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Extreme tour, from 2 months
Approx. 18,000 km.
Necessary documents: Visa, Carnet de passage, Carte brune
To cross the Sahara from north to south once, to follow the traces of the great discoverers and researchers once, it’s just like a dream. But it is one that can actually be realized. At the present one should indeed avoid Algeria due to the inscrutable safety situations there. But Libya, its neighboring country, offers a usable "sneak through" towards the south.
One will be crossing through Niger with Ténéré, the heart of the Sahara, and Agadez, probably the most famous town in the Sahara. Further through Burkina Faso with the Sahel zone, Mali together with the Dogon land and the inland delta of the Niger, Mauritania with the fascinating oasis Chinguetti and finally a relaxed "rolling back home" along the Atlantic shore line - it is a great expedition through North- and West Africa.
Here after we want to describe the route in further details. The journey leads to Genoa (Italy) and further along by ferry boat to Tunis (Tunisia). Depending on if one feels like it one can reach the border to Libya in either one day or maybe a few more day if one needs to get used to the climate first. As of present knowledge (April 2004), one needs to be accompanied by a guide right after crossing the border line.
One possible route leads via Tripolis to Leptis Magna, one of the most beautiful and best preserved Roman towns. The next destinations are the fantastic Mandara Lakes in the north of Germa and finally the Akakus-Mountains. If not before here the asphalt gives way to the fun in the sand and on gravel roads. The Akakus-Mountains are surely one of the most beautiful corners of the Sahara. Here one finds incredible rock formations and valleys plus prehistorically engravings and rock paintings, all of which are about 9000 years of age.
Bypassing the gigantic dunes of the Idhan Murzuq one comes to the Wadi Mathemdous - which was the destination of Henry Barth in July 1850. He is celebrated as founder of modern African research. For five years he was traveling through North Africa. In this valley, the Wadi Mathendous, he discovered as the first European a large number of prehistorically rock drawings, which are even older than those in the Akakus.
The next destination is the Wau en Namus - a volcano in the north of the Tibesti mountain range. For many people this is the eighth wonder of the world. The reason is its dozens of lakes hidden in the crater of the oasis, which sparkle in many different colors! One should not bypass it unseen. Through Murzuq the way leads to Al Gatrun. Here the asphalt ends and the enormous adventure of the Sahara crossing begins.
Only after traveling about 1600 km one will have a solid road beneath ones wheels again. It is a track on which one has to make some effort. Coarse stones force to ride slowly, or else one will damage the rim. They alternate with good riding courses, vast sand fields und some dunes. A course which seems to be made for the KTM LC8 Adventure. However one needs to consider three things. The next gas station is at Dirkou (about 900 km behind Al Gatrun), water can be found every 1 to 200 km and the complete route in Niger until Agadez is a restricted area.
That is supposed to tell you that you cannot go through it without an official escort vehicle. However it is not very hard to arrange for such an escort from back home, for example from Germany. Along this route lie the famous salt works of Seguedine and Bilma. One will probably come across a few camel caravans. The ride across the sea without water - the Ténéré - is a dream. At Agadez it is the innumerable markets, the silversmiths and the first shower with running water that excite the traveler. From here one can certainly head north to Algeria now and ride via Tamanrasset back to Tunisia.
However we do not recommend it due to the dangerous safety situation. That will mean to take the long way around it. Not such a bad idea after all. It is indeed worth seeing because one gets to know the Sahelzone in all its facets with Niamey and Ouagadougou. Then one will be entering Mali, the Dogon land, Mopti, the dynamic gate to the inland delta of the river Niger and Djenné. It also has the largest loam mosque in Africa. Extremely exciting is the route from Bamako via Nioro to Ayoun el Atroûs (Mauritania).
For the first 200 km it has a new asphalt road followed by a gravel course, but no less good. And for the last 100 km to Nioro one gets to know a bush track with all its deep holes and dents. What a contrast. Shortly before reaching the town of Ayoun one can blast through deep sand at length of 30 km. Either on the direct way via Tidjika or using the detour via Nouakchott one reaches Atar. The choice of the route depends on the remaining enjoyment and the time left. The way via Tidjika is shorter, but takes more time and it is once more a trip crossing the desert.
The other variation is tarred. In any case leaving Atar one should pay a visit to the oasis Chinguetti. It is probably one of the most interesting oases in the Sahara. It was already founded in the 12th century and has established as one of the 7 holy towns of the Islam. Here the faithful from the areas of the West Sahara meet to start out their pilgrim journey to Mecca.
Chinguetti, that’s also the holy mind of the Islam. This place has 14 libraries. And they all have in common a vast stock of historical books, calligraphies and manuscripts. That eldest book is from 1087!! Via Choum and along the road of the iron ore railway the tour leads to Nouâdhibou. One has reached the Atlantic Ocean.
The departure through the mines belt to Morocco / West Sahara is not a problem. Depending however one likes to do it, it is possible to reach Germany within 8 days. But one can also linger a few more days in Morocco.
Anyone planning to tackle this trip may obtain more detailed information, for e.g. GPS-data, contact persons, maps etc. from Thomas Junker (master@thomasjunker.de) who rode this tour due to a film production in the autumn of 2003. |
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