Agadir to Dakar overland

Dear friends,

I plan to travel from Agadir to Dakar at the start of December. I ve spent loads of time in Morocco already, so that is not the issue. I m wondering about the Western Sahara-Dakar leg.

We sleep in the car (a van). What places are safe to park/sleep. How safe is Mauretania? Is there any health hazards in Senegal that are different from Morocco (i.e. not urinate in fresh water, wildlife, issues like those), should we take special medication? How much money do the douanes expect?

Any information you have is welcome, would love to hear your experiences...

Thanks,

Jeff

I ve looked into it more, and most governments give a negative travel advice for Mauritania, due to recent attacks and bombings. Other countries advise travel in convoys. Does anyone have experience with driving in convoy? Do you wait at the border, for suitable cars to drive in convoy? How does this work?

Send a message directly to Aidni, she might be able to answer your questions.

http://www.travellerspoint.com/member_profile.cfm?user=aidni

Quoting t_maia

Send a message directly to Aidni, she might be able to answer your questions.

http://www.travellerspoint.com/member_profile.cfm?user=aidni

Dito for the member 'Wouter'. he has driven from the Netherlands to Senegal with his car.

I did this trip once, a couple of years ago. The road south from Agadir through the former Western Sahara is perfectly good, if monotonous.

The border crossing out of Morocco is little different from Tangers, Sebta and Mellila.

There is a 'no mans land' of weaving pistes between the Moroccan and Mauritanian frontier posts. You can see it on google earth.

It's supposedly a UN zone, but we saw no personnel. The only occupants are used car dealers, bizarrely. Maybe the cars are stolen.

Mauritanian customs are far more ramshackle and intimidating. There are a few shanty huts and several battered AK47's . Actual formalities aren't very different to Morocco, but we had to pay for a visa or something.

There's a British registered(!) caravan next to the police post that was the only bureau de change we found. I was told the nearest ATM was in the Nouakchott, 1,800km away.

Once you are past customs, there's a good road to Nouadhibou.

I found Mauritania very different to Morocco, and disapointing. My stay was very brief, but it seemed expensive and 'edgy'. The beaches had rusty ships moored off them and blast furnaces behind them; Nouadhibou was dusty and depressing.

Thanks guys, for the replies so far...

We ll be leaving the start of december from Agadir. Anyone willing to drive along, feel free to drop a message!

Quoting markwillen

Nouadhibou was dusty and depressing.

hmmm...more than true. you arrive in complete poverty once crossed the border into Mauritania.

Make sure you take vitamine pills. you won't find restaurant food with vegetables in RIM. it is fast food only. choose your restaurant carefully because most are dirty. better to make friends (not too big of a problem) and eat home made foods.