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Yes they dodged the military/police escort, they had some queries from authorities in Tindouf how they had managed to do it. Not sure of exact route but I think they got PCR tests in Bechar after Mauritania introduced new requirements last week.
The Spanish who crossed isn’t the bikers I mentioned. The letter of authorisation is a bit of a mystery as well. The Algerians have suggested their embassy can help. I wonder if it’s related to news reports a few weeks ago that NE Mauritania is a security zone required authorisation to access. |
The letter of authorisation was introduced during covid. At the Senegal-Mauritania border at Rosso both Mauritanians and Senegalese customs ask for it. In this case it means the Mauritanian embassy in Algeria should issue writen permission that you are allowed to enter at Tindouf (as during covid only people with good reasons were allowed to go abroad). Officially the letter is skipped now, I think. I managed to enter Senegal at Rosso without, last november, after a lot of haggling
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Not heard that anyone who crossed from Morocco to Mauritania since November needed one. A guy crossing from Sengal to Mauritania was asked recently but confirm that it wasn’t necessary.
No update on the guys at Tindouf today, their PCRs must be close to expiry now. |
It seems the Tindouf border is posing some problems.
A short post today reveals the French guys are stuck in Tindouf requiring permission from both the Mauritanians and Algerians to cross. So far they have been unable to get things sorted out. |
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Well who'd have thought that might happen? Bravo to them for trying, but a border that is only sketchily open at the best of times, added to pandemic chaos... what could possibly go wrong? |
Hi, we are the romanian guys. Due to health problems we postponed a little our Algeria/Mauretania trip. We will start it hopefully in May.
We would be very happy if there will be other of you joining us in the Sahara crossing. |
The Spanish bikers made the crossing :thumbup1:
It was not straight forward. Escorts were in place as they headed south to Tindouf. The border is not officially open for tourists. They needed authorisation from both Algeria and Mauritania, Algerian one is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was straight forward as they already had the planned itinerary from their Visa application (The others currently in Tindouf are having problems getting this authorisation). Mauritanian Authorisation was obtained via the Spanish embassy in Mauritania and took 5 days to get. (Other embassies reportedly refuse to do this, the bikers recommend that this is checked with your embassy before planning a trip). Mauri visa issued at the border, same 55euro price as at Guergarrat. Travelling on small bikes it took 6 days to get to Zouarat, they carried 35l petrol each and 16l water. They report black market fuel supplies en-route but are unsure if petrol is available as they didn't need any. They met quite a bit of traffic (probably relative) everyone was very friendly and stopped to check they were ok and had enough food water and fuel. Repeated advice was do not cross into SADR/PFZ due to security issues |
The french (actually 1 french 1 Netherlands) didnt make it across the border.
Despite being told they could cross by the Algerian Embassies in their home countries they hadnt been told about the authorisation needed from both side to cross. They arrived in Tindouf a week before the Spanish bikes. The French embassy in Algiers could arrange the Algerian authorisation but the NL embassy refused to help. Neither embassies in Mauritania were prepared to help with the authorisation from the Mauritanian to allow them to cross. They managed to find who could unofficially pull some strings to get the necessary authorisation but after 3 weeks in Tindouf it still didn't arrive and their visas expired. Reluctantly they returned to Spain. They recommend that if you are going to try the Tindouf route you makes sure you have authorisation to leave Algeria before arriving in country and your embassy in Mauritania is prepared to obtain the Mauritanian approvals to enter at Tindouf. |
More Moroccan air strikes of Algerian trucks using this route.
Near Ain Ben Tili which is in RIM, but presumably the lorries were in the nearby PFZ. https://www.menadefense.net/algerie/...en-mauritanie/ |
Not such good news for this route.
