Timing for Trans Africa trip?
 

Hi all

I am planning a London-Cape Town trip, but due to work commitments, I will only be able to set off in January 2007.

Now, I've read that the ideal time to set off from the UK is around October to avoid the rainy season in Central Africa.

Can somebody please advise me as to how difficult situations will be if I set off in January in terms of impossible road conditions, river crossings, heat etc. Basically, I just want to know if it is possible, or not!

My proposed route is Egypt-Sudan-Ethiopia-Kenya-Tanzania-Zambia and all the way south. I will be on a Honda Transalp 600.

Any scraps of advice will be most welcome(if somebody can throw in some advice on the Greece-Egypt crossing, it will be most helpfull!).

Thanks
Namsa.

I totally forgot to mention that I will be alone(any other nutters out there up for a trip?) and that it is my first trip.(I know how to handle a bike though, grew up on an African farm!)

I left in March '03 and had no worries.
Just NIKE it.

Thank you fellow countryman!

NIKING it is very much my way of doing things! Obviously I have a fountain of other questions for you:

What was your route?
Were you alone?
What was your budget like?
How long was your trip?
Etc.

Hope you don't mind!

Namsa

Not at all,
you'll find most of the answers on my website:
www.catchthepig.co.uk
You're not the bloke I passed yesterday heading from ROehampton to Wimbledon on an '02 Adventure are you?

Nope, not me!

Will check out your site.

Hello,
I plan to do start in October05 so wont be on your schedule. I will not take the ferry from Greek to Egypt. I will travel through Turkey, Syria, Jordania and take the speedboat at Aquaba.
Good trip!
Wolfgang

Thanks Wolfgang!
The ferry between Greece-Egypt is currently not in operation, so, I am looking at alternative routes. I will definitely consider the route you are taking now, but at the moment I am thinking about the France-Tunisia-Libya-Egypt route.
Let us know how you get on, and if you make it as far down as South Africa or Namibia and you are looking for sleeping space, let me know as I know the area quite well.
Have a fantastic trip!
Namsa.

Hi Namsa

Just thought I say howzit to a fellow Namibian. We are planning on riding down to CT at the end of 2007. Still early days yet but look forward to news on your progress.

Geoff...excellent site.

Later

Well howzit to you too Bossies!

As you said, it is still very early days, but I will keep you guys up to date.

Have you thought of a route yet?

Namsa.

Section 1: London, France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali...

Section 2: ...Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zim, Zam, Nam, SA.

Now just to link the two sections depending on who is at war in that area in two years time.

Will do Bots, Moz and Angola once back home in SA.

Geoff,

I noticed you had travelled through Libya (great website, by the way). I'm planning a RTW for next year and I was told that I can't travel through Libya, maybe it's because I'm a US citizen. Is that the case?

Hi all - I'm planning on doing the London to Cape Town thing on my 650 Dakar towards the end of next year/early 2007... A friend of mine who just did it (in 3 months... just a little fast for me) went the "Just Naai-ki it" when it came to planning on time of year. He basically said to avoid North Africa in the Summer (which makes sense)... So plan to avoid the worst - after that you might as well prepare for all conditions...

Another couple who took the western route were more cautious and aimed to hit central Africa in a 2 week dry period - around Xmas I believe... they went through some really tough muddy parts and were glad they were'nt caught up in the rain

Anyway - keep in touch guys...

[This message has been edited by gespey (edited 08 September 2005).]

Hi gespey

I have just had a seed planted in my head and am looking into the London - CT trip starting about August-October next year on my DR650.

I have found a south African in London who did the trip in 2003 so can pick his brain for some details.

Are you still lookingat doing it?

Hi Gespey/Nicko/Bossies.

Couldn't help to notice that there are quite a few of us planning to do the UK-Africa trip around the same time.

Let me know if anyone is up for a "brainstorming" session over a few beers to swop notes.

Namsa.

Namsa,

Sounds good.

Leave a reply at

http://groups.msn.com/SouthernHalfBikers

Site I started a while back but very quiet so far.

Hi, my wife and I are planning a similar trip. What are your plans with the bike once you get to Cape Town? Ship it back to the UK, sell it in SA or continue on? Can you sell it in SA and what about the Carnet de Passage?

Just doing some leg work to see what my options are.

My trip to CT willbe to return to SA for good so intend keeping the bike once there.

I have ask this question somewhere before but I would assume: On arriving in SA, declare that you are going to sell the bike, pay the duties etc. forward proof of paying duties etc to who ever you have carnet with. They then cancel insurance/return deposit.

This makes sense to me in that the carnet is a guarantee that you will not skip country without paying Duties. By proving that you ahev paid duties means you don't need the carnet anymore.

Namsa and anyone else keen on meeting up email me to make plans: charlesmayne at hotmail dot com

I will probably be either shipping my bike back to the UK or onwards to New Zealand....depending on how I feel about the UK then.

Looks like there might be a few of us planning then. I am still in the early stages of the whole thing and writing down what i might need to do, then will decide on course of action.

I am keen to meet in London over a beer to discuss, don't have much to offer as of yet.

I am planning to sell my bike in South Africa, but I am still researching all the facts regarding import duties etc. Will keep you posted as I find more out.

Bossies, dropped you a mail regarding meeting up for a beer and discussing our trip plans.
Others welcome, drop a mail at the mail address provided a bove.

Namsa.

Hi Gespey/Nicko/Bossies

Howzit okes,
Awesome-seems like you can add another two SA guys on bikes heading south same timing.
Myself and my buddy are leaving march 2007. via morocco mauretania,niger,chad cameroun,congo angola namibia.finishing SA in june.Anyone know of any other"dry spells" in the Congo.? maybe in may?

Ripping it up with a glass half full on a couple of orange adventurous bikes.

regards
Mark

Hi,
I'm thinking of going the other way (well I come form a land down under so everthing is upside down, makes falling over easier).

So Jan 2007

SA, Nam, Zam, Zim, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda

... DR Congo, CAR (possibly .. or Sudan, Chad or .. )
Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, France, UK - IOMTT -


UK HU meeting? - then return via Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal .. OZ.

Have to get the maps for Africa yet. But I'm doing some reading.

Nicko

I might have a bigger tank for your DR650 if you like. You can reach me using - jakobth (at) simnet.is