now I'm in a hospital bed with a light fracture in vertebra T5 e T6. All ok, apart from pain. I had a big crash on the road, two days ago with my GS.

Cheers,

Rui
Portugal

Ai Rui,
Don't you know that driving on the road is very dangerous?
(in Algeria i only crashed once, on the road, on a big big diesel trail in a nice corner)

Best wishes with your recovery!

Hi Steven,

That´s right. You know...
Good asphalt, beautiful mountain road in Algarve, last friday morning, downhill, happy, speed, very happy, more speed... too much; crash and hospital. Vertebra T5 in bad condition. The neck brace save me from the wheelchair. Anyway, 3 months stop.

I believe it´s safer in the Sahara!

Do you want to repeat the Tanezrouft crossing with me, next March 2011? You and another portuguese, this time 2 wheels. Planning keep me alive in bed!

Thank you.
Rui
Portugal

Back to Algeria with motorcycles?
 

Hi Bernardo and Steven

The R100 GS is ready for action? Good! So prepare yourself for the return to Tanezrouft, in a different route. Action will start in Timimoum and direct south to stay and sleep at Fort Ouallen (see photo). Follow to Bidon V and piste to Tam. After....maybe Djanet.

Just look this picture of Fort Ouallen!

Rui
Portugal

Dont know if you know but Ouallen and several other abandoned French-era desert forts like Serenout, Chebaba, (as well as key wells like Tim Missao) have been re-occupied by the Algerian army in recent years.

Ch

Our guide noticed something at the fort and therefor we decided not to go to the fort itself. So fort oualen is probably 'in use' again as well.

Hi Steven.

It´s possible that the fort is in use again. This picture has 4-6 years, maybe. I found a french man that worked there in 1957-58, as radio-telegraphist. Anyway, we could check by ourselves. Do you have binoculars?

See you,

Rui
Portugal

Hi Steve

Our guide didn’t have the slighter idea here the fort was! :rolleyes:

I brought binoculars but the fort was much higher up then our track. the small part where you could see the fort itself went past me without noticing :) Bernardo had to tell me we passed it.
Working on a 1000km otonomy bike right now so who know's next year :)

Ah Bernardo, at least our guide could make a nice tea and camp fire :thumbup1:

Hi Steven

Nice to know that! I'm feeling better day by day. My GS has an autonomy of 1000-1100 km, fully loaded. Difficult to ride, but ok.

Next March?

Rui
Portugal

Last March I used 60 lt. (33 lt main GS Adventure tank + 2 lt small black Touratech plastic on left case + 5 lt jerrycan on right case + 2 x 10 lts jerrycans on passenger seat.) I´ve done 925 km without refill. For longer distances I can use 2 x 20 lt jerrycans.) I have a large cargo plate instead of passengers seat. Very good for heavy loads,as a passenger. Just possible to ride on piste with TKC 80.Road tires makes this "panzer tank" very unsafe!

Rui

How many litters of petrol are you planning to take?

And what is your average consumption in the pists?

I always use the following rule:

(Max number of kms * 30%) * average consumption for the terrain + 20L


(for the LW)
900*30% = 1170 Kms * 15L/100kms = 175L + 20L = 195 Litters

For this pist we travelled with 180L of diesel and 30L of petrol to the bike

Hi Bernardo,
the above (excerpt of your post) is somewhat contradictory. Could you please shed a light? Do you have to have a guide for the north or for the south? And can you somehow "lose" your guide and continue on your own? I thought I understood that much from your experience.
That would be great news. I'm dying to go back to Algeria. Like most everyone else, I prefer doing it more or less independently.

Thanks and happy travels,
Max

Check with the Algerian embassy what you need to do to get a visa. Some say an invitation by an agency is necessary. In Stockholm we could get it by presenting hotel reservations (that could later be cancelled).
Once you have the visa you can enter the country, but some places like Oran and Taleg Larbi they seem adamant about having a guide meet you.
Once you are with the guide, they will try to sign you up for the entire trip until you leave the country.
We had a slightly different experience last year http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...a-jusqua-42600
You will not be allowed to go on your own in the south.

most of the travel agencies will tell you that the guide is necessary in all the country.

from my and Rui Tremoceiro experince you can drive in the north with out any guide. (April 2010)


bernardo feio

Hi all

I will have fresh news in the next days. This night there is another portuguese motorcycle crossing the Mediterrean to Argelia. Again, solo moto and no guide. We prepared the trip together, since March-April. We will see...
This is THE MAN!

Pizza Boy Goes to the Sahara - Intro on Vimeo

Inch'Allah!

Rui
Portugal


P.S. This time the bike is not this 50 cc scooter! He's using an Africa Twin with a 56 lt. main fuel tank.

That's a much bigger lump than a 50cc! Won't the pizza be cold by the time he gets there? where ever there is! I wait with baited breath for the outcome and report...

Hi oothef

I'm sure that the pizza will stay very hot for the next 3 weeks!

Inch'Allah
(... and lots of fresh water!)

Rui

Hi,
any new from the pizza boy - he might be in Algerian Sahara by now?

Chris - are such forts marked on Michelin maps or any other for that matter?

Hi all

The pizza boy arrived yesterday at Timimoun under 57ºC.
He is ok and will rest a few days in the oasis.

Rui

... are such forts marked on Michelin maps or any other for that matter?

The old French-era ones ('bordj'), yes, but not all may be re-occupied.

Newer military installations, not all are shown, but they are very few.

Ch

Excuse me, pizza boy is that Portugese that rides an little scooter?

Hi Pera! Hola Amigo!

Yes, the pizza boy is a 44 years old Portuguese university teacher that (usually) rides his very little scooter in Morocco. This time he is in Algeria for 22 days, but with an Africa Twin 750 cc with a huge 56 lt. fuel tank. That's the man!

Rui
Portugal

Obrigado Rui,

I thought he went with the scooter :eek3:

Last news and some photos in a portuguese forum:

الصحراء حبي

Rui.

It even looks hot, are pizzas catching on in North Africa?

Hi, Sir Yorker

That's right, it looks hot! March is much better to enjoy all day.
All ok with the Pizza boy. Nice season for him.

Rui.

question
 

Hi guys
I seemed a very nice trip. Do you recommend a guide ,your guide or a specific tour company? I plan to travel there with a Defender in coming March. Do you have something to tell us more about the security (places to be avoided or pistes to avoided)?
Could you give more details about your route (Waypoints if any)?
Thank you very much
Best Regards
Kostas