Isiolo to Moyale on a motorcycle - info needed
 

Hi all,

I'm currently travelling 2-up with my girlfriend from Cape to Cairo. We are currently in Tanzania and we will soon enter into Kenya.

We are traveling on a F800GS which is fully loaded and we are a bit concern on the road from Isiolo to Moyale. We have a few questions:

- We don't have a tent - what are the support points (housing) along the way? Directions/gps points would be greatly appreciated!
- is it possible to buy fuel on the road or we need to carry enough fuel to cover the whole distance?
- We plan to do this road in about 2 weeks - any latest info on weather/road conditions?
- anyone in the area heading the same way?

Thank you very much for sharing any info/links that will help us prepare for this part of the trip!

SalCar

hi you can get petrol in marsabit and there is a campingplace run by a friendly swiss guy too. He can also do welding if neccesary. GPS positions here

http://afrikamotorrad.de?report=en_transafrika

plan two days minimum for this trip the deep gravel road is hard to ride but your passenger could jump on one of the trucks going there...

cu Tobi

The Swiss is not gay. At least as far as I know.

thank you! we don't have camping gear... do you know if he also has rooms to rent?

:rofl:

You can also stay at the Catholic Congregation, for the equivalent of 5 euros you can have a room with a clean bed, hot shower and the use of the kitchen.
It is very close to the camping site mentioned by Ta-Rider.
There is nothing much in terms of lodging after Marsabit going north... The only place I can recall is near the second road block but I really would not recommend it...
If you cannot make it to Moyale before sunset you can stop at the catholic mission some 80 km before Moyale.
Let me know if you need coordinates and I will dig them out.
Once in Moyale there is a decent place in the Ethiopian side with nice straw bungalows.
Check security situation on the Isiolo-Marsabit leg before hitting the road, not the safest of places... And no, there is no fuel except in Marsabit.
Cheers

Jeys Jeys
 

We stayed at JEY JEYS & they had a good bed & really good food, We met alot of overlanders there as they have a compound for them to park vehicles.
It's just on the left as you come to Marsabit. bier
Then in Nairobery stay at the other Jj's (Jungle Junction) try & book the bottom room (Comfy bed & own toilet & shower)
Cheers
Paul

Last time I was there, the Swiss guy did not have rooms for rent. He just has some spare huts on his farm. Very peaceful actually.

Thank you everyone. We just came across the road from Isiolo to Moyale.
It had been raining pretty much every day in Nairobi and it rain on us when we arrived in Isiolo. We heard that the road was in very bad conditions so we decided to rent a 4x4 Land Cruiser and put the bike on it.

By the time we loaded the bikes and hit the road was noon. We rode for 18 hours straight (mostly at night). The driver had never driven a 4x4, was high on chat and the road was in very bad conditions. We passed several trucks that had been stuck for days and we had our share of digging and pushing.

Here is picture of the beginning of the road:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...35369601_n.jpg

We rented the truck from a guy in Isiolo named Mohamed (+254 721 708968) and his son Wako. We do not recommend them as it was a BIG hassle to deal with them. We paid 550 USD for two bikes. There is also a guy in town that help us find the pick-up truck his name is Kala (+254 718 218 010).

The road is doable if it hasn't rain in at least 4 days but otherwise plan for several days pushing the bike through the mud.

Glad you made it. It is amazing how terrible the road is from about halfway between Isiolo -Marsabit to the border. I am always torn on terrible roads like this getting paved and becoming nice. On the one hand it is better for commerce, safety, enables people to move more quickly, etc. On the other hand, it takes away from the adventure and isolation of places like Marsabit. Apparently, over the past 5 or so years the road has slowly been inching north. Of course they say "by next year it'll be to Ethiopia!"...but they've apparently been saying that for 10 years.

Hope the rest of your trip goes well!

hi i will be in moyale next monday night 29 april hoping to ride south on tuesday morning is anyone traveling this way around that time as it would be great to have company on this road i am traveling solo on a yamaha xt 600 .does anyone know the condition of the road now or the weather forecast for the week ahead thanks

Hi SalCar,
The last two weeks there was not much rain between marsabit and Isiolo.
Hopefully the mud has gone away....
The forecast for the next week is not so bad. Only 30% probability of some drops of rain.
I hope you will make it. Good luck.
Stefan

Gesendet von meinem GT-I9300 mit Tapatalk 2

the mud river crossing only attempted in daylight | Jolon Imp's Blog

For recent pics see this blog of a Hillman Imp traveling north (they had to put it on a truck in the end).

