Avoid Egypt going up - Saudi Arabia or shipping?

[Überflieger]

Hi Van GS,

Do you also know the Price for shipping the bike from Lavrio to Haifa?
Whats the Price for the cabin?

Thanks for your reply
Stefan

[VanGS]

Price from Lavrio to Israel was 500 euro, cabin (if you can find one) 280euro...

I am in Luxor. Egypt is fine like I suspected. Slept at Camp Salam in Giza and Camp Rezeiky in Luxor. Taba was Bella Donna.

Enjoy!

[Überflieger]

Originally Posted by VanGS

Enjoy!

Thanks for this helpful information.
We will follow you in december and we will also enjoy this trip ;-)

Best regards
Stefan

Gesendet von meinem GT-I9300 mit Tapatalk 2

[wearthefoxhat]

Originally Posted by VanGS

Price from Lavrio to Israel was 500 euro, cabin (if you can find one) 280euro...
I am in Luxor. Egypt is fine like I suspected.

Van, please let us know how you get on re getting into Sudan with Israeli stamps in passport / Carnet as we may need to follow your route in August / Sept.
Regards
Scott

[VanGS]

Hi Scott will do!

[Mousse83]

Thnx all for sharing your experiences, we are planning to drive to Cape Town in October (from Holland)

A ferry from Turkey to Duba doesn't sound like a bad alternative? I 'd guess you can drive down to Jeddah and take the ferry to Port Sudan? Plus you dont have the Israel-Sudan hassle. Anyone experience on this route and more specifically on travelling through Saudi Arabia and the ferry Jeddah- Port Sudan?

I'm gonna contact SISA ...

Of course in this case we'd miss Egypt, but with all its tensions (and negative travel advice) this might not be a bad option after all...

Good luck , Van!

[achim-in-jordan]

Hi Mousse,

This might be an option if you can convince the Saudi embassy in the Netherlands to issue a visa that is valid long enough (and if you are married and have the relevant papers should you happen to be a mixed couple). There is most certainly no way to get the visa on the road. The Saudi embassy in Amman, Jordan, did - at least in 2012 - not issue transit visas to continue to Sudan (all other destination countries were OK; this was even for residents).

Greetings,
Achim

[SimonLore]

Hi Van,

Keep us to date please about your trip about the visa and carnet to Soedan with israel. I will follow your website also!

We still would like to take the ferry from Iskenderum to Egypt. There is a company called Sisa shipping who stopped doing the ferry, but another company called unroro does still make the ferry twice a week. They mailed me directly a response on my questions. They do the ferry twice a week. It costs 350 +65 for the car. Then if you are multiple persons 150 per person. I don't know yet why. I'll figure that out.

Does anyone has experience with this company?

[achim-in-jordan]

Hi Simon,

It seems that the 150 $ are for the flight with Air Cairo from Antakya (Hatay airport) to Alexandria. As I understand, only the cars will be allowed on board, but there are no cabins for passengers (with the exception of a few truck drivers).

Best wishes,
Achim

[wearthefoxhat]

Originally Posted by achim-in-jordan

It seems that the 150 $ are for the flight with Air Cairo from Antakya (Hatay airport) to Alexandria. As I understand, only the cars will be allowed on board, but there are no cabins for passengers (with the exception of a few truck drivers).

I heard the same. What are your experiences with RoRo? A number of companies across Europe have told me that no personal possessions can be shipped with the car - and I must admit I'm not keen on leaving my keys with someone when the vehicle is loaded with all of our gear.

[achim-in-jordan]

I do not have any personal experience. It certainly depends on the shipping line. But then there is the port - Greek, Turkish, Egyptian ... By the way, the only time I lost something through theft while shipping my personal effects was in a German storage facility - so much for the cliche. I know this doesn't help much.

Greetings,
Achim

[zwyszomi]

I'm going to cross Africa from Cape next year, I have checked the Israel option as an alternative to Egypt.
The Rosenfeld's web page it's not impressive but their staff answers very promptly:

... Usually we have departures from Haifa to Cyprus and Greece every week on Thursdays

Price per person to Limasol Euro 250 including a cabin/meals and taxes (arrive Friday morning)

Price per person to Greece (Lavrio) Euro 300 including a cabin/meals and taxes arrive Sunday morning

Price for the motorbike to Cyprus 250 Euro not include port taxes at Limasol about Euro 100

Price for the motorbike to Greece Euro 400 including taxes at Greece

Not include for both cases port taxes at Israel about 300 shekel

For more information please contact me

regards


Alicia Rozner
A.Rosenfeld Shipping Ltd.
Reservations Dept.
T + 972 4 8613 671
F + 972 4 8537 002
alicia@rosenfeld.net

[Mousse83]

So Achim.. if I get you right - Saudi Arabia does provide transit visa but NOT if your next destination is Sudan specifically?

Now summing it up altogether - what is the best option down south if the Turkey-Egypt ferry does not sail?

[achim-in-jordan]

Hi Mousse,

This was the situation in Amman / Jordan in October 2012. At that time, the Saudi embassy in the UAE was still issuing transit visas (also to the destination of Sudan) to non-residents which does not seem to be the case any longer.

In Khartoum, I was able to get a transit visa with the destination Jordan in December 2012. I do not have any idea why it only worked one way.

I am not sure whether there is any really good solution at this moment. The best option might be to go to the UAE via Iran, try the Saudi visa and if it does not work head to Salalah in Oman and ship in a MAERSK container to either Port Sudan or Mombasa (Djibouti is extremely expensive and time-consuming if it works at all while Dar es Salaam does not seem to be a good option at all).

Greetings,
Achim

[SimonLore]

Why does nobody think to take the ferry from RoRo from Turkey to Egypt?