Any ideas on where to attempt a crossing? Looking to get from Agadez to Ndjamena (eventually)... 2 capable vehicles (couple of foreigners plus local crew)... Does anyone have recent cross-border experiences there... (note: we are not attempting this crossing right now. this is research for project being planned for 2014 or 2015, so looking for routing suggestions, not current security update). thanks!

The Lake Chad route from Niger to Chad used to be one of the main routes (eventually leading south) for overlanders. That route closed out with the Dafur issue at least 2 years ago. Thereafter some dipped into Nigeria to achieve the same route - but then N. Nigeria went sour and the flow started going down the east coast instead.

There are other, harder ways from Niger to Chad which are much nicer if you like desert, such as a little way south of Bilma, round the escarpment, then east, skirting the north part of the Bodele Depression but I don't know of anyone having tried that route for, say, 7 or more years. Some fuel autonomy and a way of dealing with paperwork on arrival in Chad is needed.

Another way is even further north - near Seguedine. Here a piste also runs east into Chad but that is harder to do as it takes you into N Chad which has its own issues.

With both the Bilma and Seguedine routes, you'd need to find out if tourists were allowed east of Agadez. That part of the Tenere has been closed for a while now as far as I know.

I took the Lake Chad route in Mai 2012 and everything was fine. No problems at the border. Arranged Visa in Niamey (around 20-40.000 CFA, 24h issue). I took the road from Zinder with public transport to Diffa and there you can find transport to N'Djamena or Bol (Chad). Maybe from Agadez you can go to the Termit area and then south towards the border at Nguigmi. From there sandy tracks, but orientation not easy. To Rig-Rig, and the Bol or Mao. Took me two days from Diffa to N'Djamena.

My girlfriend and I crossed this part of the sahara last summer, beginning of August, but the other way round, from Chad to Niger. I was told that the southern option, from Diffa to Bol, is definitely the easiest but if you're looking for a more scenic desert route you can try to cross further north.

But anyway (and this will hopefully change in the next two years..) any route north and east of Agadez might be difficult at the moment, since authorities won't probably let you take it (maybe you're lucky and they allow you join the convoy that departs from Agadez to Bilma/Dirkou once or twice a month). And if nothing change, you'll need to get in advance (not necessary i guess if you take the southern route) an autorisation de circuler from the chadian authorities to travel in the northen areas (possible via fax).

If it helps, we took the route from Zouarké to Dirkou. We didn't have our own transport so we spent a few days in Zouraké until some locals took us along with them on their way to Agadez. I wouldn't worry about not being allowed to enter Chad over there, the were pretty easy going.

Many thanks for these updates. I'm really interested to hear about the northern crossing from Zouarké to Dirkou. Have you written down the details on a blog anywhere?

With reference to the original query, I would guess that taking one's own vehicles into Chad on this route would be more complicated than using local transport. This is not to discount the adventure bound up with using local transport of course, but it is generally true that the bureaucracy with your own cars is greater.

Many thanks too
I'm trying to find a safe way to Chad and all (very recent) experiences are very welcome!

RR.

I can't tell wich one would be the safest way into Chad from Niger.

Transportation will defintely be easier to find along the southern route although according to some well informed contacts i got in touch with in N'djamena last summer, security isn't too good in the areas close to the border with northern Nigeria.

In the other hand, the northern route, supposing that you can get to Dirkou, after there it's even more remote and less controlled by the army. In my opinion you would be taking a bigger risk and i wouldn't attemp it without a local since there are still mines along the way.

I agree with the fact that driving your own vehicle will lead you to some tough bureaucracy moments, but in the other hand, unless you have a lot of time and patience, trying to move especially in the northern areas can be really frustrating and you might end up paying a lot of money to locals to take you along with them.

Richard, i haven't written any blog about the trip although i'd like to do it, i just need some time, but if anyone wants any information about the route i'll be happy to share it. It was 3 months desert trip trying to hitch-hike (i know it sounds a bit weird, but with some patience is possible). To resume, Cairo to Khartoum (no hitch-hiking on the lake Nasser )..there, no time to persuade authorities to let us cross to Chad, so flight to N'djamena and then east to Abeche. Then Biltine, Kalait, Fada, 5 days treck in the Ennedi, Ounianga, Gouro, Yebbi Bou, Aouzou, Bardai and Zouarké. After getting to Dirkou, having missed the convoy, the army, for security reasons, forces us into a flight to Agadez. At the beginning they agreed on letting us continue overland but they changed their minds and everything end up pretty badly. I guess with our own car we would have crossed the Tenere, assuming the risks. Once in Agadez, the issues with the authorities continued, we got to Arlit and after days of waiting they agreed on escorting us to Assamaka. We were allowed into Algeria, although i wouldn't tempt my luck again..and finally a boat from Oran back to Spain.

Amazing trip. Where did you get visa for Algeria?

We both got our visas before leaving Europe, it wasn't too difficult. We just didn't mention our intention of visiting the south and decided to try our luck once at the border in In Guezzam.

I would like to try a trip from Burkina Faso to Tchad. I heard that in Niger the maybe dangerous zone would be around Diffa. I could imagine to point east of Zinder northeast to Termit and from there to Dibella. (I did Termit in 2003 from Nguigmi to Dibella than to Termit and further to Tanout.) From Dibella one might drive down to Nguigmi, or cross already from Dibella or Agadem into Tchad. Anyone has information about the official situation in Nguigmi and arriving in Tchad?
Would be with two Landcruisers (HZJ75, HZJ78).

The safest way to Ndjamena is through Cameroon.
Ngaoundere-Touboro-Moundou then all the way up to Ndjamena.
I crossed there middle of January 2014 and it was easy and safe all the way to Al junaynah in western Sudan, from there I had to ship my motorbike and fly to Khartoum because of the security issues in Western Darfur.

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Great trip Schenkel. Where did you get your Sudan visa? You were not allowed to continue from Geneina?

Hi gvdaa,

I got the Sudan visa in London, it was easy to obtain.
I knew well in advance that the security situation in western Darfur is very bad and was allowed to continue but was strongly advised by everyone in Al junaynah (army and civilians) not to go any further on the road because of the great risk of getting kidnapped or killed.
The road is safe from Al Junaynah to Zalingei and very dangerous from there to Nyala.
The other route from Al Junaynah to Al Fashir is a no go zone). There was an option of going in a convoy under army protection (free of charge), but you have to wait until they arrange it (don't know how frequent) and you have to stop when they stop and go at the speed they are going which I didn't fancy especially being on a bike in the middle of huge vehicles, So I decided to ship the bike and myself by air to Khartoum (£50 for the bike & £100 for me).
Will discover the rest of Sudan (safe parts) in the next few months.

Hi friends:

We are currently in Nairobi, getting our Ethiopia (DHL to Paris) and Sudan (here in Nairobi) visas. We are driving a Toyota Hilux, and looking for a way to reach Europe.

We had not considered this route because we thought it was too dangerous. Is there a way to confirm that the safety situation is stable? We would attempt the crossing in January 2015.

Thanks.

Josu ta Ana

You are right. Unless you can transport a Hilux by air over Darfur you would be the first tourists for years to try it overland.

Plus from there it's a long old road back to Europe via Mauritania - 5 or 6 times the distance with associated expense - compared to Egypt. And by Jan 2015 you do wonder what effect Ebola outbreak may have on West African borders.

It will be an adventure for sure.

Ch

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