Togo - West Africa - page 992

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines ( www.klm.com )
Lufthansa ( www.lufthansa.com )
Middle East Airlines ( www.mea.com.lb )
Royal Air Maroc ( www.royalairmaroc.com )
South African Airways ( www.flysaa.com )
TACV ( www.flytacv.com )
TAP Air Portugal ( www.flytap.com )
Virgin Atlantic ( www.virgin-atlantic.com )
Tickets
Buying cheap air tickets in West Africa is a challenge. Usually the best deal you can get is an airline's official excursion
fare, and there's no discount on single tickets unless you qualify for a 'youth' (under 26, sometimes 23) or 'student' rate.
In cities that handle plenty of international traffic, such as Dakar or Abidjan, cheaper tickets are easier to come by from
travel agents; in Bissau or Monrovia you won't have much choice about fares or airlines.
Charter flights are worth considering as they're generally direct and cheaper than scheduled flights. Some charter
flights come as part of a package that includes accommodation and other services, but most charter companies sell
'flight only' tickets.
Land
Border Crossings
If you're travelling independently overland to West Africa - whether cycling, driving your own car or taking public
transport - you can approach the region from three main directions: from the north, across the Sahara; from the south
and southeast, through the countries bordering southern and eastern Cameroon; or from the east, through Chad. There is
no regular, scheduled public transport along any of these routes.
If you're coming from the north, the main border-crossing point into sub-Saharan West Africa from Morocco and the
Western Sahara is just north of Nouâdhibou. In theory, there are also crossings at Bordj Mokhtar (Algeria/Mali), Assa-
makka (Algeria/Niger) and Tumu (Libya/Niger) but these were either closed or not recommended at the time of writing.
If you come into West Africa from the south or east, the border-crossing points are at Garoua-Boulaï or Kenzou (for
the Central African Republic); at Kousséri, Bongor or Léré (for Chad); Moloundou, in Cameroon's far southeastern
corner (for Congo); Kye Ossi (for Gabon); and Ebebiyin or Campo (for Equatorial Guinea). Another option is to take
the 'long way around', crossing the border on the northern side of Lake Chad on the route to Nguigmi (Niger). Remem-
ber that very few travellers use these routes.
CARNETS
A carnet de passage is like a passport for your car, a booklet that is stamped on arrival and departure from a
country to ensure that you export the vehicle again after you've imported it. It's usually issued by an automobile
association in the country where the vehicle is registered. Most countries of West Africa require a carnet although
rules change frequently.