Security in Africa 2016 update
 

Hey guys,

I'm thinking about touring Africa at the end of the year and have been reading a lot about which countries are regarded as safe. The problem is most of these posts are a little dated.

Any current advice for the situation in 2016?

Jess.

Are you thinking any particular part of Africa? There are several post about women's safety in Africa with opinions usually split between those who have not been who say don't go and those who have who say go. Here is one useful post with helpful comments from Tiffany Coates and Lorraine Chittock who have both traveller extensively in Africa on their own.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...t-africa-83875

Hello Bikergirl,

I am a security advisor to humanitarian NGO's that work all over Africa, so would like to think I have a decent handle on what is safe and doable and where to avoid. I will actually be giving a talk on security planning for overlanders at HUBB UK next week. As Mark says, it depends where you want to go. The countries/areas to avoid at the moment are Libya, southern and eastern Algeria, eastern Mauritania, northern Mali, eastern or southern Chad, Western Sudan, all of South Sudan, Ethiopia near the Somalia border, the same with Kenya (Somalia border), Central African Republic, north-east Nigeria, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (the Kivu areas) and Burundi. So, despite a log and rather sad list, there are still massive areas to travel through...and some of the best really.

Yep read that one! I'll probably be with a male partner so I'm not too concerned about security for women specifically. Just a lot of people I have spoken to recently have been advising to avoid Africa so I'm wondering what the deal is.

Ok great so this is the kind of advice I've been looking for!

Well we were thinking about riding down the west coast and back up the east. So I guess if we sort of stay around the coast without venturing too far inland then we should be ok?

Damn! Can you record your talk for the rest of us to listen to? It sounds really interesting.

I wander around West Africa as a sole female several times a year, with & without transport ... have absolutely no problem. I find I'm treated with a lot of respect on the whole & never had anything to worry about apart from mad drivers!

I am not sure if anything gets recorded but I can certainly send you my presentation.

As for the coastal route, yes, it is doable. Lots of little borders to cross in West Africa. Your biggest challenge will be weather. You want to avoid the rainy season in west and central Africa as the mud can get pretty bad if you end up off the tar in any sections.

On the east side you will have to work out a ferry across the Med because you can no longer do the land route back through Jordan/Lebanon/Syria into Turkey and onwards to Europe.

Keep an eye on DR Congo as well. Quite safe in coastal areas but they have a possible election coming up at the end of the year that may be controversial.

I have just been down the west to Guinea and then across above the border with Sierra Leone and Liberia, upward to Mali where I am now. Only thing I have encountered are petty cops who've extracted a total of 15 euro in bribes, and a whoooole lot of friendly people who are just stoked to see you. You'll be fine, there are many other people doing it right now. It's only the I'll informed ones who listen too much to the media that stay away from Africa as a whole

My wife and I are going down from Kenya to Cape Town, the bottom 8 or 10 countries in a vaguely SW direction, using three or four months to do it, so this is very interesting.
I've definitely got the doom predictions from people who don't travel and encouragement from people who do.

You might need longer
 

I had to chuckle when I saw your post...sorry!! It just reminded me of mybwife and I, when we set out on our trip heading north along the west coast...we had been planning on 3 to 4 months for the whole trip...and now 5 months in and we still have what we estimate to be another 2 months at least on the Rd.

It not that we are trying to travel slowly...just that the visa hunts and other unforseen delays that you can only encounter in africa have gotten the better of us. We have now resigned ourselves to the fact that it will take as long as it takes and despite wondering what the he'll we signed ourselves up for sometimes, are absolutely loving it!!

Happy travel

Danny

All-R'over-Africa

Hello BikerGirl,

I have been planning a world tour for the past 4 years. At first I was not going to include Africa due to all those concerns, however, when I spoke with my good friend Ewan McGregor he told me the following: "Madeleine, when we were filming the Long Way Down documentary, the Africans did not welcome us as a group of guys, however, when my wife Eve joined us, the women can out and helped us because there was a woman in the group and they wanted to protect her". Ewan's message to me was that I should include Africa and not be afraid. He opened my eyes and now I will be starting my tour in Africa sometime in July 2017. I am currently trying to figure out for the best transport for my motorcycle from the New England, I live near Boston Massachusetts (USA).

If you are interested in how I know Ewan, please check out my website with my story, here is the link to it: Madeleine Velazquez, female motorcycle adventurer rider. - Missrider "While I Am Still Able to - World Tour"
He is incredible......

Oh, I will be riding alone as I cannot find anyone to join me, you are welcome to ride with me. I might start in South Africa as there is a company that can take my bike there but they us a cargo ship. I am not too excited about shipping my bike via cargo and prefer air as that is what everyone on the HUBB recommends. Would love to hear from you.

Missrider
missrider.com

Africa
 

Hi Bikergirl,

you got good information here to your question. Tembos advise is very good. I am sure I would do some of the areas he lists, but I would take extra care. We (my ex-girlfriend and I) did Burundi in 2004 and it was not safe, but doable.

