URGENT - STUCK IN ASWAN
 

We are overland travellers from SA stuck in aswan. We brought the landrover across on the fery from wadi halfa (Sudan) and it was promptly impounded by the port authorities. The carnet de passage is not valid for Egypt and Egyption authorties offer no alternative to pass through. Has anybody been in this situation and/or got and ideas???

Some official in Cairo has mentioned something about a "club" in luxor that can help if that gives any clues.

It's a really desparate situation, we need to be in Cyprus by last week. Any help would be EXTREMELY appreciated.

Thanks

Shane

I dont know about Luxor, but there is an Egyptian Automobile Association office in Cairo which I imagine can issue Carnets. There was also an Egyptian AA office at Nuweiba in the dockyard. I'm suprised there was not one at your port of entry!

Basically to take a foreign car into Egypt you need a Carnet, then you need to buy a temporary import license (250GBP) insurance and then get plates off the Traffic Control Department.

Good luck, these things often take time! The cards are unfortunately stacked against you.

If you can't get a carnet though then how about shipping to Aquaba in Jordan and missing Egypt altogether. You should be able to get a ferry from Lebabon to Cyprus.

when i was in cairo in late 1999, i met a dutch biker who had flown his bike from yemen to cairo without a carnet. in the end he persuaded customs to let one of them sit on the back while he drove the bike to the israel/egypt border where he was 'handed over' and all was cool. he obviously had to pay the customs man's 'expenses'.

good luck! egypt customs are not nice in the slightest!!!
ChrisB

Would you be the travelers who actually got out of customs by mistake and then lured back under the pretense of getting the chassis number again? A friend of mine came along on the same ferry with you in a white LC.

I’m in Cairo, Egyptian, and I’m willing to help if I can. Any carnet work has to be done at the Auto Club in down town Cairo 20-2-574 3191. Few of them speak English so have someone who does give them a call. Or explain your situation to me in details and I’ll try to figure out how to solve this problem with them.

Let me know if I can help in any way. Call me on my mobile phone: 20-12-2156446.

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A.B.

OasisPhoto.com – Images from the Magical Sahara.
ShortWheelbase.com – Jeep preparations.

Just to let you know that my south african friends have finally managed to break from the shakles of Egyption immigration. They're now successfully on their way to Cyprus and should be there with luck in the next few days. Thanks for all your replies and offers of help, really appreciated.

Gaz (on behalf of SA'cans)