Western Sahara: yes or no? (3 Viewers)

[jurek]

Hi, why don't you simply skype the Czech (Polish?) consulate in Rabat and ask? They are for it.

We saw plenty of caravans from France, Spain and Morocco on Dakhla bay. It is the spot for kitesurfing. Also, if anything is dangerous, they will probably turn you at the police checkpoint, they are a bit paranoid about foreigners.

 

[opisska]

Thanks again for making this great trip possible. The report is now live - http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=3513879#post3513879

 

[nico73]

Good day to all

I am new on the forum, and I read carefully this thread. I have been living in Dakhla since 2.5 years and I drove about 10k km in the area just talking about off-road - I set up a small tourist business here in Dakhla with the aim of making people discover the region its people and especially nature.

Would like to give my advice and humble opinion about the situation here - please be assured I am not trying to sell you my services, I just want to share with you my experience being on the field.

Despite what the various government safety reports contain, I never felt so safe as here. Military, Gendarmerie Royal and Police check-points are along the main roads and coast, for our own safety and to make sure that nothing will happen – they are always very friendly as long as “our” attitude towards them is friendly.

Offically wild camping along the coast and everywhere else in Morocco is not allowed, however camping in the bush or on the beach is not a big deal. Along the coast there are small military “camp” about every about 5 km, instead of stopping and setting up a tent, just go there have a quick chat and ask for “permission” they usually are happy to have some people around and they won´t create problems. Also they can have a look on you during the night . Same applies if you go somewhere else inside. Doesn’t matter if is Aousserd of Bir Anzarane direction.

@ dantheman
The landmine situation - yes there are areas, but even then the camels and Bedouin wander mostly at will throughout the areas you're likely to go, so not a problem in reality.

@jurek
Speaking from personal experience: it is safe. And the desert is not very wild - people are around. Landmines are not an issue except one marked place before Aousserd. In general, desert in any place you are likely to drive is full of tracks of cars and domestic animals, not ending in craters. We took it as a sign that it is safe. We however found a track of desert viper.

WAIT!!! … land mind are a real issue, never ever take for granted that if there is a pist it’s safe! I have spotted land mines AP at least in 3 places for now, ERW (explosive remnants of war ) are possible to be found too.

Saharawi´s, camels, goats are surely wandering around but at least the 1st know where to go! And even them they might have problems – due to rain this October, and the consequent movement of sand, recently a Land Rover blown up between Bir Anzarane and Aousserd – what is safe today might not be safe tomorrow, although in general terms there are areas which might be considered as safe and other that are very dangerous.

So please, for your own and other people´s safety, do not consider this region safe on land mines unless you do not know it well. Even if I did around 10k km off roading in the region I still use guides and locals advices if I have to move in any area I don’t know!

Mind that very often and for military reasons land mines fields are not marked - and to be honest de-mining is not a priority here for the time being

@opisska
The only thing that worries me is the talk about Bir Anzarane being a military location and thus posing risk of arrest with telescopes/cameras. This would be the exact kind of "danger" that I probably hate the most - hazy red tape. Everyone suggest to contact the ANI organisation, but I am not sure what to expect of them - their facebook is French and their webpage is not working. I might even be willing to pay for a guide if it is absolutely necessary, but I would really want to avoid falling into a "tour" kind of situation.

There is no issue with telescopes/cameras, as long as you don’t watch/shot at military, police, government buildings etc etc … they know what tourists are … keep your camera/telescope out of sight during check-points, it make your life easier … common sense to apply I would say.

ANI people are nice and friendly, not sure they speak English though (we know them) ... surely French and Spanish are on their books, but English might be kinda very very basic, a bit like my arabic

Be reassured in Dakhla and in all the regions, as of now, there are no real “tour” kind of situation” – everything that can be organized here is done on request and nothing is standardized.

There is a very limited number of people that work with “tours” in the desert and can help you with logistics etc – surely if you wanna travel solo then better to stick on the road and where alongside it.

@jurek
There is an open paved road going from Dakhla all the way south to the Mauritanian border, which has never been explored by birders. I only read reports that this is the place to see wild dorcas gazelles, and somewhere there there is a side road for a 4WD where ANI has a reserve to reintroduce ostriches and antelope. This is another area waiting to be explored.

ANI did a great job with the reserve, although they have still to fight with poaching and is becoming a serious issue.

The road to Guerguerat is all tarmac since years now, last place where to lodge is Bir Gadouz or Barbas as some call it here. Southern than that there is the pist that brings to Safia at the Reserve but that area is highly dangerous for what mines concern. Also ANI lost a car and had injured people some years ago in that region – and they are LOCALS … so again please be careful where you put your tires.

I hope you might find what you are looking for and that this area will be explored/visited more from everyone loving birding and any kind of nature observations, we did lot of spotlighting at night, looking for mammals, reptiles etc and in the right condition can be really rewarding - May 2016 and January 2017 we have been lucky enough to spot wild gazelles - we spotted Orcas in the bay in May 2016 as well many other species.


I will be at anyone's´s disposal if interested to get more general or specific information.


cheers