Did the UN ever published the outcome of its investigation into the November incident? I don't recall seeing anything |
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The Romanians have made the crossing through Tindouf to Mauritania. However they report it was not easy
They spent a week in Tindouf arranging permits from both the Algerians and Mauritanians “The Hassi 75 Border is officially closed. Just don't show up in Algeria with a visa obtained with a hotel booking. Chances are you won't even make it to Tindouf. No chance in crossing the border.” |
Another Tindouf transit report, fyi
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Tindouf, Algeria to Zouerat, Mauritania
On Christmas Eve I crossed into Mauritania by the new border crossing at Tindouf. I am currently in Zouerat, and have seen tarmac for the first time in over a week. So I guess it's time to report about how the piste has been. As I have said before, we got caught in the "escort trap" in Algeria, and had to have escort for the last 3500 km of our trip. So naturally we had an escort from Tindouf to the border as well. That was only about 80 km. From the border to Zouerat, we have driven about 800 km on piste. We did take the short cut through SADR, so I guess it would be about 850 km if you don't do this. My car has used about 12,5 liters of diesel per 100 km in Algeria, and about the same when I drove through Europe. I wasn't sure how much it would use on the piste, and I wasn't sure if the piste would last until Zouerat or Atar. Also, I wasn't sure if I would be able to find fuel along the way. So I decided to bring about 250 liters of fuel. This should be enough for 20 liters per 100 km, all the way to Atar. On the piste, I seem to have used about 17,5 liters per 100 km. So not so bad, in my opinion. I could probably have brought better navigation tools to navigate the piste than what I did. I have a GPS. But the first time I was in Africa, the maps I could get for Africa was not very far from useless. So I haven't bothered with that since then. Maybe I should, since with time, these maps would get better. Last time I was in Africa, I just used Google Maps. And that worked excellently. But I know that without internet, that won't work so well. So I also got an offline map app called Maps.me. It's better than Google in some ways, and worse in other ways. But I don't expect it to be the best thing available. Anyway, both Google and Maps.me showed a piste from the border and to Bir Lehlou in SADR. They didn't show the same piste though. The one on Maps.me showed that we first had to go north along the border, then enter Algeria again, and then drive very close to the berm. We didn't want to do that. But in hindsight, maybe we should have. When we have been on the pistes shown by Maps.me or Google Maps, it has been quite easy to follow them. But finding the pistes when we were not on them, was more tricky. We drove from the border and to Bir Lehlou, in SADR. This was about 170 km of piste, and add the 80 km of tarmac before the border, and it's a total of 250 km. In Bir Lehlou, it's possible to fill up with diesel. But they said petrol is not available anywhere in SADR. I also have from two different sources that diesel in SADR is of lower quality, so the fuel usage would be higher. In Bir Lehlou, we paid about €0,5 per liter of diesel. When we met with Polisario on the piste, we had to have an escort to Bir Lehlou. And we also had to have an escort next day to Aïn Ben Tili, in Mauritania. We wanted to go on to Tifariti, but we were not allowed to do that. We are from Norway, and we were told that SADR has a representative in Oslo. So if we want to return, we should talk to them first. If we had done that in advance, maybe we could have been allowed to go to Tifariti. Also, for anyone wanting to go through SADR, it might be a good idea to check how your country's relationship with SADR is, before you come. From Bir Lehlou to Bir Moghrein, it was about 300 km of piste. In Bir Moghrein there are two fuel stations, but they only had diesel. The diesel cost 25 MRU per liter, or about €0,6. This surprised me, since I thought diesel in Mauritania was about €1 per liter. Maybe the diesel is cheaper in Bir Moghrein for some reason. Or maybe I was wrong in my assumption about the price. They also said it was possible to find petrol there. But the petrol came in barrels, and were not sold in the fuel stations. We did not locate these "petrol stations", but we were ensured that it was not difficult to find petrol. From Bir Moghrein to Zouerat is about 320 km of piste. In Zouerat there are lots of fuel stations. I have not filled up yet, so I don't know the price. But on one petrol pump I saw, it said 42 MRU. So either petrol is a lot more expensive than diesel, or Zouerat is a lot more expensive than Bir Moghrein. So when it comes to fuel, you don't really need lots of spare fuel to drive this route. The longest distance between fuel stations were Bir Moghrein to Zouerat, at 320 km. Unless you use petrol, or don't want to drive through SADR. Then it's 550-600 km from Tindouf to Bir Moghrein. So with our route through Bir Lehlou, we would not have needed any spare fuel at all. The piste was not really difficult to drive. Being the stupid person I am, I brought a trailer. I knew that was going to make it more difficult, but with 3 people, we decided that we needed 2 cars, or a car with a trailer. And we made the wrong choice. We did get stuck a few times, but it wasn't really difficult to get out again. Without a trailer, I don't think I would have gotten stuck once. The trailer is also the reason why we have taken so long. We have not done over 100 km in a day at any time on the piste. We did meet with a swiss couple who caught up with us on the piste. So they were the fourth group of tourists to use this border crossing. They spent two days from Tindouf to Bir Moghrein, and would probably get to Zouerat on the third day. |
Is that Jon Teiglands 2019 report? looks like his car and trailer.
