marokko - mauritanie - senegal - mali
 

Hi there,

I am going to maroc by plain in octobre and then to mauritanie, senegal, mali and Niger. Who has any tips about campsites and transportation in these countries?

Thanks

Hi,
We planned the same route, around the same time. But we are going by car(starting form Brussels). We have a hard time now to find a car. This because our first idea was to go by 4x4.
Therefore I would like to ask if you guys think it is really necessary to do this 'trip' with a 4x4. Anybody have done this by 2wheel drive?
Any other information would be nice also.
Thanks a lot.

http://www.sahara-overland.com/routes/atlantic.html

Ch

hi there, i have done almost the same route twice, in 1999 and 2000. but only from Nouakchott i went east direction Nema. from Timbedgha i went straight to Nara in Mali crossing the border somewhere halfway. both times with a 2wd. i avoid Senegal because Mali is very difficult to reach from there.
good luck,
Ties

------------------

Hi Ka
Lots of Campsites in Morocco, a few in Mauritania (mainly in Nouadhibou and Nouakchott), Senegal I haven’t been to and in Mali they are hard to find and when we did find one it was run down. As per transportation I went with my own car.

Hi Mormos
I did Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina-Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria in December last year (Dec 2004) with a 2 WD (Peugeot 505 GTI) without any problem as long as you stay along the main route. Between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott the first 80km is bad, got stuck a coupe of times. Those who want to be more adventures drive along the coast through the national park which can take 2 day. The worth bit of road was from Nioro to Diama in Mali partly because we did it at night taking 7hrs to cover 100km.
Senegal we heard is becoming problematic so we avoid it.

Thank you all for the information,
Got 2 more questions:
- Tunde,
What do you mean by; Senegal is becoming problematic and to be avoid?
- I know there's already a topic open, but just this question. Would it be possible to go to the 'festival du desert' by 2wheel drive?
I was thinking to go via Nema-Nara-Tombouctou. Maybe would go to "festival sur le Niger" afterwards, if possible ...

Mormos,
I'm living in brussels. I'm planing to go to Maroc & Mauritania this Dec. r u looking for a 4x4 ? which car u prefer?

fwang at tiscali.be

Fons

Hey Fons,
we were indeed looking for a 4x4. But it's hard to find (a car that is prepared for a trip like this, where you can sleep in or on top of it, ...). That is the reasen why we are thinking of going by 2wheel drive. Also our budget is a bit limited ...
The last car I saw was really nice. A Toyota Landcruiser PZJ75. But they sell it before we could decide to take it or not.

Mormos, you ask if it is possible to go to the Festival-Au-Desert by 2WD. In 2004 I went to the Festival (excellent), and the track between Timbuktu and Essakane is 4WD only. It has lots of sections of soft sand, and I did not see any 2WD at the Festival. I think everyone arrived by Landcruiser or camel. (The camel trip is either two long days, or three shorter days of travel.)

No probs to drive the route from Marok border to Noakchott in a 2WD. 80% of the transafrican highway is completed to the capital and the remaining desert section are driveable as they are easy to navigate. Save your money and buy a Peugeot. As to Senegal they have a law forbidding cars that are older than 5 years, only permitted entry with a carnet. There is no way around it, they will turn you around at both the Senegalese borders in Mauritania.

hi Mormos,
if you wanna looking for a second hand landrover. i can suggest you a very nice landrover garage. it's not so far from Leuven.


drop me a email. i will send you the detail
fwang at tiscali.be


Fons

Hi,
don't you need a carnet for Marocco, Mauretania and Mali?

No carnet needed for Marok and Mauiritania don't know about Mali.

No Carnet needed for Mali. Without Carnet you need to get a stamp after 8, 21, ... days though.

Hi you asked about 2WD going to the Festival-au-Desert. In fact you can. I too was at the 2004 Festival and saw a number of Citroen 2CV's from the Citroen Club of (I think)Slovenia there but the going North of Tombouctou is very hard and virtually impossible in a rear wheel drive car. I saw many 4x4's stuck including the Malian minister of Culture's! However, as the route is very busy on the way up to the Festival you'll certainly get a tow out.
Incidentally, since then the piste from Douentza to the Ferry to Tombouctou has been improved and a Toyota 20-seat bus has made it up there several times.

