Hi !

Due to massive Ethopian visa troubles i "may" be forced to bypass it and go from Kampala to Karthoum through South-Soudan.

Send my passport home to germany / frankfurt 2 weeks ago, they refused to give the visa if i was not there in person but told my parents who went there with my passport that now that they have seen my passport I could get it in Kampala as they have contacted Addis Abbaba about it, but this seems not to be the case after I have been there last friday and nobody knows anything. I will bother them every day next week but if they continue to refuse although i have done everything they´ve asked I may be forced to find an alternative route.

Has anybody recently gone that way and could share some experiences of piste-conditions / security / distances ?

thanks

greetings from the shore of Lake Victoria / Kampala,

Chris

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Mate,

Sudan and South Sudan were virtually at war a few weeks ago and nothing has really been resolved since. Sudan itself is experiencing 'unrest' in the form of protests and so Sudan is unlikely to want to have you enter across the border area even if you can, nor actually have you in the country at the moment. And it is a border 'area' not a single line to cross with polite immigration on each side.

It is also July - the middle of summer in the Sahara. I was here in April and it was 44 degrees and getting really unbearable.

Looking from a safe distance, I'd go to Nairobi where I now believe you can get a Ethiopia visa again (somebody conform?) and wait for things including the summer period to finish and look forward to Sudan in Oct/Nov or something....

You just crossed DRC I think? Things in the Arab countries are a lot more organised and serious than in the rest of Africa, its much harder to wing it or pay when the military have firm orders etc. The benefits of trying to go via South Sudan don't seem anywhere near worthwhile compared to popping down to Nairobi and getting the Ethiopia visa there. Nairobi is also the easier place to get a Sudan visa, so two birds with one stone....

Just my 2 cents worth anyway....

I havent got the visa myself (since im heading south) But i have meet about 5 people (American, Australian, Japaneses and two Romanian) at Jungle Junction who can confirm they got their visa here in two days and it cost only $20.

Just turn up with everything you need and a nice story about how much you need this visa and wallah you have an Ethiopia Visa.

I believe that Khartoum seams to be having a problems, but im pretty sure if you keep your head and you will be able to avoid the clashes. Or you could drive right through the city and dont spend the night there....

If you do end up going through South Sudan - I would love to hear how it goes... I would like to do that some day too.

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A friend has just crossed South Sudan. She could not cross the border from Ethiopia to South Sudan directly (Ethiopians wouldn't allow for the exit), so had to make a detour through Kenya.

As has been said before there is no way (!!) crossing the war zone between Sudan and South Sudan at this moment. I know of some South Africans who have managed to do so a few years ago but that was right after the peace agreement which now seems to be a distant memory.

Another friend tried to go South from Khartoum but was stopped way before the border area in Kordofan by police checkpoints.

So this is no alternative, I believe.

It would really be good news if the Nairobi option would be up again for the Ethiopian visa.

Greetings
Achim

More waiting is not possible, i am stuck in Uganda since 2 month due to various issues and have to be back in Germany end of november.

Thanks for your replys, so southern Soudan seems to be off the radar depending a transit to Karthoum.

Been to the north Soudan embassy in Kampala this morning and getting a visa now is absolutely straight forward without hassles. You have 2 month to enter and 2 weeks in the country, costs around 50 dollars and takes 2 working days without any documents, carnet, invitation letter or recommendation letter demanded !

The ethiopian embassy here in Kampala is ice cold, you´re no resident, you get no visa, there is no discussion !!!

Anybody who can confirm that its possible to get it in Nairobi at the moment with proof of being on the road since 1,5 years ??

cheers,
Chris

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My opinion is to go in the opposite direction & fast. I was up there in Nov. I had ridden up thru Gulu, heading to Juba, but once in Sth. Sudan the roads were very wet & trucks were bogged so I waited a day, then some soldiers came & told me to get the hell out of there as there were people being killed in the hundreds ( I later found out there was indeed a massacre ) how many I will never know for sure but reports were about 400. But the week before I was assured it was safe but things change so fast in that area I just would not risk it.
If you decide to go, the road is not bad in places and you can get fuel at Nimule and a few other spots, they seem to be doing major road works on the Ugandan side. But honestly think long and hard & get very up todate advice on the current situation as it has been 7 or 8 months since I was there.
Cheers
Paul

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