Turkey to Egypt - OPTION Z - Sanity check required

[flotter]

Hi,

We are in Turkey and need to get into Africa to get home. The Sisa Shipping lines are suspended, which means no ferry from Iskenderun to Haifa or Port Said. So here is my plan ...

We are going to drive back to Athens in Greece (from Turkey) and take a ferry from Lavrio in Greece to Haifa in Israel (via south Cyprus). This pretty adventure is going to cost as 1300 EURO + 1300 Shekels for Haifa port costs.

Then we will drive to Eilat and cross at Taba into Egypt, and from there venture down towards Sudan where we will get a VISA in Aswan and cross into Sudan.

(We have the options to go into Jordan and take the Aqaba-Nuweiba ferry to make our entry from Israel less obvious)

I spoke to Mazar (the Sudan fixer) and seems to think VISA in Aswan should be OK as long as no Israel stamp is there, even though it is obvious from the Taba entry stamp. I ask him about Aqaba-Nuweiba, but he seems to think this is unnecessary.

Can I get any opinions, taking into account there are very limited options here. My main fear is getting stuck in Aswan so if anyone has done Taba + VISA in Aswan I would love to know.

[Samy]

No need to ride to Athens for Southern Cyprus. Ride up to Tasucu / Mersin In Turkiye and take the ferry for Northern Cyprus. Just pass to south and take the ferry for Haifa.

And do the rest as planned...

Only 2 cents...

[flotter]

Hi Samy,

I am no expert here but due to a specific warning from the shipping companies I understood I could not take a car from north to south.

I have now read some forums and my interpretation is that bringing a car from Turkey into North Cyprus, and taking it to the South will be illegal.

We have South African passports and I have also a brittish passport (my brother has Schengen VISA).

[Thimba]

Originally Posted by flotter

Hi,
Then we will drive to Eilat and cross at Taba into Egypt, and from there venture down towards Sudan where we will get a VISA in Aswan and cross into Sudan.

If you're driving a 4x4 and plan to cross at Taba, you might want to take this into consideration:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...gh-egypt-71948

Happy trails,

Gee

[itchyfeet38]

I would recommend diverting via Jordan to muddy the waters re your routing.

There seems to be an issue crossing at Taba anyway (see link in previous post) but even if you manage it your carnet will be stamped on entry to Egypt and it will be very obvious where you've come from.

Even if you go via Jordan you may not be able to avoid evidence of passing through Israel in your passport. Immigration are used to people requesting a stamp on a separate piece of paper, but customs aren't and they are supposed to record entry of the vehicle in the passport.

It will depend on the individuals at the border post and in the embassy on the day.

Best of luck.

[flotter]

Thank you guys. The advice and hints of optimism are so valuable :-)

I think the Jordan via sounds like a good plan.

I have a special last resort weapon at my disposal, which is I have a UK passport as well. I could use this for Israel (customs) and maybe Jordan to erase my past and use my South African passport (and my current Egypt VISA) only for Egypt. This will look like Greece to Nuweiba ferry, but my brother only has SA passport, so he could expose the scam resulting in a worse situation I guess.

Perhaps it is better not trying to be too clever.

[DamoC]

Might be too late to chin in here, but if you do go through Jordan - consider going through the Allenby/King Hussein crossing. They are used to people not wanting stamps there. There will be a little strip of paper at the window where you submit your passport. Put your details on that and submit it with the passport - they will stamp the paper rather than the passport. Then submit the whole lot again at Aqaba.

Safe journey

[flotter]

Originally Posted by DamoC

Might be too late to chin in here, but if you do go through Jordan - consider going through the Allenby/King Hussein crossing. They are used to people not wanting stamps there. There will be a little strip of paper at the window where you submit your passport. Put your details on that and submit it with the passport - they will stamp the paper rather than the passport. Then submit the whole lot again at Aqaba.

Safe journey

I will do exactly this!! Thank you for the advice

[flotter]

I am very happy about all the information - it feels like this could work.

