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9 Jun 2007
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Iron Ore Train road
Hi everybody!
I,m planing a trip in October from Morocco to Senegal with a friend of mine (2 Bikes) and we decited to take the Atlantic route.
Since we love Africa we want to see more of the sahara and mauritania seems to be the right choice.
we are thinking to load the bikes on the train at Nouadhibou (Is this possible??) and head east to Chum were we plan get off and head south to Atar (is this road good piste??) - T4a says it is - and from there to Chinguetti to go through the Amogjar Pass (can we do that with almost no off-road skills??) and back to Nouakchott through N1.
Any help on this route will be apriciated 
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10 Jun 2007
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"load the bikes on the train at Nouadhibou"
Well it certainly used to be possible, but I seem to remember someone posting recently that they've stopped doing it. Hopefully somone with up to date info will be along shortly. If you're interested I've put a short piece of video footage taken from the train 2- 3 miles outside Choum on youtube. Search for "choum"
The piste from Choum to Atar is pretty straightforward even without much off road experience. It took us an easy 7 - 8 hrs with frequent stops.
The route to Nouakchott is good tarmac and easily done in a day
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10 Jun 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by backofbeyond
"load the bikes on the train at Nouadhibou"
Well it certainly used to be possible, but I seem to remember someone posting recently that they've stopped doing it. Hopefully somone with up to date info will be along shortly. If you're interested I've put a short piece of video footage taken from the train 2- 3 miles outside Choum on youtube. Search for "choum"
The piste from Choum to Atar is pretty straightforward even without much off road experience. It took us an easy 7 - 8 hrs with frequent stops.
The route to Nouakchott is good tarmac and easily done in a day
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Thanks backofbeyond I've already seen your...endless train video and that's
one of the reasons we dont want to miss it.
Beside the road quality is the path (Choum-Atar) clear & safe? I ask you because looking here
www.desert-info.ch :: Thema anzeigen - Minen/Landmines/Des Mines - alle/all/toutes infos I notice that the areas around Choum and around Atar are mined.. is this true?
Last edited by Tsizmo; 10 Jun 2007 at 22:22.
Reason: more info
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11 Jun 2007
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Re mines, all I'm aware of is the well known area around the WS / RIM border and not to stray north of the railway line if you are taking the piste from Nouhadibou to Choum.
From Choum I'm not aware of any problems with mines but if anyone elso knows different I'd be grateful for an update as I'm down that way at Xmas.
As far as the piste goes I found the first few miles a little confusing (roughly to Aggui) and did it on gps bearings but after that it becomes very clear and easy to follow. You can't really go very wrong as you always have the Adrar cliffs on your left
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11 Jun 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsizmo
we are thinking to load the bikes on the train at Nouadhibou (Is this possible??)
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As mentioned above - this service was reported as ending some time ago, but who knows? These things change and it can't hurt to try.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsizmo
and head east to Chum were we plan get off and head south to Atar (is this road good piste??) - T4a says it is -
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No. The piste is hellishly corrugated. It's not difficult though and probably much better on a bike where you can pick a line and avoid the worst.
If you're not suffering too much to look up there are some good views approaching the cliffs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsizmo
and from there to Chinguetti to go through the Amogjar Pass (can we do that with almost no off-road skills??)
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The Amogjar pass is impressive, but VERY rocky with some steep gradients. On a loaded bike with little experience I would be wary.
If you're still keen, I suppose it is short enough that you could turn around at the top of the pass if you didn't fancy the look of it. There is a much easier alternative via the Ebnou(sp?) pass.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsizmo
and back to Nouakchott through N1.
Any help on this route will be apriciated |
Good tar, but watch out for hairy cross winds.
Good luck!
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12 Jun 2007
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Mauritania
Thanks for the tips!
Ok so the train is something we dont want to miss , I guess I'll start a better search right now, there must be some way to make it.
