GPS
This is a listing of GPS waypoints for a couple of the cross desert routes I took - Merzouga to Zagora in Morocco and Nouadhibou to Nouakchott in Mauritania.
The waypoints are on the WGS 84 map datum and the format is decimal minutes, and all points where taken with the GPS claiming sub 10 metre accuracy.
The usual disclaimers apply; the waypoints were copied manually and haven't been checked. In particular never use someone else's waypoints as your sole method of navigation.
Crossing the Mauritanian Sahara; Nouadhibou to Noukchott by the new route.
This is surprisingly easy, mostly, just follow the road construction north of Nouadhibou, via Boulenoir, all the way to Nouakchott, Most of the road surface is untarred but easily rideable base course (compacted aggregate), though as of March 2004, 65 km of the surface had been tarred north of the Egyptian base. The base course is barred from motor traffic by mounds of soil or rocks placed across the road, no problem for bicycles, and at no time did anyone object to my riding it. I took 11 days, but that includes 3 days getting lost, and could probably be done in 6 on a lighter bike and with a fitter rider. Water is not a problem, you won't need more than a days supply (except perhaps for the Boulenoir to Chinese section) - there are workman's camps and larger semi-permanent bases along the route, more than willing to provide water (and food, showers, a place to sleep. Thanks again chaps). The path of the new road has already become the main commercial route between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott (on pistes alongside the construction), so you shouldn't have to wait more than a few hours for help.
There are, however, two gaps in the road. Beyond Boulenoir and to the start of the Chinese section there is no construction (and no signs of anyone starting any time soon), only a bunch of easily confused pistes in often deep sand; a distance of about 35 km. The Chinese section starts at 21N 3.325 16W 20.056, (if you're going the other way, Boulenoir is at 21N 17.373 16W 31.523., though if you get lost just head north to the railway, then west to Boulenoir. This is, er, what I had to do.)
The other gap is about 110 km south of the Chinese section, about 15 km centred around 20N 3.234 15W54.986, but in March 2004 they where very busy closing this (it may well be complete by now), and the path of future road was well marked with flags. This section is also sandy and hard work.
Other points on the route;
KM 54, a few km west of the Moroccan base 21N 16.579 16W 55.207
Chinese base 20N 50.889 16W 11.934
2 km south of Egyptian base 19N 7.38 16W 8.340
Tunisian base 18N 19.844 16W 0.609
Nouakchott 18N 5.6 15W 58.7
As far as I know this is the only feasible way to cross the Mauritanian Sahara by bicycle - I've not found anyone who's managed the entire beach route, and following the ore railway to Choum is probably a non-starter.
The Moroccan Sahara; Merzouga to Zagora
This is a route between Merzouga and Zagora in Morocco, based on route 'M5' in Chris Scott's book 'Sahara Overland', modified for the bicycle. It avoids Taouz - the chott south of there was flooded at the time we where there, and Renlia which is too sandy for bicycles. Due to time restrictions (i.e. we woke up too late) we also didn't visit lac Maider, which otherwise should be possible. The route goes along two wheeled (bicycle and motorbike) pistes wherever possible - these are often in better condition than four wheeled pistes.
We took this route in early December 2003, with a guide Idir, the only bicycle guide in Merzouga, based at Auberge Berber. It took us five days, though could probably be done in three or four by bikers who are better than us at waking up.
Apart from a few spots of dunes, the occasional sandy oued and some areas of rough rocks the surface is generally firm and good riding.
Water is available at the points marked,
0 km 31N 4.970 4W 0.528
Auberge la Palmerie, heading south, with Erg Chebbi on our left and the outskirts of Merzouga on our right.
5 km 31N 2.429 4W 0.391
Pass by abandoned military tower into Khamliya. Water taps available. Continued south off the end of the main body of Erg Chebbi, with a tree lined sand bank to our left.
10.3 km 30N 59.549 3W 59.546
Cross sand bank, heading SSE, through bank of Tamarisk trees.
12 km 30N 59.026 3W 59.023
Elevation of land, with what looks like a man made square pile of rocks on it. The two wheeled piste breaks off to a sharp right, going round the elevation.
12.7km 30N 58.487 3W 58.934
Up onto the escarpment
15.3km 30N 57.912 3W 58.937
Piste splits, we go right heading south over salt lake towards 30N 57.151 3W 58.726.
16km 30N 56.631 3W 58.703
Centre of salt lake. Join the 4 wheel piste into field of crescent shaped sand dunes.
