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Comprehensive Guide To West Africa - Without Carnet
Guide to the west coast / (without a carnet)
*03/07/18 - Nigeria deny entry to Cameroon, check last page* Warning: This is all personal preference and based on my own experiences. Your opinion may differ. Please don't take this guide as gospel, I have tried to do my best to give others some idea of what to expect and relative information, however you may experience differences. Before anything else, I would personally treat the following three references like a bible:- I don't know how I can credit this guy VoodooChile but he is somewhere on these forums. I found his website (ESPECIALLY the "Beyond Borders" section) extremely helpful on more than one occasion. It gives a highly detailed account of what to do and what to expect. Visas Most visas for the west coast can be obtained en-route. I used an Australian and British passport, so similar passports will yield similar results. The north to south visas I obtained personally, so the information is fairly accurate as of 2016. (Note: additional information marked with an asterix are addressed below) NORTH TO SOUTH Morocco - No visa required (90 days) Mauritania - Obtained at border (30 days) = €50 - instant Senegal - No visa required (90 days) Gambia - No visa required* (90 days) Mali - Obtained in Dakar (30 days) = 25,000CFA // €38 - typically next day Guinea-Bissau - Obtained in Ziguinchor, Senegal = 1 month is 25,000CFA // €37 - instant Guinea - Obtained in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau* (1 month multiple-entry) = 30,000CFA // €45 - same day Sierra-Leone - Obtained in Dakar = 120,000CFA €180+ - 1 day or obtained in Conakry, Guinea - $100USD - 1 Day Liberia - Obtained in Conakry, Guinea - $100USD EU passport, $141USD for US passport Ivory Coast - Obtained in Dakar (1 month) = 33,000CFA // €50 - 3 days Burkina Faso - Obtained in Bamako, Mali (1 month) = 24,000CFA // €36 - next day Ghana - Obtained in Bamako, Mali*/ Monrovia/ Abidjan (easy) (1 month) = 25,000CFA approx // €38 - next day Togo - Obtained at Togo border (7 days*) = 15,000CFA // €22 - instant Benin - Obtained in Lomé, Togo (15 day multiple entry) = 12,500CFA // €19 - pick up Friday Niger - VTE visa tourist ententé - Obtained in Barcelona, Spain = €100* Nigeria - 05/mar/2018 MUST obtain in home country. No longer issued on route. Cameroon - Obtained in Calabar, Nigeria (1 month) = 50,000CFA approx // €76 - same day Gabon - Obtained in Lomé, Togo (2 weeks) = 50,000CFA // €76 - next day Congo Brazzaville - Obtained in Lomé, Togo (2 weeks) = 60,000CFA // €91 - instant DRC - Obtained in Cotonou, Benin* (1 month) = 70,000CFA // €106 - same day Angola - Obtained in Pointe-Noire, Congo Brazza (5 day transit*) / Accra, Ghana* = 50,000CFA // €76 - pick up Friday in both Accra & Point-Noire Namibia - No visa required Botswana - No visa required South Africa - No visa required - Update for Kiwis*** Swaziland - No visa required Lesotho - No visa required Total: +/- €1240 // $1300USD. Many overlanders seems to cut directly from Senegal through Mali to Burkina Faso/Ivory Coast, which could save you a lot of money on the countries south of Mali. SOUTH TO NORTH This information has been given to me from someone who traveled south to north recently, crossing paths with me on the way. Some visas are much easier to get coming north, however come with a price tag to match. I strongly suggest doing a bit more research on visas south to north to get confirmation. South Africa - No visa required Namibia - No visa required Angola - Obtained in Windhoek, Namibia [very unreliable*] DRC - Obtained in Windhoek, Namibia - $100USD Congo Brazzaville - Obtained in Windhoek, Namibia or Kinshasa, DRC - $90USD Gabon - Obtained in Kinshasa, DRC - $110USD Cameroon - Obtained in Kinshasa, DRC - $110USD Nigeria - Obtained in Brazzaville, Congo - $250USD Benin - Obtained in Brazzaville, Congo - $95USD Togo - Obtained at Togo border, 7 days* - 15,000CFA Ghana - Unknown or Obtain at border - $150USD Burkina Faso - Obtained in Brazzaville, Congo - $110USD Mali - Obtained in Brazzaville, Congo - $50USD Ivory Coast - Unknown Liberia - Unknown Sierra Leone - Unknown Guinea - Unknown Guinea Bissau - Unknown Senegal - No visa required Mauritania - Obtained at border - €120 Morocco - No visa required Potential problems or additional information: *** VISA TOURIST ENTENTE *** - This visa can be obtained in Barcelona, Spain. It now costs €100 and takes about 10 minutes. The VTE is essentially a multi-country visa for Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin and Niger. You can move between these countries easily with the VTE. Please note, that people who have left the VTE zone into Ghana, have been told their VTE is no longer valid when they try to re-enter into the zone, this is only at some border posts, on any given day. If you plan to use this visa, it may be worth looking into it a bit further at which border crossings you intend to use, and recent experiences from others using the VTE there. Mauritania visa - According to recent information, the Mauritania visa price has dropped from €120 down to €40, epic news! Gambia visa - On arrival at border, immigration officials may try to tell you that you require a visa even when you do not. I suggest printing information from the Gambian consulate webpage as evidence to prove you do not. Guinea visa - When applying for this visa in Bissau city, the consul may try to tell you that the minimum for a multiple entry visa is 2 months (60,000CFA) which is double the 1 month entry price (30,000CFA). I said I will just take 1 month. On return, he had put a 1 month multiple entry visa in and still tried asking for more money which I refused, he handed over the passport shortly after Sierra-Leone visa - Did not enter this country, I have unreliable information Liberia visa - Did not enter this country, I have unreliable information Ghana visa - Obtained in Rabat, Morocco. Obtained in Dakar, Senegal. Obtained in Bamako, Mali. Obtained in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Obtained at Ghana Border (1-3 months). The Ghana visa can be quite tricky to obtain as no locations seem to be a sure thing. In Rabat, Morocco, the application can take 10 days +. I was told to apply in Dakar as I did not know it was possible further on, in Dakar it was very difficult, but I was able to obtain a 3 month multiple entry for 75 euro + 100 euro into the consuls pocket. While I was in Bamako, a German cyclist got her Ghana visa there for approximately 25,000CFA. I met others who got the visa in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. I also asked at the border on entry, to which I was told it is possible to get at the border for $150USD. Update: Has been reported as of 4/12/16 by user eddyboi that you can get the visa quite easily in Monrovia, Liberia for $60USD, super friendly staff, cheers eddy Togo visa - Very easy to get at border, however it is only 7 days. Can be extended in Lomé if required however is quite expensive. Benin visa - In Lomé, Togo, visa starts at 10,000CFA for 15 day single entry, 12,500CFA for 15 day multi, 15,000CFA for 1 month single, 20,000CFA for 1 month multi, 30,000CFA for 3 month single, 40,000CFA for 3 month multi Niger - See VTE above Nigeria visa - Shortly after obtaining the Nigerian visa in Bamako, people were rejected from the consulate even on European passports. It would seem they no longer issue it. The same people were successful in getting it in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, however I would try get it at home before your trip if possible, as Burkina is not a sure thing. We tried unsuccessfully to get my girlfriend a visa in Benin. if you DO try to get it in Benin or Togo, I highly recommend trying to become a resident first. Apparently this is quite easy in Togo to become a resident.Update - No longer issued on route. Cameroon visa - Can not remember the exact amount, about 50,000CFA. This MUST be paid in CFA, not in Nigerian Naira. DRC visa - We obtained our visa in Cotonou, however as my girlfriend could not cross Nigeria, she flew to DRC to meet her cousin. Her visa was rejected in Kinshasa airport and she was sent back to Benin as she was not a resident of Benin. We did not attempt to enter DRC again. The visa has been accepted at the Luozi crossing in DRC, however overlanders have been turned away at both Cabinda and Brazza-ferry crossings. Angola - The 5 day transit visa was issued within 24 hours (applied on Thursday, issued on Friday). The 30 day visa costs the same amount, however another overlander had been waiting 10 days and still had not heard anything so canceled it and got a 5 day transit. We overstayed our visa for an extra 4-5 days and it was not questioned on exit into Namibia. This has been the case for several other overlanders. It is also possible to obtain the 30 day visa in Accra, Ghana. I do not know the price or how easy it is, but if you're in Accra you might as well try your luck. Consulate is open Mon-Wed but closes at 11am, so be early. I opted out as I tried the embassy on a Thursday, and would not have received a visa until the following Friday. Angola from south to north - very unreliable trying to get it in Windhoek, the staff are not helpful at all and will tell you it is impossible. Alternatively you can use a third party to help you, this can be more expensive however. Apparently these guys here can get the visa for you, will cost 1000R (€65) + cost of the visa South Africa - From January 16th New Zealand passport holders will require a visa to enter South Africa. To make matters more difficult, South Africa's Minister of Home Affairs told media New Zealand nationals would have to travel to the High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand in order to submit their visa in person. Carnet or no carnet? Having a carnet is obviously the safest bet, however if you’re like me and don’t really care, or don’t have the money to put into this document then I can confirm the west coast of Africa is possible without this. Here I will give a brief outline of each country Morocco - TIP required - 6 months - Free Mauritania - TIP required - 15 days - 5000CFA / €8* (more or less) Senegal - TIP required - 2 days(!)* extended to 15 - 5000CFA / €8 Gambia - TIP required - 7 days - 5000CFA / €8 Guinea-Bissau - TIP not required(!)* Guinea - TIP required (!)* - duration by discussion - 5000CFA / €8 Sierra Leone - unknown Liberia - unknown Ivory Coast - unknown Mali - TIP not required(!)* Burkina Faso - TIP required - 1 month - 5000CFA / €8 Ghana - Carnet/insurance required(!)* - please read below Togo - TIP required* - 1 month - 5000CFA / €8 Benin - TIP required - 1 month - 7500CFA / €12 Nigeria - TIP not required Cameroon - TIP required - duration by discussion - FREE Gabon - TIP required - 1 month - FREE Congo Brazza - TIP required* - no real duration* - FREE(!)