Be aware that the situation can change in any African country very quickly. We were stuck in a civil war in Togo for five day in 2005, because we ignored the warnings of upcoming elections. Make sure you carry a small world receiver radio, because in 2005 this was for us the only way to get outside information in Togo. Internet, cellphone networks, local radio and tv stations did not work and the borders were closed. Try always to be up to date about the news coming out of the place you are in or you are going to. And as Tembo said, dont underestimate elections like I did.

As somebody said, Africa overland is never easy, but it rewards you with a lot of nice people and you learn a lot.

Enjoy your journey
mika

Is the security problem in eastern Chad new?
Back in January 2014 I traveled from Ndjamena to Adre right at the border with western Sudan and the whole route was safe and secure. People were super nice and helpful as well as the army. The route is actually safe all the way to AlJunaynah in western Sudan and there is a joint force between the Sudanese and the Chadians to secure those parts.

Totally agree with Mika, keep your ear to the ground, that doesn't mean the internet or BBC news, but talking to people locally, listening to local radio, reading the front pages of newspapers.

I entered Guinea just prior to Conte's strikes & realised something was up as soon as I entered, everyone was listening to the radio I wondered about doubling back & returning to Guinea Bissau but kept going. I finally managed to get over the Senegalese border a week later with some of the last fuel available.

I was in Cote d'Ivoire for almost two months during the crisis of 2010/2011, again, we had text messaging & internet turned off intermittently by Gbagbo's government. The borders kept closing. My BIGGEST worry was actually family & friends who were SO insistent that I should leave but weren't on the ground to see the situation. Unfortunately international propaganda had hit their TV screens & I got the repercussions of the nonsense that was being said. I had a 'back route' out into Ghana if it did get nasty for me, I later discovered Ghana would have treated me as a refugee (this is an international convention of some sort) if I had illegally gone over the border without stamps & there is nothing to worry about!

Burundi, started getting nasty before the last elections, the night I arrived in Bujumbura there were grenades being thrown 200m down the street. Friends tell me it's got a lot worse and Bujumbura and certain regions are off-limits.

There have been a few other occasions, once when I was a teenager & therefore with my father which did get threatening. However, as a single female I was fine on each occasion and well looked after, people were pleading with me to stay ... it was a sad day with a lot of tears when I finally did leave.

Go for it & enjoy it ...

Very nice message Creer.
Looks like having a hand radio is a good idea, even now?
I just wonder about the language? Will I understand what they are saying in the radio? just thoughts and concerns that come to my mind.
Thanks for sharing your experience, it helps all of us.

No real need for a radio, people will share their knowledge with you, particularly those on the road, you could probably pick up a few stations with a smartphone.

Language, if you have passable French you will find it easier ... known people without any French at all. Difficult for me to say as I'm bilingual. If you pick up some regional language words locally it'll go down well too!

Hi Bikergirl,

I did not mean just a radio, we had a small world receiver radio and we could pick up a lot of international stations on our way up the West coast. It was good to listen to in the tent for half an hour before sleeping. And as I said, in the five days we were stuck in Togo it was the only form of getting international news ... but of course most of the important infos we got from locals.

Sure understanding the language is of course key to understanding what comes out of any devise or from any local. French and English are needed in West Africa, of course you dont have to be fluent but you need basics skills.

Dont know if you can use a smart phone ( I call them spy phone) as a broadband world receiver radio ... but find out and you will save weight carring something you dont need.

Enjoy Africa.
mika

As others have alluded to, quite possibly the biggest problem is friends/family back home that alas, have bought into the myth of Darkest Africa. It is not dark. It is LIGHT. I lived in Kenya five years, Egypt for 7 years before that, have travelled throughout the continent since 1983 and (knock on wood) have never had a problem that fits the alarmist views we hear in the media or from friends who haven’t gone.

I always laugh when I hear people doing RTW and skipping out Africa. Um, really? Cradle of humanity, almost the biggest continent in the world and you're skipping it?? Sigh.

Like CREER wrote, the best source of info is the locals. Stay away from government news sources, as they have an agenda.

I’m currently making a film, Rallying for A Wild Life that takes place in East Africa. It’s about how motorbikes are being used to help wild life and conservation but it includes oh so much more! If any of ya’ll will be in Tanzania, Kenya and especially Uganda, (where you can RIDE IN the game parks next to wild life), message me and I’ll see if I can include you in the film. Or maybe we can meet for a mini-HU gathering! This would be February/March time scale.

Lorraine

Beware the official travel advisory
 

For those who speak French, "Le Monde" newspaper talking about how the french foreign ministry is killing tourism in Mauritania and Mali, while keeping other destinations like southern Turkey on the safe list.

Vent de colère contre les «*conseils aux voyageurs*» du Quai d’Orsay dans le Sahel

Great list but would disagree with that bit.
It's the only part of the Algerian Sahara open to tourism (mostly fly-in, tbf)
Looking forward to getting back there next year.
Only problem for southbound overlanders: no way out of Alg.

here is a blog of a wonderful couple who are travelling through africa by bike at the moment.. hope it gives you some current insight.. Pearls On Wheels I'm sure if you contact Diana directly (or Dick!) they'd be most happy to give you up to date info..