Redhouse,
I just came across this thread. I could possibly be doing this piste more or less at the same time as you - mid to late November. I will be heading from Europe to N'Djamena, Chad on a brand spanking new Toyota Hilux double cabin that I am picking up in Gibraltar in July. This is one of the possible ways that I am considering. I have no problems with GPSs, charts and navigation in general - I cross the Atlantic East to West (Europe to States via Caribbean) and South to North (Brazil to States) on sailboats that I owned at the time, ... but I have never driven on sand! I have no problems with planning and preparing for this type of expedition, ... but I have never driven on sand! As a matter of fact, because I have never driven on sand, one of the routes that I am also considering is the Atlantic one (I heard that it is the least hassle route; I am also looking into something across Algeria.) What I sugest is that we keep in touch as our plans progress.

BRgds,
Jorge Serpa

OK Jorge! I've sent you an email, let's keep in touch.

Tom,
You seemed to imply that you have gps coords for the Bilma-Fachi-Agadez part of this route ??? If you have any I'd be interested if poss.
Also, how long did this part of the trip take ?

Thanks

Pete

Hi Pete,

I've the GPS coordinates for Bilma-Fachi-Agadez.
However, you'll mostlikely be travelling with a guide, thus waypoints won't be really necessary.
Perhaps only for you to check out if the guide is diverting to much from the route....
But if you want them, drop me an e-mail directly, that I'll send them. No problem!

Cheers,
José

pete:

we did not have GPS coordinates for this route, my wife created them on the fly using our IGN maps and a straight-edge. but to be honest, they were not entirely necessary, except for the very first stretch heading out of Bilma and up onto the Erg (only a couple of km out of Bilma). once you are up on the Erg, the balises are fairly regular and pretty easy to see. we had a fairly easy time of it all the way to Fachi. when in doubt, we followed the camel tracks, but we had that luxury traveling just after the main salt caravan season. heading from Fachi to the Arbre du Tenere is also not extremely difficult to navigate - creating a handful of GPS points off your map and just following the natural flow of the gassis should do you fine. then from the Tree to agadez, you can follow the lorrie tracks, and just double-check yourself with some sporadic GPS points you create from your map.

Bilma-Fachi-Agadez took us two full days. all in all, we found this route to be much easier than Al Gatrun-Seguedine, both in terms of technical driving and navigation.

enjoy it, it's a beautiful part of the Sahara.

cheers,
tb