Mauritania & Senegal

Aidan1150

Nice but unfortunate husband.
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Does anyone here know what is required to get through the Mauritanian and Senegalese borders? :nenau

Sugarcube and another rider Brian are following the Dakar. Initially they had planned just for Morocco but now wish to go further. Are visas issued at the borders? Will they need carnets? I have had a look on HU but couldn't find the exact info needed. :confused: :nenau

Thanks in advance.

Aidan
 
Try
http://www.sahara-overland.com/country/index.htm

Basicly

MAURITANIA Vias - on the border for 30 euros.
show carnet if you have one (or get your passport stamped as temporary vehicle importer - 1000 oogs), get currency declaration form stamped, buy insurance.

For Senegal looks like you need a visa. Suggest you ring them? Oh .. I read somewheres you bike must be less than 15 years old to get in. Tiff?
 
From Mauri to Senegal the main Rosso border point is one of the WORST in whole Africa - avoid it if possible! I've heard some recommend going further east, there's smaller borderpoint, whith less hassle and less corruption.

Search info from horizonsunlimited.com bulletin board!

Cheers, Margus
 
Aidan

Please send my best wishes to Errol and Brian (and Jochen?). I was riding with them last week but had to return to UK after first week in Morroco.

Mauri visa can be bought at Embassy in Casablanca but I guess they are already down too far south for that so get at border. Age limit for vehicles in Senegal is 5 years (I was there in Feb last year). Avoid Rosso and head due west to cross at Diama. Interesting ride for 50 kms to border crossing. Once over border into Senegal head to Zebrabar just south of St. Louis and chill out there for a few days.

Sorry I couldn't have continued with them all the way to Dakar but seriously knackered as it is. Rode 800 miles from Madrid to Caen on Saturday to get back home.

Must get around to writing up my diaries on my website to give full details of the early part of this trip.
 
Sid,
Mrs Sugarcube Errol's wife here. How safe will the boys be if they decide to go on through Mauritania and Senegal. I am stressed out as it is thinking about them.

Emma
 
Hi Emma,

From what I have read on Horizons Unlimited these two countries are quite safe for travellers. :)

I have just had Errol on the phone a few minutes ago, not long after he called you in fact. He and Brian sound to be in great form. Hope all is well with you. Regards from Mandy and me.
 
Now now Mrs. Sugarcube!!!

Do not be worried Mrs. Sugarcube. Your intimate knowledge of Mr. Sugarcube should be enough to calm your turbulent and torrential thoughts at this time. Breathe deeply and consider the following:- Mr. Sugarcube under the redoubtable guidance of Brian shall prevail. To all he is known for his dispassionate, analytical and mature approach to all the problems that are strewn on life's highway. I have met him once or twice and was impressed - deeply impressed. (I felt like I was standing in his shadow!!) Presumably his earlier intense study of human psychology and his passion for reading the collected works of Euclid (esp Vols 1&2) coupled with his ability to enter a room and pervade an aura of serenity and calm collected control shall stand him in good stead.
I would approach this minor hiccup in his travails with learned perspicacity and sagacity in the comforting knowledge that his deep understanding of the universal human condition and his 'oneness' with all matters of a mechanical nature stand him in a unique position to display his calm equanimity and to offer to those around him a rock that can act as their anchor point through this time.
If all else fails there is always bribery. Hope that all goes well and his passage to Dakar is at last an adventure without drama but with experience.
Will he turn around? Only one answer to that question as well you know!!!!!!!
 
Mrs Sugarcube said:
How safe will the boys be if they decide to go on through Mauritania and Senegal. I am stressed out as it is thinking about them.

More risk of them being robbed than anything else. Sorta like them going out to get the milk, too well dressed in a gold plated rolls, only further.

I'm thinking of riding up from South Africa. I've got a few more things to be aware of. Like kiddnaps, civil unrest and deserters. Angola, southern Algeria, DRC, CAR, Chad... I hope it all settles by 2007. :beer:
 
Mrs Sugarcube / Aidan

The boys will be fine. They are quite capable of dealing with everything that could happen (possibly apart from ordering lobsters but you'll have to ask him about that when he gets back!).

Mauritania is a very poor country but the people were all friendly. We had no major problems there apart from our car blowing up in a minefield. Don't worry, it was only the engine blowing up not an outside explosion.

The officials in Senegal are a bit unpleasant but the country is beautiful. They will have a fantastic time. I'm just jealous that I'm not still there with them and instead had to come back to this freezing country.

By the way, he mentioned that he wanted a heated jacket ordering for him and for it to be sent to the hotel in southern Spain. Let me know if you need the full address of the hotel as I've had stuff sent there hyself in the past and they are very helpful and reliable.

Really don't worry, they will be perfectly OK. Also don't worry if you don't hear from them for a few days as mobile phone coverage is poor in Mauritania and only picks again in Senegal so you may not be able to contact him for a couple of days.

Hope this helps but contact me if you have any other concerns.
 
We stopped about 80 miles south of Errol and Brian last night and I suspect once they see the boring riding conditions south of Goulimeme they might reevaluate their plans. Its a long way to go just to say youve been there.

Tim
 
Simon met up with Errol and Brian earlier today on the road to Laayoune. Looks like they plan to go all the way to Dakar.

Brian: there's some tracks and petrol stops on the Mapsource file you downloaded to your GPS.

When you get to Rosso there's two waypoints: just before 'Rosso ferry' is a waypoint named 'Diama piste'. Turn right/west there and follow river for 100 or so clicks.

Further south is a waypoint for Zebrabar.

Tim
 


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