This article is about the land border between Mpak (Mpack) in Senegal and São Domingos in Guinea-Bissau. On the 22nd of March, 2025, we traveled from Ziguinchor in Senegal to Cacheu in one day. We took a taxi, crossed the border on foot, tried to hitchhike, and eventually took two mototaxis to the port, where we boarded a pirogue/canoa. Read on to find out how we did it. Contents1 Zichuinchor to Cacheu instead of Bissau2 Taxi from Ziguinchor to Mpak + Senegalese Immigration3 No Man’s Land to Guinea-Bissau4 Bissau-Guinean Immigration + Guinea-Bissau Visa5 Hitchhiking Two Mototaxis to São Domingos6 LunchContinue reading
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Through the Berm: Mauritania Border Crossing with Western Sahara/Morocco
We entered Mauritania from Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara on the 6th of February, 2025. We took a bus through the Berm (aka the Moroccan Western Sahara Wall) from Dakhla to Nouadhibou. At the Guerguerat border crossing, we used our Mauritanian eVisa to enter. Contents1 The Guerguerat Border in Short2 Map of Border, Berm, and Bus Stations3 Booking the Supratours Bus from Dakhla to Nouadhibou4 Applying for the Mauritanian eVisa5 Nazi Salute While Waiting for the Bus6 Departing Dakhla for Guerguerat7 The Moroccan Side of the Border8 Through the Berm: No Man’s Land9 The 1st Mauritanian Side of the Border10 The 2ndContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 83: Galați to Isaccea – Bombed Grain Silos in Reni, Kayaking the Ukrainian–Romanian Border Danube
This happened on the 27th of July, 2024. We paddled away from Galați to Isaccea on the Romanian side of the Danube. The Danube here flows past Giurgiulești in Moldova, followed by Reni and Orlivka in Ukraine’s Odesa Oblast. As russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine rages on and this is an EU outer border, we stuck to the Romanian side and did not cross Contents1 Leaving Galați for Isaccea2 The Port of Galați3 Headwind at Grindu4 River Borders: Moldova’s Giurgiulești + Ukrainian-Romanian Danube5 Paddling Past Reni, Ukraine: Fuck russia6 A Nap on the Romanian Danube Shores7 Buoy Maintenance + FerryContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 77: Silistra to Chiciu and Ostrov – Goodbye Bulgaria, Hello (Again) Romania
We paddled from Bulgaria to Romania on the Danube on Tuesday, the 9th of July 2024. We started our morning in Silistra on the Bulgarian side where we had checked out of the country the day before. Then we had to cross the Danube to Chiciu in Romania to legally check in per kayak there. This happened a few months before both Bulgaria and Romania fully joined Schengen. But our destination of the day was a small village called Ostrov a little further downstream. Contents1 Silistra Immigration by Kayak2 Leaving Bulgaria for Romania3 Romanian Immigration in Chiciu/Călărași4 Borcea: the BranchContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 69: Calafat to Vidin – Border Crossing from Romania to Bulgaria by River
This kayak day happened on Sunday the 9th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Calafat in Romania to Vidin in Bulgaria on the Danube River. Though both countries are in the EU, they weren’t completely part of Schengen at the time. That’s why we needed to deal with bureaucracy and get a new ship manifest for Zucchini. Contents1 Leaving Romania by Boat: Lazy Saturday in Calafat2 Kayaking from Calafat to Vidin3 Arriving in Vidin: Baba Vida + City Beach + Cat!4 Bulgarian Water Police: Welcome to Vidin!5 Packing Up Zucchini + Meeting a Small Cat6 Six Days in Vidin7 Useful read?Continue reading
Kayak Trip Day 62: Golubac to Donji Milanovac – Entering the Iron Gate + Breaking Fifty
We kayaked from Golubac to Donji Milanovac in Serbia on the Danube on the 11th of May, 2024. This is in the border area between Romania and Serbia through the Iron Gate canyon. It’s the first time we paddled over 50 kilometers in one day. Contents1 Seeking a Sailor’s Advice on Đerdap Lake2 Paddling Out to Golubac Fortress + Golubac Gorge3 Canyon Kayaking in the Iron Gate to Dobra4 Theory Will Only Take You So Far5 Tailwind Squalls, Jet Stream Speeds6 1000 Kilometers to Go to the Black Sea7 Arriving in Donji Milanovac8 Miracles: Making the Bus from Donji MilanovacContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 61: Ram to Golubac Vinci – Giving Up!
We tried to paddle from Ram to Golubac on the 9th of May, 2024. Because of a powerful mountain jet wind called Košava, we didn’t make it all the way to Golubac and eventually settled for a village called Vinci. Contents1 Kayaking into the Romanian Border Area2 Meeting the Košava Wind3 Lunch in Veliko Gradište + Comparing to the TID4 Nutria + Nesting Swans + Romanian Time5 Veni, Vidi, (and Settling Down for) Vinci6 8 Kilometers from Golubac7 Five Nights One Week Nine Days in Golubac8 Informative post? Please consider buying me a cappuccino!9 Thanks for reading! Feel free toContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 52: Erdut to Vukovar – Entering Croatia Legally
The events in this story happened on Wednesday, the 3rd of April, 2024. We paddled our inflatable canoe Zucchini from Erdut to Vukovar in Croatia. This was our third kayaking day down the Danube in 2024 and the 52nd in total. Though we had slept in Croatia the night before, we hadn’t properly entered Croatia on paper yet until Vukovar. Contents1 Paddling Two Days in a Row + Zucchini Leaks2 Stress About Sinking Before Vukovar3 Paddling Past Dalj + Our First 100 Kilometers4 Borovska Ada + Borovo5 Arriving in Vukovar + Bad Information6 Croatian Police, Customs, and Immigration in Vukovar7 ThreeContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 50: Mohács in Hungary to Apatin in Serbia – We Meet Again, Danube
The events in this story happened on Thursday the 28th of March, 2024. We paddled our inflatable canoe Zucchini from Mohács in Hungary to Apatin in Serbia. This was our first kayaking day down the Danube of 2024 and a continuation of this trip in 2019. We intend to paddle to the Black Sea in 2024 this year. Since we’re crossing from a Schengen country to outside of the EU, this required some paperwork at the police. Contents1 Our (Second) Stay in Mohács2 Hungarian Immigration + A Call with a TID Participant3 Leaving Mohács for Apatin: Day 50 or DayContinue reading