Hi Andy,
I think im the biker Chris is talking about, but that was 5 years ago. I ve done the same route again, 3 years ago and most of the route from Nouakchott to Kiffa was worse than is was. BUT they were working on that road a lot and often we had to take diversions because we were not allowed to rideon the fresh new tarmac. We went from Kiffa to Kayes which is not as worse as i described in Chris' story, but I still wouldnot recommened it with at car, especially not if you are not sure it can handly really rough roads.
From Kayes to Bamako most of the road now is sealed. Only the first 100 km, were you follow the river is quite difficult, but very scenic, most of the rest is by now sealed.
Most of the people with cars (also the 2 wheeldrive) i spoke in Bamako had followed the route l'espoire with no real difficulties except that they had to take it very slow. More to the east the road even gets better. It seems that about 100 km before the end of the route you take a not-so-bad dirtraod to Bamako.
Going via Senegal into Mali to Kayes is not to difficult either.
Peter
|