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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



Trans Sahara Routes.

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  #1  
Old 1 Oct 2012
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We're almost in Egypt, and I DON'T want to take the ferry to Turkey.

So, I investigated a lot of options....
israel seems doable to me, and from Israel you can take the Grimaldi Lines. Not supercheap, but in 6 days orso you'll be in Italy. These standard ferries Haifa-Cyprus.... well, some say they do exist and run, some say they don't.

We want to get to Tunesia, via Libya. 400USD p.p. + embassy fee (will be <100 euro's @ Cairo I reckon) for a business visa... you'll need two weeks to arrange it. Contact 'Jill' at Libya Travel and Tours and day 'Hi' from me :-)
Libya Travel and Tours: Private Libya Tours and Holidays - Travel Libya

Maybe it seems expensive, but hey... once you get to Tunesia, all is simple, plenty of options to get to Italy!
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  #2  
Old 1 Oct 2012
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Libya is out, tried the embassy and our embassy in Libya and they do not issue visa's now, not even for business. Also got a letter from Libya Travel and Tours: Private Libya Tours and Holidays - Travel Libya, saying they do not operate now due to visa restrictions.

Seems there are enough ferries and ro-ro's to Turkey and Europe from Israel at not a too bad price.

Just saw this on Lonely Planet. Taba-Aqaba tourist route opens after lengthy closure

Petra | Sep 30, 2012 | 23:46 Updated: Sep 30, 2012 | 23:46
TABA — The Taba-Aqaba route re-opened on Saturday after nearly a year and a half of closure.

During a ceremony in Taba, Egypt, on Saturday, Tourism Minister Nayef Al Fayez said re-operating the route will have a positive impact on Jordan and Egypt’s tourism sectors.

Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Qandil said more than 250,000 tourists use the route annually, generating about $250 million of revenues for both countries.


BTW: Where are you now? If you go into Egypt from Aswan do not use Mohammed Abdou as fixer!
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  #3  
Old 2 Oct 2012
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I take it Taba-Aqaba route is a land route via Israel (Eilat), so a way into Israel if land borders further north in the Sinai are closed following the events in August.

May not be much good to you now if Taba has reopened, but if Israel was/is inaccessible from Egypt overland there is always the option of the ferry from Nuweiba across the Gulf of Aqaba to Aqaba in Jordan (an old dodge to get around Israel). And from there overland into Israel.

I know it was a Ramadan summer, but that '1001 Sins...' post sounds like hard work. The Aswan link seemed like business as usual.

Ch
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Old 2 Oct 2012
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Taba to Aqaba is for foot passengers only! No cars or bikes!!

I am surprised that Salamis takes tourists again. They stopped at one time. In addition, there were some posts suggesting a real rip off, by Salamis and in Cyprus upon immigration as well. Would be great if this would be a new and exiting option.

Greetings,
Achim
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Old 4 Oct 2012
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Currently it seems shipping from Israel to Italy is the best option. Got a quote from Grimaldi in Israel and it looks like a 120euro's exercise. if not then the only option is shipping to Turkey from Port Said.
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Old 4 Oct 2012
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Hey guys, all this suggestions like "seems to be", doesn't work. Please comment only if you have it recently experienced yourself.

As told the border is and is been open for the last year between Egypt and Israel and the other way. The only time that this border is closed is during Yom kippur, during this time there is no activity on the roads at all and so also not at border crossings. The customs are friendly and if you ask them not to stamp your passport they will not do it.

Taking the ferry from Haifa-Israel, isn't a ripoff unless you are a miser yourself.

Good luck !!
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Old 5 Oct 2012
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@Richard-NL:

You MIGHT be right that they don't stamp the passport in Israel if you ask them not to. But there is NO GUARANTEE! They have done it often even though they had promised not to!

And the problem is that even if they do not stamp the passport, the Egyptians will do which means that other Arab countries will see where you crossed the border.

This is no problem on the way north if you ship the car from Israel. But if you are on the way south it is a problem!

