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In the {{infobox Country|in = Northern Africa|map= [[File:Westernsaharamap.png|300px]]|language = N/A (recognized regional languages are Arabic and Spanish)|capital = N/A (largest city is [[El Aaiún|Laâyoune]])|pop = 382,617|currency = Moroccan dirham (MAD)|hitch = <rating country='eh' /> }}'''Western Sahara''' rides are plentiful and usually free on the main paved roads connecting Laayoune, Dakhla and Smara. The UN does not give rides without official permission apparently, which is a shame as it seems they're mostly Moroccan-controlled territory in [[Northern Africa]]. Western Sahara has been on the only people who can give you any insight into United Nations list of non-self-governing territories since the political situation here. Local Moroccans will tell you all sorts1960s when it was a Spanish colony.
Truck drivers may ask When traveling here, you to "sleep" in a discrete position to avoid are de-facto traveling on the territory of the endless kingdom of [[Morocco]], so all visa-issues, police passport checks (which can make you control checkpoints etc. are mostly applying to [[Morocco]]. Speaking a little bit of a burden to carry). This shouldn't be a problem if it's not too obviousFrench, but Spanish or Arabic will bring you don't want through without problems, though more and more people speak good English due to get on the wrong side presence of the UN. Parts of the police in Western Sahara east (who can be rather paranoidbehind the berm)are controlled by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polisario_Front Polisario Front].
Lifts with overland travellers === Hitchhiking ===Hitchhiking in Western Sahara is very easy along the coastal road N1, where traffic is plentiful as far down south as Dakhla but sometimes sparely as well. All over the territory, from big cities to the most sparsely location, people pop up to hitchhike as well, so the concept is well known and understood. It will be easy for you to catch rides all the way to [[Mauritania]] can be found by asking around at Camping Moussaffir (just north . Locals hitch rides with pointing the forefinger into the driving direction instead of Dakhla)using the thumb.
The lorry drivers are lately reluctant Hitchhiking the N14 to give [[Smara]] shouldn't be a lift problem as then they have to bribe at each police post. It is better to omit that situationwell, but the other two main roads N3 and hitch N5 can bring problems with them, due to the post after [[Alhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Wall_(Western_Sahara) berm] and partly Polisario-Uyuun]] controlled areas. Traveling these roads should be taken with a lot of care and ask the police it's always best to pass collect information about the info on by phone to the next stopcurrent situation. <!-- jurahasiok at wpIt can happen that Moroccan police will send you back and not let you through.pl -->
→Hitchhiking
Also the whole territory is still covered partly with undiscovered landmines, so be extremely careful when leaving the main roads and walking into the desert. Finding long rides can be especially easy with Westerners heading southwards towards [[Nouakchott]] and [[Senegal]] or [[Mali]] and can be done at Camping Moussafir in Dakhla and also Hotel Barbosa about 60 km from the border, where a lot of Moroccans and Westerners stop so that they can reach the border nice and early the next day. If you have made it to that spot chances are good that you have already come there with a Westerner; from [[Tiznit]] on resp. Nouakchott in the South, chances are really good to get a lift from an European. Western Saharan border with [[Mauritania]] closes at 6 in the evening and is a good time for finding northbound rides. In the mornings, especially the cars lined up before 9, when the border opens, will have drivers out of the cars walking about, a good chance to ask for rides. Look for Senegalese people (Senegalese cars have blue license plates with two letters and some numbers and more letters) as they are usually familiar with Mauritania and know the fun places to visit, while at the same time you'll have a ride all the way to Senegal. (Nanga def? How are you? In [[Africa phrasebook#Wolof|Wolof]], great way to start off your request.) Another Option is to just walk out of the city you want to hitchhike from, until you reach the police checkpoint (usually 0,5-1,5km). There are checkpoints before and after every city in WS. Police is usually very friendly and open to hitchhiking just behind the checkpoint. Cars and trucks go very slow there, plus your passport has already been checked by the police, so also "careful" drivers will pick you up. === Cities ===* [[Ad-Dakhla]] (Villa Cisneros)* [[Boujdour]] (Cape Bojador)* [[El Aaiún]] (Laâyoune), [[El Marsa]]* [[Lagouira]]* [[Smara]] (Semara) === Border Crossing ===* [[Morocco]]: There actually is no border, just a handful of police checkpoints along the road.* [[Mauritania]]: Many land mines around the border area, take care! Visa are not issued anymore at the border, you have to get them beforehand at the Mauritanian [[embassy]] in [[Rabat]] (Morocco) or elsewhere they have one ([[Banjul]], [[Dakar]]...). (Edit. Lachance ; Visa can actually be issued at the border of Mauritania. Border open at 9 and visa office at 11h)* [[Algeria]]: The border to Algeria is closed, though it could be possible to get into via Polisario-controlled areas, though this is absolutely not advised if you want to travel safely. [[Category:Northern Africa]] [[de:Westsahara]][[zh:西撒哈拉]]
