Ferry Wadi Halfa (Sudan) to Aswan (Egypt) FULL REVIEW
 

FERRY Wadi Halfa (Sudan) to Aswan (Egypt)

We travelled together with two South Africans with a 4x4, while Mirjam and I travel on two motorcycles. Also two other bikers where there.
Prices below are based on that; we left Wadi heading north on the 10th of October 2012.
5,5 Sudaneese pounds is roughly 1 USD
6,0 Egyptian pounds is roughly 1 USD

WADI HALFA
We quickly bumped into Magdi, a famous guy in the village and a well known fixer.
Nice guy, friendly and professional. Ask around in town and he’ll pop up.

MAGDI BOSHARA phone: 0121730885 or 0905568968 NUBATIA51[AT]yahoo[DOT]com
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...nDus/Magdi.jpg

Hotel: we stayed at the Cancan or something, not bad for 13 USD for a two person room.
Internet: There is one internet café in town, but it is very slow. Skype not possible. 3 pounds an hour.

He charged us:
40 USD per person for the ferry ticket
43 USD per bike for transporting it on a separate barge
10 USD for something at customs
12 USD for something else
30 USD for his services and some minor payments at customs

For the people with the car:
Same as above, excluding the bike fees and fixer fee but extra:
40 USD for his services and some minor payments at customs
6 USD for something else
300 USD for transporting the car on the same barge as above.

We arrived on a Monday, and on Tuesday we had to race to port because all paperwork was ready and customs wanted to check the vehicles. After that, we loaded the bikes on the barge.
We had to pay some people at the barge about 3 USD per person for helping out.
Tuktuk back to town was 6 Sudaneese pounds, and it took 3 people.

The day later we had to load the car, and get ourselves on the ferry.
The captain made trouble and wanted to unload the bikes; he got an offer for a load of camels which was more profitable. We couldn’t load the car in time, Magdi offered to drive the car on after we’ve left.
This felt very bad; we really freaked our but Magdi stayed super professional and in the end he promised us everything would be fine. (Which it did; he did a great job in securing the car on the barge and everything)
Magdi really seems a good guy you can trust and he delivered as promised…. Not easy in this part of the world.
He really guides you all the way onto the boat and makes sure you’re okay.

THE FERRY ITSELF
You can for stuff on board in Sudaneese and Egyptian pounds, but also change USD in the 1st class restaurant.
If you can get a hold of a cabin, you’ll pay around 26USD per person. Only 2p-cabins on board, don’t expect anything fancy or clean. (normally cabins are not available anymore, but you can be lucky with a cancellation)
The thing is built for 250 passengers, but 660 get on…..
Take as little as possible, and keep al valuables with you. It is full of lovely Sudaneese people, but you’ll never know.
Dinner is included in your ticket price, but that is in the 2nd class restaurant. The food seemed okay, but it is crowded there. Get to the 1st class restaurant, where it is nice and quiet and you’ll have to pay 5 pounds to get an upgrade to 1st class food. Nothing fancy, but you do get a spoon with your food then! ;-).
Ask for Achmed; a huge Egyptian who speaks good English and Spanish and is in charge of quality or something; wonderful bloke who will help you out with anything. Say ‘Hi’ to him from us.
During the day everybody is below decks for the aircon, at night the upper decks get crowded and you simply cannot walk there. It does get quite cold, wish we took our mattresses (as you lay on the metal) and sleeping bags. Then you can sleep nicely there, but make sure you don’t need a run to the toilet at night!
In the morning, you go to the same restaurant again for a breakfast (10 pounds) and relax.
Drinks are available on board (2,5 pounds for water or a soda, 2 pounds for coffee/tea) but supplies are limited; stock up on water early in the evening so you’ll have enough for the morning too.
When boarding the boat they’ll take your passport… and amazingly, they’ll find you the next day and give it back to you ~with the entry stamp in it.

ASWAN
There are two fixers we’ve met, Mohamed Abouda and ‘Kamal’.
Kamal is a taxi driver and a bit of a weird guy. He was very eager to do business with us, and got quite angry with us when we chose Mohamed. He kept on chasing us and asking us for business, a bit desperate and not professional at all. We really did not like him and would NEVER work with this guy!
Mohamed is a really professional guy who has a sailing boat business to; he’s used to tourists and knows exactly what you want.
MOHAMED ABOUDA mobile: 012 25111968 or 010 11181151 tel: 097 2301698 or 097 2306568 nilfeluka[AT]hotmail[DOT]com
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...amedabouda.jpg

He took us straight from the boat into the customs office where we had to sign some paper stating we would pay the fees involved in the process. Then he arranged transport (taxi, 15 pounds p.p.) to the hotel (St. George, ‘with the pool on the roof’ for 9 USD p.p.p.n with breakfast and with fast free Wifi in the rooms. Good enough to Skype with video and we’ve uploaded around 1GB per 24 hrs.)
You’ll get your shower and something to eat, relax a bit and Mohamed comes back later or something to discuss the vehicles.
He will answer all your questions, also touristy stuff. He offers to take you on the nile etc. on a sailboat as this is his business too; can’t blame him! ;-)

It took a few days for us to get the vehicles as the barge was delayed a bit…. And the thing is not very fast anyhow. Mohamed calls the captain every day and updates you on the progress.

