1

Great route; however ...

Keep an eye on the Ivoirian press, over the last week or so there have been a spate of attacks, not on civilians but on police & military posts right along the coastal region including central Abidjan.

It's 'believed' these are pro-Gbagbo supporters, they are mostly attacking at night & so far civilians aren't implicated.

The other region to be wary of is around Duekoue & Tai ...

Otherwise you should be fine ...

Kira

2

Many thanks Kira,

I'll do a bit more research and might come back to you for more of your words of wisdom.

3

Reports I've heard suggest southern Mali is fine for traveling. The route from Guinea into and through western Cote d'Ivoire has always been a little bit spooky due to continued violence.

The real point is that all this might change--for better or worse--by October. You need to pay close attention on the ground, not make firm plans on the basis of what anyone tells you in August. I like to ask the drivers of local transport--trucks, buses, taxis brousses.

Another factor which seems in a state of rapid flux is visas. Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Ghana have all been problematic recently. You might want to figure this part out in advance. In my experience, Mali makes threatening noises, but you can always gain entry once you show up at the border. Again, this is subject to change given the new government there.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

4

Hi Mark,

Know about Ghana and CI visas being problematic in recent months, but not sure about Burkina Faso? I know the price was high for a while but that has come down again since earlier this year. Has there been any other issues with the BF visa?

5

David, do not worry about BF, can get you in there!

Kira

6

Thanks Mark,

It isn't necessarily what I wanted to hear though. I had sort of decided to go Guinea, IC because I thought it was the safest choice - not so sure now. I guess, as you say, it's a case of arriving in Gambia, getting the local info and planning from there.

I'm planning to try to get visas for Guinea and IC, and if I can talk my way into Mali (although I heard some scary stories of the place), I don't need to go via BF.

Thanks again and thanks again Kira. Speak to you again,

Dave

7

Any updates on your travel plans?

The roads in Guinea near the Ivorian border in past years were often impassable; however, it's been a dry year, so they might not be so bad. Of course you will need up-to-date, local information.

Are you aware that the land border between Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana is closed for the moment?