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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  • 2 Post By johnbrooks

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  #1  
Old 25 May 2016
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Hello John, its John here - Bamako. Casper was great fun, stayed a week, everyone needs a Casper experiance!
Exited Mali to Mauritania via northern crossing. All good. (Thanks so much for the book).
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  #2  
Old 28 May 2016
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So you didn't try the path through the forest then? Probably very wise!
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Old 24 Jan 2017
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Hello. How much sand in this way? Maybe pass on heavily loaded BMW 1200 GS?
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Old 25 Jan 2017
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Hi - as I recall, there's not a lot of sand on the route, but in the wet I reckon it could get pretty muddy in places - there are deep ruts in places and washed-out sections. The main obstacle is probably the steep, rocky ascent of the escarpment - thats the part I read about before setting off (there are reports on here somewhere by overland bikes that have gone that way).

My experience is written up here with a coupe of photos (though the worst sections I was too busy driving over to stop and take pics!): https://www.veganwithoutfrontiers.co...ls-of-mangoes/

There's a better impression of the ascent here, but it is a little rougher and steeper than it looks!

I was mainly following OpenStreetMap data on an Android app (Navmii).

The only traffic I met was local bikes - they do the run from Manantali to the mining areas carrying fish to sell.

Its a really nice route, if potentially challenging in places, and well worth it when you get to Cool Camp

Have fun!
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Old 25 Jan 2017
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Thank you. Excellent report and professional photos.
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  #6  
Old 26 Jan 2017
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Cheers - just a note to add - the OSM/Navmii option was very useful for finding the way from the tarmac after the border to Manantali - there are so many branching trails, and the mining area has grown and diverted the public track around it. Just don't believe it when it tells you it's a 2 hour trip! I know of at least one couple that didn't find the route up the escarpment and ended up going way North...and never got to Cool Camp!

In case it helps...you can zoom in on my track log...but the Delorme map was useless here!
https://www.veganwithoutfrontiers.com/tracking/
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