Morocco, Mauretania, Senegal, The Gambia

(RIP) petcul

(RIP) petcul

Registered user
Joined
Dec 10, 2004
Messages
3,383
Reaction score
2
Location
Northumberland, England
Anybody interested in venturing south of Morocco at the beginning of October. I'm starting to do a bit of planning for a trip to west Africa. The vague plan at the moment is to carry on from southern Spain after a wedding :beerjug: (not mine!), pick up a visa for Mauretania in Morocco and head south for as far as I can get on a 1200GS. I've been to Morocco twice on a bike but only went as far as Sidi Ifni. Now that I have the time I'd like to go a bit farther. Got to Aqaba last year but that was plain sailing.

Are there any other innocent, :bounce1enthusiastic adventurers out there? If so, I'd like to hear from you.

Any words of wisdom from seasoned travellers :bow would be most welcome.
 
Petcul...do a search on those country names here and you'll find a wealth of info....many of us have done similar trips and posted about it ;)

Once in Morocco, the only place you'll get a visa for Mori BTW is in Rabat......and it can take a few days waiting to get it...I'd recommend you get one from the consulate over here before you go....it's 42 quid and they process very very quickly....I've got the forms on my PC if you need them ;)

Print off about 30 'fiches' as well.......they'll save lots of time...I've got those too.....

If there's anything specific, feel free to PM me or ask here ;)

Bill
 
Africa Trip

(Once in Morocco, the only place you'll get a visa for Mori BTW is in Rabat......and it can take a few days waiting to get it...I'd recommend you get one from the consulate over here before you go....it's 42 quid and they process very very quickly....I've got the forms on my PC if you need them ;)

Print off about 30 'fiches' as well.......they'll save lots of time...I've got those too.....)
Click to expand...

Thanks Fanum,

I'm also thinking of having a stab at Africa. I have about four months probably starting in November or so and I think I'll try and see you far I can get. I've travelled a lot off bikes and a fair bit on bikes but nothing requiring carnets and serious preparation. From what I read, an Africa run may all depend on the rains.
Three things please: One: yes, can I have a Mori form. Two: 'fiches', what are they? Three: Where and how do I do country searches, to keep the angry gits who don't like newbies asking old questions off my back.
 
Hi Petcul,

I'm almost sure I want to go down that way in November-ish. The reason I'm 'almost' sure is that I want to try to get to Cape Town in four months and I'm a bit overawed. November because if I aim to get to Cape Town in four months, I think 'll need to have to set off in Nov to miss the mid African rains.
I'm having a chat next week with a bloke who's done it so I'll learn some more then.
 
Wrong info about Mauri visa.

Embassy used to be in Rabat but moved. Its now in Casablanca just off main boulevard and very easy to find. Last year I bought visa from London embassy and got charged £42. My paperwork got stolen in Spain so I had to get replacement in Casablanca (Lonely Planet guide book is very out of date with all embassy details). Embassy were very helpful, did it straight away and only cost 20 Euros (about £13). Same rules apply as London, Tuesday to Thursday only, passport photo needed and only accept exact right money as no change given. London embassy only process visas at 11.00 am, (not at 10.59am and not at 11.01 am), otherwise they'll post them back to you but you have to pay the extra for secure postage. Also be aware that some passports have been lost in post from embassies.

Also note that British Embassy has moved from centre of Casablanca to the outskirts. "Everybody hates the British so they needed a more secure building" was the unofficial reason given for move. British embassy very helpful but keep telling you there is no support in Mauritania. British consulate in Dakar cover Mauri and then you're fine once you get to The Gambia as they are so civilised that the natives even speak the Queen's English.

I planning to head down again beginning of January to follow the Dakar from Lisbon starting 5th January. If you're riding down that way you may as well have a good event to follow. :)
 
Gbags........A fiche is just an information sheet with your details on it......from about Tan Tan south you'll start getting Police/Military check points...they can get very frequent around the border areas and there were three along the Dhakla peninsular year before last....we had to go through all of them on the way in and the way out....

To save a lot of time filling in their forms or waiting for them to do it, a big friendly smile and a fiche helps.....

I uploaded one for the TITS trip....

