I just did this crossing in a 1997 Land Rover with a CDP. Solid current information was a little hard to find so I thought I would post this for the record.

The track to Diama was not obvious but on my GPS (openstreetmaps) and the locals told us it was the right one. There is a road being built and so the first stretch is very easy. It had rained recently so we were warned it wouldn't be passable in Nouakchott, but it was fine likely even for a non 4x4. We passed a loaded motorcycle driven by a frenchman coming the other way and he didn't have issues either.

I had read horror stories about this border, but it wasn't that bad. We had to pay various people along both sides of the border, normally 10 euros each. They didn't like Mauritanian money on the Senegal side but accepted it in the end.

There were only a few touts and they weren't obnoxious.

My CDP was time stamped for entry and I got a 48 hour passavant. They said I needed to go to Dakar before then to extend the passavant and my CDP properly stamped.

At this point a customs official (the chief of the post?) Moulay stepped in.
There were already two Spanish cars waiting and so we formed a small convoy to the Douane office in St Louis where letters were written, documents were photocopied, and 2 hours and 65 euros later we had passavants for 15 days. We got the impression he does this a few times a day. After he took us to the nearby "Camping Ocean" (where we assume he gets a kickback) for us to set up camp, have a few s, and for him to ask for the money. Afterwards he went and got a large bowl of rice and fish for the group of us, and was generally a nice guy.

The total border crossing cost was around 100 euros, although I still need to go to Dakar (not within 48 hours) and get my carnet dealt with.

My friend had a newish Toyota and no CDP, but that's OK for cars less than 5 years old. He had to pay an extra 10 euros for the passavant and doesn't need to go to dakar.

A german we are traveling with had an older car and no CDP since he originally planned to go through Mali. That was a bit of a problem, but it got sorted at the same time for around 225 euros (150000 CFA). That price can vary depending on the mood of the official, your destination, and various other factors it seems.

We arrived at the border around 2:30 and left the St Louis Customs around 5:45, so a total of just over three hours.

I hope this helps somebody.

- Andrew

Hi there
Thanks for the report - really helpful.
Could you explain what the 'passavant' is? Is this simply a temporary visa? Is sounds like all your paperwork was in order so why the 100 Euros?
Sorry if these are 'stupid' questions but we're looking into a trip down west africa so collecting info and hadn't come across this term yet.
Thank you in advance.

Gemma

It's a temporary import permit.

Used instead of Carnet de Passage in some countries. It's normally not needed if you have a carnet.

In Februari last year we, after an hour or so, got our carnet stamped without having to pay for a passevant or go to Dakar.

A couple of months earlier they refused to stamp our carnet and we had to buy a cheap passevant, can't remember the price but definitely under 50€ and I think it was a couple of weeks. We didn't have to go to Dakar.

Mate, you were stitched up, in May we only had to pay 4000 CFA peage to cross the barrage (and we got a receipt).

We had the ballache of having to go to the port in Dakar (gate 8) to get out Carnet stamped but I thought the crossing was pretty painless with officials on both sides being pretty honest and professional.

maybe we were just lucky!

Our experience yesterday (at Rosso!)....yep, forget Diama for a few more days, it has been raining heavily, some vehicles abandoned in the mud.....there is a 4-5KM section, absolute hell, we couldnt get through and had to turn back. Really greasey surfac, no traction at all, skidding all over the pace. Suspect will be fine in a week or less with some sun on it to dry it but currently really thick clay, only 1 4x4 toyota got through, everybody else failed! Quite dangerous as really close to the edge to sliding into the REALLy thick goohey clay. Maybe we took the old track as it sounds like a new road being built, but this bad section was approx 30kms before Diama on the Mauri side. I have driven this road twice before and it is definitely the road we took before.

Anyways. They stamped our Carnet at Rosso. But ALSO insisted we have a time stamped passavant, valid for 48 hours. Must visit the Douane at Dakar port to surrender the passavant, and he then stamps the CDP AGAIN with the amount of time you want in Senegal (upto 90 days allowed apparently). Had to pay 2,500CFA for the passavant. Load of balls, that's the point of the CDP in the first place.

Hope that helps anybody about to do the same.

And yes, they are STILL a complete and utter bunch of crooks at Rosso, the worst scumbags you will ever have to deal with in your life.

Is a CDP or passevant needed for a vehicle registered in the ECOWAS block of countries and carrying an ECOWAS Brown Card (Carte Brun)?

We'll be driving our '82 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ60 from Sierra Leone to Germany at some point next year. Depending on political situations in these countries we may need to pass through Senegal.

Here in Sierra Leone no one drives these sorts of places and even the folks that issue the brown card can't really give me any information that sounds like they know what they are talking about.

Sorry,
i am going to enter senegal from Djema next week,i have a brand new carnet,
my toy is a 2002,i do not understand why i have to go to dakar if they stamp on the frontiere the carnet,
i did the same by motorbike last year entering from mali,the stamp the carnet there,nobady told me to go to dakar and than,after some days i went out fro Djema where they stamp again the carnet.
i think as soon as you have stamped the carnet at the entrance you should be right.
thank for your help,
Andrea.

