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Route Planning Where to go, when, what are the interesting places to see
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Photo by Carl Parker,
Always curious Tibetans,
Tibet, China



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  #1  
Old 10 May 2009
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Uk to Cape Town
Hi

New on here so big hello, hope this post is in the right place, apologies if it is not

A friends and I are looking at doing a 6 months trip down through Africa, not really sure what route to pick or what time of year to go.

Currently looking at entering through Morocco and probably entering south Africa through Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. A bit round about but we are on holiday.

Really the big questions are:
-how to get through the middle of Africa
-best bike to go on
-timescale
-some idea of budget
-what time of year, guessing that any wet seasons are best avoided


Any advice is welcome

T
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  #2  
Old 12 May 2009
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Hello Tom,
Here is a thread about a few of us planning for Cape Town

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ape-town-33834

Not sure just when it will happen.
I have just finished a 12 month contract in Oslo, and if nothing turns up soonish, then me and the wife might just have a run down.

Not sure just which route, but that can be decided later.

Any way, have a good read of Peters thread.

'vette
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  #3  
Old 15 May 2009
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Thanks for the reply vette

Getting exciting about the trip now, still not sure of the route except that egypt has definately been canned because the carnet.

From a weather point of view I think we are going to enter nortern africa jan/feb and aim to get to sa in jun/jul hopefully this should avoid the wet season if we have done the math right.

I'm sure I will be putting a few more post up so probaly here from you again

Thanks
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  #4  
Old 18 May 2009
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Hi Tom,
I am glad you read all the pages, there are a few boring pages, but also the stuff about the carnet is some thing to be aware of.
What are you riding or driving ?
It's a shame really about the Egypt carnety being 800%, it must put a lot of people off.
I have read in a few forum's that there may be an alternative to the Egypt carnet.
It is along the lines of ' you leave some thing like a 1000 pound deposit when you enter Egypt, and you get that same 1000 pound returned at the border when you leave.
I neen to find out more though.
If this is true, and it is bona-fide, then it 'could' put Egypt back on the map.
The other 'cost' is the ferry from Aswan to Wadi Halfra.
Egypt, Sudan, and that way down has it's advantages of just a few countries, this drasically reduces the visa costs as opposed to the Atlantic routes, where there are many more countries to pass, all wanting your hard earned cash for their visa, and vehicular 'pass'

'vette
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  #5  
Old 21 May 2009
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Are you set on the Eastern route? If you go down West, it is my understanding, that a 150% carnet is sufficient (also doable, but more hassle without any). 6 months is a good timeframe, plan around 1000 Euro a month for the trip. West is also more adventurous than East.

Check Dan and Ed's trip down:
Dan and Ed's Motorcycle Adventure - Brighton2capetown.googlepages.com
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  #6  
Old 21 May 2009
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West sure was a lot of fun...nothing to compare it with though...
That's me that is
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Find out details of my 2011 trip to Siberia on a lightweight dirtbike:
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  #7  
Old 11 Jul 2011
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Carne
Quote:
Originally Posted by eljulian View Post
Are you set on the Eastern route? If you go down West, it is my understanding, that a 150% carnet is sufficient (also doable, but more hassle without any). 6 months is a good timeframe, plan around 1000 Euro a month for the trip. West is also more adventurous than East.

Check Dan and Ed's trip down:
Dan and Ed's Motorcycle Adventure - Brighton2capetown.googlepages.com

Our carnes were issued from AA of RSA and I had to deposit 200% value of both bikes, mainly because of Egypt.

www.bigbiketrip.net
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  #8  
Old 11 Jul 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tomjones View Post
Hi

New on here so big hello, hope this post is in the right place, apologies if it is not

A friends and I are looking at doing a 6 months trip down through Africa, not really sure what route to pick or what time of year to go.

Currently looking at entering through Morocco and probably entering south Africa through Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. A bit round about but we are on holiday.

Really the big questions are:
-how to get through the middle of Africa
-best bike to go on
-timescale
-some idea of budget
-what time of year, guessing that any wet seasons are best avoided


Any advice is welcome

T
We are en route .. check our website at www.bigbiketrip.net and on FB. Currently in Zambia.
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  #9  
Old 22 Jul 2011
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Hi,

People usuarly take the west and east coast of africa like i did:

http://www.adventure-travel-experien...en_transafrika

Best bikes are Honad Transalp, Tenere or DRZ400. All of them you can get for less then 1000 Euro. DONT take a big, complicate and expensive BMW or so.

I would plan 6 Months down and 6 up

Budget is easy to calculate: The Visa will costs about $100 per country (Ägypt including arabic numberplates more then 300 euro...malawi, namibia and southafrica free).

Petrol/diesel will be round 1 Euro per Liter (0,30 in Sudan and 1,60 in Mauretania) so just calculate the usage of your vehicle per day depending on how fast you travel.

Shiping is expensive and depends on the route you are planing.

Food is dead cheap so no need to calculate. Wild camping as well. Insurance documents you can design by your selfe.

Travel save, Tobi
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