Niger, Feb 2014
 

Just spent ten days in Niger, driving alone with my own 4x4.

I had the visa in Ouaga at the consulate, easy to get, two days, 20000 CFA.
Coming in from Dori in northern Burkina, I drove straight to Niamey.
Easy drive, easy and relaxed border crossing, good road, not many cars, several checkpoints. In Niger you must have your docs in good order, laissez-passez, insurance etc, much tighter control than Mali or Burkina. They still haven't caught on to the use of a ready made fiche so some checkpoints will take time, but many will just wave you through.

Spent a couple days in Niamey, then drove to Agadez, with a few short off road excursions. The goudron is fine until Tahoua, then it is terrible the remaining 450 kms to Agadez, esp Tahoua-Abalak, with holes big enough to swallow your vehicle where the roadside has caved in.
They have started making new pavement around Ingall, and locals say the French (Areva) will make a new road all the way to Arlit.
Agadez was surprisingly relaxed. Very few tourists though, only a few stray travellers. More NGOs and miners, travelling with armed escorts. And a few men in uniform, both French and US.
You used to be able to climb the mosque with a guard, offering a good overview of the city. Now you need permission from the Sultan of the Air; according to locals that is because you can see the activities on the American drone base on the outskirts of the city from there. ;)

There was a US/French film team in town, shooting a movie in tamasheq with amateur touareg actors.
Mdou Moctar Stars In A Tuareg Remake Of Purple Rain Okayafrica.

Going as far as Agadez was no problem, no questions asked, just drive as you wish.
Now in Agadez I asked permission to drive around. I could go to the Iferouane festival without an escort (wish I had had the time to do so). And the Gerewol/Cure Salée in September is in Ingall on the main road, so no problem going there.
But driving around in the Air would require an escort. There are still mines, and general insecurity.

As for going to Arlit (250 kms), I had four responses, depending on whom I asked:
-no problem, go on your own, several checkpoints!
-you need a military escort $$$!
-you are a tourist, no way they will let you through!
-50/50 your vehicle will be stolen, or worse!

So I didn't go to Arlit.
Also asked about venturing further east, but all destinations would require a military escort for which I would pay.

But Agadez itself was fine. People still a little worried after the suicide bombing last year. I don't see a real return of tourism in the near future.

Thanks for these news; and hoping situation will coming to improve (at last!).
RR.

I should add some info regarding the algerian border.
The border is closed for all traffic, I was told, but it opens once every two weeks, every other Sunday. However, a friend coming down from Tam waited a couple days at In Guezzam before turning back since the border never opened that Sunday.
Obviously there is a lot of clandestine traffic going on. With a guide (expensive) you can go all the way to Tamanrasset circumventing all checkpoints and border posts.

The "Libyan car market" in Agadez was very busy, a hundred or more newer vehicles, all stolen according to locals. "What can we do?" said the policeman I talked to. "They all have legit papers - in Arabic".
Then there is the "Night Market"...

Many thanks for the details Priffe. There is nothing quite like info from the source.

With regards to the Niger-Algeria crossing, I would expect that the Algerian authorities might have some to say once you arrived!

Well yes, this info was not meant for the ordinary tourist. ;)
However, supposing you had your Alg visa in order, and you showed up in Tam presenting yourself to the DRS, what would they do?

The auberge in Agadez was fine, but I do get unnerved by the constant presence of Kalashnikows and 'technicals'. So preferred then to stay quietly with touareg friends.
The idea of escorted tourism has little appeal to me; not only the cost (I am a budget traveller), but the thought of NOT being able to go where and when I please, and talk to locals in a relaxed manner takes away all the pleasure and the purpose from being in the Sahara with a 4x4.
(Then I heard that Russian and Chinese tourists actually enjoy the armed escort; makes them feel like VIPs I supposee, and adds to the excitement being in a VERY DANGEROUS place...:rolleyes2:)

When I was in Agadez and the Air several years back (during the interval between rebellions and kidnappings), the local Touareg guides were all very willing to take me into Algeria, assuring me that they did this regularly and effortlessly. I chose not to believe them and decided to wait another year and see whether security contented to improve, as seemed likely at the time, or deteriorated. This was almost certainly the right decision. I'm still waiting, but in light of the fact that I'm getting increasingly old and soft it might be a trip I never make.

I appreciate the report and responsiveness to questions here.

Mark

I would expect the Algerian authorities would be more reasonable under these circumstances than if one went from Algeria to Niger and pitched up in Niger having crossed a closed border (which cost me 10 days + once). But I would still expect there to be a delay in the case of arrival in Algeria while the Algerian authorities figured things out, or got advice from up the line. Given that the border is closed, they would probably want quite a lot of detail on which route you took. I would also wonder about those drones and how they might tell a tourist apart from someone else running the border. It might be something they only establish once they have done their 'work'.

On the issue of escorts in the desert - I am with you 100%. It ruins things for me when you get escorted round. But it looks like that condition is going to stay a long time.

Markharf, I think it was comparatively easy to sneak across the Alg border back then.
The game has changed, and is constantly changing.
I was quoted 1500 euros for a guide to Tam.

Had long talks with touaregs and libyans about driving through north of Niger.
The need to carry arms.
The (mutual) fear when you meet headlights in the dark.
The preference for gasoline V8.
And many other aspects of trying to stay alive in the north.

I heard from north Burkina (Dori) that a German couple were shot in the legs by the gendarmes after running a checkpoint driving at night, fearing bandits. Bad things happen, even in peaceful Burkina.
Near Dori I asked local touaregs if they would go to Kidal: "not for a million CFA".
Gao? "Only if we really had to. Too many bandits, high on cocaine and other drugs, just too dangerous".

Makes Mauretania and Chad look all the more appealing at this point in time.