Shortcut to Diama | Warning

March 5th, 2024 by elmoost

Just passed on a Tuesday afternoon, no check at all. Only the standard 'fiche' request 500m down the road to Diama.

December 7th, 2023 by funmoto-adventures.com

No scammer here today, the police officer at the turn to Diama just greeted as we passed

May 8th, 2023 by auxtoursdunmonde

nous avons passé la nuit ici sans problème avant d'attaquer la piste pour diama

January 21st, 2023 by saemi

Scammer also active the other way round (coming from Diama). Working hand in hand with Gendarme: coming from Sénégal the insurance broker "did not show up" at Diama the day I crossed. Head of Gendarmerie impatiently tells me to go ahead and buy RIM car insurance in the next town north (Tiguent). Confirms that there won't be any issue but wouldn't share his number, name or confirm in writing. Agressive scammer & Gendarme knew already I didn't have insurance when I showed up. "Offers" to arrange a taxi to get overpriced insurance with his friend in Rosso 😂 I remained firm, did not pay & continued to Tiguent after about 2hrs of discussions, where I bought my insurance.

January 19th, 2023 by travelove.org

No scammers today. Or: there was a guy who maybe was a scammer, but why should we talk to him and not to the guy in full official Gendarmerie uniform who arrived just moments later, took our last fiche and waved us off? No problem here if you only talk to real gendarmerie (and there is one, just was very lazy to show up).

January 13th, 2023 by RogueWanderers

Scammer at the crossroads! There is a gentleman set up at the corner of the shortcut. He has the official gendarme halte signs on the ground but is not wearing the standard green uniform. He speaks great English and was very friendly. Asked us for a fiche and our COVID cards. He then offered to call his friend at the Diama border to check on the situation for us. He put us on the phone with his friend who said that before we proceed to Diama, we had to drive 40 km down the main road to Rossi to get an authorization document from an office a few km from the border. When we asked more about the office he was vague and said we would see a sign. He agreed that the Diama crossing was better and suggested that we just get the authorization then proceed along the river road to Diama, bypassing Rossi. This would have been a big detour for us. We started off down the road to Rossi to the "office" but as we thought about it too many things felt off. We turned around, waved at the gentleman at the crossroads as we drove back by and proceeded along the shortcut road. Obviously no such authorization exists. We expect the intention was to get it close to Rossi where we would have been given another story about why we should now cross there.

December 13th, 2022 by freemanjones

We also had an issue heading south. Stopped at official checkpoint just prior to border, then asked to pull to side of road by another male on powerful scooter (akro exhaust) who asked to see our covid passes. He wanted to retain copy, and would take us to his office near rosso to get a free copy so they could issue authorisation. Was a scam. We continued to diama and all was fine

November 26th, 2022 by christianluis88

When you arrived at this point turn right. You'll find some sandy road and a dirt road for a few kilometers. After that the road becames "to shaky" and big holes on the ground. After you finished the park there is barrier with a guy asking for 2000MRU (with receipt). When you arrived at Mauritania Border there's another barrier guy asking for tax commune (500MRU). After that you can go straight to police station (passport check). Go outside and a policeman will open the barrier. Go to Duane for stamp TIP⁄Passavant. DO NOT PAY, is free - he wanted 10€). After that go to the next office and stamp your VISA passaport.

November 26th, 2022 by christianluis88

I passed through this November. Dry, shaky and big holes in the path. Motorcycle (trail/offroad) can pass easily, not too technical. No too much sand. I'd pay 2000MRU(w/receipt) - I didn't know at the moment if the price was in old or new MRU. I was so tired Andrew wrongly I gave him 1000MRU.

October 12th, 2022 by big_dave888

Monitor the weather well in advance. What can be a reasonable dirt road at times can become a nightmare if there's been any recent rains. Don't attempt if there's been heavy rain in the last few days. Road is a raised hard packed clay track that has heavy deep ruts and bad corrugations. Conditions are highly dependent on recent weather so definitely monitor closely before cross.

July 24th, 2022 by OMAR.ADV

I won’t try this road if it’s wet season, I got stuck for 2 days with my motorcycle The first section was OK because it was sunny than halfway to the border it started to rain and mud was everywhere

May 24th, 2022 by Ride With Mimi

Yes we took this road on 24th May it was dry,bumpy,shaky and lots of animals to enjoy around!

https://youtu.be/dmIFUgOEQ8Q

February 4th, 2020 by q.bertin

This shortcut works fine ! Download Google Satellite before if you can, it will help you.
From Keur Macene to Diama it’s a 37km dirt road with a lot of holes, a very bumpy ride !