He posted more detail on the West Africa Facebook group not long after completing the trip. The more recent travellers have reported things have changed quite a lot. |
Has anyone done this crossing in the other direction, yet? From Mauri into Algeria?
I had the vague shower thought of Spain > Morocco > Mauri > Algeria > Tunisia > Italy...as Algeria/Tunisia has opened up, too and now this border seems somehow doable, what´s the Hubb´s opinion on this? |
Yes looks like the old report now I think of it.
Was passed on to me without refs. I get a feeling that, as often happens in these situations, the honeymoon period for this border crossing may have ended for foreigners. Coming from the south the key will be to have an Alg visa in the hand along with other permissions (possibly from your own embassy) and maybe even an escort lined up who will help with other Algerian docs and hurdles. There won't be much to lose driving up from Zouerate other than a few days in the desert. Just be sure you have enough fuel to turn around at Hassi 75, if that's what it comes to. |
The author was, shall we say, slightly naive to Algeria and the trip but he was one of the first to cross and you can’t hold that against him.
As for doing it northbound, no one has tried as far as I know but I can’t see it being easy and probably more difficult than heading south |
Thanks both of you.
As already wisely mentioned, the naive and confident may sneak their chances. This border has been crossed recently, so the overlanding community may naively normalize it straight away by just demanding the same rights. Or at least valid information about it. Maybe a swarm of overlanders tempted by the idea of a loop like Tanger > Noakschott > Tunis should just ask this question, what´s needed to traverse Algeria coming from Mauri by own transport, stupidly straight forward to their tourist board: https://algeriatours.dz/en contact@algeriatours.dz I just did, as "I´ve noticed, that the Algerian border with Tunisia has recently opened up for tourism and also noticed reports from various sources about European overlanders crossing the Algerian border at Tindouf into Mauritania towards Zouerat." It happended on the internet, so must be true. With some noticeable demand from individual overlanders and tour operators asking for info on (grouped) sec escort, they might take in consideration, it´d be worth to spend tax payers money on providing security and/or check points through the south west on a regular basis. The border policy and touristic efforts of the Algerian gov seems to just open up in a fresh attempt and they may appreciate some input from their potential clients;-) So long |
Unlike the normal Tunisian border crossing, the Tindouf region has long been off-limits to foreigners which explains - last I read – the added permissions needed to cross it.
It certainly would seem easier to travel from the restrictions of Algeria towards less complicated RIM, but as we've heard lately, the problem might be the cost and time spent in Alg sorting things out. I think a southern approach has some merit. The key is the Alg visa which, for Brits at least, comes most easily attached to a booked escort. For this people might try: tourdusud2000 � yahoo Tour du Sud and AL Zajil Travel who are based in 'El Golea'. An old guide or fixer I know based in In Salah (last I heard) also tells me he will be starting an agency this autumn. Both will have better connections to the west of the country, compared to the usual Tam or Djanet-based agencies, some of who had never heard of the Tindouf crossing, last time I asked. Persistence and patience may yield results, but I don't think Algeria has any interest in easing the Tindouf crossing for a handful overlanders. Those days are long over. It's value to them is in a relatively safe, Morocco-dodging overland trade route with West Africa (Mali and Niger being too far gone). |
Thanks, contacts are saved. Just in case.
I´m more curiously daydreaming, than ambitiously planning that loop in the near future. Just tumbled across this thread and felt some itch wondering, how hard can it be... Cheers |
The recent crossings (I summarised above) are fully documented on the Overlanding West Africa and Morocco Facebook group. Not everyone who tried crossing succeeded.
Hopefully I posted the relevant info above |
Thanks Warden. Hopefully, the overlanding community will still forward such info, to make it into openly available forums with less interest in shamelessly monetizing my desires. Although I sometimes feel missing out on crucial real life info like this one, I´m still happy to have switched off my FB account a few years ago. Do you have a link to some blog or website of these pioneers (achievers and misses alike)?
As Dave the hat recently reported a drone strike in the Western Sahara , this region actually seems to be too hot for my taste, only to avoid heating up my flat this german winter. |
I agree it's a shame one has to sign up to FB (or even ask to join a group) to get info which is useful to all.
