Wikipedia: Carnet de Passage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

Hi All,

Returned to Senegal from The Gambia this morning. I used the north border on the Trans Gambia route which runs north south through the centre of The Gambia (From Kaolack if heading south).

The word here is that the Carnet is back on. Customs wouldn't issue a 10 day Passavant and stamped my Carnet instead (which until the recent suspension has been required for all foreign motor vehicles including motorcycles for some years).

Whether this is the case at all borders is an open question, though when entering Senegal from Mali via Kidira ten days ago, the customs office said that the authorities intend to return to the Carnet as soon as possible (suspect that the Carnet suspension is due to some court case that's going on that was brought by a French freighting company).

Given the state of flux that the system is in, but bearing in mind that the desired Senegalese default is the Carnet, it would be unwise to not have a Carnet for Senegal if you desire easy passage at the border.

On another note, The Gambia is now issuing Passavants. They stamped our carnets to save time on the paperwork, but said that folks do not need the Carnet any more.

Regards

Craig
Kaolack,
Senegal.

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Wikipedia is not quite correct for Senegal. Aside from the recent and seemingly temporary suspension, Carnets are required for all motor vehicles coming from Europe, irrespective of age. I've always travelled in with motorcycles less than five years old and the carnet has always been required.

Vehicles over five years are not supposed to be allowed into Senegal, though with the carnet this should be no problem.

People have travelled into Senegal without one, but judging by the attitude of officials on the many times I've entered the country, this seems a hassle filled process.

The Carnet for Senegal was suspended a few weeks ago, though this suspension may have been lifted in recent days.

Craig

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Thanks for the update Craig... good to have current info from people actually on the road now!

I assume you didn't use your carnet when you returned to Senegal from your Mali trip?

We are hoping to cross back into Senegal in about a week at Maka Goui slightly further east from where you crossed today so will post again with the latest situation there.

For general info:
At Zebrabar we met a group of 6 people of different nationalities travelling in 3 vehicles together who were told that because their vehicles were older than 5 years they needed an army convoy to get them to St Louis and they paid 75 Euros between them! They crossed at Diama only 2 days after us (about 15 November). None of them had carnets so they all bought laissez passers at the correct rate of 2,500 CFA each.

Entering the Gambia we used our carnet and were not charged anything for any of the crossing. The Belgiums who crossed at the same time as us did not have a carnet and bought a laissez passer for their 20 year old car. The customs guy asked if they were selling the car and then went on to tell them how easy it was to sell vehicles in the Gambia and what to do!! All very friendly!

Hope this is helpful.
Kate

p.s. Does anyone actually believe anything they read on Wikipedia?? I find it to be totally misleading and blatantly wrong on facts time and time again... after all it's "the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit"!!

hi kate,

carnet seems to be canned in The Gambia

didn't need it for entry to senegal at kidira (though customs had to check)

Needed it to re enter senegal from The Gambia on the Trans Gambia highway border. Passavants definitely not available there.

Craig. (Thies, senegal)

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