HbG to Amguid or Gara Khan (A5, A6, A10)

As you may have read here, the checkpoint at 4 Chemins may be blocking access to the routes above.
This was the case in late November - there was a barricade over the piste out of 4 chem - closed due to smugglers, it was said. Later I met a French guy later who avoided 4 Chemins by going west along the Oued Irharrhar (after the first descent, more or less 28 23 / 6 40, easy he said) and then down around Gour ben Houilet ('Hassi M' map, IGN 1:1m) and on the Gara Khan or Amguid. I also met some bikers in Djanet which were allowed to go out of 4 Chemins. When we came back out of Gara Khan via BoD there was no problem and I seem to recall the barricade across the piste was half missing compared to one month earlier.

If they ask at Hassi bel Guebbour say you're going to the warm spring just down the road or to BoD for your health. From BoD/Zaouia Sidi Moussa you can cut out west (latter part of A10, pretty sandy) and pick up the routes for Amguid or GK. There was no checkpoint out of BoD. Indeed, as with me, at HbG they may request you take a soldier back to BoD which will give you a perfect excuse to breeze past 4Chem and out of BoD once you've dropped the guy off.

If they don't let us past the barricade we'll be trying the Oued or BoD option in a week or two.

Chris S


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Author of Sahara Overland and the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, among other things

http://www.sahara-overland.com

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And on reverse , if I want come from Amguid to go to HBG , is it a problem ?
Where ? After Amguid or just befrore BoD ?
Thanks for your responses

Roro

No probs coming back this way (into BOD) a week ago.

Going down, the guards seemed to change their stance each day as we met some people who had been refused and some that hadn't.

On a tangential note - if you do end up going via tarmac East from HbG towards In Amenas, there's another excellent hot spring 61kms from HbG (about 3 km north of the road). Well worth a stop!

As Ollie says - no probs coming back north into 4-chem, and maybe less going south by now

(btw, i think we passed you going down the Gassi Touil, Ollie - I take it you had a good loop ;-)

CS

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Thanks Chris - yes, had a great trip. Had a suspicion that that was you, but by the time I'd realised we were too far apart to stop!

Shame really as you could have saved us a day's buggering about trying to start route A5 - the military at HbG told us that the only way down to 4Chemins was to go E on the tarmac and then SW down the piste shown on all the maps. Don't advise taking this piste - it's rough rubble all the way (70km in 3 hrs). The hot spring at Hassi Tabankourt is worth a stop. We ended up driving down to Djanet via the tarmac, as did most others around the same time as us. Beautiful drive, and the smallish erg just S of In Amenas is a lovely overnight camp, lovely red dunes, would have liked to explore further but travelling on our own decided was not an option.

Incidentally fo anyone heading down soon, the stone-throwers are out in force in the Souf region, but it seems to be worst just E of Touggourt, rather than between El Oued and the border. So don't think you're through it all until you're past Touggourt!

Cheers

Ollie

[This message has been edited by ollieholden (edited 08 January 2003).]

....and the smallish erg just S of In Amenas is a lovely overnight camp, lovely red dunes, would have liked to explore further....

That's Erg Bourharet (or one of its names) a lovely spot indeed. Camped there in 88 and the dunes have not budged an inch, interestingly. Met the crew there to start filming this time but it was too cloudy so we moved on.

fyi, overnighting at hassi Tabankort is mosquito central, I'm told - but amazingly none at the one south of HbG which was bliss under the stars ...

My stone throwers tip: open all windows and wear a crash helmet.

CS

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What is the best solution to prevent stone- throwers :
Travelling at night ? ( possible ?)
Having "plastic films" ( I don't know the English word ) on windscreen ?
Other solutions ?
Thanks for your answers , I'm worrying about that !

Roro

I read somewhere about a couple that had carved and painted a rough copy of an AK-47 out of available bits of wood. They cruised through villages with that showing in an open window, not even a pebble.
Rally style plexiglass windows are light and don't break easily; alternatively mount full length sand ladders at window height for that "Securicor" look.
I don't know yet as I haven't experienced it, but stone throwing is one of those little things that preoccupy the trip planning for me too.
Other ideas welcome.
Thx
Luke

The stone throwing bit is not that big a problem. Relative by both risk and outcome, there are much bigger things to be prepared for!

If you are very unlucky, and one is for the driver's window, have it closed and buy a new window afterwards - better than actually being hit by a stone whilst driving. Sometimes tucking in behind a lorry means that the kids can't see you coming seems to work (but then you are an easier, slower target!!).

It one of those things, there are more important things to spend time and money on...

Sam

What are you supposed to do if they start throwing stones and you're on a bike?

Anyone experienced this?

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I agree with Sam, it's a small worry from small kids and not a Biblical hail of stones as some may imagine.

CS

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... stopover and ...

They're probably already far away. Or looking trough your window for a candy.

I agree that there are more important things to think about when you're planning your trip, and don't think it's worth worrying about plastic windows etc. However these kid are throwing fairly hefty rocks (ie the size of half-bricks) which put sizeable dents in your car and if they hit a person you could be putting your trip at risk before you've got to the good bits!

Prevention is best approach - only drive through when you know the kids are in school or asleep; or sandwich yourself between some local cars. Or, drive very slowly and eyeball them.

Anyone know why they do it? The adults just sit back and watch!!

"have it closed and buy a new window afterwards"

1. To Sam :

Do you think it's easy to buy a new windscreen for a Defender in Toggourt ?
What can you do without it ?

You say "closed" , but if the window is open it can't be broken .

2. To Ollie :

When the kids are at school ?
I remember my last trips , it seems to me they are on the road all day long !
Is it possible to cross El Oued and Toggourt at night ?

Thanks for your posts

Roro .

You could always go across the Erg and pop out on the plains.

Andrew.