18.2km 30N 55.706 3W 58.735
Piste splits into three, we take centre lane but presume all head towards Taouz, which is visible from here.
We can still see Erg Chebbi behind us, the last view we'll have.
21.2km 30N 54.389 3W 59.630
Taouz military base, more like one soldier and a truck, with a radio mast and water tower. The town itself is a little further south. Heading SW through clump of trees. The piste continues through fields of black rock.
27.1km Piste is cut deep into the rock and marked by piles of stones, not easy to lose. Sparse trees on hammada.
29.6km 30N 51.894 4W 3.713
Piste splits, we take the left.
32.9km 30N 51.447 4W 5.692
Piste now heading westwards.
33.3km 30N 51.385 4W 5.924
Piste splits, we take left
35.6km 30N 50.571 4W 6.641
First small oued, sandy, hard going.
37.0km 30N 50.013 4W 7.038
Rocky, tough going, have to walk the bikes. No obvious piste through the rocks.
37.2km 30N 49.985 4W 7.178
Back onto piste, heading SE
38.2km 30N 50.466 4W 7.465
Found piste again. Piste breaks off to the left, through two breaks in the hills, but we keep heading NW along the hills.
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Overnight we spotted headlights north of here, the major piste. We decided that it would be a better idea to take that.
38.9km 30N 50.725 4W 7.624
Onto main piste heading west.
40.1km 30N 50.579 4W 8.180
Auberge Gravure, take right turn then onto the 2 wheel piste which runs alongside the 4 wheel one, heading W.
43.2km 30N 50.804 4W 9.721
WATER. Jdeid, town of about 30 families, water taps. Heading W, piste well defined but have to cross a few sandy oueds, many have to be walked.
There's often a 2 wheeled piste alongside the main 4 wheel piste, e.g. at 30N 50.385 4W 14.126, which is usually easier going.
63.8km 30N 50.979 4W 21.144
Heading W for gap in the hills
64.7km 30N 50.927 4W 21.711
Into the gap through the hills. Rocky but rideable.
65.5km 30N 50.831 4W 22.141
Small pass in the hills, many tracks down the valley all heading WSW
67.6km 3N 50.218 4W 23.210
No obvious piste, heading west along the oued, sticking to the right hand bank to avoid sand.
69.3km 30N 50.106 4W 24.190
Rejoined faint piste heading W.
72.4km 30N 50.096 4W 25.976
Out of the oued, heading SW.
73.2km 30N 49.916 4W 26.333
Abandoned settlement, burned down. Small erg on right, heading WSW.
74.6km 30N 49.701 4W 26.741
Take left-hand piste over ridge.
74.7km 30N 49.701 4W 27.203
WATER, Obahlo well, with a small settlement 100 metres south east and overlooked by a ruined French fortified town.
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Over the hill, then onto faint piste, heading SSE, with sand banks on the right. Into the oued Rheris.
76.7km 30N 48.655 4W 26.918
Sign for Oasis Mharech, pointing to the right. We head WSW
77.7km 30N 48.548 4W 27.349
Piste threading its way through sand dunes.
Meander our way through the dunes, sometimes following faint tracks but no clear piste. A couple of waypoints along the way.
30N 48.144 4W 27.549
30N 47.763 4W 27.796
80.4km 30N 47.328 4W 27.957
Getting tough, surface breaks through, sand, a lot of getting off and walking. Heading SW.
82.4km 30N 46.552 4W 28.55
Crossing stony ground. Heading WSW.
83.8km 30N 46.225 4W 29.131
Looks like the middle of the oued sand bed. Heading WNW, towards a gap in the dunes on the other side.
84.8km 30N 46.308 4W 29.309
Gap in dunes. Heading SSW.
84.9km 30N 45.975 4W 29.362
The piste continues to thread its way through the sand banks, though it isn't always obvious, and we're often just making the route up to avoid sand. Generally heading SSW, along the valley but towards the western mountain range.
85.8km 30N 45.565 4W 29.565
Lots of tracks here, most heading S. We follow the fainter piste heading SW.
86.5km 30N 45.321 4W 29.844
Finally out of the oued Rheris! And into black desert, dark coloured hammeda. Clear 4 wheel piste heading WSW, across the hammada and salt lakes.
88km 30N 44.854 43W 0.580
Onto two wheeled piste heading WSW.
89.4km 30N 44.673 4W 31.326
Back on 4 wheel piste, heading WSW.
