Of course.

I booked my ticket online with GNV (https://www.gnv.it/en). The price for bike + cabin was 100euros, but there was a 30% sale when I booked.

The day before I contacted them on what time I should be in the harbour. They said 7pm, but it was way too early. So I arrived at 7pm, went to the GNV office to get my ticket here: https://goo.gl/maps/Gqvowbc32KZweexP6
(All of the ferry offices are at this same location)

I got my ticket and rode on to the correct gate (for me it was 13). Then you just follow the line. They had an extra check for me, because I had an Algerian visa in my passport. But other than that, all the standard stuff. They check your passport, your bike papers and the vin number on the bike, they check your luggage and that's pretty much it.

Bringing a drone into Algeria/Tunisia is very Illegal so I do not advise doing it, however I did meet a few bikers in the harbour, one of them might have been carrying a drone inside of his jacket. So if you have something illegal it's better to keep it deep inside your bike or on your person. (I strongly suggest you do not try this, Tunisian prison is not a fun place)

I was done with the procedures at around 9pm and then the waiting to get onboard the ship begun. We waited for many hours and at around 23.30 we were allowed to board the ship. I strongly recommend you bring food and something to do for this long wait. ( I had lots of food and podcasts I could listen to)

On the boat the crew will tie your bikes down securely and the cabins are good and fairly modern.

The process itself was very easy, but the wait was long.

-----

Update regarding the invitation letter to Algeria:

I have a contact who owns a guest houses in Algeria, who can help you with getting an invitation letter. Please be respectful when you ask her for help. You will have to book a stay at her place in Algiers (or at her Dessert oasis if it's ready, ask about it). You can email her at coachimmo * hotmail.fr

Thanks very much for this, including the invitation letter contact. I'm deciding this week whether to go (it will be tight on timings for my visa), but if I do I may contact them.

Thanks again

Ed

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Where Next Barney? / Trans Morocco Trail

A very useful post thank you frameworkSpecialist, just one question can you enter by land from Tunisia now? I would like to complete travelling across North Africa and have ridden Egypt to Tunisia some years ago and would like to ride Tunisia to Morocco, I would be on a bicycle this time so flying into Tunis and out of somewhere in Morocco or Southern Spain.

DZ-TN land borders are open from Nefta right up to the coast.
But you do realise Mark that DZ-MK border is closed these last 30 years?
So you'll have to ferry/fly to MK via Europe.

You will also need a regular tourist visa with the usual dodges - not the new VoA (see other post).

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Hi Chris, thanks a lot for the info.

We are on the DR 650 going south from Tunis. You are sure the Tozeur border into Algeria is open? We have the visa for Algeria.

Enjoy the ride,

Marcel

No reason why border should be closed.
I take it you have dodged the escort rule.
What nationality?
I hope they let you pass.

Only 30°C in El Oued today ;-)

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Thanks Chris, we are Dutch.
How did you dodge it? Any advise?

Chris already covered it. But just for the sake of clarity:

Yes you can cross the land border from Tunisia to Algeria with the visa you get in advance from your home countrys Algerian embassy.

Algeria -> Marokko landborder is closed.

Just been pointed to this recent vid:
https://youtu.be/jBcUp6ce4TI
(not great quality; audio is a bit mushy)

Young French chappy on a Him who arrives in Oran and appears to have done TSH all the way to Tam, and beyond without any impediment from checkpoints at, say In Salah, where the 'Grand Sud' rules are said to begin.

Are they quietly doing away with the escort / CdH rule at the non-VoA visa app stage?
Or as always, does it depend on your nationality and the cut of your jib on the day?

Afaict he did the outer Hoggar loop (A8 in my old Sahara book) topped up and got east of Ideles heading for Djanet along a well formed piste, but appeared to lose his nerve and turned back citing uncertainty about fuel and what lay ahead. I know that feeling.
Odd, as I am sure I have seen tarmac NE of Ideles, but only for about 100km (resumes in 200km SW of BeH, according to google maps).

Anyway, the more travellers succeed in doing this the more normal it will become.

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Thank you all for some very useful information.


