Hello again all

Is Nema to Tombouctou viable from a security point of view?

I know from other threads that some of you have taken this route in recent years. U might even be planning it in the near future.

What is the collective opinion about doing it this year.

I have heared that this is 'bandit country' but I don't know this area, always having gone south to Bamako in the past.

Thanks in advance

John

Hello

I am hoping to do this exact route in a few weeks time (Mid Nov 08) I don't believe that there is a huge risk, however vigilance is imperative. I am currently en-route, in Fez, and I would be interested in joining fellow like minded travellers.

My planned route is from Nouahidibou, Atar, Chinguetti, Tidjikdga, Nema, Tomboctou.

If anyone has any advice on this route it would be greatly apreciated.

Many thanks

Tom.

Hi Tom

I,m currently in Rabat getting visas etc then heading south. How are you travelling? I,m using buses etc so if youare driving and have a spare seat and would like help with expenses let me know - especially into Mauri and on to Atar. I dont know about the direct route to Timbuctou - I had assumed that was out and that Id go via Bamako - but could change mind if this is a reasonable option.

Cheers Joe

joe@joeluke.plus.com

Cant be of any help Im afraid, but would be really interested in what you eventually decide on doing and why.

Keep us up to date, thanks.

I've waited a few days before posting to see what others would come up with regarding this route as I'm hoping to be in the Nema area, en route to Tombouctou (and maybe the Festival au Desert), around the new year. I've not been in the area before so it's questions rather than answers.

I'm solo on a bike so my safety margins are pretty small and it's therefore unlikely that I'll attempt it without latching on to others. If there is a security problem a small convoy may well attract more attention than a few solo travellers and we could find ourselves just swapping the usual safety hazzards for a security ones.

Concerning the route from Nema, this is what I kept from a previous post by Jose Britto from a trip about three years ago.

Km N E Description
0 16 36.667 -7 16.763 Exit of Nema. Leave paved road to a fast piste heading south over a reg alternated with sandy areas
21 16 26.800 -7 19.800 Pre-paved road over floodplain
27 16 24.100 -7 20.500 Piste turns E/SE
76 16 16.500 -6 59.100 Bangou village. Piste is now sandier and heads SE
96 16 9.300 -6 52.100 Exit of small village and Kir wells
112 16 4.000 -6 45.700 Exit of Kataouane village
130 16 2.100 -6 36.700 Gneiba el Mazroufa village at right but keep E
143 16 2.400 -6 30.600 Piste progressively harder turns SE. Police checkpoint within 1km
157 15 58.800 -6 24.600 Hard piste
171 15 54.200 -6 18.500 Top of hill. Keep E/SE in sandy piste
194 15 53.700 -6 6.200 Top of hill. Piste still sandy
216 15 51.100 -5 55.400 Exit of Bassikounou. Turn right to firm sandy piste heading SE
237 15 43.300 -5 47.200 Piste sandy but firm heading SE
252 15 37.300 -5 44.200 Exit of Koussana village
266 15 30.700 -5 35.000 Exit of Medala village
284 15 33.100 -5 31.300 Fassale village. If exit formalities from Mauritania were not fulfilled in Nema, there are police and douane checkpoints in the village
296 15 31.360 -5 29.650 Exit of Douamkara village. Piste heads NE over floodplain
305 15 33.030 -5 24.410 Mali border post after Faita village
322 15 35.700 -5 17.300 Alfess well at left
337 15 39.200 -5 10.400 Exit of Boundoubadi village. Hard and fast piste
360 15 43.600 -4 59.000 Small village. Well at left
309 15 42.600 -4 54.600 Lere. Douane and police checkpoint
427 15 44.600 -4 32.200 Passage through dam wall
443 15 46.950 -4 25.320 Passage through dam wall
450 15 48.230 -4 21.980 Passage through dam wall
461 15 50.940 -4 17.530 Passage through dam wall
482 15 54.360 -4 8.380 Passage through dam wall
498 15 55.500 -4 0.000 Exit of Niafunke. Fast piste
509 15 57.700 -3 55.430 Passage through dam wall
543 16 8.000 -3 45.200 After crossing the river turn left at Douane checkpoint and follow pre-paved road
667 16 46.520 -3 0.730 Tombouctou


The above coordinates are as follows:

1st column: km
2nd column: latitude degrees
3rd column: latitude minutes
4th column: longitude degress
5th column: longitude minutes
6th column: description of waypoint

If anyone else has further / similar info or took a different route it would be much appreciated.

Thanks for the co-ords - very useful

We (2 Troupies) will be in Mauretania about the end of Dec - heading for the Festival.

We plan to go via Atar - Tidjikja and then Nema via Chris Scott's R11.

We might have had enough of desert crossings by then so there remains the option of going to Bamako for refuelling and restocking of provisions.

One problem with the Nema - Tombouctou route is that we would have to purchase supplies (food / fuel etc) in Mauretania. As we are thinking of going on to Gao via the north shore of the Niger after the festival, we might prefer to reprovision in Bamako.

Either way you would be welcome to travel with us - we might be able to easy your burden somewhat re fuel and gear etc.

cheers

john

The most useful waypoints to note are for the villages enroute. On the ground you will find a multitude of tracks and you can get there any number of different ways. Trying to tick off a waypoint list could start to work against you. Ask directions - everyone recognises the name of the next village and knows where it is.

In terms of security, well it is border country. Sometimes you sniff that tensions are a little higher than elsewhere - it's unusual in Mauri/Mali to see children running away from the sound of an engine for instance. But, 3 times crossing this area we have not had any problems or dramas.

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Pictures, Mauritania 2011