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Current situation Westsahara, Mauritania, Mali (Dec 2013)
Just drove from Europe to Mali and obviously found a different, much tougher situation, compared to my last trip 7 years ago.
Trip report here: Driving through Westsahara. Mauritania, Mali (Dec 2013) - Gentleman Adventurer In a nutshell: Mauritania visa on arrival (50 Euro) now available again at border (since Nov 2013) Morocco-Mauritania border opens at 08h00 (in reality 09h00) and closes at 18h00, on weekends possibly earlier (14h30 ?) Car insurance for Mauretania (25 Euro) and - separately - most of West Africa (Brown Card, 75 Euro) available at Mauri border Mali visa usually available at border, but advise to obtain it beforehand (at Rabat embassy within ca. 1 hour, 60 Euro), because of potential refusal at Mauri-Mali border in the current war turmoil Mauri-Mali border opens at 08h00 and closes at 18h00 (or 20h00 ?) Compulsory military escort (soldier in car with AK 47 and 2 magazines; cost 10 Euro) from Mauri-Mali border to Nioro du Sahel and another soldier (50 Euro) from there to Bamako, because of current reflaming of Tuareg rebellion and several AQMI & Ansar Dine incursions and kidnappings in that area Corrupt chief of brigade at "Douanes" customs office in Nioro du Sahel(Mali) tries to enforce an additional rip-off customs escort on transit travellers (so called T1 carnet), all the way through the country. Avoid this at all cost and insist you enter as a tourist !!! Otherwise you have a customs guard in your car (at 75 - 100 Euro cost, starting in Kati/Bamako) who keeps your passport and car papers and decides your Bamako hotel and the immediate onward drive out of the country. For Westsahara, Mauritania and Mali you need to prepare a total of 50 (!) "Fiche d'Etat Civile" photocopies to hand out at the many control posts. |
Thanks for the new info....50 euros does not sound TOO bad, its still a difficult area with lots of kidnapping and the guys with the beards would normaly target a non escorted vehical rather than one with a guy with a AK
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Thanks for the update!:thumbup1:
Cheers, Gee |
Thank you for the informations bier
Surfy |
In Mali you would have to get yerself north or east of Tomboctou to get kidnapped these days.
That is a scam they are pulling, just say no. |
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In Kayes I asked at the commissariat if there was a need for escort to Bamako, he replied 'ask the gendarmes'. Went over there and sat for a while, noone was interested. Finally a bossman showed up, he asked me 'are you mr Diallo?' This was so surreal I replied "Non je m'appelle Sidibé. Abdullahi Sidibé!" At this everyone present was laughing and slapping their knees.
I said 'I am going to Bamako'. Bossman said 'Bon voyage!' That was it. Lots of crooks around Nioro-Diema and that is where you could also, possibly, be kidnapped. Man I hate giving away my papers. I will carry copies of passport and driver's license, that is all they are gonna get from me. Once they have your papers you're out of luck. In Bamako I gave the driver's license away too often to corrupt policemen, finally I said 'look I am not going to pay you even one CEFA, so what are you going to do with it? Show it to your wife??' They found that funny, but insisted I 'needed to support the police'. Wearily I gave him a couple hundred and swore never ever to hand over any important documents again. Edit: in fact, I doubt I will even stop or pull down the window. Just ignore, ignore. |
Hey guys,
In Mali and enjoying the hospitality and the good mood of the people here (especially the girls here :innocent:) We had issues with the gendarmerie in Nior, but with a healthy attitude we where able to get our passports back at Diema. From there on on our own without any problems. Cheers Richard |
Mauri Oct 2013
Just to say we have done a very good trip in Mauri desert this Autumn: 15 days , 3 cars and a very nice guide "petit" Fadel.
Our route: Nouadhibou,banc d'Arguin,Benichab,Akjout, Erg Amatlich,Amazmaz,Tifoujar,Oued El Abiod(about Akjout--> Oujeft we have followed the route described in Cyril Ribas' book),Oujeft,Atar,Ouadane,Chinguetti,Rachid,Tidjik a ('old piste'),passe de Nega,Boumdeit,Aleg,Diama. After Sénégal,Gambia,Guinée Bissau and return (the whole trip:10weeks). If you need more details, just let me know. RR. |
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Heading there in a couple of weeks, and would appreciate some more info. Cheers, Gee |
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RR. |
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I understand you used a guide. Could you pm me how I can contact him (mail, or perhaps Facebook?). Cheers, Gee |
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MAIL :info@smcp.mr (not sure about it) He lives in Nouadhibou. A very nice guy, indeed RR. |
I heard they now demand you have a fire extinguisher in the vehicle on the Mauri border; correct?
Also heard they are being more strict against carrying extra fuel inside the car (fuel is cheaper in Western Sahara). Some have had their extra bidons confiscated. |
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