BBC weather for Moyale is showing heavy rain from Monday onwards so may be a bit of a slog.

What a muppet, I don't know how I didn't see this thread!! I blame shoddy internet and hours worth of waiting for pages to upload!

Anyone know if you can pick up a visa at the Kenyan Border for Kenya??

Sam and I will be on two KTM 690's Enduro R's and crossing the border either Wednesday or Thursday (depending on the visa situation! Reckon we'll pick our visa up tomorrow in Addis just to be on the safe side so will be in Moyale Wednesday night!)

Frankie Boy - we are a couple of days behind you!! If we don't catch you ride safe :)

Cheers People!

Clare and Sam

Yes, you can get the Kenian visa at the border in Moyale.
Cheers

Kenyan visa is easy to obtain and seems to be $50 USD for most nationalities. The only issue with the crossing is if you get there too late, you won't be able to get your carnet stamped and will need to wait until morning. They'll let you go into Moyale and you can camp at the police station for free.

Wow amazing do you have more photos for us???

hi pheebs hope you managed the moyale marsabit road it was in terrible condition when i was there as it had been raining i am now in naquru on way to kitale then uganda dont know your rout or schedule if its similar we may meet for beer somewhere along the way if not stay safe and enjoy the ride

http://jolonimp.files.wordpress.com/...4/p4150745.jpgSince we drove through it mostly at night we couldn't get any good pics. Here is a pic from other guys that cross it a couple of days a part from us.

I hope this stretch of Africa NEVER gets paved! :thumbup1: :mchappy:

Unfortunately it will... Then cape to cairo will be doable even on a Ducati 1199. :( actually it is possible now as you can rent a 4x4 for this somewhat rough bit... and pay huge amounts of money only couse you afford it. Thing are changing fast and we are the major cause of it.

So you think its alright that people have to suffer very badly due to expensive, slow, highly unconfortable and mostly unavailable transportation for themselves + stuff/merchandise and lack of basically everything from water to food to healthcare because some rich westerners want to have their little once in a lifetime adventure ? Sorry, but I consider this extremely sick ...

That area is one of the poorest in east africa and in my opinion a paved road would lead to plenty opportunities to change that. If you want some first hand stories and information what kinda crazy shit is going on there, ask around in Isiolo for Paul and his "Fursa children center", the new name is "Pawel Huk Foundation / New hope for Africa" but locals will know it as "Fursa". He is a polish dude and I think is the only white person who lives in town permanently. You can ask every streetkid or in the few hotels around they will know the directions to his compound. Contact him through Facebook or his homepage New Hope Africa | Nie zostawię was sierotami… – J 14,18 and if you are around you definately should visit his place ! Very good guy, I had an awesome time in Isolo thanks to him.

By the way, the tarmac doesn´t stop in Isiolo but around 20-30km further north and when it hasn´t rained you can even do it on a 125cc classic vespa, it just takes a little bit longer and becomes more bumpy ! :mchappy:


cheers,
Chris

Isiolo to Moyale on a motorcycle - info needed
 

Dear Chris, I think you just got it wrong. First the very expensive transport in the area is getting even more expensive and more inaccessible for the locals because some rich white westerners are willing to pay huge amounts of money to have their precious and fragile motorbikes over this somewhat rough stretch. Not to mention the possible extortion of any other white traveler, who from any other reason need this transport (mechanical failure or medical reason).
I find a bit naive to think that a paved road will dramatically change the situation in the area. It will commercially... and that is the only reason that road will get tared (Or haven't got tared so far - no commercial necessity). Let's put it differently. Would you be ok with the highway through Serengeti couse this way some remote villages will get more access to primarily unnecessary things? The NGO workers are getting the help in remote communities no mater the road conditions. "Coca cola" type of consumerist things will get in that community only with the "help" of a tared road. "God grew tired of us" is a good movie some what on this subject.
There are other ways to help a poor community and an tared road isn't necessary the best one. The road could be upgraded to a good sealed gravel road and the huge difference invested in water wells in the remote areas for example, or schools, or clinics or... But no; it has to be tared. This way you can have commercial traffic (lorries full of containers from Mombasa) to Ethiopia. Is the only reason why the road will get tared.