* Congo DRC - unknown Angola - TIP required** - unknown duration - €5(ish) Namibia - TIP not required* - pay road tax - €13 Botswana - TIP not required - pay road tax - 190rand / €13 for motorcycle South Africa - TIP not required (but recommended) - 6 months - FREE TOTAL: approximately €100 (Road tax in SADC countries is applicable with or without carnet) TIP Notes Mauriania - I do not remember the price, however I think it is around 8 euro but don’t let them screw you as they will likely try. I recommend using a fixer Chiek at Mauri border after no-mans-land (please read Border crossings in general for more info) Senegal - The TIP is easy to obtain in Diama, however it is only for 2 days and can be extended 15 days for free in Dakar (This extension can be done twice to total 30 days). They do this in St.Louis as well but it is well known for a corrupt official to try charge an insane amount for it. I recommend trying St.Louis just to see, but if there is ANYTHING fishy, just go to Dakar and get it done for free. The building in Dakar is next to the AXA insurance building near the port, the sign on the outside is something like “WORLD TOURS”, it is a few floors up. N 14'40.128 W 17’25.894 Guinea-Bissau - They say the TIP is not required (at least for motorcycle), but it is. If you get stopped by police you will be totally at their mercy. This happened to me. I would not recommend leaving customs without getting a TIP or some type of signed document to give to police in the event you’re stopped. Guinea - TIP was not required when I entered, however I did not want a repeat of Guinea-Bissau so demanded a TIP from customs. They were extremely friendly and the chief issued me a TIP for 5000CFA. On exiting Guinea, I was asked for the TIP which I had to hand in. I recommend getting this on entry rather than risking it. Mali - Some people have had to pay 5000CFA / 8 euro for a TIP here. Coming from Guinea in the south, I did not have to pay anything. I was told I did not need one. I did not want to risk this after what happened in Guinea-Bissau however they would not issue me one. I was stopped by the boss at customs on exit and told I needed one. He wanted me to pay a bribe. This fizzled out after a few minutes and he allowed me to leave. I recommend trying to get some form of documentation on entry rather than risking it. Ghana - Ghana is a tricky one. Basically if you don’t have a carnet you have several options. Option 1 is you leave your vehicle at the border and collect it on exit. Option 2 is leave the dutiable value of your vehicle at the border, drive your vehicle in and collect the money on the way out from the same border. Both of these are not very practical if you want to exit into Togo. Option 3 is you get customs to help you organise an insurance guy who you buy insurance from which is approximately 1% of the dutiable value of your vehicle. If your vehicle is worth $10,000 the duty may be worth $2,000 or something. You’d have to pay like 1% of this for the insurance. I never went down this route as it was a Saturday and I didn’t want to wait so long so I rode into Togo. In hindsight I should have done the insurance route as I hated using public transport when I went back into Ghana from Togo. I am not entirely sure of all the ins and outs of the insurance, but that was how it was described to me by customs. It may vary with you, if you choose to do this. Togo - I left my motorcycle in Togo and went into Ghana. When exiting Togo the customs guy on the computer looked at me strangely but let me pass without the vehicle. I had no idea what was on the computer. When I entered Togo again I left through the middle border into Benin. I had overstayed the 1 month TIP by about a week, however at this border it was super chill. The customs guy said “do you have any paper for me”, this took me off guard as I expected a nightmare having overstayed the TIP. I said “uh….nnoooo?”, and he waved me through no problem. Congo Brazza - The Douane (customs) is located about 50km after the border if you’re entering from Ndende, the customs guy there waved a Carnet paper in front of me from a Chinese guy who had passed through the day before, asking me where mine was. I said I didn’t have one and I needed a TIP. He made a phone call and wrote one out for me. He slid it across the table smugly and asked for money. I said no, and produced all the free TIP’s I’d had from the last few countries and said I want it for free. He gave up pretty quickly important - On exiting Congo Brazza into Cabinda you must go to customs and get an export permit. This sounds ridiculous and we seriously did not believe them, however once on the Angolan side this document is very important to get your Angolan TIP. On the Congo side they asked for 10,000CFA. I eventually got it for free as there was no listed price and they could not give me an official receipt. Angola - (Cabinda) This was the most official TIP I had in West Africa. The export paper from Congo was required in order to get this TIP. I don’t remember the exact cost but it was about 5 or 6 euro (at the black market exchange rate in August 2016). We had a friend from Pointe-Noire helping us who took care of all the TIP etc so I do not know the details on obtaining this myself. Some people have not had to obtain this TIP in the past, I assume coming from DRC. South Africa - You can get a free TIP at the border for 6 months. I strongly recommend getting this if you want to ship your vehicle from South Africa as you can not ship your vehicle without this document. You could always drive back to the border and get it, but save yourself the trip and get it on entry. Otherwise you can transit freely through Namibia/Botswana/South Africa/Lesotho/Swaziland without being asked about a TIP or carnet. Insurance Morocco - Unless you have a Green card from Europe that covers Morocco, you will have to buy this once in the country. I entered at Tangier Med and there is an insurance booth right outside the customs gate. I bought 10 days insurance for about 620 dirham (60 euro or something). Mauritania - On the far side after crossing through customs you can buy insurance for 10/20/30 days. 30 days insurance costs 30 euro CEDEAO - This will cover you from Senegal down to Cameroon (I think). You can buy it in Nouakchott (Mauritania), or at the border on the Senegal side. I highly recommend to buy this in Nouakchott. I bought insurance at the border and it was fake. It was only valid for Senegal however was sold to me as CEDEAO. Make SURE the insurance paper they hand you says CEDEAO or ECOWAS (not sure of the difference), just make sure it lists all the countries on the paper YOU have. On arrival at Cameroon, I had no idea where to buy insurance all the way down to Namibia. Apparently in the SADC countries (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana) etc, the insurance is included in the road tax. I don’t know if this is true. But that was my total experience with insurance on the west coast Border crossings in general Border crossings always seem to be different, people have different experiences and some people handle them in different ways. Here are a few of my notes. Your vehicle is almost always safe at the border crossings. I was paranoid about this for a long time, but I would not worry too much about always having your vehicle in sight. Nothing was ever touched on my bike, not once. I can’t really remember many borders now, so I will only note the ones that stuck in my mind after giving problems Entering Mauritania - I recommend using a fixer to cross after no mans land. It has a bad reputation and it’s just easier. There is a guy that came running down the hill into no mans land as soon as he spotted me on the bike, his name is Chiek. Just ask for a guy called Chiek. I paid him about 10 euro. It’s kind of annoying to part with this money but it makes life easier. Tell him at the start exactly what you’re going to pay him, tell him you’re not going to give him any more. Tell him what you expect to pay for the visa, for the TIP, and for insurance. He tried to cheat me on insurance right at the end, but overall it was pretty straight forward. Exiting Mauritania and Entering Senegal - Use the Diama crossing as opposed to the dreaded Rosso crossing. It is easy to get to, from Nouakchott there is a turn off to Keur Macene, this is a much faster route from Nouakchott to Diama than going all the way to Rosso. The road is even better than the main highway until you reach Keur Macene where it turns into easy piste (in the dry). This is the turn off - 16°47'24.6"N 16°05'55.9”W - Do not be afraid of this road, it is good. or on Google here Beware: The immigration and customs on the Mauri side can give difficulties to some. Asking for and outright lying for money in order to stamp your passport or TIP is standard operations here. Do not pay. It is also not out of the ordinary to try extract a huge bogus fee if your vehicle is older than 8 years. However, this does NOT apply to temporary imports like the typical overlanders. There is an excellent write up by Andy (Wheelie Adventurous) with other experiences on the notorious crossing found here I suggest reading all posts. On the Senegal side, it is very easy. Just refer back to my insurance warning about the insurance at the border here. It is a scam and is not CEDEAO. Exiting Senegal into Gambia - remember to get your passport stamped out BEFORE handing back your TIP. This caused problems for me, but eventually I could get my TIP back from customs to show police. Entering Gambia - Many countries require a visa to enter Gambia, however Australia and the UK are not those countries, and these were the passports I was traveling on, I did not need a visa. However the immigration officials are sly and corrupt and will try to tell you that you do in fact need one. I strongly recommend printing something out before crossing this border stating that your country does not require a visa. I would also recommend noting your embassies phone number and threatening to call them, should they give you a hard time. I had to argue for about 40 minutes for them to let me through without paying for a visa. You can read that story on my blog here if you want some cringe. Entering Cameroon - The chief HAS to be there to stamp your carnet or TIP. If he is not there, the worker bees are not allowed to do it and you will have to wait for the chief to come back. I had to sleep overnight at the border, a friend had to sleep two nights. I recommend not attempting on a weekend or public holiday. Do not try to just drive off into the country (I seriously considered it) as there is a checkpoint just at the road, and it is required to exit Cameroon. Road conditions Believe it or not, most of the roads in west Africa are not THAT bad. There are certainly bad sections but for the most part it is nothing to be afraid of. Be prepared for many deviations though, which is where the road is under maintenance or they are building new roads, therefore you are diverted off to temporary roads on the side. These can turn a 1 hour drive into a 2 hour drive and so on. These can often be quite bad roads, they can be sandy, muddy, have hidden speed bumps that blend in so well they’re difficult to see or there can be pools of water on them. Take that into account when you’re trying to work out timings for driving. On a motorbike it wasn’t so bad but I can imagine it would slow you down a lot in a caged vehicle. I often rode at night, however I feel I got lucky many times, and often saw conditions of roads during the day that I was thankful I never came across at night. I would not recommend riding/driving at night simply due to road conditions. The problem is the erosion of the roads often leave giant potholes you won’t see until it’s too late. Like I said, I got lucky most of the time and hitting a huge pothole on a motorcycle isn’t always so bad. I think what roads can be a nightmare in the wet can be not so bad in the dry, so the seasons in which you choose to do the west coast can determine how bad they are at any given time. I went through mostly dry season from top to bottom so didn’t go through days or weeks of mud. I can’t really comment on this. I would just say don’t worry too much for the roads, they’re not so bad. Traffic Traffic is half the battle in many west African towns. Not only can these people not drive, they’re not very efficient either and in many towns this will throw your timings off considerably. I strongly advise going around cities in transits rather than through them. Many times I was thankful to be on a motorcycle but spent often spent long periods, sometimes hours sitting in traffic that was barely moving, just to get through towns that were usually just blocked because one side of the road had a lot of water, or taxis just stop, vehicles break down, or people just park in stupid places. Beware that they