WEST AFRICA 2022
Money transfer. Note that many Western Union transfers to African countries are being blocked. Online transfers may be blocked. I have had the most success with Scotiabank which offers WU transfers (I also bank here so that is convenient). If blocked, it is necessary to phone your WU resource number (Canada 1-800-235-000), have the tracking number (MTCN), confirm that you are not being defrauded, and want to continue with the transfer. It is recorded.
Suggested packing list: travel towel, sleeping bag + liner, power bank, headlamp
LIBYA (6 days) Sept 9-15
IRAQ (10 days) Sept 16-24
CHAD (2 days) Sept 25-27
NIGER with Gerewol festival (9-days) Sept 28-Oct 7 [$600=369,705XOF]
BURKINA FASO & MALI (8-days). Oct 7-15 [$300=190,064XOF]
MAURITANIA (7 days) Oct 16-22
ALGERIA (12 days) Oct 22-Nov 3
CAMEROON & CAR (11 days) Nov 4-13
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
SAO TOME & PRINCIPE
GUINEA BISSAU
GAMBIA
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Sept 5 Fly Comox – Ottawa (UVBLBO) YQQ-YYC @05:45-08:25 WS3210 / YYC-YOW @09:20-15:09 (Westjet WS610 $421. Bus 97 airport to Hurdman (3.75 cash), then train to Rideau Centre. Ottawa Backpackers 05/09-08/09 $35/night. Bus YUL.
Sept 8-9 Fly Montreal – Paris – Tunis – Tripoli (LRT3OQ $672) YUL-ORY @17:20-06:20+1 (4’0″ Corsair SS901) / ORY-TUN @10:20-11:45 (2’25” Tunis Air TU717) / (LRTIWO) TUN-MJI @ 18:10- 20:20 (Hahn Air HI6647)
LIBYA Sept 9-15 2022
Visa. Required for most nationalities.
Libya has no tourists visas – only business visas. The tour company applies. Requires a LOI or hotel reservation. Once immigration approves, it notifies the pertinent home embassy. Apply only in your home country (also in Rome where Shweres has an office). Sherwes Travel +46(0)708454361 info@sherwestravel.com. Ibrahim Usta
Embassy of Libya, Consular Section, Unit 1100, 170 Laurier West Avenue, Ottawa K1P5V5 (613) 842 7519, (613) 680 2009 / fax: (613) 842 8627 / info@embassyoflibya.ca
150€ visa application fee + CAD$102.50 at the embassy (payable by debit).
Cost. 1750€ or US$ 6 nights/7 days. preferably as cash. Money transfer, use WISE: +46(0)708454361
Currency: Libyan dinar (LYD). ATMs and international credit cards don’t work. Bring everything as cash.
Itinerary “Ghadames Tour” Sept 9-15 2022
Day 1 Fri Sept 9. Flight Tunis-Tripoli (LRTIWO) TUN-MJI @ 18:10- 20:20 (Hahn Air HI6647 1’10” $320)
Day 2 Sat Sept 10. Jebel Nafusa, Qasr al-Haj, Tarmeisa, Jadu, Ain az Zarqa – ON Ghadames (B, L, D)
Day 3 Sun Sept 11. Ghadames WHS. ON Ghadames. (B, L, D)
Day 4 Mon Sept 12. Drive to Tripoli via Gharyan.
ON Tripoli (B, L, D)
Day 5 Tue Sept 13. Sabratha WHS, Tripoli Old Town ON Tripoli
Day 6 Wed Sept 14. Leptis Magna. Flight Tripoli to Tunis MJI-TUN (LRTNQS) 20:00-20:10 (Hahn Air HI6655 $301)
TUNISIA x 24 hours.
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IRAQ Sept 16-25
Visa. VOA $77 visa fee, hotel reservation (designated hotels, at least for one night), Vaccine Certificate with QR code, no need PCR test. Return flight tickets.
Cost. ?$500. Independent travel. Rent car and driver.