Maybe riding our bikes next to the railway (not the best road from what I,ve read)
The Amogjar pass also, maybe if we let our luggage at the hotel in Atar wil bee easier.. I realy dont wanna miss this.
Do you have any tracks or waypoints recorded from your GPS there, it would be a very big help for us! and and we would be very grateful to you
Thanks in advance
Jim
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14 Jun 2007
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GPS tracks
Richard , backofbeyond,
do you have any GPS tracks or Waypoints??
I would appreciated very much!
Thanks again
Kind Regards
Jim : tsizmo@gmail.com
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14 Jun 2007
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GPS tracks
Tsizmo - sorry, I didn't keep the ones I used. Chris Scott's book has a set for Nhb to Atar and he has posted up some additional ones here (although one of the points seems to be too far north - a typo perhaps)
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14 Jun 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsizmo
Richard , backofbeyond,
do you have any GPS tracks or Waypoints??
I would appreciated very much!
Thanks again
Kind Regards
Jim : tsizmo@gmail.com |
Sorry, nothing that I can send easily from here. You don't need GPS points for the railway piste - just keep the line on your left as you head West. Just before Choum, follow the corduroy South to Atar. Navigationally, the pass is also relatively straightforward.
Cyril Ribas's Mauritanie Au GPS is the best resource on the country's routes whether you read French or not: Editions TAKLA MAKANE (35€ on disc) and Chris Scott's Sahara Overland book also has some routes for Mauri amongst lots of other really good desert travel stuff.
Or if you just need points have a search online, I'm sure they have been posted by other travellers.
Last edited by Richard K; 14 Jun 2007 at 14:33.
Reason: sp.
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15 Jun 2007
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Mauritania
Thanks both of you guys, for the tips and everything!!
I think I will buy Chris Scott's book it must be very usefull..
I also found some tracks and waypoints if anyone is intrested
send me an email : tsizmo@gmail.com
Regards Jim
Last edited by Tsizmo; 15 Jun 2007 at 14:23.
Reason: syntax error
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15 Jun 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsizmo
Hi everybody!
we are thinking to load the bikes on the train at Nouadhibou (Is this possible??) |
Hi Jim, I did the Atlantic route to Senegal in January this year and met a rider who had put his bike on the train from Nouadhibou to Choum. He had to wait about 2 days in a siding before the train left though.
Andy.
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15 Jun 2007
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Mauri Train
Thanks Andy, thats good news I guess.
I belive that once we get there somehow we will make it..
afterall it's going to be big trip and a great experience 
Do you have any recommendations about places to see in Mauritania
or Senegal?
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15 Jun 2007
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"He had to wait about 2 days in a siding before the train left though"
Sounds familiar! We were told to turn up for 9.00am, the bikes were fastened to a flatbed truck with 1/4"" solid steel rod which was fixed to
the wood of the flatbed with bent over 6" nails and we had to sit in the sun all day until we finally got going at 6.30pm. As usual nobody knew anything about when it was supposed to leave and we didn't dare walk to the shops for fear of the train going without us.
We went south initially through the ore processing plant which in the dark looked like something out of a medieval vision of hell, roaring flames, smoke, dust. Pity it was too dark to video.
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22 Aug 2007
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Carne DP
Hi again everybody!
I'm planning to go to Senegal this October with a friend of mine.
Our bikes are 2004 KTM 950 ADV and 2003 BMW 1150 GS.
-Is it nessesary to have CarneDe passage with us??
(I've read that newer vechicles than 5 years old dont need it)
-What other papers do we need?
Thanks
Jim
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9 Sep 2007
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Carnet de Passage
Hi Jim,
two weeks ago I was calling the consulate of Senegal in Dusseldorf/Germany. I was told (to be on the save site and not to be in trouble at the boarder) to bring a Carnet de Passage. Official regulations however say that if the vehicles are less than five years old, it should not be a problem.
I am planning to go from Morocco to Dakar in November and I, take my Carnet de passage with me. Just in case you find a strange police officer.
Good luck,
Lalli
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