I do have a steel ass!

Here is the planned route:

I can give you the full GPS tracks for congos if you send me your email at isaac (at) moterus (dot) es

And yes, I do carry a tent, sleeping bag, stove, some liophilised food, spare parts and tools, two extra tires, some clothers, computer, cameras.... in my bike!!! Here is how it looks like after some riding in congo:


I believe you will suffer more than I in congos... roads are simply totally destroyed. With a bike you can try to choose the "correct" path, with a car you simply have to drop it into the holes and try to exit....

Let me know if you want the tracks!

BTW, if someone is interested in the other pictures... I keep a facebook page more or less updated: https://www.facebook.com/isaacfeliuafricacall with some photos and videos...

Wow, that was quick ! I guess the advantage is that by crossing the west coast so fast you can get all the problematic visas (Ghana, Nigeria, DRC, Angola) at home before leaving... is that what you've done ?

(sorry about hijacking the topic )

Keep us posted on how it goes and safe riding (if you're returning as quickly as you went, watch for the speed traps in Tanzania !).

Laurent

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2- and 4-wheeled explorer and photographer
Overland Aventure

awesome isaac!

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bugsonmyboard.org
two wheeled wave hunting dispatches

From Spain to South Africa I had all visas except Nigeria, Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville. For Nigerian visa I had to wait 3 days (it can be done in 1), for Cameroon I got it same day on Calabar (even on a Saturday, nice history behind), and Congo Brazza can be obtained at the border. I'm currently in Nairobi, Kenia. Tomorrow I will get Etiopian visa to continue my way up to Europe!!

Sorry to hijack the topic! To apport something valuable: I'm on Kenia and still no CPD and no issues so far!!! Only 3 countries left! (Etiopia, Sudan and Egypt).

Wish me good luck!

Cheers!

Issac! We just returned to Nairobi yesterday from Uganda (staying at Jungle Junction), we can't believe you have travelled this quickly and that we missed you! (We are also getting both our Ethiopian and Sudanese visas here). You will certainly be in Egypt before us so please keep us posted on the carnet situation.

A further update from me though, so as I said 2 weeks ago we received a TIP on entering Kenya from Tanzania (Namanga border) but it stated it was only for 7 days. The guy said when we crossed the Malaba border between Kenya and Uganda they can extend it. It was stamped and extended for 3 months without a problem and free of charge. It also got me into Uganda and back to Kenya.

Cheers and safe riding
Glenn

Hehe... I'm in Addis Ababa now, I planned to get Egypcian visa here as in Nairobi they told me only give visas for Kenian people. But after some research I've discovered is easy to get the visa right in the border, so... here I go! I plan to reach Khartoum in next 2 days and maybe Egypt border in 3. I'm going to ask in the border if the land border is already opened so I can avoid taking the Wadi Halfa ferry... I'll keep this thread updated as long as I have the information and an internet connection! I hope in less than a week be able to tell how did it all go!

See you, travel safe!

Safe travels issac!

It is amazing how quick your progress is and how you manage your Visa stuff inside of such a timeline.

I`m curious about the land border!

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About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

Yesterday I've reached Wadi Halfa. I'ts damn hot here... 47.5° Celcius, driving was not fun at all!!!

Anyway seems like I'm a lucky guy, My bike will leave tomorrow, and I will leave after tomorrow. Still no CPD, Total cost for the ferries, customs and all the legal stuff is 776 sudanese pounds, plus 240 for my passport registration (I didn't do it in Khartoum). I should be in Aswan on Wednesday, will update about Egypcian side! Wish me luck!

Sent from my GT-S7710 using Tapatalk 2

We are planning on going through Africa, beginning in the end of 2014.

I am very suprised, that it seems to be possible to go into South Africa without a Carnet. We always thought that we will have to leave that out, but after reading all of your posts, I am pretty confident, that we will be able to risk it. At least it's worth a try to go to the border an hope for the best.

Thank you!

Arne

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www.lenarne.de

Congratulation @ Isaac, for your progress!



Theretically you are able to optain the carnet when you get stuck on a border, because they want a carnet.

When you have a multiple entry visa you can drive back to the nearest city.

Just look that a friend at home who can send the money & application form to the carnet issuer, and sent you the carnet soon it is arrived within TNT/DHL.

If you dont have a multiple entry visa, you could get stuck betwen the borders, because you have to get your leaving stamps before you can optain the stamps for the new country.

When you be able to optain a valid temporary importpaper on each border - you should be fine.

I am very curious if it would work so easily with the car without carnet.

Surfy

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About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

And here I am, in Aswan.

I've just arrived this morning and my bike was already there, waiting for me. The trip has been awesome, sleeping in the front of the boat, looking at the stars...

Now about the interesting part... Here in Aswan I had Mohammed waiting for me (the fixer), I have explained him I had no carnet and he said "ouch!"... and then he told me I need to get an egypcian carnet. I've tried to explain him i want to pay a temporal import tax to get the money back when I leave Egypt, and after going to talk to 3 or 4 different officials he explained me I have 3 options:

1) Get an egypcian carnet and enter without problems
2) Pay the temporal import tax, but seems like it takes a week or more to complete the paperwork, and I was told it is going to cost me more than the carnet itself.
3) Go to the bank and pay the total cost for your bike, then carry the bike on a truck to the exit border and at there you get your money back, but you have to pay for the truck (expensive), and it takes lots of time also.

So after trying to explain that i do not want to pay a lot of money just to cross the country.... I had no better option than (1), and that means:
+ Pay 3500 LE for Egypcian carnet
+ Pay 200 US$ for all the paperwork, tips and everything..

In theory tomorrow morning I will have my carnet and all the paperwork ready to continue my trip. My initial idea was to go to port said and take the ferry to iskenderum, but I think i will try to go to Israel and then take the same ferry from there (Haifa to Iskenderum), so I exit egypt on a "easy" border and take the ferry from a more easy country...

Well update the post as I advance on this....

Cheers!

Thanks for the update Isaac, this is really very helpful for planning.

So it cost you about $700 US in total for the Egyptian carnet at the border. That is still less than other options for me, for my $3K value DR650 carnet options from Canadian Automobile Association ($USD) are:

Total = $6000, $5000 bond returned on discharge (with Egypt)
Total = $3500, $1100 returned on discharge (with Egypt)
Total = $1500, $300 returned on discharge (without Egypt) + $700 at border

For me, going the same route as Isaac would cost about $900 more than the indemnity bond option, but forgo the risk of having 5K at the mercy of CAA. I may not even make it to Egypt or very possibly not within 1 year anyway.

thanks again for the helpful info Isaac.

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bugsonmyboard.org
two wheeled wave hunting dispatches

Please note that the 3500 LES are just for the egyptian carnet, that means that if I had a carnet, i had still to pay 200 US$, so even if you have a carnet you have to pay 200 US$ at the border (your mileage here may vary, of course!).

Hope that helps! Anyway I still have not finished the paperwork and have not exited the country, so I will continue updating the post as it goes.

Cheers!

ahh, so really only $500 more to get at the border. the Isaac option wins.

good luck getting the paperwork completed and happy travels ahead!

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bugsonmyboard.org
two wheeled wave hunting dispatches

Hi Issac

A few of us here at Jungle Junction have been eagerly awaiting your update. Thanks for this information. Well done!

Look forward to further updates.

Cheers
Glenn