Currency. Iraqi Dinar IQD. 1US$=1,459; 1€=1,503; 1CAD=1,142 xe.com Aug 2022
US dollars are the currency of travel. Bring cash for the entire trip in new (2017 or newer), 100 or 50 denominations, no creases or marks (iron them).
Mehul – vadher.m@gmail.com
Day 0 Thur Sept 15 Flight Tunis – Istanbul – Baghdad (Turkish Air/VDP6PO $673) TUN-IST @17:05-21:55 (TK664) / IST-BGW @02:05-0500+1 (TK802)
Day 1,2. Fri, Sat Sept 16-17. Meet Mehul. See Baghdad over 2 days.
Baghdad See: Historical Features of the Tigris River in Baghdad Rusafa, which extends from the school Al-Mustansiriya to the Abbasid Palace Tentative WHS (28/03/2014). 13 sites.
Baghdad Green Zone, Baghdad Island Park, 14th of July Bridge, Al-Aimmah Bridge, Al-Sarafiya bridge, Baghdadi Museum, National Museum of Iraq, Natural History Museum-University Of Baghdad, Al-Faw Palace, As-Salam Palace, Radwaniyah Palace
Republican Palace, Abu Hanifa Mosque, Al-Kadhimiya Mosque, Al-Khulafa Mosque, Mosque-Madrasa of Al-Asifyah, Le Corbusier Gymnasium, Al Shaheed Monument, Al-Mutanabbi Statue, Crossed Swords, Save Iraq Culture Monument, Victory Arch, Baghdad Zoo, Al Mansour Mall, Baghdad Bazaar
17/09 @16:30 pick up car at Hertz, Babylon Rotana Hotel, Karada St. +964 7705804343 Confirmation #K22931078FO
Start drive to Basra.
Day 3 Sun Sept 18. Taq Kasra, Madain. Wasit T WHS.
The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities WHS – three cities (Uruk, Ur and Tell Eridu) and four marshes.
Hawizah Marshes. Basra (Basra Cultural Museum, Khitwa Mosque). 55 km from the Persian Gulf and 545 km from Baghdad. Nasirayah (Nasiriyah Museum, Imam Ali Mosque). ON Nasirayah
Day 4 Mon Sept 19. Eridu, Ur Ziggurat, Uruk WHS. Nippur TWHS. ON Al Diwaniyah
Day 5 Tue Sept 20. Najaf (Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery TWHS, Imam Ali Holy Shrine. Holy Shrine of Imam Hussain, Grande Mosque of Kufa).
Ezekiel´s Tomb TWHS. Borsippa Ziggurat.
Day 6 Wed Sept 21. Outside Karbela (The Fortress of Al-Ukhaidar TWHS, Al-Tar caves, Al-Aqisar church, Al-Qattarah Rock)
Karbala 100 km SW of Baghdad (Al Abbas Mosque, Imam Husayn Shrine).
Day 7 Thur Sept 22. Babylon WHS.
Drive around Baghdad. Ashur, Hatra TWHS. Dair Mar Elia (church).
Day 8 Fri Sept 23. Mosul (Old City. Nineveh Ancient City TWHS. Bashtabya Castle). ON Mosul
Day 9 Sat Sept 24. Mar Behnam Monastery. Nimrud TWHS. Tikrit (Castle of Kirkuk TWHS). 140 km NW of Baghdad and 220 km SE of Mosul.
Return Baghdad. Fly Baghdad to N’djamena (67EPYH) BGW-CAI T1 @23:15-00:45+1 (Nile Air NP156) / 7’50″/CAI T3-NDJ @08:35-11:50+1 (Egypt Air MS885 4’15” $713)
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CHAD Sept 26-27, 2022
Awesome desert landscapes in the north and northeast. The travel distances are long and 2 weeks of off-road driving, camping, in a region which is barely inhabited. Very expensive. The safest area is around the capital.
