angolan visa & invitation
 

For my overlanding returntrip to SouthAfrica I would like to pass through Angola. Depending on the latest security recommendations I will decide in Gabon if its a go or no go.

Anyway, I just got off the phone with the Angolan Embassy in Brussels and they are requestion a invitational letter from a business in Angola....

Is there anyone that has some contacts in this direction who could help me out?

Talk to Werner Bausenheart, here his details.
His book will tell you how to do it but he might tell you through e-mail aswell

Link to his details: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/cgi...serName=Werner

------------------
CU under the Cu

Frank
http://www.crossing-africa.com .:. The Ultimate Travel on a Yamaha XT600Z

Hi Frank,

Ive noticed his posts on the HUBB and might drop him an email later...

Just wondering if there any more travellers out there who've been through Angola lately...

Groet'n
Meindert

His book? mmmhh, could be interesting.. Wasnt able to find anything on amazon.com, do you know the title?

Werner Bausenhart (note spelling of last name) has published two books as far as we know, but neither of them is about Africa.

They are: '8 Around the Americas on a Motorcycle', and 'Into the Den of the Bear and the Lair of the Dragon on a Motorcycle' about travels in Russia and China.

They are both available at US$20. each on Whitehorse Press, not on Amazon. Both books are listed on our Books page, with direct links to buy them on Whitehorse Press.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/books/books.shtml

You should also check out Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, which does cover Africa. (The details are just below Werner's books on the same page). Chris is a world expert in motorcycle travel, and also moderates the Sahara Forum on this site.

If you're looking for motorcycle travel books, we have an excellent Books section with descriptions and links to Amazon and other suppliers.

We very much appreciate it when you buy your books through our website, the small commission does help to defray the costs, and especially the enormous amount of work that goes into the newsletter and running the bulletin board. Thanks!

Hope this helps.


------------------
Susan Johnson

'One world, two wheels'
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com


[This message has been edited by Susan (edited 07 August 2002).]

Hi Susan that not so!

I have a book of him at home about his 6 month up and down through africa, called:

Africa: Against the clock on a motorcycle
It has ISMN number 1-894508-27-0

Hope it helps meinert.

The way I got it was by e-mailing him then sends it over to you and you send him the bucks in cash.... after receipt!!!

------------------
CU under the Cu

Frank
http://www.crossing-africa.com .:. The Ultimate Travel on a Yamaha XT600Z

Hi Frank

Thanks for the update! I wasn't aware of the book, although Grant informs me we have a copy of it. I guess at the moment, its only available from Werner directly. We'll add it to the Books page when we get a chance.

Susan

Hi Guys,

Could we please get back to the Angola stuff....

Anyone?>

I have been to Angola many times for work reasons, lived there for 3 years once, and I am not aware of any tourist industry whatsoever in the country. In fact, I don't think they even have a type of visa such as a "tourist" visa. Everyone I have ever met on the way to or from Angola is either an expat going there to work, or an Angolan going out of the country for business or tourist reasons.

Since this is a motorcycle/4WD forum, I assume you are thinking of driving through the country - you must be kidding. The war of 25 years duration has just recently ended, I don't know if it is even possible to drive from one end of the country to the other, even if you find a navigable route, no-one has told the millions of land mines that the war has ended, and there are thousands of fighters from both sides of the conflict who know nothing else but war, looting and theft, and they all still have their guns.

In case you were just thinking of flying into Luanda to do a cultural tour, then flying out again, I suggest you forget that, Luanda is one of the most expensive cities in the world to stay in (plan on about USD 200 a day for hotel and at least USD 75 a day for eating at restaurants), there is no public transit, no bus system to speak of, rampart crime due to starving people, etc...

Sincerely - I'm not trying to be smart here - I suggest you give Angola a pass for a few years until they get back on their feet. The war ended in Mozambique a long time ago and it is now a delightful place to visit. I am sure Angola will be, in time. But I was in Mozambique when the war ended, and it had (then) all the same problems Angola has now.

Unless you have a lot of logistical support behind you (employer, expat friends in Angola, etc.), don't go there.

Im aware of the situation in Angola, its not going to be a 'package trip' far from it. As mentionend before its still a long way off and will decide when i get to gabon next year if its a go. Still at the moment an ISP in Luanda looks interested hiring me for some time.

Visa stuff almost sorted, fingers crossed....

Hi
How did you get on with your visa? I need to get one as I am traveling down through congo down to drc any info regarding letter of invitation and aquireing the visa would be great.

Cheers

Hi Guys,
Talk about the Devil himself. Werner Bausenhart speaking here. I must talk to Susan. She should know that my Africa book is listed on this website. Anyways:
Angola is possible. In 2000 I received a visa from their embassy in Libreville, Gabon, after submitting a fake letter of support from my "employer" a Canadian university, to discuss a possible exchange programme with the university of Luanda. (see my book, Africa Against the Clock...) Rode into Cabinda via Rep. of Congo (Pointe Noire). Then took ship to Luanda. In Luanda I was advised to take another boat to Namibe, since the war was still going strong (this was in 2000). From Namibe I was able to ride out to Namibia, no problems. I've heard of riders who have crossed the whole country recently. But stay on the road. Don't step off, not even for a pee. Landmines!!! Otherwise, a great country to visit. The locals have not yet been spoiled by affluent tourists.

Actually didnt need the letter of invitation, just turned up at the embassy in libreville - gabon and after a short interview and more importanly 100 US dollar got the visa without any hassles!

Nice to see that African bureaucracy changes for the better once in a while.

Hey

had to add my 5 cents, got my visa in libreville too with no hassles, now in namibia.

Sorry pan european but in my opinion angola is a beautiful country, rode from the north to the south, didnt pay a cent for accomodation through the whole country.

Gozel, in lobito you can camp on the beach at the end of the pennisular through town for free, its great, and if you go to Lubango make sure you check out tundavala...

The one thing I will concede is that the roads are terrible, but i have seen worse..

safe travels