ESSAKANE GPS waypoints?
 

Hi

Does anyone have the gps waypoints for ESSAKANE in Mali?

cheers

John

Esskane
 

Essakane is not a town nor will you find it in Google but it is visible in Google Earth.

It is just desert dunes until the Festival de la Musique appears each year. NW of Tombouctou in some seriously deep sand!!

Essakane is the adventure of finding her-

In a car
 

In deep sand on a bike you rather give it as much thrust as u can
Its not deep all the time
In a 4x4 with 1 bar (maybe even 0.6 bar) you can drive nearly in the same way
as with 2.5 on asphalt. People drive quick because they don't deflate tires.
So drive rather slow and carefully otherwise u may rip ur pneus on the edgy parts
The festival is worth going, just getting more expensive all the time
Consider also Segou, Festival sur le Niger usually 2 weeks later

Rgds Manfred

This is what it looks like John - and 'fred is quite right.... not deep at all -:rofl: can't imagine the reason why it took us 15 minutes to get this 4x4 unstuck... once loads of vehicles have churned it over and over again, yes it is deep.

Whatever Bert
 

I did not have problems. Arrived at night because we set out late from Tombouctou and I drove carefully with nearly flat tires. Never feared of loosing the track. It was nowhere near as demanding as other stuff I have done (far away, no tracks, no other vehicles, deeeeep sand). Yes it is desert, be prepared in all respects, don't underestimate, take ur time. re ur picture: Locals' vehicles usually aren't prepared. No oil, no diesel, no water, engine hardly maintained, locals never deflate tires in sand, 20 people on top of a pick-up. But locals themselves know cope when stranded, know to survive in dire conditions, also they have time, don't have a plane to catch Monday after, that takes them back. Cheers Manfred

well done Sir
 

:Beach: sehr gut but I really don't understand why Manfred doesn't deflate his tyres in sand- :confused1: This action increases the length of the tyre's 'footprint' thereby offering greater contact / grip on the deck-
Works for me.

Sorry to stir up such a hornets nest!!
 

Sorry all!

Didn't know this was such a touchy subject

At the risk of starting Armageddon - I have one (or two) more questions

Is it better to buy tickets on line or buy them at the site?

Festival au Desert website quoting ticket prices at euro 130.00 per person

If on site, where? Timbuktu or the festival site itself?

Lastly if I buy them before hand are there any additional charges on arrival (like some herbert trying to relieve travelers of a 'parking charge' or 'local tax' etc).

I await your answers with trepidation (and tin hat)

Cheers

John

In 2006 I paid 150 on site
 

no further charges (parking/camping). So 130 looks really cheap. But things may have changed since. Send them an email.

Thanks Manfred

130 euros does sound cheap - especially if prices have been rising year on year.

Silly question perhaps, but the ticket service advertised on the festival website can be trusted can it?!

john

Not too stupid a question
 

I would trust them, you decide for urself. ;-)