Visa. There is no VOA or eVisa. Passport must have 2 blank and facing pages, LOI (not necessary in Ottawa), hotel reservation, round trip flights.
Available (all same day service). Rabat Morocco, Yaounde, Brazzaville, Bangui.
Washington DC. Brussels. Dubai. Yellow Fever Vaccine required.
Chad Embassy in Ottawa, 350 Sparks Street, Suite 802, Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8
Telephone: (613) 680-3322 / (613) 421-1189 / info@chadembassy.ca / www.chadembassy.ca / M-F 9-12/2-5.
Hôtel La Résidence N’Djamena, Rue 1039, Quartier Aéroport, N’Djamena, Chad $122.80/night
Currency. XAF Central African Franc.
Police Registration is necessary in first 3 days of arrival. You cannot leave the country without this stamp in your passport.
Itinerary 2-Day Tour
Day 1 Mon Sept 26. Arrive N’djamena. See some of city
Day 2 Tue Sept 27. Gaoui Village. Finish seeing N’djamena.
Flight Ndjamena – Niamey NDI-NIM @23:30 – 01:45+1 (Turkish Air TK633 2’15” $759.08)
========================================================NIGER Sept 28-Oct 7, 2022
Visa. VOA. Arranged by guide – need to arrive before 1pm on Sept 28 to get visas.
Price: US$2445 (8) + 5 D, 1 L, 1 BF + hotel day 9 80€
Adamou Issa Ibrahim +22796847279 / adamouissa@gmail.com. Address: Yantala Y-N yantala Haut. Rue Y-N/92 Commune 1, Niamey, Niger // Banque Agricole Du Niger – IBAN – NE164-11001-020797660009. Swift BANENENL /// WU transfers 2/8 – 3210384313 – US$600; 9/08 – 7278338579 CAD1000 (458,967CFA); 10/08 – 9697602751 CAD1000 (458,916CFA); 13/08 – 0035564507 CAD400 (184,360CFA) = CAD3255 = ~US2450. 4/9 – 4876243216 CAD1000 (462,600CFA).
Currency: West Africa Franc XOF CFA. 1US$=643; 1€=655 (xe.com (July 2022)
Day 0 Sept 27 Flight Ndjamena – Niamey NDI-NIM @23:30 – 01:45+1 (Turkish Air TK633 2’15” $759.08)
Day 1 Wed Sept 28. Arrive Niamey
Day 2 Thur Sept 29. Niamey City tour. No meals
Day 3 Fri Sept 30. Niamey/Agadez. Flight to Agadez (7-9). (BL)
Day 4 Sat Oct 1. Agadez city tour – WHS (BLD)
Day 5 Sun Oct 2. Transhumance. Drive Abalak (BLD)
Day 6 Mon Oct 3. Guerewol (BLD)
Day 7 Tue Oct 4. Tahoua. (BD)
Day 8 Wed Oct 5. Yaama / Dogon doutchi or Dosso – Djermakoye Palace (BL)
Day 9 Thur Oct 6. Koure giraffes. Niamey Hotel €80
Day 10 Fri Oct 7. Flight Niger – Burkina Fasso Niamey – Ouagadougou, NIM-OUA @ 8:20-8:25am (ASKY Airlines KP047 1’5″ TPB3VA $395)
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BURKINA FASO + MALI Oct 7-15, 2022
VISAS – Valid 90 days. Highlight the entry date so the embassy doesn’t issue a 30-day visa. Need an LOI supplied by the guide.
Burkina Faso:
1. VOA at OUA airport (cost 45,000 CFA cash or equivalent in USD or Euros. ATMs at airport, bring 2 passport size photos, **caution if the flight arrives late or very early so u must wait around for visa office to open.
2. For Canadian passport holder – 10 days turnaround for single entry tourist visa (cost C$110), complete form on website (Ottawa embassy): https://ambabf-ca.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BFA-visa-formulaire.pdf. and send required doc along with money.
