Mauretania, Mali sefety?
 

Hi folks
Could you tell me about safety of travel in Mauretania:
- first car on a train from Nouadhibou to Choum, then by car Atar, Nouakchot, Kifffa and Nema
- naxt Mali: by land to Bamako, next Niger ferry to Gao and back by land to Bamako, Kayes and Mauretania to Nauadhibou.

What do you think about that plan ??
Thank's for help

Regards
B

Plan sounds OK but I think you needlessly complicate it all by taking the train to Choum. It will be quicker to drive there.
In Mali I assume you do not expect to put the car on the boat to Gao, but if you still have a car why not drive there?

Actually, better to give Gao a miss - stay south of the river.

Ch

Thank's Chris for answer.
I have car all the time. I thought that taking car on train is faster than go by piste.
Also I haven't checked about possibility to take car on Niger ferry.
If better is missing Gao, of course I will go by land maximum to Mopti and Bandiagara.

B

I dont think anyone puts up with the hassle of the train anymore unless it is free; either they 4x4 it direct or they drive down to NKT and back up to Atar, etc.

Car on train idea is from the days before the new road to NKT.

Ch

I thought about this only like a challenge and interesting point during trip.
Now I know more and I think we will drive equal the railroad.

B

Take care in eastern Mali
 

The security situation in Eastern and northern Mali has deteriorated over the last 6 - 12 months. I believe that Mopti may be OK, but Timbuktu is looking risky and possibly through to Gao. i would certainly not go to Kidal region. Security anywhere in the region outside Timbuktu is now poor. The Festival of the Desert this year in January was moved from Essakane to Timbuktu, and it was a much smaller affair than usual.

You will not be able to take your vehicle on the bost on the Niger River. The boats are either pinasses or the public ferries- neither of which take cars. If you really want to go on the river, then the car will have to stay behind.

For security updates a useful web site to keep an eye on, is [url=http://www.point-afrique.com]Point-Afrique Voyages : billets d'avion, circuits et s] The Point Afrique charter company rely on security across the region for their business. They recently deleted 5 destinations across Mali, Niger and southern Algeria due to security problems.

Thank you Alistair
I give up with Timbuktu. As I read it's not interesting place now. It has changed I think.
I will drive to Mopti only.
Also thank's for info about ferry.

How is situation in south Mauretania on the road from Noukchott to Kifa and Nema and on the border with Mali??
Is is safe region?

B

:confused1:
Ferry on the Niger-
You roll up on the beach and join the mad queues- The ones with the most traction in sand usually gets on first! and you pay on board- Ferry goes to Port of Korioume but has occasional engine troubles! ( BTW 'port' just means a muddy slip road to the river between mut huts! Don't expect a Dunkerque-type port!)- Best get there mornings before those engines get too hot (see open hatch picture)

There are a lot of army check points on that new-ish tarmaced road-

Tombouctou as it is called (see airport picture) is a bit of history and a 'destination' but not much there these days- If you go to the tourist office there, they will stamp your passport for free with the local stamp (touts will demand $'s so do it yourself or chose a deserving local to show you where the office is and make an offering).
The piste to the ferry is a fun ride/drive from Douentza.
Safety- be aware of what is happening politically in that area without falling prey to paranoia- there more fights in my local pub fridays and saturdays than I ever saw anywhere else!
Dogon country is fabulous- well worth going but take a guide to see the best parts- I've p.m.'ed you the place to stay in Mopti- they can arrange a guide there but you'll have to transport him there (and back!)

... by land to Bamako, next Niger ferry to Gao and back by land to Bamako...

Based on that line I think Alistair (like me) assumed Bartosz was referring to the Kankou riverboat which departs from Koulikoro, 50km from Bamako for the long trip down the river to Gao - not cross-river vehicle ferries of which I imagine there are a few on the Niger.
A lot of guidebooks rave about the Kankou as a cool thing to do, but it only runs a couple of months a year when/if there's enough water and does not take cars. Nothing does down the Niger river AFAIK as the road to Gao is 10 x quicker and there's even a bridge there now.

Mopti and nearby Djenne are great destinations, for sure.

Ch

I thought exactly about Kankou river boat. Thank,s Chris for picture. It's not small but not for cars of course.
Also thank you for usefull infos Bertrand. I drop in Mac's refuge and say hallo from you.

B

Bartozs
Mac is a 'rare diamond' fabulous fellow - he'll give you the latest- and help you out.
If going to Gao, don't miss visiting the Hand of Fatima rock formation-
It is a religious site, so don't go climbing it!

Do you have any reason to travel as far East as Nema? If you are heading to Bamako a more normal route is to turn South at Ayoun and follow the smooth tar. Or to take in the scenic route kiffa-Kayes. Nema - Mopti is an interesting route but slow and I would say tense at the moment.

In terms of security be aware without being fearful and drive during the day. Your biggest danger on the route d'espoir is an accident - you will see the results of these all along the road - and the risks multiply at night.

Thank you Bertrand

Thank you Richard K. I have no special reason to drive to Nema.
It is my draft for next year travel only. I'm looking for the best and the safest solutions.
I think that route from Ayoun to Nioro will be the best and back Kayes-Kiffa.
Thank you for suggestion.

B

hey,
Last year we had a police escort on the pist nouadibou-Atar. It was between 2 small villages on the pist. It was the periode off the kidnappings.
10 armed policeman with 2 Toyota's escorted 2 Nissan with 6 peoples :-)
Between Choum-Atar was also a police checkpoint ,just before the junction to go uphill to Atar.One policemen escorted us to Atar.
In Atar we spoke the head policemen (the owner of camping Baba Sahara made the phonecall) he wrote for us a dokument for travelling along to tidjikja via the pist. Every checkpoint we showed the document and we could travel without escort through Mauritanie.

Long Way To Ghana

Tahnk you addax
I also think about Atar - Tidikja piste. It seems easier with conections to head policeman.
How long is trip from Atar to Tidikja?

B

Just completed South Africa to Morocco as of today so recent experience: Did Mali up to Timbuktu, great drive and enjoyed it there. Up Mauritania through Nouckchott then on up to Choum (good challenging piste driving, very rough and lots of floodwater) where I put my truck on the train; hellacious trip across, but I am a train nut so it was worth it to me. Note of caution on the piste route across, it is very isoloted and friends got stuck 9 times in their Landy on crossing and didnt pass another vehicle in 650 km - they are not usually cautious travellers but advised not doing it without another vehicle alongside. Lots of police roadblocks in both countries telling us to be careful on our travels but no need for escort and absolutely no issues encountered anywhere (and did all of Mauritania solo as wife had by then returned to UK).

Enjoy it.

GB