Expedition risks all to cross Saharan ‘ Empty Quarter’

An all-Toyota expedition returned to the UK recently, having crossed the little-known Saharan ‘Empty Quarter’ covering eastern Mauritania and northern Mali. They were only the second party to complete the 1100-mile crossing, part of a 5000-mile seven-week desert expedition. In 1975 the British Joint Services Expedition (‘JSE’) used four prototype Land Rover 101s to pioneer the route but were turned away from Algeria.

Led by Sahara specialist Chris Scott who’s travelled across the Sahara for over 25 years on motorcycles, in Land Cruisers as well as a 101, he explains “The key was finally establishing contact with ‘friendly’ smugglers and clued-up guides prepared to take the risk. By consulting the JSE report at the Royal Geographical Society and taking some liberties with border regulations we were able to retrace part of the 1975 route. Adapting our vehicles to carry up to 600 litres of fuel and water was relatively easy.”

The expedition was collecting dust samples and imagery for the Oxford University Climate Research Lab. Dust from the Empty Quarter has never been obtained before but has a significant effect on global climate.

Scott’s crew in a 60- and two 80-series Land Cruisers drove from the Atlantic across to southeastern Algeria before turning north for Tunis and home, having cross exactly half the Sahara’s 3000-mile span. The 25-year-old HJ60 turned 250,000 miles during the trip but Scott was forced to effectively abandon his much younger VW Taro (a 1990s badged Hilux) after big end failure.

“It happened in just about the most remote spot on the trip, 700km northwest of Timbuktu. I had no choice but to drive on till it broke, get towed for 500km and then get our guides to call in a very expensive recovery in a MAN truck.”

In recent years northern Mali has become a dangerous no-go zone and as Scott’s four-car group set off clashes between Tuareg nomads and Al Qaeda-affiliated bandits spilled out right across the Empty Quarter, heightening the tension.

“To be honest we got off lightly loosing one car; the MAN was robbed twice on the way to meeting us. For me at least it was a high price to pay for a handful of dust, but one way or another we all knew our vehicles were expendable. I can confirm that the Empty Quarter is aptly named.”

London : December 19, 2006

To find out more about Chris Scott and his adventures in the Sahara, visit Sahara Overland