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=36177

but delete the French bit on the bottom, that was specifically for our trip and it would cause you problems ;)

The Mori visa ap form is here;

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bill.oates/MoriVisa.doc

Doesn't surprise me about the info I posted being wrong (above).....it was from one of the guides and they are hopelessly out of date as Sid said ;)

They are worth getting for things like the camp site info, but don't expect them to be right on a heck of a lot of things...I remember the Noukchott info saying there were only two shops in the whole town but when we got there the first time, there were literally hundreds :mmmm

As for searching....just click the search button at the top of the page and then type in the country names...do a seperate search for each one .

Look up 'Zebrabar' as well......you've got to go there on te way down...It's across the Senegal border near St Louis and it's fekking ace :thumb

Don't cross that border at Rosso BTW....go along the dyke road to Diama :thumb



HTH
 
Africa trip

Thanks a lot Fanum.

You've given me a lot of stuff to think about. I'm at the 'Oh sh*t, can I do this?' phase but no doubt once I actually start, things will sort themselves out... or I'll crash and burn.

Cheers
 
gbags said:
Hi Petcul,

I'm almost sure I want to go down that way in November-ish. The reason I'm 'almost' sure is that I want to try to get to Cape Town in four months and I'm a bit overawed. November because if I aim to get to Cape Town in four months, I think 'll need to have to set off in Nov to miss the mid African rains.
I'm having a chat next week with a bloke who's done it so I'll learn some more then.
Click to expand...
Hi, As I have to be in Spain at the end of September, the trip I'm planning starts at the beginning of October.

Good luck
 
As no one has mentioned it... get over to:

www.horizonsunlimited.com

And immerse yourself, everything can be answered there. as far as carnets are concerned, I think you can get about half way down before you will need one but not sure if its changed. Maybe heading that way myself in September time but not sure yet...
 
Went to Mauritania in January and got through without having a visa. Just got the passport stamped at the border. Cost about €20 I think, plus a small bung.
 
Twit! said:
As no one has mentioned it... get over to:

www.horizonsunlimited.com

Yes, I've been there a lot but there are 18,000 pages and quite a lot are missing since it's all being moved around. Plus, with a trip like this, the politics of an area can change faster than eight fast changing things so I still want to talk to people for up to the minute local gen.

Thanks though and I appreciate any advice at all.

gbags
Click to expand...
 
Fiches?

:D Petcul (pas de pot ce nom car en Francais ca veux dire casse c*l! :duck: ).....
Anyways - rather than a fiche where you divulge all your details to all and sundry, I'd suggest you photocopy your passport and , like Bill says, take about 30 copies- Hand that in at all check points and its (mostly) plain sailing.

Sid's right on the Mauri visa - but if can get to London, call Mme Vesoul at the Embassy (just behing Motorrad Battersea) and make an appointment- she is very pleasant and helpful. :thumb
Mauritanian Embassy, 8 Carlos Place, Mayfair, London, W1K 3AS; (tel: 020 7478 9323; fax: 020 7478 9339).
email me and I'll send you the Word visa form for Mauri.
 
Bert said:
Sid's right on the Mauri visa - but if can get to London, call Mme Vesoul at the Embassy (just behing Motorrad Battersea) and make an appointment- she is very pleasant and helpful. :thumb
Click to expand...

But only on Thursdays IIRC......(Mr Ifan or Oblertone would be able to confirm as they got theirs drekkly from the embassy ;) )

I'm not sure I'd want to risk Rampant Stallions method....particularly going right across the country and into Dhakla etc.....if you had to bung every checkpoint, you'd end up paying a lot more than the price of the visa anyway, and if it went pear shaped and you found a stroppy copper, it could set you back days :(
 

Attachments

Anyway Bert...what are you doing looking for a visa app....don't tell me you haven't already got one !!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :D
tick tock tick tock !
 
visa

visas???? :eek: ou la la!! what are they for? :duck:
I just smile and with a flourish "salut les copains, ca va?".. just sail through!!
and PGP eh....?? :nono not asking why you need that!!
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

(RIP) petcul
Journey to Senegal/The Gambia Sept/Nov 2006
Replies
6
Views
2,458
Ash
Ash
(RIP) petcul
Fuel in Mauretania, Senegal and Mali
Replies
4
Views
1,492
(RIP) petcul
(RIP) petcul


Back
Top Bottom