We're heading down to S africa on a R1100GS and a F650GS, but need some advice on possible routes down, which countries etc...

At the mo' we're in southern spain about 50 miles from Gib' sorting out a few things o the bikes and scaring ourselves silly reading various travellers tales. Any advice is appreciated.

Simon & Lisa T



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www.2ridetheworld.com

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www.2ridetheworld.com

Hi Simon

Let me know how you get on, as I plan to head that way in October, so will be following in your footsteps, or rather tyre prints...

Currently shivering in Denmark, I need to head South.

Fuzzy

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Fuzzy Duck
(I'm quackers about bikes)

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Fuzzy Duck
(I\'m quackers about bikes)

From Morrocco, the only way out is down through Mauritania on the Atlantic route down the coast, from there, you can spread out heading South East. Can get across to Chad / Cameroon area. From there, gets harder, easiest route was to Sudan (great country) and then Ethiopia then south but recently Sudan has had its western border closed due to fighting in the western province. May or may not have improved by the time you get there. Secondly head down the west coast as several other travellers have done recently, www.expeditionoverland.com, Go through the Congo, Angola down to Namibia. Alternative routes are somewhere in between although some travellers have reported trying through CAR heading south and wasn't successful.

The only other alternatives are to fly over - possible with bikes, crate up in somewhere like Ndjamena in Chad over to Khartoum or Addis Ababa. head north through Algeria - don't know how possible currently given the recent hostage crisis earlier this year but if possible then cut to Tunesia - Libya - Egypt - then Sudan. This might be a problem on bikes, not sure that you are allowed in Libya but not sure, haven't been, just thought I read something.

Personally I would try the Sudan option or go for the Congo option, should be a great adventure. Somewhat easier with bikes than with a car.

With the current confusion re. prohibited entry of vehicles into Senegal, you might want to avoid it and head straight for Mali after Mauretania.
That is, unless your bikes are 5 years old or less.
After that, the road is open. Hard to give any long lasting advice in Africa, check in here at the forum again and get updates.

Depending on your speed, willingness to rough it, budget (shipping/flying out the bikes), language skills, the rain season etc - the choice is yours.

Judging by recent travel stories, Nigeria is worth avoiding, and the border between Chad and Sudan is closed. Eastern Congo/Zaire is also no-go.

I've read positive reveiws abt Angola the last few months, so if you're willing to try something different... I was there in 1995, so I can't give you any first hand news, but one thing still applies - you won't meet hoards of tourists. =)

Jan

Hi Simon and Lisa,

I just finished the morocco leg of a similar trip - although not as far as you are planning, my plan is to go approx to Cameroun - and now In Dakhla preparing for last bit to Mauritania...

Re the Senegal problem, my latest info from embassies in Belgium and Senegal is that for tourists there is no problem - but I will be able to let you know in a couple of weeks after I have done it myself...

If you plan to pass through Senegal, let me know when - my girlfriend and me will be staying in Senegal for about 4 weeks before continueing our trip via a.o. Timbuctu to Cameroun - so we will be in Senegal untill approx half november - would be nice maybe to meet over there (this also counts off course for other bikers visiting Senegal between hald oct and half nov).

Hopefully this night I will put here on the board some addresses incl GPS-points of hotels and campsites that I found particularly interesting for bikers in Morocco - might be usefull...

Have a safe trip and enjoy, and maybe till later,

jef