We got the vehicles off the barge AND out of customs in one day; not bad.
First, you pay Mohamed some money for a lot of small expenses:
- 270 pounds per bike for insurance , document fee for the police, costs of hiring an engineer to check the bikes, and some other small stuff. (FYI: Just the insurance is around 100 pounds per bike, but for a car it is 180 or something)
- 30 pounds per person for the taxi , for the whole day.
- 3 copies of your carnet, 3 of your passport and one of your visa+stamp (free copies in the hotel!)

We drove to some police-thing where he buys some docs, you fill in your name and sign something. Then off to the harbour.
Off the barge was not easy, as the bikes were inside and had to be hauled out of the barge by hand. Took us about an hour, and we tipped the guys 80 pounds for 4 bikes and the car. We thought it was a bit stupid, because 8 people wanted a tip while 3 helped… The captain got a few bucks too, but I forgot how much.

Customs:
The guy is not the friendliest bloke around, and we named him ‘The Carnet-Sniffer’. When you’re there, you’ll see what we mean :-P.
The engineer comes to your vehicle and checks the VIN number and makes you sign a doc. In the customs office, you sit up straight and answer some questions, give some copies, put a signature down… and wait. You pay 522 pounds to this bloke for the temporary import, and he stamps your Carnet and gives it a validity of ONE MONTH FROM YOUR DATE OF ENTRY according the stamp in your passport.
After this is done, Mohamed leaves to town to buy your insurance and get your licence plates.
When he comes back, you put the plates on and drive out. Mohamed might give the customs guys at the gate a few pounds ‘to speed up the process’ and you’re off!

Back in the hotel, you pay Mohamed ‘whatever you think is reasonable’. He did a great job for us, so we paid him 20USD each for the bikes and 30USD for the car. If you’re by yourself I’d pay a bit more, but with a group with 5 vehicles the process is easier for him too we thought…

Be careful in Egypt, a lot of people try to squeeze cash from you and people are not as nice as in Sudan! You really have to watch yourself and your money. We filled up for 64 pounds, gave 100 and they don’t want to give your change. Just don’t accept it, I got every pound in the end. (6 USD tip is a huge amount in this country, especially when it is not voluntarily!)

Summary of Costs: Person and bike: 140 USD @ Sudan + 165 USD @ Egypt all inclusive besides the hotel and food/drinks.
The Fixers: We can really recommend both Magdi and Mohamed; value for money!
The ferry: an experience of a lifetime! (although, if there would be a road I’d take it!)

Other tips:
For both sides: contact the guys upfront so they’ll know you’re coming.
Be in town a few days before the ferry leaves (Mondays from Aswna, Wednesdays from Wadi Halfa) so your vehicle might leave before you!
Aswan: Mohamed can arrange a BRAND NEW carnet for you for around 500 EURO’s!!!!! Any nationality, no deposits needed! Contact him for further details.
Relax; I was very nervous about the whole thing because we never use fixers at borders and I hate it to give away control. Those guys really helped out!
If you head north: Enjoy your last days in Sudan with the Sudaneese people; you’ll miss them in Egypt!
If you head south: Don’t worry, in Sudan people are fantastic and don’t hassle you all day!

A great update, thanks for that, will be transiting through wadi to Aswan next month!!

Positive experience are always good for the spirit !!!!:D

yeah.... but negative experiences are welcome too!

We travelled north last year and used Magdi who was great and exactly as described by the op.

In Aswan Kamal had been lined up for us by Magdi. He is as described by the op 'a bit weird' but also did a great job for us so don't worry about using him either!

I just called Salah in Aswan and he said he can no longer make a reservation for the car and that I would have to go to the port straight and reserve for the car through them. He also asked for me as a passenger to just come to Aswan to book the ticket and a cabin. Since I am tight with my schedule, I need to make a reservation beforehand.

Any recent experiences on this? I called Kamal in Aswan and it seems to work - I just don't need any "ma fi mischkella" or "insha'allah" here ...

Greetings
Achim

just call Mohamed.

