" land borders are infinitely easier to cross."
I totally agree with you ....BUT the problem is the situation in Lybia now, isn't it?

RR.

Thanks all, yes the problem is Libya, Syria and the ghost ship from Turkey which makes shipping into Alex the only option to get my landy to Egypt. Or have I missed something...

I started thinking of shipping to Saudi/Sudan and drive back to Egypt, but this is just not feasible.

We are shipping two WW2 Jeeps in using SeaGo Line. They are currently sitting in a container at Felixstowe and 'expected' to arrive in Alex Old Port on 31st March (which I guess will be extended to 2nd/3rd April.) We have employed a Cairo logistics company to handle all the Port and Customs details, but fully intend to be there with them. They are confident it will be simple. I'll try and post our experience when there.

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Toby

why people don't write their experiences here after their problems are solved which will give light to following bikers who has same problems and questions !!!

After 2011-July, (Personally remember 25, I met in the club)
many bikers entered and exited Egypt.(by land, by sea,by air) and many still riding in Africa.

How they have overcome the bureaucracy is explained in their blogs which ı personally follow but none of them has written something here yet.

Many threads are on similar problems in mid east area.
I think we must not remember HU. when we have problems, but also write our experiences and nice helpful clubs and people we have met met on the road here for the following riders who have same problems.

We believe our club İstanbul Bikers Club,
and we are certainly sure Pakistan Bikers Club
are doing all friendly works in the area to be helpful to all bikers but no bikers are in this cooperation yet.

I think we must also share what we have get during our trips and HU.forums certainly the best place where most people can reach.
Thats why our club is only here.
Let's begin sharing information and solutions.

Hi Toby,

I hope in your case everything is going to be perfect. But it was not so when we decided there must be a better way than dodging suicidal drivers on Libyan roads and we shipped the cars by sea.

Sitting comfortably in Cairo we were watching on the web (Track and Trace - Online Container Tracking System) the progress of our containers en route to Alex. As the ship was approaching Alex on schedule we thought nothing could go wrong. So we were waiting for the call from our local agent at the port in Alex. But he did not ring as promised. Not on the day the ship arrived, not on the next day ... The rest is just too stressful to recant. I hope you are not shipping the containers with CMA CGM.

I will be following your exploits in the Gilf with great interest. Doing your route in 13 days will be a really tough act to follow! Our escorts were quite nervous at the thought of camping in Old Wadi Sora. Are you still planning to go below N23?

It will be really exciting to see how the WWII jeeps perform in this environment. And their drivers, too, during the windy season :-)

For sure jeeps will be much easier to push than LC's with 500 litres of fuel on the roof rack. BTW, do not expect the fiercely looking Safari Trips Securing Department boys with P90 submachine guns to be of much help.

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Roman (UK)

'and cost us just about the same in fees and bribes (including buying two useless fire extinguisers per vehicle at an extortionate price).'

I think that I should should clarify a little of what what Roman said above, in that he meant to say that the cost he is talking about included the ferries, tolls & driving etc all the way from UK.

In other words its no cheaper shipping & a million times more aggro than driving yourself, and when you factor in the flight times, time at the port (loading in uk & unloading at the other end) etc, shipping actually takes longer!!!

Andy

Well I had to make a call as time has run out and I can’t wait for the ghost ship from Mersin and wont be able to fit in an attempt to get Libyan visas. So shipping in container to Alex Old Port it is going to be.

I have a couple of fixers/agents names in Alex names that got other HUBB'rs through (with a varying degree of difficulty) and my forwarder in the UK promised they will get the container to Old Port. I am also working in getting a local contact with no vested interests to help guide me whist I am there. Better than this I will not be able to do. Flights have been booked, the Landy will be shipped in about 3 weeks. The fun starts on 27 April. I will report back on due course, but fingers crossed this all turns out fine...


Thanks everybody for the advise, tips, warnings etc


Cheers
Hentie

Thanks Roman for your thoughts and sharing the information. Naturally I am concerned at the time it could take to release the Jeeps, but 'Inch Allah, we should be okay. ETA of ship Cap Harvey (I'm on it every inch of the way!) is 31st March. We aim to head south out of Cairo on 6th April. our back up is an Iveco 7 tonner 4x4 truck, so the Jeeps can run light. I am hoping they will fly!
Toby

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Toby

Hi Vleis,

The only problem with Libya is the cost of business visa (£150 /pp in London). Security is not an issue (it wasn't in Jan/Feb 2012 when we crossed Libya twice). In Libya they made us feel really welcome wherever we went, even at border crossings. Don't expect the same reception in Egypt.

In 2009 it took us as long sitting outside the gate of the port in Alex as driving crossing Libya (three days), and cost us just about the same in fees and bribes (including buying two useless fire extinguisers per vehicle at an extortionate price).

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Roman (UK)