That is why we like the HUBB ;-) So keep us updated, Mark, svp. Fyi I just responded to that drone strike post. For travellers I dont think it is much to worry about. |
Recent quote for Tindouf route from an Algerian agency:
1000 euro pp for three day escort Alger-Tindouf and visa-invitation! But on top of that expect visa issue delays, depending on where you apply. |
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Sorry maybe this is the wrong thread to ask? |
In my experience, once you have the visa you are good to go.
But when I arrived at Med ports I had an agency guide there to smooth things over. If you don't have/need that, don't say you are going far south. Last I heard you even need an escort to visit Ghardaia, 400km south of Algiers. |
I'm new to overlanding and have long been interested in doing a Morocco to Tunisia (or vice versa) overland trip. I don't drive and it seems that crossing borders is always much more complicated when you have your own vehicle (permisions, fuel, etc). Has anyone thought about crossing the Algeria-Mauritania border by hitchhiking? Taking a taxi to the border, walking across, and taking another taxi on the other side (perhaps pre-arranged)? Would that be too risky due to safety concerns?
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I don't think you'll find a taxi on an 800-km piste; more likely an informal arrangement with a trucker. That's bound to be an adventure but how will you even get past checkpoints to Tindouf zone, or even an Algerian visa? It's not a regular border just a hut in the middle of nowhere with a long stretch of No Man's land (afaik). I am not sure this border gets more than a few vehicles a week.
This route is not like Libya-Niger (below) or Chad gros porteur Mercs, and even in the good days few tourists tried that. More for nothing-to-lose migrant workers. As said earlier, might be easier from the south up. https://saharaoverland.files.wordpre...eclipse43a.jpg |
Did anybody manage to cross the border at Tindouf recently? Algeria16 agency - used by the Romanians and the Spanish/American couple mentioned in earlier posts - did not manage to get us (two Dutch travellers) visa. What about others?
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Talk of another Algerian truck or three got droned by Morocco in the northern PFZ, just before Ait Ben Tili.
(A reminder not to take the short-cut via PFZ). https://twitter.com/TheAlgiersPost/s...38809581178880 |
Did the UN investigations of the last alleged drone attack ever get published?
Also, report from 'Ludwig" on the Buschtaxi forum last week that the border is closed heading from Alg - Mauri |
I heard it's not closed, just out of fuel - or maybe that was someone else.
Someone else is heading that way in a few days. |
Post here last Wednesday and Thursday https://www.wuestenschiff.de/phpbb/m...224785a61ff432
Ludwig does mention meeting some italians in Hassi Kheibi who had travelled from Fderik and got an Alg escort towards Bechar. This would be the first mention I've seen of anyone crossing from Mauritania on the route |
The website of the Italians who recently crossed from Mauritania to Algeria. Theres no report about the trip so if someone was interested they would probably need to contact them directly
https://jusalulu.com/ |
It seems the swiss have hit the brick wall at Tindouf.
Some interesting info but they seem unaware of the crossings in the first half of 2022. https://cantone-libero.ch/reisen/afr...d-wohl-nichts/ Drone attacks are mentioned although the reality of this is still unclear. Last week other media were reporting at Algerian attack on Mauritanian gold miners and theft of their gold. |
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Looks like DZ and RIM are moving ahead with plans for the road.
https://www.aps.dz/regions/151715-al...ndouf-zouerate https://www.aps.dz/regions/152071-le...ndouf-zouerate but if the claim off 773km is correct, that is quite a long short cut across the desert. (Thanks to SK for digging this up) |
Algerian who made it through PK75
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https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/north-africa/mauritania-visa-border-84142
Hi We did last january 2023 exactly a year ago..... we waited 2 days at border in mauritania side.... they wont let us out, until Algerian autorities came there and get autorization from Alger...next day let us cross in to algerian side.... we had visa and algerian family official invitation... no any civilian is autorize to go from Tinduf to the real berder point, PK55 ,
all area is under army control> we get escorted to Tinduf city and from there with our Algerian friend, who made the invitation, we drove always under escort to timimoun and Elgolea... from there we drive alone to ghardaia and even went for a week in the meaddle of Erg occidentale .....spend more than a week in gardaia alone but on the way to tunisia get escorted again up to the border.... always very kind and welcoming... great experience but Im sure on the other way(Algeria to Mauritania will be almost impossible because they stop anybody long before the tinduf border area.... we meet a german guy with mali passport who was sent back PS The pist from Zuerat to the border point PK55 is easy and full of big trucks |
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I will have also invitations and visa from privat person. Hopelly we will know new reports from people crossing border this time. |
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This is very interesting to hear and confirms what I found when I applied for my visa last autumn - that having an Algerian citizen who can vouch for you is the best way to get a visa and also freedom to travel. Ed Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk |
I don't know if this is a visa issue, or a border issue.
