Hi all - first post here so apologies if this is doubling up on an old topic.

My fiancee and I are planning to drive Cairo to Cape Town in a 4x4 some time next year...but we're hearing from many corners that a carnet for Egypt is awful to organise.

Could anyone here please give an indication into the sort of costs we'd be looking at (have heard some extraordinary numbers) and how we can potentially get around this through insurance etc.

Would love to connect with people who've done similar overland journeys!

Your nationality may be relevant as some carnet issuers are more helpful than others, but can only deal with certain nationalities.

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

A carnet page with links to most nationalities

https://overlanders-handbook2.com/carnets/

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Thanks guys - we are Australian

Now get the shipping costs - there and back. It will not be cheap particularly if the vehicle will not fit in a container. I don't think you will find a roll on roll off service there, could be wrong.

Your only alternative is to buy or rent something there and even then you may have trouble crossing borders with it.

Egypt supposedly has one of the highest deposit ratios of all. As far as I know the carnet system still operates on a cartel arrangement that forbids issuers from supplying any nationality that has their own issuer unless they can get a letter of no objection. For a while after the UK issuer dropped out of the race and the Canadian mob did likewise, ADAC were being very obliging, but I think is is all back to (ab)normal again now This means the RAA and NRMA et al in Australia may be your first port of call for info.

BTW Dan Grec (?? Hope I have it right) who posts in quite a few fora including this one, is running around Africa determined to get into all his planned countries without a Carnet and he has succeeded so far although he is a way off reaching Egypt which should be the most difficult test.

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

I was planning Cairo to Cape but reversed it so i could get a south african carnet at a fraction of the price of a uk one (lower and refundable deposit). Need to either be south african or travelling with a south african registered bike. I was the latter having bought the bike in CT.

I'm hoping to ship my BMW F800GSA (air via Motofreight.com) from London to Cairo next month.

Boomerang carnet seems to be the only option for US passport holders/US registered bikes. It looks like the minimum deposit amount is US $5,000.

Does anyone have experience with how low values can be set for Carnet DEPOSIT purposes (it doesn't change the base fee)? I've checked Kelly and NADA, but given my bike is a RTW'er, I don't think that the low end values reflect the harsher life my 2015 F800GSA BMW has led, and the 40k plus miles.

Thanks,
Clark

Boomerang is indeed now the ONLY option for Canada / USA.

The carnet issuers all go on INVOICE - what you PAID for the bike - OR a "Blue Book Value" or similar depending on your country, so essentially a "fair market value" is all you're going to be able to do at best. You MIGHT be able to get away with a value written down by a dealer who has seen and evaluated the bike's value.

The way to look at it is this - they don't want you to set a value that's too low, as a: they make less money - b: they may have issues on payout if you default, and c: remember they're not dumb, nor particularly on your side.

Hope that helps!

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Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

In theory there is NO way around a proper carnet for Egypt. There's always someone trying to get around it, but having seen the enormous impound lot in Egypt for vehicles that had as little as one number in the serial number wrong, I sure wouldn't even think of trying it.

Also shipping into Egypt promises to be a nightmare - not that shipping out is much better. Be prepared for it to take a while, and cost much much more than is quoted by anyone. Out is probably easier, as you have control until it's loaded, then it's more or less out of Egyptian hands and onto a boat. DO NOT leave until the boat has sailed! There's a million "reasons" the vehicle will get delayed, and if it misses the boat and you're not there they have you over a barrel... or words to that effect... $$$$$$$$

Shipping in, once it's there you just have to run the maze of bureaucracy, which is a story in itself and has to be seen to be believed - and even then you might not believe what you saw.

OR it might be easy! BUT be prepared for anything.

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Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Grant,
Super, thanks. Just what I needed.

I'll use the "trade in" (ie, lower end value) given by Kelly or NADA and go with that. I'll report back if I have any issues to note.
(boy, do I miss Central, South America, etc with no XXXXX carnet)


FWIW, the 2 quotes I received last year with a value of $9,000.
**Note- putting up a large cash deposit saves a little in insurance fees.
* Not using credit cards saves a lot.



Applicant: Clark Baker
Vehicle Type: 2015 USED BMW Motorcycle Vehicle Value: $9,000.00
CPD Cost Estimate Showing Two Security Options

Security Option 1 - Cash Deposit
Application Processing Fee $775.00 Non-refundable
Cash Deposit $9,000 100% refundable upon satisfactory discharge of carnet
2% service fee based on Vehicle Value* $180 Non-refundable
Shipping to US $42.50 Non-refundable
Other
Credit Card Convenience Fee** $349.91 3.5% - Non-refundable
Total $10,347.41 Due prior to issuing carnet
Net Cost after return of security $1,347.41


Security Option 2 - Loss Prevention Security Fee
Application Processing Fee $775.00 Non-refundable
Loss Prevention Security Fee – includes $520 Underwriting Fee $2,600 80%, $2,080, refundable upon satisfactory discharge of carnet
(U/W Fee / Loss Prevention Incentive) $520.00 $2,080.00
Shipping to US $42.50 Non-refundable
Other
Credit Card Convenience Fee* $119.61 3.5% - Non-refundable
Total $3,537.11 Due prior to issuing carnet
Net Cost after return of security $1,457.11

*$100 minimum, $1000 maximum
** Other payment options available: bank check, ACH, wire transfer
All amounts quoted in US dollars, paid in US dollars.
These amounts are estimates only.
Refunds will be paid in US$ by check.

Egypt appears to be hell on paperwork. The overlanders group on facebook has some good tales on it. I'd have all your paperwork from your country and totally in order. All the vehicles numbers etc. There is a massive storage area of "abandoned" vehicles. Good place to find some parts possibly.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

For the OP, as you're Australian you have to contact the AAA. I've had a carnet from them and they were really easy to deal with. Also a lot cheaper than other carnet issuers, especially for Egypt. Plenty of info on their website:

TAKING YOUR CAR OVERSEAS - Australian Automobile Association

Did you guys manage to get your papers or whats your plan now?

If you search this forum you will find that there is an instance, in the last 4 or 5 years of a member, on a bike, successfully passing through Egypt, south to north with a TIP.


Ali.