do not have any level of courtesy in many of these countries. If I had a dollar for every time someone just stopped their vehicle directly in front of me. Often without brake lights or indicators. They do not give a shit about you or any other traffic. Be conscious of this. I was hit by a car in Gambia which destroyed a lot of my camping gear which I had to fly back to Europe to replace. Speed traps Morocco and Western Sahara both have speed traps with speed guns. These are typically on entering towns after a 100kmp/h highway. They generally sit just after the 60kmp/h sign and will not be afraid to wave you down and hit you with a hefty fine. Anything 10-20kmp/h above the limit is about 30 euro. Above 20kmp/h is 75 euro. They will write it out all in official log books so it is legitimate. You likely will not see another speed trap until Namibia. From Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland and South Africa they are fairly frequent. In Swaziland I was caught 20kmp/h over the limit and fined 4 euro (lol). In South Africa they are a bit more serious. On all occasions I had no money and they let me go. In South Africa I think it was too much work to issue a fine to a foreign plate, however I am not positive on that. All of these speed traps let me go. Yes, I consistently sped. Sorry about that. Accommodation Wild camping and sleeping in local villages is only amusing for some time before you get sick of it and just want a nice shower, hang out with other overlanders or just want a few extra comforts of home. I feel there is a stigma against using apps such as iOverlander to find accommodation due to “following the same path at the rest”. I don’t buy that at all. I used iOverlander frequently to find decent accommodation and found it invaluable. These pitstops in European run or just quality campsites were highly beneficial to my own sanity. Each to their own, but there are some great places I would recommend to anyone that can be found on iOverlander. If you don’t know where you are going, can’t find a place, or just want to stay somewhere different then a method I found worked well for me is just going and asking a local moto taxi. Tell them what you’re looking for and your price range. 9 times out of 10 they will take you to a place more or less of which you specified and you’ll only have to flick a few bucks his way for his effort. I did this many times in west Africa where iOverlander was of zero help and I could not wild camp. Most accommodation you’ll find in west Africa will typically be around 3-5 euro to camp, sometimes higher in European run campsites. And ~15 euro for a room. In European camp sites expect to pay more for a room. Sometimes it is worth it. If you’re looking for hotels, you can often negotiate a good price. Many of the hotels are only used by wealthy businessmen. I found this beneficial the couple of times I did stay in a hotel. For example Transcorp hotel in Calabar, Nigeria is something like $150USD per night, but I got it for maybe $30 because I was in a riding suit, covered in shit at 10pm at night. Maybe they felt sorry for me, I don’t know. It’s worth trying to push the overland tac. Wild camping Wild camping can be a lot of fun especially if you’re equipped for it in a 4x4 or overland vehicle and carrying amenities. It is very easy from Morocco down to the bottom Senegal/Mali/Burkina Faso, as after that the bush starts to get quite dense and it can be difficult to find anywhere to pull off the road. Actually near impossible, especially if you want to be away from people. This is where I spent most of my time in camp sites or rooms (as above). If you’re more open and social, you could probably stay in villages each night, however I personally got tired of villages real fast. The bush starts to clear again almost from southern Congo/Angola. You can literally see it on Google maps, the green strip running across Africa, it’s kind of difficult to wild camp there. A side note is, even when you think you’re alone and there is nobody for miles (especially in central west Africa), there is always going to be people nearby. Always. Don’t be surprised if you get curious people hanging around the outskirts of where you are camped. Always. They’ll typically show up right when you’re mid way through a shit in the bush too. Note: These people always tend to be very friendly. I was offered milk straight from the cow from people herding cows etc on several occasions Maintenance I can’t really speak for 4x4s or trucks, only really for motorcycles. In general you will typically find the deeper you get into west Africa that there are tyre shops everywhere, this may not help you for tyres, but it certainly helped me for air compressors when mine failed. I’d say on average you can find an air compressor anywhere you see people. And almost certainly in every town. There is a KTM shop in Togo that you can get a service or any work done, they also stock quality ADV bike tyres for larger wheels. I mainly saw Continental stocked there. That said, there are many shops in every town that could jimmy something up for you or help repair something broken. I was lucky enough to have no mechanical faults with my motorcycle on the way down. As for anything more serious, there are many repair shops for Toyota etc listed on iOverlander. You’re never going to be truly screwed. You’d also be surprised who comes out of the woodwork when you are alone, so if you fall off your bike and can’t pick it up, you run out of fuel, or just have a mechanical problem. Don’t worry. Guaranteed that someone will pass by shortly who will be overly keen to help you out. For as annoying as these people can be sometimes, they are always willing to help (typically for a small fee lol) Useful documents to carry In East Morocco, South Morocco and Western Sahara, you will likely be plagued by checkpoints requiring a passport check. Normally a 'Fiche' will suffice, this is a small printout basically giving all your passport details and visa details, when you entered etc. I used these templates created by Chris Scott over at Sahara Overland. They worked great. https://saharaoverland.files.wordpre...4/12/fiche.doc You're going to want at LEAST 40 of these, and that is no joke. There are a ton of checkpoints, if I were to do it again I'd take at least 60. I took about 20 the first time, and must have been stopped at a further 25-30 checkpoints where they took my passport for 5-10 minutes at a time. This was a lot of wasted time and extremely frustrating. Especially when you can literally see the next checkpoint 100m up the road where they do the same thing. Take at least 20-30 photocopies of your passport. Take at least 15 copies of your yellow fever card Take at least 30 passport photos to use for visas Take a good quality laminated colour photocopy of your passport Take a good quality laminated colour photocopy of your drivers license Take a good quality laminated photocopy of your vehicle ownership document It's a good idea to save these as scanned copies on your laptop or something also. However do not stress if you run out of photocopies or passport photos. If there is anything that randomly exists everywhere in west Africa it is photo copying machines and people who can make passport photos for you. FUEL A lot of people ask and are rightly concerned about fuel when traveling through west Africa. Usually about fuel price, quality, quantity. While I am no expert of fuel, hopefully I can shed some light on the situation. Fuel and gas stations are plentiful contrary to what you may believe. I traveled on a 23L motorcycle and in 28,000km only ran out once. Many times I spluttered into fuel stations 10-15km after my bike had hit "zero" on the dash. There are a couple of places to watch out though. The first is when you cross from Morocco into Mauritania. I highly recommend filling up on the Moroccan side of the border due to the price of fuel in Mauritania skyrocketing. Fill all your jerry cans too. There is a petrol station right at the border on the Moroccan side however it is typical run dry, so keep that in mind. Mauritania also has serious fuel problems, I ran on unleaded petrol but I'd say diesel has a similar issue. When crossing into Mauritania, your next best bet is going to be 450km away in Nouakchott. There is a Total station about half way, but it often has no fuel. There is a sandy village about 40km from the border called 'Bon Lanuar' where they have drums of fuel, this can save you if you're in a pickle. It certainly saved me. Occasionally at police checkpoints there are locals on the side of the road with big drums, you can buy from them. Keep in mind the fuel is very expensive in Mauritania. Very expensive. Once in Nouakchott, it is common for pretty much none of the gas stations to have unleaded petrol. I believe they all had diesel but it took me a long time riding around and maybe 12-15 gas stations to find unleaded. If on a motorcycle Don't leave Nouakchott without a full tank. You're going to need at least enough fuel to get to Senegal. The only other place that was hard to find fuel was in Gabon, there did not seem to be any petrol stations within the first couple of hundred kilometers, I believe there may have been one, but had nothing. If you're in a 4x4 you should be fine, but just keep it in mind if you're running low and heading into Gabon. As for fuel quality, I ran a 2015 KTM 1190 Adventure R and never filtered fuel from fuel stations unless they looked suspect. I did not have any fuel issues or any blocked fuel lines or filters the entire trip. I did filter all fuel that came from any bottle, which is quite typical. In many countries you can find fuel along the side of the road, in fact in Guinea this is pretty much the only place you can find it. The locals will buy out the fuel station as soon as it gets filled and sell the fuel at an inflated price (usually an extra 10-20c per liter). This is a good and a bad thing, good when you're low on fuel and nowhere near a fuel station, but bad that you have to pay an inflated price every time you want to fuel up. Many fuel stations in west Africa will have a "lavage", or a pressure wash bay where you can clean your vehicle. Most of the time it is dirt cheap. Don't do it in Togo as it is expensive af. The price of fuel is fairly consistent, almost all of it is under $1USD per liter so it's not frighteningly expensive. In some countries it is dirt cheap such as Nigeria where it is currently about 30-40cents per liter. Angola and Nigeria both have black market exports which can be found in neighbouring countries. What this means is that people smuggle the cheap fuel across the border and will sell it very cheap. So for example in Benin, you'd be better of buying fuel on the side of the road as it will be smuggled across from Nigeria and far cheaper than the fuel station. Currency and Cash I don't know about your bank, but mine stings me like $6-10 every time I withdraw cash in west Africa. I suggest only withdrawing in lump sums, I never had any problem carrying around a couple of hundred euro in cash. I would typically hide a bunch of it then keep enough for my wallet. Morocco has the Dirham Mauritania has the Ouguiya And from Senegal south it's almost all CFA Ghana uses the cedi Nigeria uses the Naira Angola uses the Kwanza SADC use the rand (South African rand can be used in any SADC country but not vice versa) For most of west Africa you're going to be using the CFA (Central African Franc), however a little unknown fact about this currency is that it changes between Benin and Cameroon. West and North of Nigeria you'll be using the Benin CFA, south of Nigeria you'll be using the Cameroon CFA. Nigeria uses the naira which separates them. You can not use the northern CFA in the southern CFA countries and vice versa. even though they have the exact same value. Remember than when you leave Benin into Nigeria, you want to