After running almost 7,500 miles across Africa, this man’s epic odyssey hangs in the balance |
2 Bits of News
The Swiss (Cantone-libero) have successfully crossed from Mauritania to Algeria And secondly an official announcement that the border is open to people as well as freight was made today. |
I see the trans-Africa runner bloke (Robin Cook?) has just checked in from DZ, having run up from Atar and got let in.
April 2024: he finished. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-68725446 |
Algerian visa coming from south
Hi, we are planning to cross the border from south to north next February and are not sure how we can get the Algerian visa. Living in Germany, but starting our trip in Namibia in September 24 in our own 4x4 we will be permanently on the road and do not fly home in between. So no chance to get the visa here in Germany before we start. And no, we do not want to cross Morocco. This stretch of the Sahara from Mauritania to Algeria after many, many trips in Algeria many years ago is unknown to us and we really would like to see it.
As we have heard it seems to be nearly impossible to get the visa in Senegal or Mauritania. Can we get at least a transit visa there? And if, can we get an extension in Algeria? And what documents are needed for a transit visa? Or is there anybody who has tried his luck in one of the numerous Algerian embassies on our way like in Yaounde, Accra, Abidjan or Conakry? Please give also the date of your experience, because things can change quickly. And please report, what documents were needed and how you got them - like i.e. an invitation from a person living in Algeria. Any comment can be valuable for us, even if negative. Thanks a lot in advance Ulla |
As far as I understand a visa in advance issued by your home country is needed.
And a tour agency escort makes that visa more likely - though some manage without. I would consider flying home from Dakar or somewhere to get the visas in DE. I have never heard of any tourist getting a transit visa, nor in recent years applying away from home country for an overland border crossing. Extensions once there are easy enough, i have heard, but of course with an escort at @120/day that gets costly. Maybe you know of cantone-libero.ch. They crossed in March from the S but had to wait several days for the border to be officially opened to them. |
Zouerate to Algerian boarder
Hello
We are looking for an other car that would like to travel from Zouerat to the Algerian boarder leaving Zouerat around the 12th/15th of November. We have the track from Cantonelibero but would prefer not to travel alone. We have read the last blog here but if anyone would have any new information that would be helpful. We're a couple traveling in a Troopy. Thank you very much Federico and Ella |
Good luck and send us a report on the route and Algerian entry.
A friend is hoping to go the other way in a couple of weeks, but sticking to the regular piste via Bir Mog. |
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Mark (blue UK Prado) |
northbound
Recent message from a Swiss traveller, Federico A
All very well with the border. Officially it is open for tourists. We arrived 3 days before the start of our visa, mistake on our part. But they very kindly made us an extension for 3 days (55€). We went to customs where they searched the vehicle quite thoroughly, especially in search of drones and GPS, I use Gaia as a navigator and they are not interested in that. An interesting issue was that the HZJ78 [TLC Troopcarrier] is considered sensitive material and we need a special authorization from the ministry to enter it, that took some time. Apparently it was the first vehicle of this type to cross the border there. The problem should be solved for the next ones. We had an escort for about 500m until we left the border. Then in Tindouf the police were waiting for us, they showed us where to buy a SIM card and where to fill the gasoil tank. They accompanied us to the exit of Tindouf. That was all. ALL THE POLICE AND GENDARMERIE WERE ALWAYS VERY KIND AND HELPED US WHEN WE NEEDED SOMETHING. PS. According to the guy who sold us the diesel in Bir Moghrein, a little more than a week ago 2 Australians on motorcycles passed from Algeria to Mauritania. PS. We did Zouerat, Bir Moghrein, Ain Bentili (not really this one showed on map. Another post southwest of this aprx 80 km from the Maroc [PFZ] border), border. We didn't pass trough Maroc (Western Sahara) [actually Polisario Free Zone, not Mk], always on the Mauritanian side. A mate is hoping to head southbound on his moto in a week or two. See below |
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Looks like vintage Tenere-riding pal Karim has made it to Nouadhibou, having ridden down from Tindouf over 4 days or so.
