Avoid Egypt going up - Saudi Arabia or shipping?

[Majoafrika]

Hi guys

The situation in Egypt seems to go worse by the day, so we're not to keen on driving through. We would be there mid-August, but as we don't have the luxury of unlimited time for our journey, we need to plan ahead how to get to Europe.

We have read some older posts on going from Port Sudan (or rather Suakin) to Saudia Arabia and then to Jordan (ferry or drive from Saudi to Jordan). Any recent experiences with this route?

Alternatively, we could ship the car from Port Sudan/Djibouti in a container or Ro/Ro. Any (recent) experiences with this option?

Any guidance (or better solutions) is much appreciated!

Thanks!

[VanGS]

I am in the same spot of borther. Heading south. In athens currently, wanted to take the roro from Turkey to Alex but dont know anymore. Please keep this post updated with any info.

Thanks
Riaan

[dstehouwer]

we've checked this alterantive via SA 8 months ago, as we wanted to avoid Egypt anyhow...

Saudi Arabia doesn't allow women to drive vehicles, so we couldn't get in as Mirjam drives her own bike. As far as a know, it is possible to transit through... but where to go from SA?
Don't know if you can get straight into Israel in the NW, because from Israel you can take a Grimaldi-boat to Europe.

[Tom-Traveller]

Hi

getting a Visa for SA is a tough also ....

mainly you get only a 3 day transit visa and they issue it only to residents ... new regulation for Dubai and UAE, probably the same in Sudan

couples have to be married ( travelling by car) and to prove it ...

So, if you got your paperwork done ...

take the ferry from Port Sudan to Jeddah, drive to Jordan (3days), get to Israel by landborder at Aqaba and take the ferry from Haifa to Turkey (Iskenderun) or RoRo to Greece (Athens)

Good Luck

TuA

[VanGS]

Any info on the roro from Haifa to Athens? I cant seems to find it in the net...

[achim-in-jordan]

Hi VanGS,

This is the website of "Rosenfeld Shipping" in Israel

A.Rosenfeld Shipping Ltd., Israel, Contact Information

If you are coming from Greece, this is the contact information of Salamis Shipping which runs the ferry:

Salamis Shipping Services in Greece
Head Office
GREECE - PIRAEUS
Salamis Shipping S.A.
5-7 Filellinon Str.
Piraeus 18536
email: info@salamis-hellas.gr
tel.: +30 2104529555
fax: +30 2104284975

Greetings,
Achim

[VanGS]

Achim, You are the man!

[Atlas]

Achim.I am travelling in a VW van and am considering taking the ferry from Iskenderun to Haifa towards end on August and the through Jordan to Aqaba and then a ferry to Egypt on my way home to Cape Town. I believe visas are not necessary for either countries for my passport.
I have read posts about having separate papers stamped in Israel etc.What are your views about this route iro of safety and the sudan question re Israel.
I am keen to see jordan and avoid Port Said !
Thanks

[achim-in-jordan]

Hi Atlas,

I know people who have even managed to cross from Israel directly into Egypt at Taba and then changed the passport and headed on to Wadi Halfa. Nobody seemed to really care there. But then there is the carnet de passage which will be stamped upon entering Egypt. So the detour through Jordan - which is a wonderful, safe and easy country to travel - is certainly worthwhile.

What you could do is have either the second passport stamped in Israel AND on entering Jordan or have the stamps on a separate paper (no guarantees that they actually do it even if you ask them to) both in Israel and entering Jordan and then have only the exit stamp of Jordan in the "Sudanese" passport.

Greetings,
Achim

[Atlas]

Thanks Achim. That sounds great. Do you know of any ferry from Turkey to Israel ?

[itchyfeet38]

The problem is that even if you get Israeli Immigration to stamp a separate piece of paper (which you can't guarantee) Customs still record the import of your car in your passport .. . in Hebrew.

Customs is also "thorough" in terms of searching the car (every item in car removed and put through scanner, spare wheel removed, boxes unbolted etc). Total time to unpack, scan and repack for us approx 5 hours. Total time at border 8 hours. All very polite and pleasant. And although it was expensive Israel has some amazing things to see and some of the best free camping on our entire three year trip.

I did read the blog of some people who came through Israel and went onto Sudan recently (Family in Africa). I'm not even sure they knew it was a potential issue. I guess it just depends who checks your passport when you apply for your Sudan visa.

[achim-in-jordan]

Hi Atlas,

As you already wrote in your other thread, Sisa has stopped its Israel line and so there is, unfortunately, no other connection to Israel by ship but the two Grimaldi services from Italy and Salamis Shipping from Greece.

Safe travels,
Achim

[andrasz]

Now I am not recommending this, and you might get into trouble if you get caught (ok, I think I covered the disclaimer part ), but should you happen to cover anything in your passport by mistakenly sticking your Egyptian visa sticker right over it, it wouldn't show, would it? Of course I don't know anyone who managed to 'clean' his passport that way...

Further disclaimer - you can get visa stickers which you have to insert into the passport yourself at Egyptian airports, I don't know if the same works at land/sea entries.

[unurban]

Hey Guys!

We're now sitting in Port Said waiting for the ferry that should take us to Iskenderum. Unfortunately, we've just received an email from Sisa shipping telling us that because of the unrest in Egypt, the Ferry will be redirected to Duba in Saudi Arabia. They may or may not come back to Port Said one last time to pick up already booked customers.

They did not give us any dates, but I'll update as soon as I know more.

Espen & Malin
www.unurban.no

[VanGS]

Idiots! I knew something was up when Ozlem never returned any of my mails. I was about to leave for Turkey(2000km trip) when I decided to take the ferry to Isreal...

I hope you guys come right. Otherwise you can leave for Haifa via Taba Border. I am supposed to dock on Thursday, you should get a lift back to Greece.

Here is the contact... Eleni- e.dimitriadou@salamis-hellas.gr

She is the lady that arranges the tickets in Athens. She hardly replies to email so I suggest a phone call. She speaks English.

If you hurry I am sure you can catch a ride on Thursday. I am meeting up with her on Monday for loading if you want me to ask her if there is space...