Northern Africa, Sahara travel.

[Cardboard]

I have spent quite a few years in the sonora and various deserts of the americas, but this winter I am planning to go into the sahara, and was wondering if people have done this, warnings, reccomendations, things to consider, etc...
I will spend a while researching some of the local flora and fauna, as well as the tribal people there. I know there are scorpions and snakes, but a good pair of spatz should take care of that.
Show me what you've got STP-

 

[cranberrydavid]

I can't help much with this one. I've met travelers who've hitched trucks down to Marrakesh and said everything was pretty cool except for Tangier which is just like Tijuana. The usual boarder town scams on tourists. The thieves seem to like pills rather than knives or guns. I had a friend a few years ago who was drinking with some Moroccans and woke up 2 days later in a hospital with all his gear gone. I've heard several of those stories, but mostly targeting students, not serious travelers.

When you head out to the coast, I got a report from some friends last year that Dengue fever was pretty bad in the Cape Verde Islands and probably on the coast too so think about long sleeves, mosquito nets and bug repellent, the standard malaria stuff.

I'm afraid that's all I got for you. Good luck!

 

[skiptown]

Where exactly are you going? I've been wanting to go to Mali (especially in January for the annual Tuareg dessert festival) and Niger and a few other spots for a while. Mostly I am interested in trying to travel with some of the nomadic dessert tribes if possible. Has anyone else here traveled in North/Western Africa, especially as a solo lady? I've never had any qualms about going somewhere alone before but a lot of similarly brazen and experienced travel folk have highly discouraged me from traveling as a woman alone in certain islamic African countries. Does anyone here have some first hand advice?

 

[Donaldvutmoses]

Hi Jimmy, I can only speak for Morocco, but there you will not have the slightest problem to find a cheap hostel or hotel with availability. In many cases you will find several in one street and be one of the only guests as well. And that is in every city.

 

[Cardboard]

hah, who's jimmy?
just to update anyone who might be curious, do to the political situation in Northern Africa, we have decided to stick around southern spain for now. I knew I could get into Morocco no problem, but exiting there with the whole north of the country going crazy seemed a bit of a restriction I didnt want to deal with. For now I am living near Granada, and taking some time do do some longer term projects.

 

[RKA]

Where exactly are you going? I've been wanting to go to Mali (especially in January for the annual Tuareg dessert festival) and Niger and a few other spots for a while. Mostly I am interested in trying to travel with some of the nomadic dessert tribes if possible. Has anyone else here traveled in North/Western Africa, especially as a solo lady? I've never had any qualms about going somewhere alone before but a lot of similarly brazen and experienced travel folk have highly discouraged me from traveling as a woman alone in certain islamic African countries. Does anyone here have some first hand advice?

I traveled in Africa solo, female and it was no problem. OK - I got in some messes - but only because of the journey I was driven to experience. As for being a woman, I felt quite safe. Travel light!

 

[scatwomb]

I can't help much with this one. I've met travelers who've hitched trucks down to Marrakesh and said everything was pretty cool except for Tangier which is just like Tijuana. The usual boarder town scams on tourists. The thieves seem to like pills rather than knives or guns. I had a friend a few years ago who was drinking with some Moroccans and woke up 2 days later in a hospital with all his gear gone. I've heard several of those stories, but mostly targeting students, not serious travelers.

When you head out to the coast, I got a report from some friends last year that Dengue fever was pretty bad in the Cape Verde Islands and probably on the coast too so think about long sleeves, mosquito nets and bug repellent, the standard malaria stuff.

I'm afraid that's all I got for you. Good luck!

I got Dengue fever when I was in East Africa a few months ago. It sucks.

 

[RKA]

I have spent quite a few years in the sonora and various deserts of the americas, but this winter I am planning to go into the sahara, and was wondering if people have done this, warnings, reccomendations, things to consider, etc...
I will spend a while researching some of the local flora and fauna, as well as the tribal people there. I know there are scorpions and snakes, but a good pair of spatz should take care of that.
Show me what you've got STP-

Hi. I've wanted to do that too. I've made it so far as North Burkina Faso but waited to a ride for a couple weeks with no one going further north so I went back south. Would love to hear if you go etc...

 

[RKA]

Where exactly are you going? I've been wanting to go to Mali (especially in January for the annual Tuareg dessert festival) and Niger and a few other spots for a while. Mostly I am interested in trying to travel with some of the nomadic dessert tribes if possible. Has anyone else here traveled in North/Western Africa, especially as a solo lady? I've never had any qualms about going somewhere alone before but a lot of similarly brazen and experienced travel folk have highly discouraged me from traveling as a woman alone in certain islamic African countries. Does anyone here have some first hand advice?

I found that in West Africa, in countries with strong Islamic population...it was no problem . Now, when I was traveling in Egypt, that was a very different story and very difficult for me. West Africa is easy as a solo woman, just beware of ....well.....maybe I won't write about what to beware of on such a public forum. You can ask me privately if you wish.
I love West Africa and was trying to get up to Mali....but didn't. Was traveling in the very very dry season....very infrequent transport. Good luck to you, would love to hear if you go. I encourage you as a solo female. - to go.....

 

[Jone]

I traveled in Africa solo, female and it was no problem. OK - I got in some messes - but only because of the journey I was driven to experience. As for being a woman, I felt quite safe. Travel light!

Tell us more about your African travel!!

 

[Jone]

Where exactly are you going? I've been wanting to go to Mali (especially in January for the annual Tuareg dessert festival) and Niger and a few other spots for a while. Mostly I am interested in trying to travel with some of the nomadic dessert tribes if possible. Has anyone else here traveled in North/Western Africa, especially as a solo lady? I've never had any qualms about going somewhere alone before but a lot of similarly brazen and experienced travel folk have highly discouraged me from traveling as a woman alone in certain islamic African countries. Does anyone here have some first hand advice?

Dude so far so good in Morrocco EaasY as Pie same as everywhere else. I haven't done a ton of sleeping outside as I have been housed for free in both MRKSH and essouaira which I attribute to luck. My biggest concern would be wild dogs and police.
Hitchhiking is fun and easy. Nice people. My rides give.me food sometimes. Local people and some tourists. Tons of short moto rides through town which is hella fun.
I was painting outside the other day at dusk and an Amazir man with little french invited me to sleep in his home with his family. I'm in a small town.

People beg in MRKSH on the medians and i wonder how it would go. Probably police issue as a 'la goor' (foreigner). I wonder how much the beggars in the tourist Medina's do. Many people beg and are ligitimatly impoverished. I kinda assume it's much like in the states, and beggars do alright. No way to know. but I have only busked and make an average of 50 dirhams an hour. Which is enough to eat for the day. Personally though I have savings at the moment and do watercolor paintings that I sell toma very small online fan base of mostly friends or people I've met traveling.

I'm going to Sénégal and I'm pretty excited and a little scarred. My Morroccan host says it's very safe and all these 18 year old German girls seem to be doing it.