The 2023 route is obviously different from the originally planned route in 2020 although it shares many main elements and points of interest in the various countries in West Africa.

When Trevor and I started planning the trip late 2018, we had chosen what looked like the easier route, from Côte d’Ivoire through Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco and Spain to Portugal. Around May 2019, however, this routing was revised due to the growing uncertain security situation in Mali, instead we planned to go through Guinea.

We learned that the roads in Guinea are less ideal and some stretches of national road have more holes than Swiss cheese but it was apparently a much more appealing, varied and above all safer route. The chosen route will take us closer to the coast, cross the Ivorian border into Guinea and drive then in North-western direction to Senegal.

Well, this is my current planning:

Northbound

The northbound route is meant to get to Marrakech as quickly and efficiently as possible. There will not be much time to see many sights. Christoph, who is joining me on this leg of the expedition, has limited holiday and I have to be in Marrakech in time to welcome my parents and friends at the airport arriving there from Germany.

Côte d’Ivoire

As already mentioned, Christoph will join me from Abidjan for the first leg of the expedition northbound to Marrakech. Leaving our present home in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire we pass through Yamoussoukro to head west towards Man. This time we will not have time to enjoy the tourist attractions the region has to offer. Close by we cross into the Republic of Guinea.

Guinea, Republic of (Conakry)

We cross the Guinea Highlands, where we battle the notoriously bad national roads and attempt to visit a few sights if time permits, head to Conakry to get our visas and continue the route north before we cross the border into Senegal at the North-western border.

Senegal

Once in Senegal we head further north-west towards Saint Louis to prepare for the crossing into the next country and from the savannah into the desert.

Mauritania

In Mauritania we cross through Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania before heading to Nouadhibou. Here we recharge our batteries, enjoy the beach and watch the kite surfers before we cross the large no man’s land into Morocco.

Morocco

We will officially enter Morocco. Until Sidi Ifni it is a long stretch of driving north of almost 1500km along the bare coast and a few settlements.

After the long coastal stretch of the expedition we head into the interior and pass over the Anti-Atlas mountains to reach Marrakech in time to welcome my parents back at the airport mid October.

Then it is time to say goodbye to Christoph returning back to Abidjan. I will stay in Marrakech with my parents and friends for two weeks. In this time my Land Cruiser will get some badly needed TLC after the strenuous drive up.

Together with my “nice”, Julia, who will be in Marrakech with my parents, we will join the annual overlanders’ get-together in the Moroccan desert for some pizza and a night in the desert.

Southbound

Morocco

Charlotte and Trevor will drive down from their house in Portugal to join me towards the end of my two weeks in Marrakech and together we will visit the many sights of the city and what the surrounding areas have to offer. We will finally be able to (at least) drive part of the originally planned route together, explore and experience West Africa.

After a few days in the buzzing city and provisioned for the second and longer leg of the expedition, Brahim will join us for this part of the trip to the most southern tip of Morocco, the border with Mauritania.

As we head south and cross again the High Atlas, a stunning piste leads us through narrow gorges and bare landscape climbing up to above 3000m altitude. On the way we visit an impressive rock formation near that offers an incredible camp spot for a night. We drive further east, explore the ancient Gara Medouar to then head towards the famous Erg Chebbi dunes. We might have a little bit of time to play in the sand. Plenty of activities to choose from there: quad driving, camel riding, dune skiing, etc. We will certainly enjoy ourselves! Here we prepare for two days of full adventure and remoteness in the desert near the border with Algeria. Over gravel and sand pistes we visit the remote Foum Mharech and after spending a night under the stars we continue westwards back to civilisation in Zagora. On our way to the coast we stop in Ouarzazate to maybe see the famous film studios, to then enjoy the beautiful valleys of the Anti-Atlas. We reach the coast at Mirleft, visit the famed arch of Legzira.

Before we battle the sheer size of the Sahara desert and drive hundreds of kilometres on the long Route National No. 1 along the Atlantic coast towards the Mauritanian border, we will stop in Tarfaya and visit the museum dedicated to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the writer of The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince) who lived there a couple of years while flying for Aeropostale.
At the Mauritanian border we will have to say our goodbyes to Brahim to return back to his family and my parents in Marrakech.

Mauritania

Charlotte, Trevor and I will continue and cross together into Mauritania. Unfortunately, this time we shall not have the possibility to ride on the famous iron ore train into the desert, visit Atar and explore oases and old settlements with its ancient libraries. Next time, inshallah!

Together we continue to the capital Nouakchott where we meet Alex who joins me for on the last legs of the expedition all the way back to Abidjan. From Nouakchott we head straight to the border with Senegal.

Senegal

After having explored the old colonial merchant town of Saint Louis, we head towards the capital Dakar where we stay a few days to have the cars serviced, papers organised, see some of the sights of the city and source provisions for the next étape. In Dakar we will have to say our goodbyes to Charlotte and Trevor who will be returning with their vehicle through Mauritania and Morocco back to Portugal.

Alex and I continue our trip and will visit the Delta du Saloum National Park south of Dakar. We then head north bypassing The Gambia and the Casamance and make a dash for the border with the Republic of Guinea.

Guinea, Republic of (Conakry)

Passing through the beautiful countryside of Guinea towards the end of November in dryer weather will give us more opportunity to see some sights and famous waterfalls in the Guinean Highlands. A lot depends on the weather and the state of the roads what can be visited and how much time that costs.

To receive our proper tourist visas we probably have to make a detour into the capital Conakry with all its chaos and traffic jams.

Before returning back to Côte d’Ivoire, we would like to stop in an attempt to see chimpanzees at the reserve near the border and Mount Nimba.

Côte d’Ivoire

Back on home turf, Côte d’Ivoire, we will stay overnight in Man to see the mountainous landscape and the cascades before passing through Yamoussoukro to visit the Basilica and to head home to Abidjan.

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Totals

The estimated driven kilometres at the end are 15,000 km.
Nine weeks will be the total duration of this expedition.
Eight border crossing we will have manage in total.
Seven good friends I will have the pleasure of travelling with during this expedition.
6
Five different countries this expedition will see: Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania and Morocco.
Four different currencies we will use on this expedition: CFA, GNF, MRU, MAD.
Three (and a half) years delay before we can finally explore this route.
Two different time zones will be encountered.
One continent that we call home: Africa!

AND countless of memories and stories to tell afterwards !