Burkina Faso hotel: Le Grand Calao. Address: 10 BP 573, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Tel: +22670247422 (http://www.grand-calao.com/ Single room price €60. Double room €75 / ? Hotel Jean Baptiste ($40/n with breakfast).
Mali: Apply from home. For Canadian passport holder – Mali: 2 days turnaround for single entry tourist visa (cost C$100), complete form on website (Ottawa embassy for Mali) to download the visa app form: https://www.ambamali.ca and send required doc along with money. Can apply for the visa starting July.
Mali hotel: Hotel Tamana Hippodrome a Bamako au Mali ($50/n with breakfast)
Cost. US$1350. Pay half (US$525 or Euros or CFA)) at beginning, half at end.
Excludes: Hotels (about US$40-50/n, pay guide for all 8 nights with cash 320 US$ or CFA upon check-in) and meals (about US$10). Total: US$1800 approx.
US$300 deposit (or EUROS equivalent) by Western Union transfer to: Amadou Cisse. Address: Street 545 door 408. Bamako, Mali. Phone: +223 7886 9073 Email: amadoucisse2009@yahoo.fr. Banque Malienne de Solidante IBAN – ML102-01020-39013206001 Swift BMSMMLBA. Whats App Amadou a screenshot +223 7886 9073
WU Transfer: 9263571920 US$300 (CAD400, 184,262CFA), 3/9 2938816895 US$525 319,058CFA
Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF) 1US$=643; 1€=655 (xe.com (July 2022)
Day 1 Fri Oct 7. NIM-OUA @ 8:20-8:25am ASKY Airlines KP047. Ouagadougou
Day 2 Thu Oct 8. Ouagadougou-Tiebele
Day 3 Fri Oct 9. Ouagadougou-Bobo Dioulasso
Day 4 Sat Oct 10: Bobo Dioulasso-Banfora
Day 5 Sun Oct 11. Bobo Dioulasso-San MALI
Day 6 Mon Oct 12. San-Djenne-Segou
Day 7 Tue Oct 13. Segou–Bamako
Day 8 Wed Oct 14. Bamako-Siby
Day 9 Thur Oct 15: Mauritania flight: Bamako-Noukachott BKO-NKC @ 16:30-19:35 (Mauritania Airlines L6113, $258)
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MAURITANIA Oct 16-22, 2022
Visa. VOA €55 or US$60, bring exact change and some small notes
Cost: US$1100 pp + night of Oct 15 single room $40. Single room extra $15/night. Price includes: accommodation, transfers, guide, drivers, entrance fees, all meals, water.
David Jdeidou (Lefrigue Agency). Deposit 30% of $1100=$330 IBAN-MR1300018000102100176580144 // Swift BPMAMRMRXXX
You must bring fresh clean US$ notes – in large denominations of $100 or $50, without wrinkles/folds/marks/stamps/2017 or newer, otherwise it is not accepted!
Currency: Mauritanian Ouguiya (MRU), which is subdivided into 5 khoums. xe.com July 2022: 1€=37.53 MRU; 1US$ = 37.5 MRU.
Credit cards are not accepted almost anywhere. It is easy to change euros, dollars and francs into CFA in Nouakchott
Day 0 Sat Oct 15. Arrive Noukachott. Mali flight: Oct 15 @ 22:50 – arrives Oct 16 @ 00:30 – BKO-NKC @ Mauritania Airlines L651 (Direct 1.5h)
Day 1 Sun Oct 16. Drive Noukachott to Azougua, 350 km, arrive 5 pm,
Dunes of Amatlich, dunes of Azweigua. Overnight desert camp.
Day 2 Mon Oct 17. Drive 240km/ 3hrs to Oasis of Elmedah and Legleitat, Tivoujar Passe, Wait Valley, Terjit Oasis. Drive to Chinguetti
Day 3 Tue Oct 18. Visit Chinguetti town, library, camel trek. Overnight desert camp
Day 4 Wed Oct 19. Drive to Tenouchert oasis to visit the Eye of Sahara (Richat Structure). Drive to Ouadane. 180km.
