What should our budget be along the following:

• Fuel (estimated costs per liter for the entire route)
• Facilitation payments for corrupt officials or service clerks (estimated per day/week and/or kilometer travelled, countries crossed, or the likes)
• Living expenses (all living expenses per day, on average for entire route)
• Third party insurance, etc, (per country)
• Borders (rough estimates for how much money we should set aside per border)
• Other

I was thinking: all including, two people, riding two motorcycles 6000 km each, through 5 countries, crossing four borders, travelling 3-5 weeks in total, that the total budget should ammount to US $ 5.000 - 8.000 for the both of us. This does not offcourse include any pre trip expenses or shipment of neither the bikes or us in/out of Africa. We will also be using a carnet. What do you think?

All comments are greatly appreciated

Thanks to all of you who have been so kind to aid me so far (too many to name), and thanks again for this aditional piece of support.

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Hi Wheelie:

I can only comment on expenses in South Africa and Kenya.

South Africa is not too expensive, certainly less than your daily budget for travel in Norway would be. Kenya, on the other hand, can be darned expensive, especially if you want to stay in any of the game parks or at a 3 star or better hotel in Nairobi. Mombassa is considerably cheaper than Nairobi.

When I stay in Nairobi (for work, not pleasure), I budget about 30% more per day than I budget for staying in Zurich, Switzerland.

I don't know what standards you want to maintain for food and lodging. Obviously, this will have a huge effect on your budget. But, when you are in urban areas, you tend to wind up being forced to stay in the better places, just to ensure security of your luggage and motorcycle.

Wow, Pan, I'm surprised to hear about some of those prices! I plan to be in some of those areas in the next 2 months. I'm not carrying camping gear. I know this is a tough question, but what kind of cash are we talking for a nights lodging in a Kenyan game park? Just a rough average for July/August. Thanks!

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Hook:

Well, you had better be sitting down when you read this...

Keep in mind that most all of the Kenyan Game Parks cater to visitors from Europe, North America, and the more affluent Asian countries. I'm going to guess that the average rate per night is about USD $150 and up. Here's a link you can explore: http://www.governorscamp.com/ Note that when these lodges speak about 'tented camping', the truth is that you are actually in a very luxurious bungalow with a tent roof over it. The last time I stayed at one of these 'tented camps', the tent was larger than a suite at the Hilton, and had a king size bed and a Jacuzzi in it...

There may be national parks or other facilities on the perephery of these game areas that cater to less affluent visitors. I somehow don't think that camping out in a game park would be a very good idea, lest the lions or hyenas decide that you would make a nice midnight snack for them.

Be aware also that the Kenyan govenment knows that 99% of the visitors to game parks are wealthy foreigners ripe for the plucking, so, they set entry fees for the government run game preserves accordingly. It costs about USD $25 to get into the game park on the edge of Nairobi. The majority of Kenyans earn less than $1 a day.

Michael

i was using Nairobi as a base last nov/dec for travels staying at 5* (Hotel Boulavade), budget hotel (can't remember exact name but think it was comfort inn, opposite internet on the corner of a main street) and hostel/campsite (NPS campsite on the out skirts of the city). out of them all my fav was the campsite, only costing $6 US a night to camp, a few more $ for a room. very friendly and felt safe and there was always someone to chat to. only bad point was the disco tech down the road was very loud. u can drive ur motorbike in the site. the budget hotel got a twin room for $40 US a night, not bad but no where to park bike, right in town but wouldn't go round the streets by urself at night. 5* what a waste of money(think it was bout $80 US single), not needed at all i only went there for 1 night because it was included in a tour i did.

good luck, i stayed in some awesome hostels/campsites in kenya and uganda, a lot better than budget hotels.

Michael and Jade, thanks for the info. I'm surprised to hear some of those numbers! I'll have to look in to things more closely as I prepare to leave South America. I can hopefully minimize time in the more expensive areas and take my time where the cost is more reasonable. Michael, thanks for the link, it's a great start. I haven't dropped $150usd for a hotel on my trip- as of yet...

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Well, as Jade has pointed out, Nairobi (and many parts of Kenya, for that matter) has quite a wide range of accomodation - you can pay $10 a night, or easily pay $200+ a night.

The key issue is not so much the comfort level of the facility, but the security level of the facility - not only for the moto you park outside, but for you in your room. That is what you have to look most critically at.

Very good point. Appreciate the info guys and/or gals!

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We drove (ina 4x4 not a bike) from SA to Nairobi (and we've taken a Zimbabwean registered 4x4 into SA loads of times) without a Carnet as we used TIP's (Temporary Import Permits) at every border until we were forced to buy one at Namanga, Kenya.

The following report may give you some idea of the costs involved:


If you do have to buy a Carnet then you do not have to leave a deposit - you can purchase an insurance bond:

The following was for my 4Runner (prices in Kenyan shillings)

Local 3rd party Insurance: 5063

AA valuation: 8028 (your vehicle/bike needs to be valued before the value of the bond, usually 150% of vehicles value, is worked out)

AA Surety: 28928

AA Carnet: 30000

TOTAL: 72019

Join AA, get car valued, buy AA insurance guarantee, buy AA Carnet de Passage, sorted.

You'll need the COMESA yellow card insurance as well, it makes life easier, and is variable cost depending on the no. of countries visited.

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Enzo

hook, where are you shipping your bike from in South America, and to what point in Africa? How much $$ ?

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Sohrakoff, I'm shipping from Buenos Aires to Capetown. Basically comes down to $750usd by sea, takes around 17 days. By air it will cost around $1300. Air is nice because you don't need to crate the bike. A company called All Cargo will handle everything. There are other options/companies as well. I'll post details on the shipping page in a month or so when I'm in Capetown. By the way, air-freight from BA to Sydney runs around $2000. Javier of Dakar Motos got me that estimate. D.

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My wife and I on our 1150GS went that route in 2004. Kenian prices are similar to South Africa, Tanzania a little cheaper. Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe are a lot cheaper, exept the petrol price. We used less than R20 000, all inclusive. That is $2500 to $3000. We did not visit Game Parks, the main road in Tanzania goes through the Mukimi Park, where we saw lots of game. North Kenia to Wamba and Maralal has got a lot of game as well, without having to pay anything. Kenia has got the worst roads, but is extremely beutifull. We camped at Jungle Junction in Nairobi. Guys name is Chris, run the BMW shop in Nairobi. S01° 17.325’ E036° 45.614’ That's his location.

Hope this info helped
Johan

Hi there
in 2000 we travel for 18 month arround Africa in a Land Cruiser. Sleeping in a busch very offen, cooking our food with the market staff. Our travel cost for us all inclusive for 2 people in a car per month about 1200.- Euro (including visa, food, camping sometimes, insurrance, diesel, parts, fine etc...). Okay we didnt sleep in fancy hotel, not going very offen in bloody expensive park in Kenya but we had a beautiful, long and wild trip arround Africa.
Cheers
Olivier

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Olivier