We have been on contract for 2 years in Liberia and are now going north to Europe. We have bought an older Landcruiser in Liberia and will be on Liberian numberplates.
As the situation is now around Liberia we have to find the best way to Mali - we are just now planning through Harper (Cape Palmas) in Liberia and then into Ivory Coast.
Does any of you have any experience with Ivory coast and travelling in own car?

Hi,
We did Harper to Ivory Coast in November 09 with our Landcruiser. Within the rainy season the road to Harper is tough. Some real big mud holes. It should be rough but ok after the rainy season.


The Ferry to Ivory Coast is working. There are even two. One UN (you may need a ordre de mission) and one of a rubber company (10.00 CFA for a car/Landcruiser).


Boarder post on Liberia side was ok. Ivory Coast demanded fees on every desk but after some shorter and some longer discussion we did not pay.


The real problem starts with custom. They do not accept a Carnet de Passage which you may not have anyway. But with a non Ivory Coast registration you need a Plaque de Touristique which is a laissez-passer. But you cannot get it at the boarder post because they need computer and internet to issue it. Therefore you have to go to the port custom in San Pedro. This does not work on week ends and they will not let you go alone. We had hours of discussion but got an escort. We refused to pay anything but another car with a Niger number plate had to accommodate the escorting custom guy plus pay the equivalent of 100US$. The Plaque de Touristique is 30.000CFA and valid for 2 month.


The custom boss in San Pedro confirmed that Carnet de Passage are not accepted and the necessity of the Plaque de Touristique. According to his information the boarder post further north cannot issue it too. So you may have the same story there. The boarder post to Ghana told us that they can do it.


All Checkpoints where asking for the paper. There are a couple of checkpoints till Abidjan, from there to the Ghana border there was none. The staff at the checkpoints tries to do their best to proof the bad reputation of Ivory Coast. They are demanding and annoying but with a bit of African negotiation skills we managed to come through without bribing.



Regards
Bernd
Ps: Why not going north through Sierra Leone? We really enjoyed it.

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www.afritracks.net

We were looking at crossing into Cote de Voire from Guinea at Danane in March 2010.
Hs anybody crossed there recently and can they issue the 'Plaque de Touristique' there?

We will be on motorcycles.

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inyang

Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Hi Bernd
Thanks for your reply - this is also what we have heard before. We will try anyway and we look forward to the trip. We know the road to Harper very well as our program has an office there and we have paid frequent visits to the mudholes.
We are not going through Sierra Leone as we have only bad information about the present situation in Guniea. We would also like to spend time in Mali.

Regards
Inge