I've entered into Sénégal from Guinea, little border post, no drama, very friendly, though I had to explain how to fill up the CdP! No passe-avant or anything. I've exited at Diama, the guy tried to get 10€ for the stamp but I said no way and that was it. Not too bad everything considered, but I know it's easier this way around.

My take: it really depends on which border you exit at, that's where the drama can happen. At smaller border posts, there is little chance of problem because they see only local traffic (personal experience). I haven't been pulled over by cops in Sénégal, but I doubt they would know about the CdP and check it, but that's just my feeling.

Driving to Dakar just to get a new stamp is ridiculous. And paying for it.. forget it. You've already paid big money for your CdP, and that saves you the cost of all those passe-avant.

Laurent

Just arrived in Saint Louis driving a toyota land cruiser 10 years old,
we enter by Djama following the track that leaves the asphalt about 120 km south Nckt,the track was good.
they Wanted my cdp and than they give us a passavant for 72 hours,cost 5000 cefa.
the officer told me that i could extend in Saint Louis up to ten days bythe Colonnel.....
somebody told me the same here in the camping.
cars not older than 8 years do not need the cdp,i knew 5 years only.
concerning motorbikes, 9 months ago i entered with my A Twin with cdp,the passavavant is not necessary by motorbike,they confirmed the same today.
Andrea.

We crossed Rosso from Mauri into Senegal as Diama was flooded.

The new 48 hour "rule" was kicking in Sept 2010 when we crossed. They stamped our Carnet and issued the 48 hour PV and said we had to go to Dakar to extend (we had a 1997 Land Rover)....even they seemed confused..... Bottom line - we paid the following per couple at Rosso.

Ferry ticket 23€
Passivant, processing, tax 25€
3rd party car Insurance for 6 months Carte Brun that included 2nd insurance to Congo 100€
"Help" fee 21€

Once inside Senegal we never went to Dakar and got the Carnet stamped out when we entered into Mali. You can read our full story of crossing at Rosso here Langebaan Sunset: On reflection, Rosso Border Crossing........

The one consistent thing is fees vary, the scams change and the rules are enforced to varying degrees. The one sure thing, you will have to wait, pay "something" and try to avoid fines from corrupt police that line the road on the way to St Louis. In St Louis watch for the fake speeding fine police trap on way to Zebra Bar and keen wheel clamping opposite Hotel De Poste...... its not free!!

This was the only real corruption we found on our trip..... rest of Africa was fine - just the odd idiot chancing his luck. Just say "no" firmly.....hard to do at Rosso as you have no choice!

Enjoy

Nick

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Langebaan Sunset - Africa Overland
http://langebaan-sunset.blogspot.co.za/

Hi all,
Just a quick Diama update.
It was an absolute dream. Lovely drive there, the piste had been cut up a bit but was bone dry. Would've been no problem in a normal car.
Everyone was friendly and professional.
Total charge 10 Euro.....all in!
The 10 Euro went to the policeman at the first hut, don't think this is official, but he did make us a cuppa!
From there went to the douane on the other side of the road.
The 48hr pass-avant (sp?) is official policy and there really doesn't seem to be anything they can do about it. It officially costs 25,000 CFA, but we were having so much fun/banter with them, they clean forgot to take the payment!
They said we had to go to the port in Dakar to extend, but we made it clear, in a very pleasant way, that this was the last thing we wanted to do.
They said the only possible option was to go and see the Colonel du Douane in St Louis and see if we could sweet talk him into extending it there for us.
Many thanks and goodbyes later, we trotted out of the douane's hut without getting our wallet out.
The Colonel ( N16 02 16.9 W16 30 09.3) was a legend, plenty of friendly chat (In French ONLY, this may not work as easily if you're not fluent-ish). He gave us 10 days and appologised that he couldn't do any more, but he was bending the rules just doing this. Again, he didn't want a penny for anything.

NB:- The insurance at the boarder is way over priced, but we did get pulled on the way into town. I'd advise sucking it up and buying the bare minimum (1 week, we think) for the best price you can negotiate. Then get more as required from any town.

Happy travels
Sam & Cat

PS: - Were in a 23yr old TLC with Carnet

Did they stamp the carnet, or they didn't even asked for it?

Which border post did you enter at? We'll be coming up from Sierra Leone. Still debating if I want the apparent B.S. with Senegal or the risk, probably almost non-existent, in southern Mali and just transit to Mauritania and bypass Senegal all together.

Hi,
They did stamp our Carnet on entry and exit, but it's the passe-avant that get's checked at stops.

Hmmm... I agree, it used to look like B.S., until a French-Portuguese guy was lately kidnapped near the Mauri border, apparently he was driving a car from Mauritania to Mali

Anyone know more about this incident ?

Laurent

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2- and 4-wheeled explorer and photographer
Overland Aventure