The Egypt Index

[roro]

Thanks Mandisha,

I've tried to find out where are Arkin on a map but with no success ...
Is it in Sudan or Egypt?
and where the future border post will be built on this western coast road (if there will be one) ?

RR.

[mandisha]

Hi RR,

Arkin is a small village in Sudan. 21°59'45"N 31°17'28"E
It lies in the western coats of lake nasser (nubia).

The crossing is located very close to this village. 22°0'2"N 31°9'11"E
Camels, Cement and big scale Commodities trade along this crossing but without people crossing.

An official border crossing is planned here the questions is only when, and this nobody can tell i think....

mandisha

[roro]

Thanks again, we are going to wait...

RR.

[lbendel]

Originally Posted by roro

Thanks again, we are going to wait...

RR.

Dont' wait too long, the lorries are already queuing up there
(look at google maps at max zoom).

[omar mansour]

in Aswan Right now
today i met a group of 16 person just managed to cross using the road Arkin -Abu Simple ,
yes they made it from South to North ,
the truck driver Australian lady (Susanne work of Africa trail company or something like that for over land trips )
and as she told me the permits took 15 days waiting in Wadi Halfa !!! and it cost more than 3000 US for the group
will try to get more info and i believe some of them already member in here i asked them to update here
cheers

[itchyfeet38]

Just saw this post on LP Thorn Tree.

overland route between Sudan - wadi Halfa and Eygpt - Aswan - Lonely Planet travel forum

It seems that in the last few days an overland truck has been given permission to use the long awaited road between Sudan and Egypt. It was organised on the Sudan side by Midhat Mahir. I have used him myself to organise various permits etc in Khartoum and found him a very decent bloke.

[bad babba]

20 years ago i did this trip and the roade whas a night mare loking forward to the new roade the old one whas like no athear roade i ever taking about 3 months to make it trow egypt sudan and etiopia enjoy the asfalt

[ianc99]

Here's an image of what appears to be a completed border crossing near the Red Sea.

http://goo.gl/maps/SToRI

[bjvanbeuzekom]

Hi all.
It's January!
Does anyone have any clue whether any of these roads are open by now?
Thanks

[roro]

Yes, what about these new roads? It's always may be tomorrow?
RR.

[roro]

Originally Posted by bjvanbeuzekom

Hi all.
It's January!
Does anyone have any clue whether any of these roads are open by now?
Thanks

And now it's February and no news about this road

(next month month it will be March... with some news?

RR.

[Pheebs]

We're going to be down that way in a couple of weeks... when we get there we'll have a mooch and ask about

[omar mansour]

last news the road will be open next March , hope they will damn open it
all of us need to pray so the miracle will be true ,hahahah
have a good day all

[roro]

In other terms : Inch'Allah (Isn't it?)

[presto]

I thought that you guys may be interested in this morning's events (7 Feb) in what may be the first official crossing using the Qustul/Eshket route as part of the Africa Record Run attempt, a project that I have some involvement with.

The event website is Africa Record Run

A few hours ago, Philip Young and Paul Brace crossed from Qustul to Abu Simbel, having driven up the new road from Wadi Halfa via Eshket to Qustul.

Quoting from the latest blog on the website:

For the last nine months our Egyptian ‘fixer’, Mahmoud ‘Turbo’ Ezzeldin, and his Sudanese counterpart, Midhat Mahir, have been working with the cooperation of many government officials and with the assistance of letters from Lord David Steel, president of the Endurance Rally Association to make this border crossing possible. It is hoped that the route we have used today will be ready for a public opening as the regular crossing route between Sudan and Egypt in a few months’ time.

Philip, Mahmoud 'Turbo' and Midhat are all HUBB members.

If you click on the map page on the website , you can see the approx route they took from Wadi Halfa to Qustul and the route of the barge across Lake Nasser. The tracker only updates every 15 mins so the route is only approx.

NB This was a specially arranged army barge by Turbo and not the more regular barges that will come into operation in due course.

Anyway just thought it may be of interest.....

Thanks
Anthony Preston