Kreuzung von Benin nach Nigeria und Cameroun und Gabon

[ag_adrar]

Hi all!
Sorry but I'll continue to write in english (Birgitt, pls, translate for me, if you can... thanks! ) as I'm not able to speak German... :?

I'm tring to understand if, during next august, will be possible to cross from Benin through Nigeria an then from Nigeria to Cameroun and from there untill Gabon.
The main arrival point, in our mind, will be "Petit Loango National Park"

Reading on the web, it seems that, from route point of view, the tracks between Nigeria and Cameroun are completely muddy... with very feew possibilities to do they.
Another big question regards the safe point of view...

Any suggestion?
Someone had done it recently? How did he found the atmosphere?

Did someone do that way during summer?

Thanks for your precious contribution!
Ciao
Gianluigi

[Birgitt]

hi gian,

i think most of us understand some english, so there is no need for translation.
Sufficient that you don't write in italian

concerning your questions i sent you a pn with some contact-adresses, where you can ask, too

ciao ciao
birgitt

[christelle]

Hi Gianluigi,

we were in Nigeria last August (2006). In this time, it was raining strongly in Nigeria, so it was impossible for us to cross between Nigeria and Cameroon through Mamfé. In this time normally the track is really too difficult (even the locals don't drive in this time), so we had to ship with our car between Calabar and Douala, which was an incedible adventure - I can't guaranty you that it would be possible to do that again!

I think that will be the "only" big big problem to cross. After that we drove to Pointe-Noire, the tracks in Gabun and Congo were ok, as the rain wasn't there yet (rainy season in Congo starts usually in September-October).

Ciao,
Christelle

[ag_adrar]

Ciao Birgitt... thanks!

Ciao Christelle,
you are confirming partially some roumors that I've eard on the web... There are ferryes from Calabar but... it seems not easy.
What happened to you?
Why you says: so we had to ship with our car between Calabar and Douala, which was an incedible adventure - I can't guaranty you that it would be possible to do that again!

Any other border crossing? More at North, from Katsina, seems to be another one but, looking at sat images, we'll fall into the mountains more than in Mamfé area...

Because our hassle could become: and if we're not able to cross? we haven't more than 1 month, and in that case, when near at Cameroun, we have to go back untill Italy... such a hard way!

Time & mud... what a damn joint-venture!!! :?

Thanks again!
Ciao and safe trip to all!
Gianluigi

[christelle]

Hi again,

first problem was, that you need TIME, because there told us to come tomorrow and then tomorrow and then in 3 days... and we had to be very patient... So - one week later than expected - we spent all day in the small harbour (exactly 26 hours were gone between our arrival and the departure of the ferry). All was arranged, we asked every hour if all is going to be ok, no problem. In the middle of the night, after we had all our exit stamps (immigration for us and customs for the car), the manager that we didn't see all the time decided that they can't/don't want us to ship (we were the only car and I had the impression that it was not an usual thing for them to put a car on the ferry, that's why I don't even know if they would do it again)!!! So we had again to discuss and discuss and discuss...

Second problem: the price - there are no official prices so you have again to be very patient in your negociations (we paid as far as I remember about 300 EUR for the car (ferry, crane, loading & unloading on departure) and the tickets for us (official price), I don't remember the price).

Third problem: you can't drive on the ferry, so you need a crane (firsey said that we could arrange that we can drive on, then we had to call a crane in the middle of the night...). The crane was an old Mercedes truck, which was first unable to carry our car, although we told 300 times the weight of our car... The car was balancing in the air, fixed at one point with chains and straps that didn't seem to be very strong, the truck began to tilt and we had some pains in our stomachs, so they had to load a lot of scrap on it. After this, we had some damages on it (the roof was a bit buckled, the paint gone at several spots )

One positive thing: We could drive off in Douala, because there was flood.

So it was a nerve-racking story - one one side always great to remember and one day to tell our grandchildren, on the other side, a thing for sure is: never again!

So if you want to experience real Africa, do it!!!

:D

Wish you a nice trip,
Christelle

PS: Fourth problem: we had our dog with us and several people looked at it like in the Asterix comic (as they would see a appetizing roast) and wanted to buy it :?

[ag_adrar]

Ciao Christelle,
It seems to be a "nightmare"........
But an interesting one too, isn't it?

By the way, we've to see what happens in the next period, surely it's clear that it's a difficult trip, and maybe the goal is very hard to sign.

Thanks anyway it's better to have bad news that nothing at all.
I'll try to see if it's possible to pass at north, if not... we'll be back home.

From Katsi - Bassaula - Dumbo - Nkambe for example... any news?
Ciao
Gianluigi

PS: poor dog! Dreamed as a rosty steak!!!

[christelle]

Buon giorno zusammen,

I just meant "never again" about the shipping story... and I don't regret having experienced it.
My general impression is POSITIVE : all the trip was nice, no safety problems, nice people and we were very suprised that no typical horrible Nigeria story that you always hear happened : about 300 controls (police, customs, immigration...), but all were nice (ok, two were not nice, what means 0.67%, so it's quiet acceptable) and we paid nothing. Just be patient (you have to tell approximately the same story 150 times (so 150 x 5 minutes = 12,5 hours talking and smiling ), that's seems the most important quality that you should bring with you.
So I think the most difficult part of the trip would be the fight with the nature, if the rainy season is a "normal" one this year.

Greetings from Pointe-Noire/Congo (it's not that I don't trust your geographical knowledge, but I've seen there is another one in the Guadeloupe),
Christelle

[Andreas Neuburger]

Hi Gian,

We went that way in December 2005.From Nikki in Benin we crossed the border at Yashikera,than Kaiama-New Bussa-Mokwa-Bida-Abudja-Markurdi-Ogodja-Ekok.We did not had any safty problems-but road blocks sometimes really look wild(no uniforms,any kind of weapons).Mostly we stayed with the nice catholic missions.Never drive at night,finish not later then 4pm!in rainy season there is no way you can go Ekok-Mamfe,even if you have a good 4x4 chances are very good this road ist blocked by other cars stucked.

Andreas

[ag_adrar]

Ciao Andreas,
It seems to be a poker game.... I eard also that local government close those routes that are dangerouse in terms of mud etc...
Some other friends have also done it, but more north, (Garoua area) because of to much mud, but time... 10 days! damn :(

Regarding your timing and the next steps of your 2005 travel (or did you stop in Cameroon?) did you have the Carnet de Passage or, as seems as to be possible, without it and negotiating "lassaiz-passé" at the border?

TKS!
Ciao
Gian

[Andreas Neuburger]

Hi Gian,

We had around four weeks time from Accra to Libreville in Gabon.It is much better to have a carnet if you intend to leave the car in the country and pick it up later on.A laisser passer normally runs out after 14 days,and it can cause a lot of difficulties to cross the border with that paper when you leave.In 2003 it was!!! possible to go from Diffa(Niger)to Garoua with a transit visum and a laisser passer.In 2004 it was refused,because of problems in the north of Nigeria(Christian-Muslim conflict)so you can not relie on this chance.

[ag_adrar]

Ciao Andreas,
As in my last experiences, Mali, Burkina, Togo, Benin, the laisser-passer is delivered for at least 30 days, renovable "quite easy" at Douane offices, in case to stop it for a long period, by an admission of "not driving the car at all".
In Cameroon, what's to be seen? Which are the best places? Some one has left the car there?

One month is also our timing schedule, so we've to see and depending on what will happen till august, choose the target end point. Maybe South maybe back home.
By the way, Africa is still the same, no other words can better explain it.

Ciao
Gian