Hi,

Please excuse me placing my message in English!

I am currently planning a trip from my home country, Ireland, to Ghana. I've been investigating routes, equipment, etc. for a couple of months now (am getting a bike built at present for the trip) and although I'm thoroughly open to suggestions I have some ideas for areas that I'd like to pass through including the High Atlas, SW Morocco (Foum Zguid area), area around the Niger (incl. Timbuktu of course!), the Dogon country and well who knows from there...

One thing that I'm currently looking at is the feasibility of the inland route in Mauritania (Nouakchott to Nema) down to Nara (Mali) and Sokolo and then up via Goundan to Timbuktu. As you can imagine there's quite a lot of quiet spells along the route and although I have until now thought of going it alone I'm interested to see who's out there that may be interested in sharing ideas and thoughts on the trip and perhaps ride awhile.

I'm planning on departing in the latter weeks of August and am willing to take anything from four to six months on this trip.

A brief description about myself: i work and study in the area of development and disaster management, previous travel/work in India/southern Africa and shortly southeast asia (I'll be in the UK till the end of April); in terms of how i think of this trip i suppose could be summed up by the saying - i am a traveller who cycles rather than a cyclist who travels.

Anyhow, enough talk, say your mind.

Jules
sekubu@hotmail.com

Hello Jules

I will also travelling through Westafrika by bike. Exactly from Morocco to Ghana. The route I planned is the follow: Fes (Morocco) - High Atlas - Marrakech - Western Sahara - Nouhadibou (Mauretania) - with the Ore train to Choum - Nouachkott - Kiffa - Senegal - The Gambia - Mali (til' Djenne and to the Dogon - Burkina Faso - Accra (Ghana).
I will start in Fes at the end of october 2003 and want to arrive in Accra at the end of April 2004.

Do you start in Europe for this trip? I think 6 months from Ireland are to short for such a long journey.

Do you already know, at what date your planning to go through the Western Sahara to Nouadhibou?

I'm also travelling alone (from Marrakech). It would be cool to share the street with somebody for a couple of days.

About your trip. I heard that it's quite dangerous at this time to cross the border from Mauritania to Mali in the region of Timbouctou. Even the region around Timbouctou isn't safe. But I don't know how dangerous it really is esspecially for a cyclist. The border to Mali from Senegal should be safer.

About me: I'm from Switzerland, 28 years, male, I like to travel by bike because of feeling to be a part of the nature (with its good and bad sites) and to have a stronger contact with the inhabitants of this countries.

I wish you a safe and unforgetable trip
I hope to hear from you

Sorry, but my english isn't better. ....

Michael

Greetings all,

Just to let anyone know who's looking at this thread that my intentions are to leave from my home in Ireland somewhere between 20th Aug and 2nd Sep. My route remains as outlined in the first post and a number of people have been in contact, some on their way, others tailing and a couple synchronised! I'll be coming down the west coast of France from Brittany and crossing into Spain, I'll probably take a central route via Madrid, though we'll see what the temperature is like! I hope to cross to Ceuta, Morocco at the end of September. From there along the Med coast, though the Rif and follow the spine of the Atlas ranges down the centre.

Regards,

Jules

i travelled lots in nord and westafrica and i liked it!!!! i bet you will like it too.
good luck and take care!

Hi Andreas,

Many thanks for the good wishes. Just wondering where your trip took you and if there's any particular recommendations you'd like to pass on for the region?

Kind Regards,

Jules

hi jules,
i travelled through morocco, mauretania and senegal/gambia. You ask about nice places... it's already 9 years ago........ so i guess that lots of places changed! the only thing i can promise is that in mauretania there are lots of landmines along the morocco border