Just returned from a month riding down to Dakar and wanted to post some information on the borders, particularly the Diama crossing from Mauritania into Senegal. I had expected this one to be straightforward compared to the busier Rosso alternative but it proved a right hassle.

Entering Mauritania was straightforward: 20€ for the visa, 10€ for the passavant (customs) paperwork and approx 10€ for the insurance for the minimum 2 weeks.

Leaving a country should NOT require further payment unless something is not in order. The guys at Diama wanted 10€ to stamp the passport, 10€ to take the passavant and some other character wanted a €7 community tax. This is all just corruption. I suspect that the various charity rallies have made this crossing more difficult simply handing out euros as an earlier traveller once dished out pens or sweets at will. I'm not sure what can be done officially but my normal practice is to say I am a policeman and normally this keeps officials honest. For the two bikes we got away with a total of 10€ but it involved an unpleasant situation that I won't go into here.....

Entering Senegal was pretty costly too. For UK passport holders the visa should be free. We were charged 10€ each (but at subsequent crossings into and out of the gambia and then Guinea Bissau it was free). A further €20 went on the passavant (at subsequent crossings the correct 2500CFA was paid and a receipt issued). I did not know the correct price at the time so hence was more vunerable to this fraud. Finally the insurance was €20 (legitimate for one month in a number of West African countries).

The police around St Louis just to the south of the border are really corrupt - watch out for the main point just south of town heading to the Zebrabar. The first couple of stops before St Louis were ok - just checking for license, passport, bike papers and insurance. In town we were stopped by a cop asking for the normal paperwork and on finding out that was ok for a "gilete" - apparantly a high-vis vest. That was to be a €10 fine each but after insisting we go to the policestation and having a full on row with the guy during which I took his photo he changed his tune to being hungry.

With the blood boiling I was then stopped at the main check point south of town. This place is famous for fining riders who don't indicate when they are asked to pull over and seemingly folk just pay up. I had been spotted overtaking a truck and the guy was keen to extract what he could. He checked my papers and then just kept hold of them asking for a €30 fine. I had to physically remove them from the guy's pocket in a bit of a struggle after exhausting the normal diplomatic options. Hopefully he will think carefully next time before trying this stunt. It is 100% corruption.

Elsewhere Senegal was great and the cops/border officials were above board. It seems to be just a few bad apples between the St Louis area and the border - no coincidence the Plymouth-Dakar/Banjul runs come through this way. Given the few privateers we met on route it seems to be part of the "game" doing this run.

Never crossed at Rosso so can't compare but Diama is definitely not a good border.

Hope this helps someone. Good luck!

Matt