Greetings
Achim
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Old 15 Oct 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by michnus View Post
Currently it seems shipping from Israel to Italy is the best option. Got a quote from Grimaldi in Israel and it looks like a 120euro's exercise. if not then the only option is shipping to Turkey from Port Said.
Does anybody have a confirmed price for shipping Israel to Italy ? 120 Euro sounds like a bargain, although I cannot really believe its going to be THAT cheap. Anybody with experiences shipping from there, I would highly appreciate any kind of informations.

greetings from Ethiopia
Chris
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Old 15 Oct 2012
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Hi Chris, these are the mail I got from Marco who arrange the shipping

Marco Hofmann Marcoh@allalouf.com :
Quote:
We are the agent of grimaldi in israel they hv also weekly departures fm Alexandria to uk[Southampton and portbury] but only for yr motorcycles not for passengers.
No ferries from Egypt to Ashdod…

From Ashdod we hv weekly departures to salerno[south Italy close to naples where mark discharged]
No possibility to accept pax to turkey[only Italy]

Pls advise what u prefer.
Quote:
We can accept passengers and bikes only to Italy not to Turkey.

Costs are depending on cabins availability at time of shipment a cheaper cabin wld cost u around eur 750[for both of u] + eur 180 x bike

On top of ab. U hv local expenses at Ashdod port as follows;

Port taxes abt usd 150 x bike- custom f usd 200-agency fees usd 100

Rgds
marco
Quote:
To organize tickets it take at least ¾ days and if u hv to fill a formular.

If u are going to travel here no problem otherwise it is better if u arrive here with a ticket in yr hyand already

Marco Hofmann
Grimaldi Adriatic & Ro/Ro Manager
Tel: +972-3-5640228
Fax: +972-3-7601137
Mail: marcoh@allalouf.com
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Old 15 Oct 2012
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If you are talking about the Grimaldi freighter where you drive on and stay in a cabin last November this cost us just over 1000 euro for 2 people and a car (365 per person and about the same for the car). Of course it will be less for a bike.

On top of that is $200 for forwarding agent and $100 for port agent (again that's for 2 people and 1 car - a is bike probably cheaper). And 50/60 shekels port tax.

Michnus may be talking about putting a bike in a container and flying over? Or maybe he has missed out a zero ...

http://www.grimaldi-freightercruises...medEnglish.pdf
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Old 1 Nov 2012
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Egypt to Israel

Quote:
Originally Posted by chris.perjalanan View Post
Does anybody have a confirmed price for shipping Israel to Italy ? 120 Euro sounds like a bargain, although I cannot really believe its going to be THAT cheap. Anybody with experiences shipping from there, I would highly appreciate any kind of informations.

greetings from Ethiopia
Chris
Hi all,

A short note that I crossed from Egypt to Israel today, 3 hours total and no hassles anywhere just paperwork - paperwork...

I'll post more info in a few days about shipping but Rosenfeld at Haifa seems the best option to me to Greece from here.

Crossing Sinai not possible, follow the coast-road is OK, escorts are as helpful as possible but took a full day from Cairo to Dahar.

My suggestion is stay away from Tobya Boutique Hotel at Taba- stay an extra say at St Katherine's !! - but otherwise Egypt is a great biker land.

Cheers !!
Frank.
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Old 11 Oct 2012
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Originally Posted by michnus View Post
Libya is out, tried the embassy and our embassy in Libya and they do not issue visa's now, not even for business. Also got a letter from Libya Travel and Tours: Private Libya Tours and Holidays - Travel Libya, saying they do not operate now due to visa restrictions.

BTW: Where are you now? If you go into Egypt from Aswan do not use Mohammed Abdou as fixer!
Hi Michnus,

Could you please inform me about the info fom LTT? They state today that they can still issue our stuff... and we've paid a shitload of $$ a few days ago!

Also, we just bumped into Mohamed Abouda @ Aswan, what went wrong and what should we look out for?
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Old 14 Oct 2012
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Daan, as for Mohammed the man is a royal scoundrel! He overcharged us heavily and it was the old story, he start with a decent rate and prices and then all oes wrong and people must be paid and there are no receipt and you do not understand the ones that they do give you.
Then as we were waiting in Aswan another fixer, Kamhal I think or something like that showed me prices he charged and it was half the price. Also Mohammed charged us for stuff we did not had to pay for.
PM send.

Lesson learned.

I think we will stick with going to Agaba or Taba and try and get into either Jordan then Israel ship to Italy. Or if possible go straight to Israel then ship to Italy.

There's too many hassles with the Lybia route and the Port Said ship to Turkey looks like a hellova headache. I will leave that option as plan B

Surely going North is not a problem with Israel passport stamps?
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