Day 5 Thur Oct 20. From Ouadane, visit rock paintings, then drive over Amogjar Passe to Atar. 400 km.
Day 6 Fri Oct 21. Day 6 Depart Atar 7:30 am. Drive 200 km (4-5 hrs) to Ben Amera, Africa’s largest monolith and Aïsha, a 20-minute drive with spectacular rock carvings. Drive 80 km (1.5 hrs) to Choum, a stop on the Mauritania Railway. See the
Chloum Railway tunnel. Board the Iron Ore Train. ON Choum desert camp
Day 7 Sat Oct 22. Drive Choum to Nouakchott (550 km). Farewell dinner with our drivers. Departure – those who continue with Ernestine Chan to Algeria please book this flight: Oct 22 @ 23:15-03:50+1 – NKC-ALG (Air Algerie AH4015 non-stop 3.5hr)
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ALGERIA Oct 22-Nov 3
Visa. Algeria has a difficult visa as most must get it in their home country. Application done by our guide: 2 copies, LOI, or proof of accommodation and forwarded to Ottawa. New York and Washington embassy are both good. The Algerian Embassy in Ottawa: 435 Daly Ave Ottawa K1N6H3. consulaire@embassyalgeria.ca / ambalgott.com. They refuse to communicate. A permit from Djanet extended the wait.
Cost (Based on 5pp) US$ or €1700. Hichem Cheboui Avenue Louise 54, Room S52, Brussels 1050 Belgium / IBAN BE03 9672 7519 1184 BIC TRWIBEB1XXX €1700 3/9 bank transfer. 3/9 paid €1700 bank transfer.
Guide. Fayeq Natour <ouirane.tours.algeria@gmail.com>
Agence Ouirane <agenceouirane@gmail.com>
(+213) 666 72 68 52 Rue 1er Novembre Bourkika, Tipaza Algerie
Currency. Algerian dinar (DZD). 1US$=146; 1€=149; 1CA$=113 (July 2022)
*Algeria is a black market currency country – the official exchange rate is much less than the exchange rate available on the street. Therefore bring all the money you will need as cash, preferably euros. Usually, large bills (100 and 50) get the best exchange rate.
Rate May 2022 is $1 = 200 Algerian Dinar.
NORTH
Day 0 Sat 10/22 Flight Algiers: 23:15-03:50+1 from NKC-ALG @ Air Algerie (1W Direct 3.5hr) C$385 10/23 @ 03:50
Day 1 Sun 10/23 Arrive 4 am. City tour of Algiers. ON Algiers North. ON Algiers
Day 2 Flight Constantine: Mon 10/24 08:30-09:40 (AH6190) ALG to CZL Constantine (direct 1:15hr, USD20) Arrive Constantine city tour.
Late afternoon drive to Setif (130km/ 1.5hr) for dinner & O/N.
Day 3 Tue 10/25 Setif – visit Djemila Roman ruins (52km/ 1.5hr from Setif). After lunch visit Timgad Roman ruins (175km / 3 hr from Djemila). Drive to Constantine (130km/ 2hr) for dinner & O/N
Day 4 Wed 10/26 Flight Algiers: 08:20-09:10 (AH6027) CZL-ALG (direct 50min, USD21). Drive from Algiers to Tipaza WHS & Cherchell (90 km / 1hr from Algiers). Flight Ghardaia 6:30p-8p (AH6200) ALG-GHA Ghardaia (direct 1hr, USD35)
Day 5 Thur 10/27 Ghardaia – morning visit fortified village & market of Beni Isguen. After lunch visit El-Atteuf town & Sidi Brahim mausoleum. Drive to Sebseboasis (60km) through Metlili. ON Ghardaia.
Day 6 Fri 10/28 Flight Algiers: 8:15a-9:45a (AH6201) GHA-ALG (direct 1.5 hr, USD35). Flight Oran: 2:45-3:45p (AH6102) ALG-ORN Oran (direct 1hr, USD25). Oran city tour, dinner & O/N.