A couple of comments:

When we obtained our visas for the last two trips to Algeria the Consulate staff were very friendly and helpful; we did need a LoI. It took two weeks to receive the visas.

On arriving in Algiers on the second of these trips we had had to change plans and so instead of leaving our cameras/lenses (2 bodies 4 lenses) in Germany we had to take them with us, so we were asked whether we were journalists - we said "no" and after a couple of further questions and answers we were allowed to take them into the country.

ON an earlier occasion I had a pair of binoculars and these were (politely) taken by customs. Somewhat to my surprise they were returned when I left (I left at the same border post as my arrival).

I wonder if something has changed this year on the back of the VoA announcement?
I still find it hard to believe there will be a free-for-all like pre-2003.

The binoculars (jumelles) thing is an old one.
I was leaving mine at the border 15 years ago - and was also surprised to get them back.
I suppose they were useful to smugglers and AQIM types who didn't have a superzoom camera...

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Hi - I wanted to ask about accomodation, did you find it easy to find places?
I'm actually coming across in my van, so can stay in it, however concerned as not sure how safe it is to do this. I have hotel booked for first and last night there as required to get my visa.

I have my visa and will be coming from Tunisia, is the Malou Border Post safe one to cross?

Appreciate any information - thanks

I think to park van in the middle of nowhere would be quite unusual and police wont like it. So make sure you are out of sight or in plain sight in a town with someone's permission. Otherwise police may insist you park by a police station 'pour votre securité'.
Hotels will be a bit rough and/or very far apart down south, compared to neighbouring countries. Desert tourist towns are a bit different.

I've not heard of Malou crossing. I only know Nefta into the desert.
Or the one on the coast which are both fine.
Not sure what is meant by an unsafe border.

Ed may have more to add. He is there again now.

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Hi there,

Pretty much which Chris said. I think you’ll be safe staying in your van, just apply the usual common sense precautions plus I wouldn’t do it in car parks etc like you can in Europe - find somewhere out of sight and out of the way.

I never felt insecure camping. I did not tell the gendarmes when I planned to do so, however, because I think that might have pushed their natural caution a bit too far.

For hotels, they can be few and far between from El Melia southwards. Even towns like In Salah, where you’d expect there to be good trade given their location, only have a few of varying quality. You can find yourself paying a bit more due to lack of a competitive market, and especially so in tourist towns like Timmoun or Beni Abbas.

Be prepared to camp if you want freedom to roam, would be my advice.

Another tip is that there is a network of government auberges, if/when you can find them - they’re cheap as chips at 300DA a night, but pretty simple and a bit rough - don’t expect much more than a simple bed and some bed sheets that give of some fantastic static electricity sparks in the dark ;-). But they are good enough for what they are - somewhere to rest your head with a roof over it.

Because it’s a cash based society, don’t expect anything from Booking.com or Airbnb away from the coast. I used Google Maps a lot, however, which was useful.

Re border, I’m guessing you mean Maloula in the north? IDK about that one but when I exited Algeria at Taleb Larbi the queues on the DZ were very long. I had the good fortune of being on a motorbike so was able to skip the queue but it still took me an hour or two to complete formalities.

Hope that’s of help. Get in touch if you have any other questions.

Ed


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Where Next Barney? / Trans Morocco Trail

Hello. I want to add information about Algeria. .
I traveled through Algeria completely alone, on a motorbike, the whole time without police escort. Maybe I was just lucky.
My route was:
Italy - Tunisia
Tunis
border crossing Hidra - Tebessa, delay 6 hours.
Biskra
Laghouat
Brezina
Ain Sefra
Timimoune
Reggan
In Salah
Tamanrasset
the way to Mount Assekrem
Idles
Djanet
In Amenas
Hassi Messaoud
El Oued
Tebessa - Hydra delay 2 hours
Tunis

If you search "Jebal fcb" on Facebook, there is a report every day.
Both police and military checks always let me go without an escort, which was often offered to me, but not after my refusal.
I am sorry for my bad English.
Your site has helped me a lot.

If you have questions, I'm happy to answer.