Jose,

Thanks again for an excellent Mauritanian post.

A couple of quick questions if I may:

1. You mention that there are now police checkpoints on some of the pistes. Are these just on the typical Adrar pistes around Atar & Chinguetti, or did you find these on the more remote pistes as well?

2. You also mention that TIPs are now only valid for 7 days. Was this actively checked by police at checkpoints or are they just interested in passports & destination details? Based on previous trips several years ago, I have never had the TIP checked and am considering whether it would be warranted to detour via Nouakchott to have it extended, or whether to take the risk.

regards
Matt Roach

I'm just going to assume that the more answers the merrier and add in my recent experience (Nov. 2011) with the TIP.


I crossed into Mauri with the standard 1 month visa acquired in Rabat, and got the Laissez-Passer/Temporary Import Permit on the border for 10 Euros, assuming it would be filled out for the same duration as my visa. It was my first "proper" bike trip...

Mine was written out as valid from the 6th to the 12th of November.

I only had to produce it once in about three weeks through Mauritania, but this was after it had expired (still without me realising).

This was at a douane post on the N1 on the way into Nouakchott (from Atar). They said it was an infraction, and "tres grave".
They were also confused that I had gotten that far, as there is apparently another douane post in Akjoujt which I didn't see, who should have picked up on it.

After around an hour of waiting a different customs officer arrived and I was allowed to carry on, but only with strict instructions to visit the Direction General des Douanes in Nouakchott to resolve the matter. I was given directions for the office.

The extension was free and relatively painless, but I did have to be a bit forward to avoid being railroaded by other African tourists. The authorities had no problem that it was already out of date when I required the extension, and simply asked how long I needed the extension for.

After this I didn't have to show the TIP again until the Mali border - there were a few more douane posts along N3, but none were manned.

At the border I don't believe the douane officer checked the back of my TIP (which was where the extension was stamped and signed) but I can't say for sure as it was a tense situation involving paying the 3000 ouguiya exit fee with German milk - I won't get into that!


I hope this helps, I don't know if it'll be worth it for you taking the risk, but personally I would think so. (I have only been to Mauritania the once though...)
Maybe you can just get one with longer validity in the first place?

Eddie.

Dear Matt,

In reply:

1. You mention that there are now police checkpoints on some of the pistes. Are these just on the typical Adrar pistes around Atar & Chinguetti, or did you find these on the more remote pistes as well?

I've found more checkpoints on both paved roads and pistes. In pistes, I think that in some cases the checkpoint were already there in the past, but they didn't bother to really check who was going though. An example, would be the 3 or 4 checkpoints along R2 (Nouadhibou-Choum) close to the villages. Also, I was told that there is a new checkpoint on the Atar-Tidjikja piste, close to Ain Sefra. Also, south of the NKC-Nema road you'll find plenty of checkpoints... In fact, when leaving a checkpoint, police will instruct you to pass by the next checkpoint; they will phone the next checkpoint, and if you don't appear, they will imeadiately start looking for people. This happened to us twice on the last trip.


2. You also mention that TIPs are now only valid for 7 days. Was this actively checked by police at checkpoints or are they just interested in passports & destination details? Based on previous trips several years ago, I have never had the TIP checked and am considering whether it would be warranted to detour via Nouakchott to have it extended, or whether to take the risk.

No, it was never checked again. But as Eddie mentions, if you're caught they will insist on a fine. As a rule of thumb, if you're planning to stay less than 15 days, I would risk in not making the detour to NKC; if you're planning to stay longer, than the chances of being asked for the TIP will increase...
Btw, we visit Mauritania not for tourism but for work, which are very different situations. We were not willing to take many risks concerning paperwork. Thus, we moved from the border to Zouerat and tried there to extend the TIP. The officer there extended the TIP for another 7 days. We finally, solved the issue in NKC, about 1 month after entering Mauritania...

Cheers,
José

__________________
Desert Crocodiles of Mauritania: http://cibio.up.pt/crocodilos/en

Jose, Eddie

Thanks for your replies. Much appreciated!

Many thanks for the report Jose. Mauri is the sole survivor of the deep desert at the moment it seems.

Laid up in Bamako with mum and Daddy of stomach bugs::::been a problem for _ days::I had to stay over in NK and a day longer in Aleg than planned:::which put my assurance a day over::Sods law:::20 euro fine no receipt:::near the Mali border::rob cheaper than renewing for 10 days tho::::Wanted to share the insurance situation in Mali tho::::as usual :ounced on at the border:::and caved in and paid 41K CFA for 3 months:::later at Douane::told not properly stamped:::go to assurance office:::free stamp ho hoho:::there::they said it is illegal to sell 3 months::nly a whole year for motos in Mali:::took another 16K:::Seemed honest:::but I hve been to HQ of Lafia Assurance in Bamako to check::::buggers confirmed it is the law:::Police at Nioro wouldnt validate the Laissez P without assurance:::so maybe I could have done it some other way::::but lot of cash for a few weeks:::although inc other CFA countries of course::::Told I could suspend the policy when I got home::::h yeah::::wait for the refund :::hum::::AND Laissez Passez is 5k :::except weekends::vertime rate;::::so 15k::::eople were sleeping over outside to avoid it::::::all good fun:::lifeùs rich pastry etc

May I just add:::not all qeyboards are the same::::apologies for dodgy smileys and suchlike::::