He got a 10-day visa with a hotel booking, but still got some escort hassle on the road after Abdala (in the end they let him pass). He said trucks are passed every hour or so. |
Successfully crossed from Algeria to Mauritania Nov 2024
Experience Report: Tunisia -> Algeria -> Mauritania by Motorcycle
November 2024 Hey everyone, I wanted to share my experience crossing the Algerian-Mauritanian border and traveling through Tunisia, Algeria, and Mauritania on my old African Twin. I’ve put together a quick report with details on visas, routes, border crossings, and a few things I learned along the way. Hope it helps anyone planning a similar trip ! 1. Visa Information: 2. Route and Itinerary: 3. Precautions and Warnings: • Security in the Region: Be vigilant, as there have been Moroccan drone bombings targeting trucks in the area. Stay alert and informed about the local situation. 4. GPS point of interest : Ain Ben Tili :Hope this was helpful I’ll will stay on this thread so I can provide more information if you have any questions. Thanks a lot, Peace |
Great report SwissR. Just what was needed.
I assume you are on a moto and the piste was easy enough? Did you use hotel booking for visa app, or not needed for Swiss? fyi, you did not enter the 'Grand Sud' region (more of less south of In Salah) where escort travel can be more difficult to dodge. Staying north, as you did, avoids this. I did not know about 2 different visas - just an additional permit required for the south. Anyway; it worked for you. I think the VoA is only at airports right now. We just went through the process. Send visa form to agency > they send to Tourism Ministry > an authorisation is issued with a QR > you pay ~ ¢100 on arrival (depends on duration of stay). We find out tomorrow. Also, afaik Moroccan drone bombings only occur inside SADR territory (usually north sector), hence no pushback (that we hear about) and why tourists are advised to avoid. Bombing transport in Mauritania just for being transport, would be going too far. |
Great write up. Very inspiring. Thanxalot.
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More than 24840 people exited Algeria through that border crossing in 2024 (Algerians and foreigners). |
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Mauritania didn't say anything though, they just increased tariffs on moroccan goods. |
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I assume you are on a moto and the piste was easy enough?
I’ve a RD04 Africa Twin, the road was pretty though especially with the fact that I was carrying 30L of fuel and 30L of water on top of my luggage. I took me 3 days to join Ain Ben Tili and 2 more days to reach Bir Moghrein. I did took my time to also enjoy the road in the desert. I was alone note that any injuries or problem with vehicle can result to death. The season was nice because the temperature were between 10°C-35°C Did you use hotel booking for visa app, or not needed for Swiss? I was lucky enough to had an invitation letter the embassy told me a hotel booking can also do they also told me how to do a dummy one :thumbup1: , you did not enter the 'Grand Sud' region (more of less south of In Salah) where escort travel can be more difficult to dodge. Staying north, as you did, avoids this. See this link all thoses Wilaya are considered « Grand Sud » https://www.algerie.cz/index.php/fr/...d/453-visa-sud La programme touriistique proposé par les agences agréées doit comporter au minimum une des Wilayas suivantes: Adrar, Laghouat, Biskra, Bechar, Tamanrasset, Djelfa, Msila, Ouargla, El-Bayad, Illizi, Tindouf, El oued, Naâma, Ghardaia, Timimoune, Bordj Badji Mokhtar, Ouled Djalel, Béni Abbès, Ain Salah Ain Guezzam, Touggourt, Djanet, El M'Ghair, El Menia. Also, afaik Moroccan drone bombings only occur inside SADR territory (usually north sector), hence no pushback (that we hear about) and why tourists are advised to avoid. Bombing transport in Mauritania just for being transport, would be going too far. They was apparently a very recent bombing of an SUV carrying a family. I was very discouraged to try and cross the limit. Even Saharoui trucks are now avoiding the area and are never crossing by Bir Lehlou. I know it’s possible to go there I even meet a «Spanish-Saharoui » that do tourism tour from Mauritania inside SADR - I met him at the shop fuel of Ain Ben Tili. I would though very discourage you to do that. Some more precision : - there is the new road on construction from Tindouf to Zouerate there is apprently advanced post in the desert at different point after the border but I took a different track. It seems that the new road will not pass through Bir Moghrein but I have no certain information about this. - take a mirror or flare as way of being recognise by a passing truck. (Some are passing fews kilometres away from your position and you might not be seen) - I’m certainly missing information now I will continue to answer your questions. About the e-visa at the border Tindouf-Zouerate the Mauritanian side Maurtiania border had the computer and connected to the normal system of Mauritania I also got my visa printed and stick in the passeport as usual the system is the same and connected so I think the e-visa will work as well. They were just missing the stamp for the vehicle so they write the information directly in the passeport that cause no issue. Thanks, |
