Lumbumbashi - Kinshasa
 

I am considering the Lumbumbashi - Kinshasa route some time around June this year.

I'm driving an 80 series Landcruiser but want to convoy up with someone else for this route.

Anyone else considering it for this "dry" season?

carnet, invite?
 

Hi
Do you know if it is absolutely required to have a carnet for Angola? And an invite if you have a visa from your home country?

I have biked in Africa a few times most recently this past winter and so far Kenya is the only country that pressured me for a carnet but even they gave me a TIP eventually. I had a South Africa registered bike but I am Canadian. I want to go back to do more traveling in Sept. including to Angola and DRC if feasible.

Cheers
Larry

carnet, invite for Angola? what about DRC?
 

Hi
Do you know if it is absolutely required to have a carnet for Angola? And an invite if you have a visa from your home country?

I have biked in Africa a few times most recently this past winter and so far Kenya is the only country that pressured me for a carnet but even they gave me a TIP eventually. I had a South Africa registered bike but I am Canadian. I want to go back to do more traveling in Sept. including to Angola and DRC if feasible.

Cheers
Larry

Lubumbashi - Kinshasa
 

Hello there

why are there people out there who wanna risk their lives for an adventure?
Why am I saying this? I currently work in the DRC, deployed here with the biggest UN Mission in the World. While having the luxury to work at the top level of the Forces HQ here, I daily see what is going "out" there. :(
On one hand I can see why a traveller would want to do Lubumbashi - Kinshasa, being a traveller myself. But on the other hand we are fighting a war here with nearly 20'000 soldiers and heavy weapons including attack helicopters etc.
Many rebell groups are currently under heavy pressure to give up their weapons and reintegrate or being neutralized! And the Katanga Region is a part where different May-May groups are a real pain in the a.. but the FARDC and MONUSCO is doing everything to get hold of them. That said, the still manage to run illegal checkpoints, kill people if they don't hand over their bikes or goods and burn complete villages to rubble.
Also taking into consideration, that the local Police (PNC), the FARDC (the Army) and MONUSCO cannot cope with an area the size of entire Europe at once, don't expect any help soon if shit hits the fan and you get taken by any of these groups. It could also happen that you get arrested by the PNC or FARDC... it all happens and everything is to be expected in a country where salaries are not paid and the AK47 is the authority!

I'm planning to do this road (there is no road to be honest) at one stage but definitely not in the next few years.

Greets from Kinshasa

Claudio

Wow.. that really brings it home. Strange how ignorant we are of such places, it never features in my English/Western news.

I'm just back from RDC and indeed news from the front are not that positive. Thank you my colleague for laying it out clearly.