have as little northern CFA remaining as it will become useless, and you will get a bad rate for it after Nigeria. Nigeria - You're going to want to bring USD where you will get a much better rate than exchanging CFA or withdrawing from the bank. I don't know how much as I did not do this, I had no USD on me at the time. Angola - Right now in 2016 Angola is having some serious problems with foreign currency. Angola is one of the most expensive countries in the world and will cripple an overlander UNLESS you have a fist full of USD. The USD will save your life in Angola as right now on the black market it is worth 4-5x the official rate. How do I exchange money on the black market? As simple as changing it with money changers at the border, however you're probably not going to get the best rate from them. If you go into town there are people on the street trying to sell you Kwanza all over the show. They'll first try to undercut you but hang in there and you'll get a good rate. As of September the official rate was 150Kwz for $1usd. This is a bad rate. You should be able to get at least 550kwz for $1usd on the black market at this time. This is likely to change at some point though. You can find it outside airport arrivals as well, just don't buy Kwanza through official exchangers or they'll rip you off. The black market is somewhat illegal, i.e, don't do it in front of police officers, they won't like it. Angola becomes pleasantly cheap this way and you can thoroughly enjoy the country on a much better exchange rate. SAFETY I don't really know if I am in a position to call this one, so I'd first like to say this is all my personal opinion and I may be way off the ball. Firstly, I don't really buy into the "danger" stuff, but yes there are definitely high risk places in west Africa which I would not travel to at this time. These include; Southern Algeria Northeast/ Eastern Mauritania Northern Mali Northern Burkina Faso Niger (except the capital) Northern Nigeria especially North East Nigeria Chad CAR Central DRC That's not to say you can't go there, that's just to say I personally consider those places a bit too high risk for a holiday. You'll find some of those are just particular regions of a specific country, while I had a great time in other parts. The threat is there, you just have to use common sense, keep a low profile, don't go walking around the streets late at night and don't put yourself in danger when you don't have to. Nigeria is famous for kidnappings and in fact several Australians were kidnapped near Calabar just a couple of weeks before I went through. I assessed my own risk and decided to do it anyway. The guys who were kidnapped were targeted construction workers and ambushed, bit hard to ambush a random motorcycle with a random tourist and any random given time passing through. That's not being naive, I just didn't think the risk was too great to me. Overall I think if you stick to the more commonly traveled route, chances are the biggest thing you're going to have to worry about is the corrupt officials. I would also advise to keep up to date with travel warnings, there is a great website Smarttraveller.com.au or something which gives up to date information and enough content to make an informed decision on where to go and where to avoid. Mostly, you're just going to come across curious people. Language In west Africa, almost from Morocco down you're going to be speaking French most of the way. Even though French is generally the official language, most of them normally speak in their native language. Morocco is quite cool in the fact that a lot of them also speak English, but also French, Spanish and Arabic. From Morocco down, prepare for French, French, and more French In Guinea-Bissau they officially speak Portuguese which was pretty random, and not many of the locals can actually speak it. In Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria they speak English. In Equatorial Guinea, and Angola again they speak Portuguese. Is is a problem if I can't speak French or Portuguese? Not really. In fact sometimes it works in your favour when the police ask you to empty your bags or to give them money and you just sit there playing the dumb tourist. For day to day communications, it's amazing what you can get across with just nouns which can often be universal, hand motions and pointing. I don't speak any French, but didn't have a problem the entire way down. Portuguese can be a bit tricky if you don't speak anything, even if you can speak a bit of Spanish it would certainly help as they're pretty similar. The language barrier is the least of your worries. Health and Malaria Again, I think this is a highly personal subject. I can only shed light on what I did personally. For Malaria, I did not take anything, I did not want to take pills for months at a time. The best thing I could recommend if you take this route is buy a good mosquito repellent. I found the moisturizer ones worked great as the spray bottles burned my skin. I wore long pants in the evening and coated my feet (wearing flip flops), arms, neck etc in it. The whole way down west Africa I only got a handful of mosquito bites doing this, and I did not get Malaria once. This isn't to say I couldn't have got it and not at all to say it is not dangerous. It was a risk I was willing to take, I felt I was never too far from a town where I could seek medical attention if I felt the symptoms coming along.
If you choose to do the same, be mindful of the symptoms so you can recognize them before it is too late. If you choose to take pills, consult your doctor as I can not advise what to take. My tent had a built in mosquito net like most tents. Other things;
All the other standard mini first aid stuff and last but not least
Vaccinations Debatable, but highly recommended at a minimum is; Yellow fever - this is a requirement in many countries Hepatitus A,B Tetanus Meningitis Some personal opinions from the road Favourite country Congo - I think Congo tops my list due to the experiences I had there. I had heard so much negative stuff about it that I was almost sick with apprehension on arrival. I met some great people here, friendly people. My motorcycle broke down in the middle of nowhere, in the bush at night, punctured tire I couldn't repair. Set up the tent with my girlfriend on a small bush trail as the bush was quite dense. A pickup truck loaded with guys came slowly down the trail in the darkness and we thought we were going to get robbed or killed. They didn't see us but the same group of guys came back in the morning, maybe 10 guys loaded over the back of the pickup. They stopped, there was nobody around to help us. Then these guys proceeded to spend the next 10 hours taking us around all through the bush trying to find a place to repair my tyre properly, they gave us food and drink, and at the end of the day once the bike was finally fixed, gave us a room with a bed in their tiny village. They gave us food to cook a meal and everything we could possibly have needed. They even paid 5000CFA to guys from another village for all the parts and didn't want to be repaid. All from people we thought wanted to kill us the night before. Can't underestimate these guys. Just when you think it's all doom and gloom, people have a funny way of surprising you. Least favourite country Nigeria - Had a lot of problems with the road conditions and flooding. This caused multiple problems with my tyres being punctured and rims being bent. The traffic was a nightmare and it was fairly chaotic. I didn't feel 100% secure, although in hindsight I shouldn't have worried too much. Friendliest people Guinea - People probably have the exact opposite experience, but my time in Guinea and encounters with local people was always positive, including police. Overall these people were the friendliest by far on the trip. Most unfriendly people Mauritania - Didn't feel secure here, the country is pretty baron apart from Nouakchott and the people did not feel very welcoming. Best attractions Namibia/Botswana - Probably not very surprising here. They've got the game parks. Unfortunately where there is game parks there is also a huge amount of tourists. I met almost nobody coming down the west coast until Nambia and then it just exploded with tourists (Ghana is an exception, tourists everywhere). Cheapest country Angola - Bring and exchange USD on the black market and your money will go much further. This evidently made Angola much more enjoyable for me. UPDATE - More info below! |
Good information.
Do all countries mentioned for visas have the same rquirements regardless of the visitor's nationality. . If not, then your information may not be as useful as it might have been |
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Visas Most visas for the west coast can be obtained en-route. I used an Australian and British passport, so similar passports will yield similar results I can't speak for anyone on a Paki or Kyrgy passport or something like that, they'll have to research a bit harder. For European and Commonwealth passports, she'll be right. UPDATE - As the first post has now reached the 5000 character limit, I will try to post more important information on this next post. It would have been good if TonyLEE deleted the post above, so that the post could have followed on, but it will continue here if needed. Since making the original post, many people have been submitting their updates which can be read below. As many people have different experiences, this will have to be something constantly updated and eventually my own experience and pricing will be outdated. I am updating the prices and places the visas can be obtained, but there are some great detailed posts below from people who have had recent experiences on the road. It may pay to give it a quick skim through before making any big decisions! IMPORTANT RESOURCE! http://wikioverland.org/West_Africa - My good friend Dan has put a lot of effort into this website for over a year now traveling down the west coast. He has a whole lot of useful information for you here including fuel prices for each country. Dan would know a hell of a lot more about the west coast than me, and can't thank him enough for putting this information together! |
Good write up.. makes me wish I was still doing my Ghana to Morocco trip.
Anyways I doubt many people will go this route but I wanted to give my limited experience.. I have a US passport and got a 5 year multi entry visa to both Mali and Burkina Faso. I obtained both at the respective embassies in Accra, Ghana. Mali was 131 dollars and Burkina was 100 dollars. Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk |
Just to add, I was also able to enter both Togo and Burkina without a carnet or much in the way of papers but my bike is Ghanaian registered. I got a laissez passer for Togo for 5000cfa. No one asked to see it on the way back into Ghana.
Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk |
Comprehensive Guide To West Africa - Without Carnet
Man I wish I had this info before I left! You're a #%*+ champ bro! I can say this is spot on info. Especially the one about dropping one in the bush. Cheers Rub
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Cheers Wanted, i've been following some of your other posts as i'm on a similar if cut short route. This is greatly appreciated!
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Love this post! thanks!
Is there anyone out here who knows of similar threads about this route the other way around? I would really like to get more info on where best to get visas on the west coast, coming from the south. Any websites or links to travellers going this way would be much appreciated! Cheers |
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Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk |
We are planning to do: Ghana, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania.
