carnet or not to carnet??
 

Hi,
Im planning a trip down the East coast from Spain to Cape Town and I am interested to hear weather or not a Carnet is REALLY necessary. Last year I travelled from Cape Town to Tanzania and back through 9 countries and did not need one... Its an expensive piece of paper, can i realistically do without it??

Thanks, Jim

What countries are you planning?

Egypt definitely and in theory at least Keny and Tanzania and probably others REQUIRE a carnet.

There is NO way you're getting into Egypt without a carnet.

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

[This message has been edited by Grant Johnson (edited 02 September 2003).]

Er, actually Libya does not need a carnet - they have enough paperwork of their own! Question is a little academic, however, as you can't enter from the south anyway.

For the others, there are many that you may be able to get through (noted details in passport etc.) but for a full trans-Africa I reckon the time and worry saved would make up for the cost of the carnet (you can shop around) - depending particularly on the value of your vehicle.

One thing, there is ABSOLUTELY NO comparison SA-Tanzania and Europe-Kenya. Bottom half is extremely easy, top half is different league.

Sam.

Another reason the south might have been OK without a carnet is that SA, SWA, Botswana, Zim, Zambia, Mocambique all have a common agreement (which is part of SADCC, I think) allowing import and export of vehicles. I wouldn't go north beyond these countries without a carnet.

I think Libya does need a carnet, but like many things Libyan, they have their very own, bought at the border and part of the paper work Sam was referring to.

Ok ok, so I need a freakin Carnet...

Thanks all !
Jim

Just one last small thing, Libya DOES NOT need a carnet. They produce their own documentation - so as long as you have your standard vehicle ownership papers, that's fine.

Sam.