For those planning to travel into Egypt (Nuweiba) from Jordan (Aqaba) we would like to share our recent experience.

After following a number of threads of overlanders recently (successfully) crossing into Egypt from Jordan we decided to do the same and booked our ferry tickets with AB Maritime for us and our 4WD car (ferry leaves around 2 am in the morning and the tickets for the car can be bought a few hours before).

We traveled yesterday (28/9/2013) from Aqaba to Nuweiba, bought our visa at one of the local bank branches in the Nuweiba port and got the required immigration stamps. We (persons) were allowed to enter Egypt as expected!

However, than the usual custom clearance etc. for the car had to be done. Someone from the Tourist police approached us to help us with all these procedures, but than they realized our car is a 4WD and the problems started.

We were informed that it is not possible to enter Egypt from the Nuweiba port with a 4WD. We were aware of this rule for the Taba crossing, but had never heard this for Nuweiba. As we recently read that some other overlanders were nevertheless able to cross into Egypt from Taba with their 4WD we thought that there eventually would be a possibility....

Unfortunately this was not the case. We spent hours and hours discussing with the local officials of the possibilities of entering with our car, but in the end nothing worked out (the tourist police seemed overall helpful and many phone calls were made to find a possibility for us to enter, but in the end to no avail).

We were informed that less than 1 week ago a new military order came out prohibiting any 4WD from entering Egypt/Sinai through the port of Nuweiba?!(unfortunately we were unable to get a copy of this order while one of the officers kept staring at it). We asked what the validity of the order was, but we were informed that it does not have a specific time frame.

All alternative options that we provided during all these hours were turned down (our car is an old truck with 4WD and not in a very good state and no bedouin was going to steal our car to carry out terrorism activities as it ain't in a good enough shape/ somehow changing the handle of the 4WD stick/ inactivating the 4WD by a mechanic/ someone else driving our car/ putting the car on a truck to Suez/ out of Sinai/ the police escorting us out of Sinai etc.). Also arguments such as the fact that the curfew was shortened last weekend from 7 pm till 7 am to 12 am until 5 am (indicating that the situation is improving), other 4WDs with Saudi plates (which were in the port on their way back to Jordan) were able to enter and we had living proof of them next to the office where we were (however this was counter argued that they entered before the new order...) anyway just to say all to no avail. We even called one of the fixers in Aswan that we were in contact with for the ferry to Wadi Halfa, but he could not assist us, he only indicated that we might be able to get a special permission from the Egyptian State Security (having lived and worked in Egypt, this seems like a very difficult tasks unless one has to right contacts).

S we tried hard, very hard...but in the end we were left with either the option of leaving our car in the port of Nuweiba and enter Egypt without car (no option as we wish to continue driving till South Africa) or return to Aqaba and find an alternative route (which we are trying to do now).

Perhaps we were just very unlucky, perhaps the officer(s) in charge did not dare to make an exception to the rule (at this time) etc. etc. or whatever other reason there was that we are not aware of. However, we figured sharing our exhausting experience so it can taken into consideration by those who plan to take this route with their 4WD.

Also note that AB Maritime (ferry company) did not seem to be aware of this information at that time, but were than informed by the Egyptian authorities that no 4WD can currently enter Egypt via Nuweiba. So check with AB Maritime before purchasing your ticket if this order is still in place by the time you wish to take this route.

Also note that if you decide to take the risk and you are in the end not allowed to enter that we only after some hard negotiation were able to take the ferry back to Aqaba without additional charges and we received a refund for the price of the car (225 USD), but no reimbursement for the passenger fees (at 65 USD per person) despite promises (!), also note the costs of visa and port taxes when forced to return to Aqaba.

We hope this is of any use and we hope that this order will soon be changes again we will however have to look other options of crossing into Africa (any suggestions welcome! We are currently looking into shipping the car from Aqaba to Port Sudan or Mombasa).