Hope this helps.

Q

This is really a fantastic web-site. Thanks to everybody for all the information.
Another question:
I just found a Mitsubischi L200 with a demountable cabin. I know it is not that romantic as a Landcruiser or Defender with roofrack ..., but wath are the opinions about doing the trip with a vehicle like this?
Anyway it safes a lot of money ...

Hi Ka,

Me and my friend are planning to do the same route, but we have got only 3-4 weeks to do this so we have decided to take out Senegal and hit staright for Timbuktu from Mauritania. Like you, we have no idea about transportaion and logistics. We are planning this for next year around Oct-Nov period.

If you have any information on logistics please do share, and I will do likewise. Who knows our path might cross!

Bert333,

Your information based on research here, or experience on the ground?

Sam.

Hi all,

I'm currently in S-Spain, on my way to Afrika, anyone also about to cross over to Marocco in the next few days? I'll be cruising around W-Afrika for 3 a 4 months, alone with an old landcruiser bj75.

>The Carnet de Passage en Douane IS mandatory >for Mauritanie, Senegal and Mali.
>Check with the Embassies rules change!
>21/9/05

Once again ... thats wrong. You can enter Mauri ,Senegal AND Mali without a carnet.Embassies know jack shit about the real situation at their homeland borders.

I am now in Dakar - look at the IP- and got here without a carnet. Not just once ? but up to 3 times this year.Had to pay this time only 50 euros at diama -nearly impassable road thou-

Mali has never ever requeswted carnets and up to day you can enter with whichever vehicle you drive.no probllems no hassle neither

Mauritania was trouble free -no cadeaux requests at all- and Morocco is getting better by the ,minute.For a start ,they have built a new border post ( kilometrees south of Guergarrat brand new, with computers ,etc

now gergarrat is only a forgotten fort which serves as a taxi station

excuse the typos;Its a French keyboard

Javier

Javier,
The Lonely Planet indicates you must drive around NDB getting customs forms/insurance/registering with the police etc - is that still mandatory? We're looking at a minimum time in NDB before getting Malian visas in NKCT and then hauling ass out of the country. Any ideas?
Dave

I believe the LP's info is long out of date. All the stuff is now done at the new Mori border post and there's no need to visit NKT at all unless you want some shopping.

Ch

Hi chris,

I am reading your book "Sahara Overland" right now. Very impressive account! I am planning to do Morocco-Mauritania-Mali (Timbuktu) overland in 4-5 weeks, in your experience is this possible? Please note I won't be driving and relying on the local transport means etc.

The Moroccan buildings on the way to Mauri looked ready to move into when I was there in May, nice to hear they're in action now.

How is Mauri, now it's under new rule? Still friendly to vehicle travellers/ worth moving as quickly as possible; organising onward visas before Mauri to save time in Nouakchott/ hints of hassles to foreigners at all?

I do agree completely..

Last year we did all the paperwork at the border of Mauri. From Nema we went to Bamako without any problem. Even the British car, who left Mauri with us and did not find the customs to stamp the carnet while leaving Mauri had no problem... In Mali they put some stamps, signatures, took some Euro's and told that everything was OK.
On our way back we did not find the customs office on the piste between Kiffa and Kayes.
While leaving Mauri then again in Western Sahara... we only got a "Bye and hope to see you again"

So no worries about visas, carnets and insurance for these countries.... allthough the ambasseys and consulats in Belgium told us otherwise...

[This message has been edited by ***Mark*** (edited 12 December 2005).]

[This message has been edited by ***Mark*** (edited 12 December 2005).]

hi there:>
in january/ feb i'm goin' overland by atlantic route to mali, and maybe to burkina also and niger;
i'd like to ask you about carnet in burkina and niger? is that required to enter burkina and niger?
what about insurance on all the way from mauritania to niger (through mali and burkina)?
is that necessery to buy an international insurance?
thank u for answers
slawek

Hi ! .

Carnet is not required to enter Neither Burkina not Niger.

Javier