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Ghana - get at home (I would put a letter in with your application explaining why you want a date in advance to start your visa)
CI - apply in Accra via www.snedai.ci Guinea - apply in Abidjan Senegal - you don't mention your nationality, many don't need a visa but probably be able to get it in Abidjan or Conakry Mauritania - unsure if it's available at Rosso on the border, might be worth checking some recent threads |
Updated info for this for the last few days
Cote D'Ivoire - CFA 33k, Dakar, 3 days. Easy enough Sierre Leone - CFA 120k, Dakar, 1 day, UK Passport, think others are cheaper Be aware, this embassy has moved (again). Now next to the Gabon embassy, not as google says. Reccomend going to this embassy in advance of application as it requires a trip to the bank to pay money in, which took time for me Both plus a stack more embassies i found on my travels are located in iOverlander with more details where i applied/asked |
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The building is light blue and had a giant "DOUANES" in gold metal letters over the entrance, quite gaudy, also hard to miss. It is at the middle pier in the shipping port. If you are in a car, parking is difficult. I had my wife just do laps. She eventually found a spot in the middle of the road (everyone else does this, and she was not hassled in any way) -- a moto would have zero problems with parking. The bureau for this closes for lunch from 1:30-3pm. I arrived at 2:30 and the entry guard hooted at me in fast french, despite my 3 requests for him to speak slower. A tout caught me out and was very insistent that he could help me and kept snatching my paperwork, but I shook him off and explored on my own. I didn't see him again. Facing the entrance doorway (guard desk to your left), you go all the way to the end of the lobby. A set of stairs is at the very end, to your right. Take these all the way up (top floor). There will be a Door at the end of the hall at the top landing with "Chef de Bureau", and a smaller sign underneath saying "All requests <== go to the Secretariat" The secretariat door is immediately left in a narrow hallway. Because it is Africa time, the 3pm lunch ended at 3:45pm and a crowd had gathered. Also, all paperwork was going to the Chief, and his door suggests that he arrives at 10am, and leaves at 4pm, so morning is a better plan. I was moved to 3 different departments, each time being asked to follow one of the girls who act as "runners". At the last one (Bureau of temporary importation) the Chief asked me for a copy of both my Carte Gris and Passport -- I was taken across the street (by a runner girl again) to a copy center, and was asked for 100 CFA for the copies. When I showed a 10,000 CFA note, he couldn't make change, and the helper girl took me back out with my copies -- effectively stealing 16 cents from the poor guy. Bring copies if you can. If you don't speak french, a colored folder may be helpful, so you can "keep your eye on the ball" -- the paperwork is going to move all over the place, so it's a game of three-card monte. :D I had the only carnet, which is a thick and annoying document, and was easy to track in the piles of paper moving all around. The entire process was 90 minutes for me -- 45 for the "lunch wait", 45 for the paperwork. I was never asked for anything sketchy, and it was very pro. Because I had a Carnet, the last chief kept my Passavant. I asked him about it, and he clarified that the Carnet was now the "official" document for the car. If you are doing TIP only, this conversation may be different for you. They are officious, but friendly if you look lost, and will answer questions warmly, no hassles here at all. == Other notes: There were widespread political rallies today. We left Zebrabar in St. Louis at 7:30AM and only got to Dakar Douanes at 2:30pm, 7 hours! Plan accordingly. The toll road A-1 is worth every bit of the 1500 CFA if you are in a car. :) My cheapness cost us an hour by staying on the local roads. Cards not accepted on the toll road, just like everywhere else. Martin at Zebrabar will run your Passavant to town for you, using a service. It was 150EUR for one, 200EUR for two, and somehow 300EUR for three. Since I was #3 in our group, I opted out. If you are on a slow-roll through Senegal, this can take the pressure off. Ask about it when you first arrive. The Passavant had no time stamp, only a date stamp, so if you crossed Diama early, you may have more than 48 hours to get to Dakar. Cheers and thanks again OP for the info! :) - Mike |
My description sucked -- here's a pic of the place from my dashcam :)
http://www.saveimg.com/images/2016/12/11/1oHuOLf.png |
I added the gps to this place to ioverlander. But I'm having problem to sync. I'll keep trying.
The description of inside the building was great i thought. Would have helped me! Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk |
Slight update. Ziguinchor Guinea Bissau visa is now CFA 25k for single entry, 35k for multi. Price list displayed. If the consulate is closed. There is a number on the gate to phone. I called this and despite not really understanding what was said (using Skype). Ten minutes later, as i was leaving a guy rocked up, opened the consulate and 5 minutes later i have the visa.
Coordinates are correct on ioverlander. It is indeed down that dirt road! Also. Ghana visa. I got mine in London. I paid £100 for a 6 month multi entry and as I'd postponed it, an additional £40 for 72 hour processing. My stance was, yes expensive. But all told people are paying similar on the road with bribe. And no hanging around a capital at time/cost. Normal processing was 10-15 days. Its an easy process. Just include cover letter and fudge a letter of introduction/booking confirmations. What I did Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk |
Liberia visa in Conakary. Copied and pasted from my ioverlander check in
Location of the embassy correct as of today. Google is incorrect. There is a sign on the main road for it too. Opposite Parapharmacy UK Passport* USD$100 (only dollar) Other passports the same except USA where its $141. Chinese is $50 and Malaysian $5 should that help anyone You also need to buy a vehicle permit. 50k GF for a moto. 200-300k for a car i think. At 5€ i didn't question this as i have a carnet You have to pay in at Société Generale. They said only the centre ville branch. I've checked in there too. But it's far because of traffic. Make your way across to the main highway. Much much faster 3 working days. I asked if possible for 'express' service and gave a line about wanting to leave conakary so i could spend Xmas with friends in Sierra Leone. They agreed for the fee (cash naturally). I tried to keep a straight face when asked for 50k Guinea Franc (€5). I thought I'd be paying 10 times that! Helpful staff once they got their head around the method of trip. I had all the paperwork, they wanted to see insurance, driving licence, booking for a hotel, yellow fever, 5 photos (with the vehicle permit), passport copy. And a lettet about the trip. Thats important. I had letters from work explaining my sabbatical leave, a bank statement and a clean criminal check (from my job). These were not vital, but helped i think. I also think having all visas up to Togo helped explain the journey Get there early in the morning. Open 9-4. I got back with the bank receipts just before lunch. Ambassador wasn't there. I went back just after 3 to chance it and got my visa Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk |
Also. Sierra Leone visa in Conakary. $100 US. 1 day but took time on the application
A friend did this here the last few days Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk |
I'll update a bit now I'm through Sierra Leone and Liberia for completeness on this excellent thread. Both are pricey. Moee expensive than Conakary
Sierra Leone was pleasant enough. Black market rate is way above the official rate. For all currencies. I was carrying CFA as my hard currency. Not a great deal to see and do but the beaches of freetown are spectacular. The roads are greay whe* good as their new. And atrocious wheb they are not new. The road around the Freetown peninsular is nearly complete and will be a fantastic ride in a year or two. To Bo, the road is paved and good. South to Zimmi and the Liberia border gets worse and worse. Dry season for me a s was the worst road I've seen. Even the locals said terrible road Liberia has equally not much to see. Monrovia is expensive with few if any camping. Its a bit unsafe after dark too. Still. I liked Monrovias vibe. Spent 6 days there over NYE. US dollar is the currency,* Liberian dollar serves as change of $1. 100 liberian dollars for $1. Bonus of this is you can withdraw US dollar from ATMs should you be in short supply of them The road from the border through Monrovia to Ganta are excellent. After that. Piste to Cote D'Ivoire. Bad road. But not as bad as Sierra Leone. In both countries people arw generally very friendly. Sierra Leone officials chanced their arm for money. Ofte* harmlessly. Except immigration on the way out Liberia never asked for anything once. Refreshing! As for Carnets. Sierra Leone didnt need one. I was with another biker. They asked for my carnet and stamped it. But aftet some talking they let him through with nothing. We split in Sierra Leone. In Liberia I had them stamp my carnet but probably shouldn't have bothered. You get the vehicle permit with the visa. The customs did talk about a pass. But said as less than a week they'll not bother. I wasnt clear on what he was on about. I think he didn't understand the point of the carnet. But summary is you can do both without a carnet Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk |
Hi,
Thanks for all the info. That's really helpful in planning a future trip through Africa. I'm curious, how long did it take you exactly to get from Spain to South Africa? Also, if you were to do this trip again, by yourself, which route would you take down? Thanks. Luke |
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I did it in 6 months but I'd probably take more time next time personally. I went down the West Coast, but I'd probably do the East Coast if I were to do it again because the West Coast was just a headache. |
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Yeah i was thinking of doing both, going down the west side and up the east side. Seems like most people do the east side, which is why your trip was cool, you just dont see that many people going down the west side. I will probably take a ktm 690 enduro r, since im not planning on riding two up for any of it. A 1190 would be a lot of fun too but id prefer something a bit lighter/ Knowing what you know now, would you have skipped any of the countries on your route down? Senegal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,Ghana, are these worth seeing and spending the time to get visas for, or is it better to just skip them? The rest of them seem unavoidable if you are riding down unless you put the bike on a plane or boat to get around them, but that gets expensive. Did you consider going to Timbuktu when you were in Mali? Africa does seem like it would be challenging to say the least. More to worry about than a lot of other places. But it makes for a challenging adventure. I did south america on a klr, and that was fairly easy, no major issues with borders/police/visas/etc. Just bike problems. Thanks again for sharing the information. I liked your ride report too. Really gives an idea of what west africa is like. |
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Hi everyone,
This is a super useful thread, thanks for all the info. I'm planning a trip starting in Senegal and then overland till Gabon (by public transport). Does anyone have recent info or advice about the Equatorial Guinea visa coming from north to south? Like in which embassies the requirements may be least difficult to meet. Perfect for a start, would be to get the list of embassies that issue EG visas to non-residents. EU passport. Any help will be much appreciated! Cheers, Antonio |
Update for Cote d'Ivoire & CARNET situation.
