Mauri-Mali border update
 

Due to exceptionall rains and all the offroad border crossings I know being to difficult for our vehicle we opted for the only tarmac border at Gogui-Nioro.
The one I swore to myself never to try again some time ago.
Heh: the compulsory military/gendarmes escort is off the table! We even somehow managed to obtain the laissez-passer touristique from the dreaded chef de Douane at Niror. It cost us 5.000 cfa in all and we were free to go. (as opposed to the usual 1 to 2 days wait and nearly 200 euros of border expenses!)
PS
The tarmac between Didieni and Bamako is in a horrible state.

Good news. I may try Nema-Nara-Bamako next trip.

Good Luck, I guess you're aware of a daylong battle between the army and jihadists taht took place some 2 months ago in Nara, and left 9 people dead.

The idea is to push as far east as they will let us go without taking any unnecessary risks.

No worries then - they'll let you go all the way to Nema
they'll escort yout to the Mauri-Malian border, after that you're on your own.
Good luck.

Reading this statement I assume one will not get all documents needed to cross the Mauri-Mali border in NKT.

If so, what needs to be arranged where?
How many days should we plan in?

Cheers,
Wauschi

You'll get your visa in Nouakchott just fine. It is the border crossing at Nioro that has been troublesome for some years, they try to rip you off demanding armed escort and in other ways. Therefore some like me have chosen other points of entry, but that involves off road driving. Nioro is the only paved road.

We went South through Nema - Nara and back North through Kayes - Kiffa, but that was over 10 years ago, generally I would say that as with so many places after an attack Nara will be under tight(er) security and probably as safe as anywhere else in Western Mali. But the further East you try to cross into to Mali, the more nervous the military will be, it will be harder to avoid having an escort and paying more baksheesh for them to 'lose' you.


These was the Kayes - Kiffa piste back then, really nice section to drive


http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...psmj40bpt9.jpg

Nara has similar security issues as Mopti currently. The military checks will unlikely let you pass. We ended up crossing north at Gogui, easy enough but uninteresting drive.

We saw (I think) the kidnapped Spanish guy's camper, still in Nioro - is he released yet?

No, he sadly he died 2014 while held hostage by MUJAO
Nord Mali: Première apparition de l'otage français Rodriguez dans une vidéo du MUJAO - YouTube
Mali militants say French hostage Gilberto Rodrigues Leal 'is dead' - BBC News

Any issues obtaining Mauri visa at the border?
How was Manantali :)?
(love your blog)
cheers