Algeria to Ghana (and back) - am I mad?
 

This is the short version!

I'm investigating the feasibility of a return overland trip to Ghana towards the end of the next dry season (Jan/Feb 2006). There will be 3/4 people in the party travelling in a 110Tdi CSW. The direct route would seem to be Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana - but I'm getting differing advice about Algeria and Mali (the FO website is useless and more concerned with covering its own rear - Chris Scott's seems to be a lot better). Would a route via (say) Libya and Niger be more appropriate etc...?

Clearly we would want to join up with a convoy for the Sahara stretch - if not further - but on a more basic level would the advice from more experienced Sahara travellers be to continue planning or forget it and have my midlife crisis elsewhere?

Yes, I already have Chris Scott's book which I am devouring in chunks, but I don't want to spend too much time and money planning something that ain't going to happen.

Any advice?

Andrew

Keep planning, its definatly do-able - just more expensive than it used to be with the comp guides. Right now I would go Libya and Niger. (updated RD on sahara..../news).

Alg will get better but checkpoints sound a complete arseache right now. Alg-Mali is not recomended for beginners (recent impressions from Kidal, etc) - 4CV was lucky IMHO.

Plan on Lib-Niger, be ready to switch to Alg-Niger (which would be easier/less expensive) - in the end there is always the Atlantic road, but that will be unsatisfying (you can always come back that way)

Chris S

Did Tunisia-Libya-Algeria-Niger-Burkina-Mali-Burkina-Ghana-Ivory Coast-Ghana-Togo-Benin-Niger-Algeria-Tunisia in 2001.

Took three, pretty busy (!), months!

Great trip. My advice is to have frequent mid-life crises!

Sam.

I haven't got three months!

However, if Sam has recent info/experience on driving in Burkina Faso and northern Ghana I'd be interested - or maybe I need to get in touch with the sub-Saharan bulletin board.

Andrew,

Burkina has pretty good but corrugated pistes (and dusty!) and a few important connections paved (generally good, potholes so once in a while).

Ghana has about all it's important roads paved and the pavement is in pretty good condition. Pistes are again good but corrugated.

I thought traveling in both countries was relaxed.

Rob