Day 7 Sat 10/29 Oran – morning drive to Tlemcen (175km/ 2hr) for city tour. Afternoon drive to Oran airport. Flight Algiers: 6p-7p (AH6185) ORN-ALG (direct 1hr, USD27).
SOUTH
Flight Djanet: 10/29 11p-1:15a+1 (AH6292) ALG-DJG Djanet (direct 2hr, USD85). Transfer to hotel
Day 8 Sun 10/30 Djanet 1 – scenic drive to Moul N’Aga with its beautiful landscapes and Ajajar rock paintings. ON desert tent
Day 9 Mon 10/31 Djanet 2 – visit red sand dunes of Tin Merzouga
Day 10 Tue 11/1 Djanet 3- visit Oued In Tehak – spend the night in Djanet at Ouan Aher or else Indjaren (camping)
Day 11 Wed 11/2 Djanet 4 – leave Tadrart, return to Djanet lunch, night guesthouse
Day 12 Thur 11/3 Flight Algiers: 1:45p-5:35p (AH6487) DJG-VVZ-ALG (1 stop, USD90) Note: no flight showing for this date yet but similar flight on Sun/ M/ T/Th/ Sa)
11/4 Flight Algiers to Doala, Cameroon Air France $605.50 ALG-CDG @ 06:00-08:40 (AF1355 2’40”) / CDG (Charles de Gaulle 1’50”)-DLA @10:30a-17:20 (AF958, 6’40”)
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CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Nov 10-13, 2022
Visas: CAR: VOA for CAR USD60 + €50 processing fee
Cost. Includes accommodation, guide, transfers, entrance fees, water, all meals.
CAR €720 pp (single room) or €630 (twin room)
Cameroon Adventures And Tours Ltd. infos@cameroonadventuresandtours.com www.cameroonadventuresandtours.com / +237 677 03 37 63
Bank transfer: Afriland First Bank Code Swift/BIC: CCEICMCX IBAN: CM21 10005 00001 06819491001 18
WU: Jude Mainimo Mohmekwe (“no 1st name” entered as first name) +237 677033763 Registered number: P128417492842R Email: mainimojude81@yahoo.com Yaounde. What’s app +237 77033763
6/10 WU transfer MTCN 2946957098 CAD$1000
Currency: Central Africa Franc XAF CFA. 1US$=643; 1€=655 (xe.com (July 2022)
Fri Nov 4. Flight Algiers to Doala Air France $605.50 ALG-CDG @ 06:00-08:40 (AF1355 2’40”) / CDG (Charles de Gaulle 1’50”)-DLA @10:30a-17:20 (AF958, 6’40”)
Thur Nov 10. Bonapriso-Douala airport. Flight Doala-Banjui, CAR: 10/11 @ 11:40-13:30pm DLA-BGF (RwandAir WB212, direct 1’5-” $382.69)
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC November 10-13, 2022
Day 1 Thur Nov 10. Arrive Bangui late pm. Bangui city tour plus Two Tentative WHS: The Hill and the Plain, the Oubangui River and the built Colonial Heritage of the City of Bangui and The paleo-metallurgical sites of Bangui
Day 2 Fri Nov 11. Baoli Falls (85 km), Oubangui River canoe ride, Bangui overnight
Day 3 Sat Nov 12. Bangui – Zinga (125km) – Mbaiki (pygmy communities) 85km for overnight.
Day 4 Sun Nov 13. Mbaiki pygmy village – M’beko forest – Bangui (arrive at 1 pm), depart international flight.
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EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Visa. U.S. visa free. Two application forms with 2 photos, Entry Authorization letter issued by the E.G. Ministry of National Security, LOI issued by Government, a private entity, or a private individual, If a tourist, a bank statement $2,000.00/month, police clearance not older than 3 months issued by a police department in the city where the applicant currently resides, Immunization record booklet, Flight itinerary and accommodation.