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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 30 Mar 2013
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I crossed Mauritania this past week over the course of two days. Went through Noudibhou and Nouakchott during the day and wild camped off the main road both nights. Felt perfectly safe the entire time.
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Old 2 Apr 2013
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thanks all.

i look forward to re-reading this thread once ive done the trip, i'm sure ill give myself a laugh as i worried that the roads wouldnt be "hard enough"...
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Old 5 Apr 2013
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After few days of driving in South Sudan friend of mine who resides here told me "now you know why I do not like off-roading back in Europe"
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Old 8 Apr 2013
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If you want enough "off tarmac" to last a lifetime, just go from Bissau to Conakry.
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Old 22 Apr 2013
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The nice thing with Africa is taht the "main route" down the east coast is paved virtually the entire way. THere is a patch in Kenya that is terrible, and some spots in Tanzania, but SA, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi...all great roads. Kenya for the most part is also good (aside from Moyale to about halfway between Marsabit and Isiolo). Ethiopia has decent roads, but with scattered potholes. It is the people and livestock on the road which causes the largest issues. Sudan's roads are very good and newly paved with Chinese labor and money. Egypt's roads are about 75% speed bumps, but other than that, easy to drive.

Don't worry, it hasn't gotten too tame and there will be multiple opportunities for flat tires, and destroyed suspension!

So if you have gone a couple of days and are yearning for offroading, any of the secondary roads should suffice. If THAT isn't enough, some of the parks in various countries allow for driving off of the paths, so that should be even better.
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Old 23 Apr 2013
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I'm also trying to plan a 95% off road trip through Africa. Besides the added adventure I'm also trying to avoid the drunk/high/asleep truck drivers using the main roads.

My method is using google earth. I'm constantly amazed about how much detail is available on their aerial imagery. I use similar techniques finding new trails for local trail riding.

I wouldn't take a heavily laden 650 though. We're planning it on 2x WR250R's with a giantloop on the back and a few other items hung on. With properly adjusted suspension it should be fine. I figure if they can handle the trail riding around here why not the B/ farm roads in Africa.
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Old 23 Apr 2013
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good luck with it. My advice would be to create a loose plan and sort of tweak it as you go based on the people that you talk to. As I'm sure you're aware there are a lot of overlander hubs across Africa and they are great places to meet people and swap stories. We changed/diverted our route several times based on information that we picked up at those places. There were a lot of bikers there that would team up for a couple of weeks to go to the next destination taking on some killer back roads and trails.

Many of them told us that they had never planned to be that adventurous as they were going it alone, but meeting up with 4 other folks, they felt more confident going more off the beaten path. We'd meet up with some of these folks later and hear their great stories.
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