I went over the border at POGO, coming in from Mali with a van WITHOUT a carnet. I was asked for 32,000CFA, in return I asked them for an official receipt, they refused & told me I was spending the night on the border if I didn't cough up! As I'm based part-time in CI, I have 2 numbers there & already had a friend send me some phone credit. I pulled out my phone, called our Chief of Police and asked him what the law states, he asked to speak to the Head of Customs and suddenly a 2 month 'Vignette Touristique' was issued!!! Once I got back to base I made enquiries, I ended up calling the Anti-Corruption Team in Cocody, Abidjan and explained what had happened. They were very good (called me back when I ran out of credit) and said I was correct, the Vignette Touristique is FREE. I then mailed some other HUBB'ers on their way to me & explained to them that it's FREE, they were asked for 25,000 on the Guinean border which they refused and explained why - they also had the Anti Corruption Team's number which I'd sent them. Since then I've spoken to our local Colonel, Regional Director of Customs who rang one of his borders to see what they do, they charge 25,000CFA! He was surprised and annoyed! I had to get another 2 months for my van & with his help I got it done at our nearest border, but they wanted 50,000 until they realised I was good friends with the Colonel. So don't take any rubbish from ANY border and threaten to call (or do call/text) this number for the ANTI-CORRUPTION TEAM in Cocody, Abidjan: It's a MOOV number (they also have MTN & Orange numbers which I lost as I use MOOV mainly) +225 01 01 36 45 (keep the first 0 in the number!) Bonne route! |
On the Côte D'Ivoire Carnet issue CREER talks. I had a Carnet. Entered from Liberia near Danane.
I tried to get it stamped on the way in. They wouldn't do it. Nor issue any paperwork for the bike. So I rode on. Exiting into Ghana at the main road border east of Grand Bassam they just asked for my ownership documents, at least that's what i gave them. Made the usual notes in the central database (notebook) and I went into Ghana. Just my experience Sent from my HUAWEI TIT-U02 using Tapatalk |
Friends of mine crossed the border at Pogo a few hours ago, armed with my knowledge!
Two customs ladies threw up all sorts of obstacles for them and I was getting more and more angry at the end of WhatsApp messages. Eventually I posted on a closed Police Facebook group about the corruption at Pogo - guess what, a load of customs officers on there came after me (and a lot of Ivorians supporting me:clap:!). The customs officers in question at Pogo got a screen shot of my message, my friends got through without any further hassles. :D ANYONE heading to CI from Mali, get an Ivorian SIM card prior to leaving Bamako or Sikasso, there are enough people around heading north who can pass you one! Quote:
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West Africa Update (Ghana to UK)
Hello,
A friend and I have just completed West Africa (Ghana to UK), the wrong way round (South to North) and I wanted to share my visa costs/general updates. This is for an American and British passport holder, travelling on x2 Ghanaian registered bikes. Countries include: Togo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain and UK. The standard documents you will need for the borders are: passport, driving license, international driving permit, proof of vehicle ownership and yellow fever card. You will then need to produce/buy the relevant Temporary Import Permits (TIPs) and insurance (more detail below). Finally, despite this information being accurate and current. Often West African borders can change depending on the mood of the official in charge on the day. Stay friendly and polite and you can usually get through with minimum fuss. Ghana to Togo Crossing: Tatale to Tabale Visa: $15 on arrival for 7 days. However, this is no longer available (see notes) TIP = Not needed for a Ghanaian bike Insurance: ECOWAS Brown Card Carnet Needed: No Notes: We crossed East to West in Northern Ghana. The road is dirt from Yendi on the Ghanian side and mainly paved (although quality is bad for 50 miles) on the Togo side. No problems leaving Ghana – they were not interested in us or our documents. On Togo side, visas used to be available at the border but are no longer. Buy in advance, otherwise the soldiers will want to charge you for escorting you to Kara, where you can buy the visa. If you can’t buy a visa in advance, cross Mon to Fri, as this is when the Kara visa office is open. Visas can be extended for a further $15 in Lome (extra 14 days for UK, extra 365 days for Americans). However, expect long queues and this service takes 24 hours. Togo roads are very good and no police checkpoints. Togo to Ghana Crossing: Lome to Denu Visa: N/A (already had a Ghanaian visa) TIP = N/A (already had a Ghanaian visa) Insurance: ECOWAS Brown Card Carnet Needed: Unsure Notes: I had been living in Ghana (so had the necessary visa already) and drove a Ghanaian bike. As such, the crossing was easy. On both sides, officials were thorough on documentation checks. Road quality is good on both sides of the border. This is a busy crossing so plan for some time. Ignore any fixers (they can’t do anything for you). We were told to be careful with your personal belongings. However, with the amount of police on both sides of the border it didn’t feel dodgy to leave the bikes and gear unaccompanied. Main roads in Ghana (in the South) are generally good. However, lot’s of police checkpoints. Be kind and friendly and you can generally get away with paying anything. Ghana to Cote d’Ivoire Crossing: Elubu to Ehania Visa: €58 for 90 days from Accra – takes 24 hours TIP: XOF20k (£27) at the border Insurance: ECOWAS Brown Card Carnet Needed: No Notes: This is the main crossing between Ghana and CDI so plan for some time and a lot of bureaucracy. On the Ghanaian side (maybe as a result of living in Ghana and owning Ghanaian bikes), the officials were uninterested. On the Ivorian side the process was thorough. We had to go through the police, customs and immigration and all had multiple forms to complete, that required speaking to multiple people. However, everyone was friendly (not always helpful) and the process seemed legit. You will need to pay XOF20k for a TIP – we were not 100% sure it was OK but the price was on the form and we got a receipt. FYI – your bike may be searched and it will be a lot easier if you can speak French. Roads in Ghana to the border are fine. In CDI the road is being rebuilt so we were on mud for 20(ish) miles. However, it shouldn’t take too long to finish building and then the road all the way to Abidjan will be paved. Roads in CDI are good in the South and up to Yamoussoukro. However, in the West, they turn to mud/dirt. Checkpoints are more frequent in the trouble areas (North East and West). We were never asked for a bribe, just show your documents and you should be on your way. Cote d’Ivoire to Liberia Crossing: Tabou to Harper Visa: XOF25k (£35) for 30 days in Abidjan – Takes 24 hours (but we got it back same day) TIP: £0 (no TIP required for Liberia) Insurance: ECOWAS Brown Card Carnet Needed: No Other: Crossing is at a river and you will need to pay to get across (see notes) Notes: A more challenging border. The roads on both sides are awful (mud) and the crossing is at a river, which presents it’s own challenges. On the Ivorian side, watch for officials trying to rip you off. We were told that you had to pay XOF15k per bike to leave the country. You do not need to pay this. You do however need to hand in your TIP form (although I don’t think anything bad would happen if you did not). The officer requesting the money was in official clothes and worked in the border offices. He will try and stop you getting on the boat and behaved aggressively towards us. In the end, with the light fading and a river to cross, we paid XOF5k for each bike but we should not have done that. Don’t make our mistake. Also, note, the Ivorian and Liberian sides do not communicate with each other as some officials make out. Getting across is also difficult. A large, robust (for West Africa) ferry does operate. However, it is for large trucks and so the cost was very high (unless a truck is waiting and you can persuade them to share cost). As such, we went to the village and found a canoe who would take us across for XOF5k each. The canoe was old, with holes. However, clearly locals do this frequently. Yet of course there is still a risk! Even at XOF5k we slightly overpaid. As such, we told the people who helped lift the bikes in and out to speak to the canoe master for payment. On the Liberian side, the crossing was very easy. No TIP required and friendly officials. However, the road to Harper is very bad. Very narrow, dirt and with trucks driving far too fast around blind corners. Use your horn! Roads in Liberia are the worst we experienced. However, we did drive along the coast, often on roads not on maps. In the rainy season much of it would be impassable. That said, a new road is being built to link Harper to Monrovia (going via Ganta) and when this is done, life should be easy. Checkpoints in Liberia are frequent but friendly. Show your document and be nice. Final warning. In Monrovia, motorbikes without permits are not allowed on the main road (the Tubman Blvd). Drive on this and you will be stopped and the police will be difficult. Avoid at all costs. Liberia to Sierra Leone Crossing: Bo/Masama to Gonghu Visa: $100 for 90 days in Monrovia (takes 24 hours and very unfriendly officials in the embassy) TIP: $80 in Monrovia (you have to buy this from the embassy before entering the country) Insurance: ECOWAS Brown Card Carnet Needed: No Notes: As with entering, leaving Liberia was easy. Very quick and no bribes requested. The crossing itself is a bridge, you do not need to pay to cross. The road up to the border (i.e. from Monrovia) is also paved and takes no time at all. Entering SL was easy – but we were lucky. Initially the officials were friendly. However, we quickly found ourselves in the office of the man in charge and he was not friendly. He immediately told us we had problems with both the visa (we did) and the bike documents and started aggressively questioning us. Just when we thought we were in trouble. An official from the embassy in Monrovia – who we had befriended - walks in and he happens to be the man in charge’s brother! Problem solved. We were on our way 5 minutes later. However, it seemed like the man in charge was a dick to everyone, as even locals were being extorted for cash. The only advice we can offer is to make sure your documents are right. The embassy in Monrovia issued both of our visas wrong and maybe this is on purpose to make problems at the border? Also, please note, after leaving SL we met x2 other overlanders who said the price of a SL was $200 now. I cannot varify this. The road from the SL border to Zimmi/Potoru is the worst we encountered on the whole trip. I wouldn’t even call it a road. Maybe a river bed! In the rainy season, this would be impassable. Despite purchasing a TIP at the embassy, you still need to buy an additional paper for travelling in SL once in the country. Assuming it was legitimate (it seemed so as we got a receipt and the price was on the ticket) you can buy it at any police checkpoint and it doesn’t cost much (sorry – don’t have the exact price). However, you will need local currency to purchase. As with Liberia, police checkpoints in SL are frequent but friendly. The most annoying thing is just how much it breaks your flow and how slow they can be. Apart from the aforementioned, roads in SL are actually in good condition. The riding around the Freetown peninsular is particularly good. Buy your TIP in advance. You will be charged a lot for not having it at the border. Sierra Leone to Guinea Crossing: Kambia to Pamalap Visa: $125 for 90 days in Monrovia, takes 24 hours (but we got it back same day) TIP: $40 in Monrovia (we were strongly advised to buy this at the embassy before entering) Insurance: ECOWAS Brown Card Carnet Needed: No Notes: We had heard this was a particularly tricky crossing and we arrived late in the day as the border was being closed. However, I think that worked to our advantage and we were through in less than 20 minutes. Roads on the SL side are good. However, be warned, traffic is bad leaving Freetown. Also, the officials at the SL border forgot to stamp some documentation. We had to cross back as a result (although we did this without being stamped). On the Guinea side, everyone was friendly enough. We already had the TIP and I would advise everyone to buy this in advance. The road to