"Le Grand Sud"
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...a_argelino.png It is theoretically all of Algerian Sahara, and thus 90% of the country, But mentally and formally and escort-wise there is a difference between Ghardaia, Ouargla and Illizi. When we self drove we got as far as Illizi. There we hit a wall. The chief of police himself came out to the roundabout. I argued against an escort and said we were doing fine. This made him upset and he raised his voice. "ICI C'EST LE GRAND SUD!!!" I would also think south of In Salah as Le Grand Sud. |
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My favourite moment was, on the return trip north after two months of pistes in Le Grand Sud, when a southbound group of Algerian tourists from the north disembarked from their coach outside the restaurant I was at in In Amguel, and tried their best to impart to me how dangerous the desert was outside of the north with all the (admittedly well meaning) usual statements and preconceptions of people who obviously hadn't really spent time there. FWIW I think Chris's original comment was more geared towards the reality that the best of Algeria's desert sights in Le Grand Sud are the Ahagger and T'Assili - and therefore these are the areas most likely to be more strigently policed by the gendarmes. The Tindouf route steers well clear of those. |
For us algerians there is a distinction between les portes du desert (Desert gates) like Laghouat, Bousaada ... etc, le SUD (south) which technically starts around Ghardaia Bechar, Oued souf ... etc and le Grand Sud which is after that and includes Tamanrasset, Illizi, Bordj Badji Mokhtar
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Tindouf Route
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With more travellers passing this way I've made a page with a map and will keep it updated with news from here and elsewhere.
Tindouf Route https://sahara-overland.com/wp-conte...shelmappi1.jpg https://sahara-overland.com/wp-conte.../01/ktind1.png |
Tunisia - Djanet - Tindouf
After taking lots of info from you all, this is an account of our journey from Tunisia into Algeria - Djanet & Tamanrasset - and on to Mauritania via Tindouf in a Land Rover Defender. We are Ian & Sarah aroundtheworldin-definitely.com, both Brits but lived in Oz for 25 years before full-time travel.
We received a 30 visa from London Consulate after providing all requested documents plus hotel reservations in the north for 28 days. Nefta/Taleb Larbi crossing was our plan but down in Douz we were hearing reports that no foreigners were being allowed to cross without an invitation from a travel agency and accompanying 15 day VOA. There was also a couple of reports that if crossing was denied the officials were stamping passports with 'rejected' which could potentially cause problems at the main border. We were also unsure about the other borders as it seemed they were not allowing consulate visas in either. Our crossing at Oum Taboul was relatively easy despite the usual confusion about where to go and what to do re fische etc. There was no vehicle search, didn't even open the rear door and the only item we were asked about was walkie-talkies. We brought in drone, sat. phone and binoculars, all hidden within front seats. It took us about 2.5 hours and would have been less than an hour had we understood the process. Heading south, the first check-point to pull us over was 50km about Tebessa. Just checked passports and TIP and waved us through. Continuing to El Oued we passed through half a dozen checkpoints either unmanned or where the guards were occupied with other vehicles. To Hassi Messouad first couple of CPs were pre-occupied and the one at the entrance to the town was too slow out of his booth and we drove through. CP outside HM took about 30 minutes. We told the guard that we would stick close to the trucks and also that we had a guide waiting for us in Djanet (not strictly true but we had contacted Abdellah by WhatsApp and told him we would organise tour of Tadrart and Tassili Plateau if we managed to get to Djanet. No more CPs until close to Bjord Omar Driss where we were held up for an hour but the concern was more about the approaching sandstorm than our journey further south. Our passports were taken and the guard insisted that we stayed the night. We ran into a Swiss guy with own vehicle plus guide and cook in another vehicle. He had15-day VOA and despite guide waiting at Taleb Larbi it had taken him 6 hours to cross with thorough vehicle check. Passports were handed back the following morning, no problem. No issues to Djanet. CP's seemed to be expecting us. Once past Ilizi, you are in the park and could probably do your own thing but as soon as you appear in Djanet the police are watching your every move. Tadrart would be more difficult as there are fully armed National Guard camps set up within the desert and even though the guide had permit they gave him a hard time. Tried to arrange guide for