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How cold does it get at night through Africa ?? How cold does it get at night through Africa ??
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  #1  
Old 15 Jun 2010
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How cold does it get at night through Africa ??
Hey all...

Travelling down through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Aftica.

We will hit Egypt in early October and take about 4-6 months to reach Capetown.

Now, I'm trying to guage what kind of night time temperatures we will face if camping out.

Will my 2 season sleeping bag be enough ?? I hear it gets sub zero in the desert but is that JUST in the desert and in winter ??

Thanks in advance, Ed
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Old 15 Jun 2010
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Originally Posted by *Touring Ted* View Post
Hey all...

Travelling down through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Aftica.

We will hit Egypt in early October and take about 4-6 months to reach Capetown.

Now, I'm trying to guage what kind of night time temperatures we will face if camping out.

Will my 2 season sleeping bag be enough ?? I hear it gets sub zero in the desert but is that JUST in the desert and in winter ??

Thanks in advance, Ed
coldest will probably be:
Ethiopia (esp highlands) in January
Botswana and SA interior are cold in July - colder than 2 seasons bag - frost at night.
The rest will be warm.

(This thread will prb find its way to the sub-Saharan forum soon).
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Old 15 Jun 2010
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Im trying to work out if its worth me carring a big and bulky bag !

If it's only just now and then, I suppose i could just wear my fleece and clothes in bed with me lol.
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Old 15 Jun 2010
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Im trying to work out if its worth me carring a big and bulky bag !

If it's only just now and then, I suppose i could just wear my fleece and clothes in bed with me lol.

Hi Edward, start of October I had a 3 season good quality lightweight bag and it sufficed for all bar 1 night in northern Sudan when I slept on an upturned small boat to watch the stars and space junk, absolutely magic. That night because it was it was gin clear the temp went down to -3 on the bike thermometer, a garden centre special stuck on the wind shield, I had all my riding gear on and survived. I didn't put my tent up and sleep with my head stuck out because by the time I got round to attempting an erection so to speak, I realised what the locals use to fertilize their fields and I was in the middle of a local field alongside the Nile and not wanting to get the tent fertilized I opted for the nautical option. Star gazing in the desert highly recommended. Ride safe.
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Old 15 Jun 2010
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In Pretoria, South Africa it was 8 C around 17:00 today.

Cold in my opinion. Days warm up nicely though and it's almost always sunny.

Sleeping wise, I suppose it helps if you have a good tent and sleeping pad.
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Old 15 Jun 2010
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I filled a kettle for the morning in the Kalahari and it was frozen solid in the morning (in winter).
Silk sleeping bag liners are fantastic, you can use them on their own when it's really hot and when it's cold they add about a season to a sleeping bag, they pack into less than a cup size/
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Old 15 Jun 2010
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Originally Posted by Honybadger View Post
I filled a kettle for the morning in the Kalahari and it was frozen solid in the morning (in winter).
Silk sleeping bag liners are fantastic, you can use them on their own when it's really hot and when it's cold they add about a season to a sleeping bag, they pack into less than a cup size/
Yup.. I have a silkworm liner. Only a tenner on ebay - brilliant !

Looks like im taking the 2 season with a liner and be prepared to wear my fleece in bed.
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Old 15 Jun 2010
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I put dry socks and base layer on ready for the next day and wear a woolly hat if it's proper-cold.
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Old 16 Jun 2010
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Dude, Obviously we were west side (ayiiii) but unless you're going to high altitudes, I don't think you'll have a problem. The timing of our trip was similar (Morocco in late sept, cameroon at xmas, namibia and SA in early Feb). I used the knackered 2-season bag (900g of Vango's best Microloft) I've owned for the last 17 years or so, and was pretty much always warm enough with just that.

For a lot of the time the problem was staying cool enough at night. I remember one night outside the Hotel d'Equateur on the way back from picking up a package in Libreville, just lying on top of my coolmax sleeping bag liner which I'd stretched over the thermarest as a bedsheet and still sweating profusely.

For quite a lot of the time we were just using our tents as self-supporting mozzie nets, leaving the flysheets off. Though it's best not to leave the flysheet folded up on the ground, or you end up with termites eating through it, which is why mine has gaffer-tape patches all over it...
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Old 16 Jun 2010
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August in Etosha, Namibia a few years ago, we went from freezing at night to 45 centigrade in the afternoon. We could actually feel the temperature changing through the day.

One warning - don't assume that if it's that hot you can just leap straight into the swimming pool. I nearly died from the shock of hitting ice cold water!

Otherwise, you'll find that people in South Africa and Botswana do tend to exaggerate regarding cold nights - they're just a bit soft.
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Old 17 Jun 2010
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Originally Posted by Roboyobo View Post
August in Etosha, Namibia a few years ago, we went from freezing at night to 45 centigrade in the afternoon. We could actually feel the temperature changing through the day.

One warning - don't assume that if it's that hot you can just leap straight into the swimming pool. I nearly died from the shock of hitting ice cold water!

Otherwise, you'll find that people in South Africa and Botswana do tend to exaggerate regarding cold nights - they're just a bit soft.
It was -8 degrees last night in some parts of South Africa (most inland parts were below freezing, luckily not here on the coast in Cpt). I know its winter, but still!!!!
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Old 13 Jul 2010
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OK, yes that's a little bit chilly. I might take a long-sleeve shirt with me.
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Old 15 Dec 2010
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What do we reckon about Namibia and the eastern route starting in late March/ early April. Thinking the same about sleeping bags. 2 season with Sea to Summit liner enough?

The centre section of the route would be in Winter going through the trip. Also being in the rainy season. Still looking into that.
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