Forecariah is good (paved) but thereafter (i.e. to Conakry), the road gets bad. Police checkpoints are very frequent in Guinea at the borders. However, in the interior, they are much less frequent. Generally in Guinea if a road is paved, it’s OK. If it’s not paved, it’s shit. Ask locals which are paved/unpaved. Side note, would highly recommend the Fouta Djallon of Guinea. Guinea to Guinea-Bissau Crossing: Dabiss Quebo Visa: $100 for 30 days in Conakry (Same day if you drop off in the morning) TIP: GNF200k (£20) in Conakry (not sure if this is a fixed price or whatever the official of the day feels like. At £20 we were happy enough to pay given how high all our previous TIPs had been) Insurance: ECOWAS: Brown Card Carnet Needed: No Notes: An odd border to say the least. On the Guinea side, the road from Boke to the border is poor quality dirt, involves a river crossing, immigration is miles away from the border and the crossing itself is only a single track. At the river crossing you should once again have the option of a larger ferry for trucks, or a canoe. However, on the day we crossed, we were told the large ferry was out of service. So once again had to pile into a dodgy looking canoe. As ever in West Africa, the locals knew what they were doing and the crossing was fine. Bizarrely immigration is BEFORE this river crossing (at least 15k from the border). It looks like any other police checkpoint but it’s where you get stamped out so make sure you stop at all police checkpoints (even if they look unmanned). Finally, as a warning to car drivers, the last mile or so of the Guinea side is single track. It would have been a lot of work to get a car through. There is supposedly another, easier crossing in this area. However, we couldn’t find it and locals didn’t know so maybe it’s mythical? Final note, don’t be alarmed by the length of the no mans land between the 2 countries, it really is that long! On the GB side, things don’t get any more normal. You cannot be stamped in so need to drive to the police station in Quebo (1 hour away), only they don’t actual stamp your passport. Just register you as arriving in a book. Back at the border, there seemed to be some fake officials, stopping us and asking questions. However, they didn’t ask for money so it was fine with us. Finally, have money to change in Quebo. There is no cash machine until Bissau. Main roads in GB are great. Freshly paved and quick. Police checkpoints are more frequent in the rural areas. However, we were never asked for a bribe. Guinea-Bissau to Senegal Crossing: Sao Domingos to Ziguinchor Visa: Free for 90 days on arrival TIP: XOF2.5k (£3) at border Insurance: ECOWAS Brown Card Carnet Needed: No Notes: Leaving GB was very relaxed. They didn’t even look at one of our passports (and you do not need to be stamped out). Road quality was also good more or less all the way up to the border (except the last few miles). On the Senegal side it’s a lot more chaotic but still problem free. Be warned, apart from the army, no officer we encountered was wearing official clothing – which can be somewhat disconcerting. Go with the flow, eventually you will be shunted around to the right person. A small fee is required for the paper work (TIP). However, we were given a receipt and the cost is nothing (<£4). Roads in Casamance are generally good and we didn’t encounter any police checkpoints. Senegal to The Gambia Crossing: Seleti to Jiboro Visa: XOF25k for 30 days from Bissau (only for Americans). Visa takes 24 hours to issue TIP: XOF4k (£5) at the border Insurance: ECOWAS Brown Card Carnet Needed: No Notes: A busy border crossing. Roads on the Senegal side are good. An official asked us for a bribe and out of pity we paid him a token XOF1k (<£1). On The Gambia side, the officials were extremely friendly and always pleased to speak to native English speakers. We bought a TIP for XOF4k at the border – which seemed legit. Americans are only allowed 2 days in The Gambia without a visa. As such, we bought a visa in Bissau. However, we shouldn’t have bothered as there isn’t a lot to see in The Gambia (unless you head inland – according to others). As we only drove through Gambia along the coast, the roads were fine. There are some police check points on the South side, make sure you stop as they are not always obvious looking. We were asked for bribes but managed to talk our way out of it (Just say Gambia is much nicer than Senegal, the roads are better etc….). The Ferry at Banjul gets very busy but motorbikes can push to the front which makes life easier. The Gambia to Senegal Crossing: Fass to Karang Visa: Free for 90 days on arrival (although we already had the visa) TIP: XOF2.5k (£3) at border (although we already had the TIP) Insurance: ECOWAS Brown Card Carnet Needed: No Notes: Once again a busy border (with day trippers from Gambia entering/leaving Senegal). Leaving Gambia was easy and so was entering Senegal, although we did already have the necessary paper work as we had entered from Bissau. Road quality is good on both sides. Roads throughout Senegal are generally very good. Particularly compared to anywhere South. Police checkpoints were infrequent but officials were friendly. They even helped us change a tire. Be warned, the prevailing Southerly wind kicks in from Dakar upwards which makes going North a lot less fun and much slower. Senegal to Mauritania Crossing: Diama to Diawling National Park Visa: €55 for 30 days at the border (and an additional €10 ‘sign-off' cost) TIP: €10 at the border (and an additional €10 ‘sign-off' cost) Insurance: €10 at the border Carnet Needed: No Other: A bridge charge of €4 (paid in local currency) is also required Notes: The infamous Mauritanian border! We bottled trying at Rosso, we had heard too many horror stories and were crossing in the dry season. The crossing at Diama was surprisingly easy. However, is only passable in dry season. The road on the Mauritanian side was not in good condition and essentially gets washed away once a year. On the Senegal side, the roads up the border are fine. Leaving Senegal was easy. There is a café and toilets and it’s worth making use of both as the Mauritanian side takes time. You cross over a small bridge. It costs about €4 and I would advise getting hold of local currency to pay for this (and other small bribes, should they be needed). We picked up Ouguiya in Saint Louis. However, it might have been better to do this in Dakar. On the Mauritanian side, you will be approached by fixer/s. Someone tips them off in Senegal, so they are waiting. They only charge around €10 to do everything for you. However, the man who approached us was somewhat aggressive and unfriendly and consequently, we decided we would try and cross without help. In the end, it was absolutely fine. Mauritanian officials were much more friendly than expected – although it does take time. The visa is a flat rate of €55. However, you then need to pay €10 to have this signed off. Without doubt, this is not an official cost. However, even the locals were paying it and from speaking to other overlanders. Questioning this cost, or asking for a receipt will only cause problems so best to just pay and move on. You then need to pay €10 for a TIP and again €10 for the army to sign this off. I doubt this is also official but once again you don’t have much choice. Finally, you have to buy insurance. We negotiated down to €10 for 30 days. Once in Mauritania, you will enter the Diawling National Park. You also need to pay a small fee to enter this (another reason it is useful to have local currency in advance). If possible, I would recommend the Diama crossing. It was easy and the road quality was not that bad. However, fill up in Senegal, as there are no petrol stations until Nouakchott. Main roads in Mauritania are good North of Nouakchott. However, non-main roads will be dirt/sand and can be very challenging. I would advise sticking to the main roads. Police checkpoints are common throughout Mauritania. Ensure you have a fiche prepared in advance (you don’t need to add your visa number) and it will be problem free. Finally, bikes can be lifted onto the Iron Ore Train (running from Nouadhibou to Choum and then onto Zouérat). However, don’t expect your bike (or you), to be treated well. Also, we had to sleep on top of the ore in order to stop the bikes being stolen. Mauritania to Morocco (Western Sahara) Crossing: Nouadhibou to Guerguerat Visa: Free for 90 days at the border TIP: 20DHM (£2) for paperwork at the border Insurance: £120 for 55 days at the border Carnet Needed: No Notes: The road from Nouadhibou to the border is good. At the Mauritanian border, look out for fixers. Who will take your passports (acting as officials) and then process the paperwork and demand a charge. We got stung but paid in old rope we were trying to get rid of. There is a café on the Mauritanian side, worth getting something to eat as the Moroccan side can take a long time. The crossing itself is no-mans land, technically under control of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Don’t stray from the ‘road’ – we were told there were land mines. However, it’s all completely safe and the UN are there to observe. On the Moroccan side, the crossing takes time. The paperwork and checks are long and the Moroccans take it seriously. We even had to have the bikes x-rayed. You shouldn’t be charged for the bikes or for a TIP. However, one official did try it with us. Just inform you know it doesn’t cost anything. Insurance in Morocco is expensive. We thought we were getting ripped off at the border. We were not. It really is that expensive throughout the country. Buy it at the border for an easy life. Roads in Western Sahara are great but boring. Police checkpoints are frequent. Once again, a fiche will make your life easier. For Mauritania and Western Sahara, we used over 40 fiches each. In Morocco, roads are great and you can find some really nice driving. Police checkpoints are non-existant. Morocco to Spain Crossing: Tangier to Algeciras Visa: Free for 90 days at the border (Americans only) TIP: £0 (no TIP required for Spain) Insurance: EU Green Card at £130 for 15 days – buy from Lobagola Carnet Needed: No Notes: Roads on the Moroccan side are fine. Buying the ferry online or from the shops in Tangier seemed to be the roughly the same price. It’s cheaper to go from Tangier Med – which is about 45 mins away. The Moroccans once again checked our paperwork in detail and x-rayed the bikes. In Spain, we blasted through the checks. I didn’t even need to take the helmet off for passport control! Spain to UK Crossing: Santander to Portsmouth Visa: Free for 90 days at the border (Americans only) TIP: N/A – Collect a NOVA form from the border officials Insurance: EU Green Card at £130 for 15 days – buy from Lobagola Carnet Needed: No Notes: Leaving Spain was easy. Try not to arrive too late at the ferry, as we did. Entering the UK was also problem free. The bikes were not even checked – despite the Ghanaian plates. Make sure you ask for a NOVA form so you can inform HMRC you have brought the bikes into the UK. Thanks everyone and good luck. West Africa is a great place to travel by bike and I would highly recommend it. Happy to answer any questions people may have. Rory |
Ecowas travel insurance
Hi Rory,
Great information, many thanks. My bike, South African number plates, will arrive in Ghana from Tanzania around mid August. Plan is to travel to the west so your info is very useful. One question: any idea how to get Ecowas Brown Card? All the best, Marcel |
Hi Marcel,
Not too sure on SA plates. With my Ghanaian bike, I had Ghanaian insurance, through a company called Hollard. That cost GHS90 for 6 months (and was valid for Ghana). I then paid an additional GHS10 to get an ECOWAS Brown Card from Hollard. The Process was very simple, you just go to the office, pay the money and the Brown Card is printed for you immediately. With that in mind you could try either seeing if Hollard can print a Brown Card against your SA/Global insurance. Or, if you could buy Ghanaian insurance on your SA registered bike and then get a Brown Card. Hollard have offices in Accra (Airport Residential) but might be worth e-mailing them first. Thanks, Rory |
Perfect Rory,
Have a contact in Accra and he will inquire coming week. Much appreciated, Marcel |
Rory - you paid 20,000CFA to get your bike in at Elubo - Noe border (the main road from Western Region)??? This is TOTALLY illegal, you should never have parted with that money, if you still have any copies of documents from that crossing I would love to have a scan. I'm currently chasing up the CI Custom's authorities about this and more evidence would be wonderful!!!