November 14th, 2019 by bigtrip19.blogspot.com

The scammers are well practised. I found it easiest - acting partially on advice recieved - to thank them for their warnings, which I promised to keep in mind, told them I was visiting Keur-Macene and the park for two days and that I fully intended to return that way and on then to Rosso. They wished me luck and bon voyage...

September 9th, 2019 by geoffreythisis

WET SEASON (August/September): Very muddy section.

We drove down the short cut to diamma today, the road is great for the first 30km until Keur Macane (better than the main road from Nouchott and empty -just the ocassional massive pot hole just to keep you awake, watch out!)

Then the first 10 km of track was ok, just some corrugations. Then the fun began. There was mud, lots of it (it had apparently rained heavily 3 days ago) we passed several trucks stuck fast and 2 bull-dozers that had slipped from the raised mud-bath/track and were also stuck. We only just made it through with 4x4 and rear diff lock engaged and good (new) mud tires in our 4x4 sprinter, sure it wouldn't be as bad in a landrover but certain it would still provide a good few hours 'entertainment'!

about 6km short of the national park check point we were directed right along a different raised track by the truck drivers, this (much better) track took us to a village were we turned left and followed a small sandy (softish in places) through an amazing landscape of small trees before bringing us to a third track along the top of a barrage to arrive at the check point (and pay) before the final (again much better) corrugated track to Diama.

February 12th, 2019 by fourtyninemiles.com

The road is in better condition than the normal street! So also no problem for a 2wd! If you are on the way to Diamma, don’t go down from the street if you are heavy! We heard bad things about stucked trucks!

January 20th, 2019 by sahariano-rider.com

my advice take that way and DONT GO TO ROSSO in my last trip i did it with 2 other bikers.
in Rosso on your passavant they give you only 2 days and you have to go to douane dakar office to valid.....so we had a dificult day in dakar no one want to valid our passavant just for one biker who got the pass note book

January 18th, 2019 by rbabla89

Scammers still present, they will tell you the bridge at diama is blocked.
Easiest to tell them that you’re going to the national park as opposed to crossing the border.
The road is fairly good until you hit the river, then it’s a bit bumpy until the border at diama. May be tricky after rains.
Didn’t cross at rosso but heard of someone who did and had a hard time.

December 11th, 2018 by andrewloden7

We were told st this crossing that the bridge at diama was blocked or broken by a truck. Stupidly went to rosso and got railroaded there by the officials. Everybody is in on it at Rosso and I would be very impressed if somebody can get through that border crossing without getting ripped off. Short story: Don’t go to Rosso. It will ruin your day. It’s a den of crooks and corrupt border officials.

March 20th, 2018 by lidabobkova

Definitelly passable with all vehicles, normal cars, bikes, trucks! Indeed not a fast route, we were driving ca. 25 km per our with our VW T4 van on the route from Keur Macene to the border. From the crossroad till Keur Macene good guality tarmac, ca. 100 km per hour. We didnt meet any scammer on the crossroad but of course still could be around.

May 12th, 2017 by kileyoshields

Very good road about 30K to village of Keur Macene then piste but not bad -- heavily rutted but on a motorcycle you can stick to the smoother paths.

February 6th, 2017 by mikebroadbent45

Yuyy

January 27th, 2017 by The Pack Track

We passed here today and road was passable for all vehicles. We were told at the turn by a scammer that we wouldn't pass but this was a lie, we think he was getting a cut to get us on the ferry and help us with the paperwork or something similar, watching the truck traffic and talking to shopkeepers gave us the info we needed about how passable the road is.

I will say it is heavily corrugated in sections and may not be a quick route but it certainly can be passed by any vehicle. The shortcut is nearly all sealed, so if you intend on going to Diana this is the route to take.

We arrived at the border in the dark and somehow avoided all park and community fee's. Border was closed but the first check was completed and they let us set up our tent out front of the Douane. Tomorrow we'll check-in about the border process.

October 29th, 2016 by traveling

Route was bad, only passable with 4x4

June 13th, 2016 by tenkss

You can take this well paved road for 30km of nicely paved road to where it turns to dirt I'm Keur Macane, it is then a fairly nice dirt road to Diama. May be muddy in wet season but in the dry it was perfect. Light corrugations. I did this on a moto but there were plenty of cars too. Beware of warthogs running from behind bushes

This will save you going all the way to Rosso and then to Diama