travel to Tamanrasset but permit for the guide was denied and we were told to go on our own??? No checks, no issues. No police presence in Tamanrasset that we saw but permits to go up Azakrem taking 72 hrs so didn't bother and headed north. All good until 130km south of In Salah. Held up by gendarmes, ended up sleeping at checkpoint. Allowed to continue in morning but from In Salah we were forced to have escorts up to Beni Abbes and the police were notified we were in town. Speaking to the police it seems that independent travel on east side is much easier than on west. Couple of free hours driving following day and then escorted through to hotel in Tindouf. Not allowed to leave hotel and were picked up by police next morning and taken 80km to border. Border crossing straightforward, thorough vehicle check on Algerian side. Slow on Mauritanian side - make sure you have evisa as I don't think they were issuing VOA's. We were asked to avoid Western Sahara and follow the border line but there were tracks everywhere and you could probably cut the corner off without problem. Desert station at Ain Ben Tili but didn't stop so don't know about fuel. No diesel or petrol at Bir Moghrein but plenty at Zouerate. Beautiful desert crossing - not many vehicles once you start heading west but enough to get you out of a jam. Thanks to Ed for all his thorough and accurate info and also to swissrider862 for GPS waypoints. We had a lot of laughs looking for the next antennae! |
Great report, be great to see it posted in this group on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1164887180341870/ |
I read recently on https://en.yabiladi.com/articles/details/159643… (Moroccan outlet afaict, so biased) that Mk is expediting a road from Smara through the berm to RIM (only ~200km to Bir Mog) to pull the rug on Algeria's ambitious Tindouf project.
https://www.yabiladi.com/articles/de...e-reliant.html You'd think it would have to cross PFZ territory, but Mk had the foresight to cut the berm across the remote corner of RIM, most probably to cut PFZ in two. (Not all maps show this, not least MINURSO, but you can see it on sat imagery.) https://static.yabiladi.com/files/ar...thumb_565.jpeg It would be galling for Algeria to have the long road it's financing intercepted by a short fork nipping off to Smara. There’s already a wide track south to this spot right on the RIM border. |
If you look on the sat images it appear there is construction underway and the piste has a lot of work going on.
It will certainly make access to Mauritania better for us without the Algerian visa/guide dramas. I drove the piste into Smara back in 2017 after our fire incident, but it was 3am with a military escort. All I remember was washboard from hell back then |
I hear Morocco emptied the PFZ, by bombing moving vehicles. Almost everybody left, according to Sahrawi people in Mauritania.
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I recall one or two Dakar Rallies crossed this way on the 00s, so it’s always been possible.
And the road from Smara to the border appears on my own M4 WS map. Distance wise between Mk and RM, it’s hard to see any benefit over the current Atlantic Highway, especially with ~400km of corrugations from Zouerate to Bir Mogrein. But just the threat of it by Mk sure puts a spanner in Algeria’s plans. And if it ever opens to tourists, it will be a nifty way of getting to the Adrar. |
Smara to the border road set to be finished this year.
https://medias24.com/2025/02/19/de-s...eux-multiples/ |
Crossing without a vehicle
Hi everyone !
I'm not sure if it is the right place to ask, but this is the most relevant forum I've found :) I was wondering if any of you knew if it was possible to cross the border from Algeria to Mauritania without my own vehicle. I would like to travel this route by hitchhiking ! (I'm french) |
I've not heard of anyone doing it but it must be possible.
All you have to do is find a trucker willing to take you, for which I would have thought payment will be involved. What few overlanders there are won't have room. Then you need to deal with the Police in Tindouf who like to (or must) escort foreigners to the RIM border at Hassi 75. So it gets a bit complicated. You can't just rock up and stick your thumb out. |
From Esmara to of RIM without entering Algeria?
Interesting! Any update on whether or not you can transit from Esmara to RIM without entering Algeria?
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https://sahara-overland.com/2020/04/...antic-highway/ |
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The proposed Smara border post is not open. Only Guergarrat
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News from Mauritanie: Tindouf is closed again to civilians.
https://youtu.be/kziuIcpPr30?si=oHxN8alknt4Jtj3h |
Interesting, a report posted this morning in an Italian group say the border is still open for tourists
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Maybe they're letting stragglers come up from the south into DZ, but not the other way?
Seems to be a response to smuggling: https://en.yabiladi.com/articles/det...area-near.html |
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