Ghana to Cote d’Ivoire Crossing: Elubu to Ehania Visa: €58 for 90 days from Accra – takes 24 hours TIP: XOF20k (£27) at the border Insurance: ECOWAS Brown Card Carnet Needed: No Notes: This is the main crossing between Ghana and CDI so plan for some time and a lot of bureaucracy. On the Ghanaian side (maybe as a result of living in Ghana and owning Ghanaian bikes), the officials were uninterested. On the Ivorian side the process was thorough. We had to go through the police, customs and immigration and all had multiple forms to complete, that required speaking to multiple people. However, everyone was friendly (not always helpful) and the process seemed legit. You will need to pay XOF20k for a TIP – we were not 100% sure it was OK but the price was on the form and we got a receipt. FYI – your bike may be searched and it will be a lot easier if you can speak French. Roads in Ghana to the border are fine. In CDI the road is being rebuilt so we were on mud for 20(ish) miles. However, it shouldn’t take too long to finish building and then the road all the way to Abidjan will be paved. Roads in CDI are good in the South and up to Yamoussoukro. However, in the West, they turn to mud/dirt. Checkpoints are more frequent in the trouble areas (North East and West). We were never asked for a bribe, just show your documents and you should be on your way. |
I love your zeal, C -- when we got gigged in Man by some Lt. Colonel for a whopping 60.000 XOF, he entered all of our information and amounts into a computer and generated us a printout receipt. Surely if your official was serious about corruption with TIPs, he need only peek into their database?
I'll see if I can scrounge up the paperwork to fuel your campaign. Kudos. :thumbup1: |
I want a copy of yours too then!!!
Unbelievable! This was at the Nzo border or??? I'm going to get this stamped out, I've done a lot of things to help travellers coming CI, this is my current bugbear that I'll get sorted! Ask DaveTheHat about getting non-existent visas for a group in Bamako ... Quote:
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Funny story on this one actually -- we started at the Nzo border, but the kid there didn't know what a Carnet was, nor what else to do -- and called (after numerous attempts at not getting a cell signal) for instructions. Then he ordered us to follow him on his motorbike. Keeping up with a motorcycle on THAT road is a chore in a Subaru. He was super impatient with us. We felt like Indiana Jones. Next town up didn't know what to do with us either, so on to the next. Repeat twice more over 2 hours, and we end up in Man. Good news: We planned to be in Man a day later, so we saved a lot of time. The border kid just sailed through what must have been a dozen cop checkpoints, and we just sheepishly shrugged and followed him through. We got tons of dirty looks, but the kid had a better uniform, so that's how it goes. In Man's Douanes office, The Lt.Col gets summoned for us at 4pm and is not pleased when he rolls in 45 mins waiting later. He grudgingly writes us out the TIP for the 60.000 and explains that he's doing us a huge favor. Then he sails back off in his gov't issue Hilux. I'll dig up the paper, it's still somewhere in the car. Will happily share. Hopefully it's worth something since he attended to it himself personally. :D I hope you don't make too many waves. You're snatching beer money out of a lot of official mouths with this. :D You're my hero. |
You paid HOW much?!!!!!!!!!:censored: I'm now absolutely FUMING ... I will be taking this to the Anti-Corruption squad and a Director Regionale of customs to get this sorted. The whole situation is crazy and I am FED UP with customs trying to screw tourism out of Cote d'Ivoire ... Please do find your document and check to see if there are any names/numbers written on the other side of the paper you might want to scan to me too.
This HAS to stop! :nono: The Police FB group got a real mixed reaction particularly when I told one of them (later found out he was a customs guy too) that there is NO fixed price for a TIP and that in law it's for free ... then went on to quote the different prices I know of! Other Ivorians were behind me with many saying that the Customs guys are the most corrupt bunch of govt. officials (I could tell you more but not publicly!!!) Your Lt Col was probably with his mistress for a siesta, then went to church on Sunday ... I'll say no more!!! Yours is 10,000CFA more than any others, Niable, where I seem to remember you crossed into Ghana, east of Abengourou but you should have come to meet me; wanted 50,000CFA for it when I went to renew mine (their claims on $$$ last 2 minutes with me!) When I get this sorted, I'll be asking all HUBB members coming through CI to buy me an evening drink :clap: :thumbup1: Quote:
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Kira,
I don’t have a copy of the TIP. The agent at the border near Tabou (leaving CDI) took the TIP documents from us when we were negotiating our bribe with him to leave the country! He seemed very funny about making sure he got those documents (we were reluctant to give them to him initially) from us. I wish we hadn’t but in the end we thought we had no more use for them. In Noe, we paid on the second floor of the large building I think contained the customs officials. It was a large green and yellow building with the front half acting as a yard used to search vehicles. We were shunted about between a number of different offices – as a number of officials wanted to sign the TIP document. We did initially think it was odd as we had recently spoken to someone who didn’t pay for a TIP. However, the form looked legit – and had a price on, we were given a receipt and because so many people had signed/reviewed the form (without asking for bribes) we decided to pay. If you are going to take up problems with the authorities please bring up the Tabou crossing. The border agent clearly worked for the government (he had a uniform and worked out a government building) but was very aggressive and openly corrupt. Moreover, he was in league with the boat owners in the village, which made it even more difficult to cross without giving him something. Which is why we ended up paying CFA5k for each bike. Thanks Rory |
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Does anyone know if the Guinea Conakry Embassy in Bamako is issues visas?
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The same procedure as every year ...
Hello seeb, never saw a name of you nor a country, where you come from ... Alian? The embassey "De La République De Guinée" is still there, where it is the last 20+ years ago in Bamako and still offers visa for a horrible price (120tCFA) for 1-3 months. https://www.google.de/maps/place/Amb...1!4d-7.9703717 Greetings Ferdi |
Recent update on Travel without carnet.
Bike is 2003 Bmw r1150GS valued maybe €1800. Entered Ghana 2 week’s ago (2/2018) at main frontier from Lome, Togo. Given TIP without a problem but had to buy ecowas insurance as Senegalese insurance ‘not accepted ‘. Entered Nigeria last week and was also asked for carnet but when I explained age and value they had no interest and let me pass but gave me no Customs paper. Entered Cameroon yesterday and was asked for carnet but when explained age and value I was given a free 30 day passavant. That’s all so far. Simon Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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No Carnet, just TIP |
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Facebook message on 03/July/18 of Nigeria denying entry into Cameroon. Will keep an eye out for updates
Facebook message reads as follows; "We were denied entry into Cameroon today at Ekok crossing. They said it is too dangerous and the won’t allow tourists to cross. We were there about 2 hours. We spoke with someone from the army who said that he was the one who gave the order to the consulates and embassies to stop issuing visas to overlanders. Everyone was extremely deferential to him so I think he was important. He said the situation is very bad. We went over the map with him to Investigate alternatives. Importantly he said the Bissaula crossing is more dangerous than Ekok and Bot to take it. He said we could crossing near Gembu Nigeria which goes into the central region of Cameroon and said it would be safe. But that gets pretty far north into Nigeria which is certainly not safe. Thankfully the Nigeria side let us go over and talk with Cameroon before stamping us out. We rode down to Calabar and got a quote to take a ferry to Doulala for 350 USD each for our passage and motorbike. For a car the price is 1,000,000 cfa or about 1800 USD. For us it’s not worth the risk to try up north. Also it’s been raining so much and I don’t want to ride in the muddy mountain roads haha. Good luck to all." |
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We just got our Cameroon visa issued from Madrid today and they know we are planning to travel from Nigeria to Cameroon via Ekok, so I don't think the Facebook message is correct.
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The information about the border at Ekok being closed for foreigners is definitely correct. Some foreigners have driven to Gembu and crossed there and others have taken the ferry from Calabar.
These are the only 2 options to cross from Nigeria to Cameroon. |
Hello, sorry I have not been online much recently as life gets in the way. I am aware that this thread is slowly getting out of date so PLEASE if you have any new information regarding visas that conflicts with the information given here, please post it in the thread and send me an e-mail to remind me to login and update the original post. Let's keep this information up to date :)
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