93km 30N 44.263 4W 33.388
We cross piste going north-south, through a gap in the mountains to the north. There's a sign indicating the Oasis Mharech to the North, at GPS 30N 45.587 4W33.807. We don't go that way, but we continue WSW
93.9km 30N 44.009 4W 33.794
First signs of human habitation. Hut and tent on the right. We're on a deep, well used two wheeled piste.
97.6km 30N 43.614 4W 35.979
Heading W on the piste. Sometimes losing it the piste but surface throughout is firm, easy going. Yellow blooms everywhere.
~103km 30N 42.865 4W 38.873
WATER. First water tap of Tafraout. We continue SW through the town.
110.5km 30N 40.269 4W 41.488
Gite d'Etape Sidi Ali.
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We left on the piste starting just outside the Gite d'Etape, with a sign marked 'Zagora' and heading an piste heading west of south west. Flat hammada, sand dunes, sand and black rock on left, sand drifts.
117.2km 30N 38.503 4W 44.812
Auberge Sahara. Closed. We go N through gap in the sand banks, then W.
123.8km 30N 38.25 4W 48.655
Sand bank - erg Noamiah. We head W.
124.9km 30N 38.152 4W 49.352
Road splits, we go right. Black rocks and sand hills on the left.
129.2km 30N 37.924 4W 51.935
Cross a sand bank, perhaps 200 metres which have to be walked.
131.2km 30N 37.709 4W 53.047
Faint piste crossing WNW, and we take it. Open hamada, black desert, multi coloured rocks.
133.1km 30N 38.096 4W 54.149
Crossed piste going EW. We continue WNW
142.8km 30N 39.929 4W 59.596
Pass village of Oazza, 200 metres north. We continue W. Some habitations along the route, oases.
149km 30N 39.017 5W 2.997
Path going left. We go straight, still heading SW, through black desert.
153.5km 30N 37.983 4W 5.246
Entrance of Oum-Jrane.
156.6km 30N 38.571 4W 6.134
WATER. Auberge Camping Oumjrane. The water in this town is gassy but drinkable.
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157.6km 30N 38.419 5W 6.590
Through Oum-Jrane, heading WSW
164.5km 30N 36.180 5W 9.656
WATER. Tissemouine. We continue along the 2 wheel piste all the way, heading WSW.
171.5km 30N 34.616 5W 13.406
Track joins ours from the left. Now heading W.
174km 30N 34.568 5W 14.896
Track joins from the SE. We continue W.
181km 30N 32.991 5W 18.381
Piste splits, we go straight on (right hand fork), heading WSW
181.6km 30N 32.834 5W 18.752
Pistes visible. Crossing ridge on right, heading NNW
188.6km 30N 31.248 5W 22.489
Settlement on right, 50m north. Possible water.
192.1km 30N 30.402 5W 24.186
WATER. Town of Imin Oassif. Water from tap behind mosque.
193.5km 30N 30.009 5W 24.799
Right turn to Zagora, with a sign pointing the way. Bearing WSW
197.5km 30N 28.939 5W 26.853
Piste splits, we go left, heading SW
204.2km 30N 27.770 5W 30.496
Piste crossing heading WNW. We go W
204.5km 30N 27.748 5W 30.781
WATER. Taguntert well, and we stay overnight in the nomad tents nearby.
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205km
Heading WSW from well
213.2km 30N 25.664 5W 34.392
Through the pass, Tizin Fidelete Tafilalet? Anyway, we're heading WSW
218.2km
After the pass we accidentally took the two wheeled piste, then had to track across country to get back on the 4 wheel piste. You should go right (West), keeping on the 4 wheel piste towards 30N 25.078 5W 37.012, then right again, heading WNW.
221.6km 30N 25.268 5W 38.490
Zagora radio masts visible from here, on the hills WSW from here. Piste swings round the valley, towards WNW
224.9km 30N 24.957 5W 40.367
Piste splits, we take the left, heading SW.
233.6km 30N 22.464 5W 44.512
Piste splits, we turn right, heading W and along the base of the hills.
237.8km 30N 21.465 5W 46.736
First houses on the outskirts of Zagora, piste splits, we go left heading WSW.
239.3km 30N 20.928 5W 47.325
Join piste from the left.
244.7km 30N 19.085 5W 49.704
Join tarred road, turn right.
248.6km 30N 20.169 5W 50.256
COFFEE. Caf 802ocadios.
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