Bissau to Bamako (via Kenieba?)

[Baobabia]

Dear all,

when investigating of how to go from Bissau to Bamako I find out the following main two possibilities and I would love to hear any current experiences on that:

1) Via Sao Domingos - Tambacounda - Kayes (Michelin "big roads", so not so interesting, also I understand the road from Ziguinchor to Tambacounda is in a quite bad condition)

2) Via Gabu - Pirada border - PN Niokolo-Koba - Kedougou - Kenieba - Kita (this would be my preferred option, but info on that is really limited ...

- Is the part Gabu to PN doable in November in a 4x4?
- Is there an entrance to PN Niokolo-Koba in the West of the park and can you continue from there? (there should be an entrance at the bridge Gue Kpulountou, but the info is dated and it is unsure whether the Bridge still exists. Other possibility is the entrance Gue Missirah Gounass...any current info on that?
- Is the road between Kenieba and Kita (as per OSM and info of 2012 http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...i-border-65893) still passable for a 4x4?



Thanks a lot to everyone who could contribute to any of these questions!!!

Regards
Baob

[priffe]

Entrance to Niokolo-Koba is at the west end, you will be directed there if you are coming from east. They will ask you to take a guide also, we went in on our own and they didn't like that.
Doable in November yes.
There is a wide goudron paved road from Moussala to Kita that for some reason is not on any map. Not that much to see. Make a detour to Manantali and stay with Kasper at the Cool Camp and swim in the clear water of the Bafing.
I wrote about this recently in the thread you linked, from January 2015

[Surfy]

I did read about a recent Kenieba crossing, in the last 2-3 years. There was even a On-Track Video of the drive.

Was it Mike Rutter? I don`t know exactly.

But I try to collect a list of all travelers on the west route of africa, who writes a blog.

Trans-Africa: Gerade Unterwegs...

You will find the mentioned blog listed there for shure.

Surfy

[Baobabia]

Thank you - will check it out for sure.
Quite cool that you continue to collect these blogs even after having finished your Africa journey!

[vdoo]

Hi,
I'm not sure you are considering this exact route but here is some info. Perhaps a deterrent for a 4x4. I did it on a motorcycle and the trails were pretty darn narrow at places. I only saw one four wheeled vehicle along this route and I'm not sure it was going very far.

http://localhost/CCC/VC4/VC4-adventu...BamakoMali.asp