Does anyone know if a fixer is necessary in Nuweiba? I have read some threads of people getting helped by 'tourist police'. If yes, does anyone have a contact for me?

[itchyfeet38]

I am 99% sure you can't take a private vehicle over at Allenby. You have to south to Eilat or north to Jordan River.

I have only exited at Nuweiba but it is much smaller and lower key than Aswan or Alex and doesn't have the same fixer culture. That's not to say one wouldn't be helpful because everything is in Arabic. We had someone help us on exit - it took an hour and a half of constant activity ferrying different bits of paper around and getting the necessary stamps - we paid him $10 which was worth it.

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by itchyfeet38

I am 99% sure you can't take a private vehicle over at Allenby.

I've no personal experience of this, but this thread is clear enough about the access over the Allenby bridge:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...st-issue-72019

[Mehmet Zeki Avar]

Ferry from iskenderun to damietta is going to run again very soon..
(Vehicles by ferry,passengers by air.)
More details a few hours later...

[Mehmet Zeki Avar]

This is just a brief information approved by several bikers on the way to Africa until problems started and I just got the reply from the ticketing company for my old dated several messages.

Remon Travel is the office for reservation and all tickets from İskenderun to Damietta....Also I was told that prices would be given daytime unfortunately not until now...

Here are the links to get in touch..
https://www.facebook.com/RemonTravel
Remon Travel

What I am told are;
1-vehicles are sent by ship and passengers by flight..
2-prices will be given today!!!!!
Ship goes to damietta from İskenderun and passengers to egypt by flight!!!!!.
we are the office for reservation and ticketing for both..

For me,this is just a step to be helpful for those who are stuck on this route..
(Unfortunately several at both ports)
Sincerely hope this really helps...

All the best...



ORIGINAL MESSAGE....13.SEPTEMBER...
Merhabalar , baya bir geç oldu ama yogunluktan dolayı sayfaya göz atamaıdk , şuan sadece araç ve motorsiklet gönderebiliyoruz , yolcuları da ucakla yolluyoruz
12:08
Remon Travel
fiyat için size dönecegım gün içerisinde , İskenderundan, Mısır Damietta limanına gidiyor gemi.. Ucakta Mısıra , rezervasyon & bilet bizden kesiliyor ,

[wearthefoxhat]

Originally Posted by flotter

Hi Samy,

I am no expert here but due to a specific warning from the shipping companies I understood I could not take a car from north to south.

I have now read some forums and my interpretation is that bringing a car from Turkey into North Cyprus, and taking it to the South will be illegal.

We have South African passports and I have also a brittish passport (my brother has Schengen VISA).

I know this thread has moved on to Israel / Jordan options but, per above quote, cars and bikes can be taken into northern (Turkish) Cyprus. We recently did this and got the boat Tasucu - Girne, then crossed into 'southern' Cyprus at Nicosia. A bit of hassle and various bits of paperwork required, but quite standard practice.
The vehicle can temporarily stay in 'southern' Cyprus for up to 6 months on a CP5 permit that you get at Nicosia border.
The issue comes when you try to leave. There is no way Customs will let you leave Cyprus from Limassol port if you have come in from the Turkish side. We have tried containers and ferries. Even spoke to a cruise line.
Cyprus Customs officials get very upset if you try to leave from Limassol and will threaten confiscation of the vehicle. They send you back exactly the way you came in (just to teach you a lesson, I guess) as they are not prepared to officially recognise the Turkish 'illegal' occupation of the north and consider it an illegal (but tolerated) point of entry to the island.
Perverse, but it seems they're sticking to their guns.

[achim-in-jordan]

Thanks itchyfeet and walkabout for the clarification. Indeed, vehicles can not cross the Allenby / King Hussein border! This is for foot passengers only who have to use a shuttle bus. Some exceptions are made for UN, dipolomats and the like but it's a tidious and time consuming process (about 4 weeks) to get the permit which to my knowledge is never issued to travelers.

Greetings,
Achim