Customs escort in Mali, anyone?
 

Last weekend we entered Mali from Mauritania, at Nioro du Sahel. In addition to the compulsory military escort until Bamako, we were forced to take a customs escort (so-called Carnet T1) from Bamako all the way out of the country (to Burkina). The information was not given at the border, but only when we arrived in Bamako. There the military escort refused to give back our car papers, instead gave them to a new escort without uniform. We were two German registered cars, and one French (meeting at the border by coincidence). We suspect this is a scam by the Nioro customs chief. Anyone else with this bad experience?

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose...:rolleyes2:

I also heard about this escort two years ago. It seems they make it compulsory when they think you are making the trip for business. You did not manage to make a deal with them in Bamako?

Dirty rotten scoundrels
they must be desperate to pull these schemes and scams
Yet another reason to go via Selibaby or Kiffa then south
to Kayes
and then perhaps the Chinese are making progress with the goudron south from Kayes along the river Senegal -Bafing - Kita - Bamako
muuuuuch nicer than going over Nioro or Diema

It was impossible to make a deal (for complete liberty) with them in Bamako. For the other two car drivers, one French, one German, both experienced on this route, it was also a surprise.

I can only assume that the customs chief uses the compulsory military escort as a kickstarter for extra income with the customs escort (€ 75 - 100 per car).

The consul of Mali in Rabat who gave us our tourist visa advised to take the Nioro road. It was good asphalt all the way to Bamako, except a stretch of maybe 50 km between Kiffa and Ayoun al Atrous.

Hey Fellow's

We just got into Mali three days ago and this is our experience:

We entered Mali at Gogui in the afternoon at 16.00 and where force to go with a escort to Nioro to the Gendarmerie. This costed us 7000UM each. In Nioro the escort showed us all the places to arrange everything (5000CFA for not having a CdP).
The night we had to spend at the gendarmerie headquarters in Nioro since there is no hotel in town. Costs zero !!! The next morning we where told that we needed a escort to Diema for 15.000CFA and from there on to Bamako. We didn't like it and discussed a lot with the chief and gave him a hard time. We didn't pay till three hours later. We went to Diema and there we had another argument with the escort guy that we didn't go to Bamako. After a telephone call to his boss he gave us our passports back.

All the rest very friendly government officials.

Cheers

PS we are Dutch and Italian motor-bikers.

There were 3
Wondering what has happened to them

We also got the passports back quickly, but not the car papers.

How does the escort work when you are on motorbikes? Do they use their own cars?

I just passed with the VW van and was forced to take the escort too. As I read this tread I was convinced it was a scam and told them so. To be honest I was a bit rude with the gerdarmerie in Sogui, but to my surprise they arrested me for not wanting to pay (and some other infractions). I got out of it by paying a fine and the escort (50 euro's) to Bamako. Not a nice experience. But I'm glad to be in Bamako now, with my passport and my freedom.

Wow, I can well imagine that the situation escalated and the gendarmerie arrested you. Saw the prison cell right at the front entrance. We were on a tight line with them too. Unfriendly, lazy and disrespectful guys. The chief even walked around in lousy t-shirt and jogging pants. Well, it's not really tourist season in Mali right now ... :nono:
At least they didn't enforce the additional customs escort on you.

That's a definite improvement :thumbup1: on my being obliged to go to the military barracks from the border after a guard had commandeered a vehicle then having to go to the chief's house where I found him in bed with a woman in his bedroom doh and was told to wait for him to check my and the two passports of the bikers I took with me. dohdohdoh sheesh, some 'office'!!

Helllooooooooooooo Africa - :Beach:

:thumbup: haha, that is too funny.

I guess it's about time the central government of Mali cleans up their Nioro operations.