Hi Achim
good luck brother
you can count on Kamal ,yes you will never knows what is going on but he is a good honest man
used hem to ship 13 motorbike before and a car all together and every second i wont to scream what the f---- is going on but he was doing his job
also i used hem in my last trip and will use hem next month too
tell hem that you are my friend i think he will take care more ,hahahah
in Halfa i used and will use Mazar he is super cool
regarding what
i think all of them are desperate to work as the business to them very slow cause not a lot overlander taking the ferry due what is going on in Syria ,Libya and the Italy -Egypt ferry is not working too ,
good luck and please if you need any help let me know
travel safe always

@ All: please specify your experiences; prices etc.
If we all just keep saying 'it was okay' we can never compare!

We will be heading up to Egypt soon. Right now we're in Kampala, Uganda. Whereabouts are you these days? Already made the trip? If so, how'd it go?
Thanks,
Kanchan & Nick

Kanchan & Nick
What is your timeline for heading north? I will be in Nairobi in three days, there for maybe three days then I head north also. I am going to send off an email to see if I can get a permit to use the road because I will be short of time. What I have heard is that it cost the same as ferry but will not be such a hassle. Send me a PM if you get a chance.
Bob

Hi Bob,

So far the permit for the new road has been extremely expensive since it has not been opened officially yet. It might become less early 2013 when the road is supposed to open. The rate is only comparable if you put it against the rate for the big barge which you can only rent "exclusively". The "normal" rate for a car is approx. 320 US-Dollar going South and a little less going North.

Greetings,
Achim

Is that 320 dollars the rate for the permit to go by the new road - and which side of the Nile, East or West side?

I think he'll mean the rate for the barge which is 2012 EGP ($325) provided your car is under 5m in length. 3012 EGP if it's 5-6m. In my experience same price applies in both directions (though obviously exchange rates will differ). Prices are published on the Nile Navigation Company website.

Someone who met the overland truck in Aswan reported on another thread here they paid around $3000 to use the road.

The NNC have always tried to persuade foreigners to hire the whole barge. Last year we sublet a space on the barge from an overland truck who had prepaid for the whole barge. They were hoping to sell spots at Wadi Halfa but there were none ... because NNC had run an extra barge the day before to sweep up any business. NNC also managed to put another vehicle on the "exclusively" hired barge and pocket the money for that. However, most peple don't have the time or patience to sit it out and they know that.

Itchyfeet is right: 325 US-Dollar or 2,012 EGP is the rate for one space for a Jeep on the "normal" barge. And he is also right that the rate is the same in both directions: Mazar Mahir had told us of 1,500 Sudanese Pound which equals about 335 US-Dollar - sorry, my mistake! Just doublechecked the exchange rate.

The new road crossing will be on the Wadi Halfa side. From the Egyptian village (and antique site) of Qustul or Kostal, a ferry will then cross to the Western part of Lake Nasser at Abu Simbel - and vice versa.

The rate for the permit to use the road before it officially opened was indeed - another right one for itchyfeet :thumbup1: - 3,000 US-Dollar, which is roughly what you would have to pay for the "exclusive" big barge that the overland trucks (like Dragoman) use.

Greetings,
Achim

Latest Info - April 2013
 

Wadi Halfa

The ferry & barge sailing days have changed just this week - the ferry now leaves Wadi Halfa every Tuesday. Not sure of the new barge day.

OK, this is the first time in nearly 4 years that we have engaged the services of a fixer. Although it hurt, it is necessary principally because you cannot load your own car on the barge, as it (generally) leaves the day after the passenger ferry.

We used Mazar, recommended by many and also by us. Business-like, efficient (apart from an inability to answer text messages), friendly & intelligent, he is everything you could ask for in a fixer. We certainly felt comfortable leaving him with our car. Tel: +249 122380740 EMail: mazarhalfa@gmail.com

Costs. Total SDG2094 ($360)
Car SDG 1478 ($255)
Ferry Tickets, 2nd class x 2 SDG 424 ($73)
Customs SDG 120 ($20)
Departure Tax SDG 42 ($7)
Ferry Reservation SDG 30 ($5)

Mazar’s fee. When we asked what his fee was he just said “pay me what you like” - always a potential problem. We paid him $30 & he was very happy. All I would say is, please don’t inflate it... people before paid $40.

On the ferry see the Captain, Mohammed (white turban, silver teeth!!!) & for a small tip (we paid SDG50) he will secure you a sleeping area near the helm.

Aswan

We used a fixer & regretted it - we don’t believe it’s necessary.

I won’t give you our fixer’s details, as we wouldn’t really recommend him. But he did do the job...eventually...with a lot of cajoling & prompting. He spoke very little English & didn’t want to communicate anything anyway.

HOWEVER, I will give you the details of a very helpful man who appears to be a senior port official. He clearly told us that fixers weren’t needed & gave us his contact details to give to other overlander: Idries Mahmoud Tel: 01006845201

Costs. Total E£ 800
Customs E£ 550
Insurance/number plates E£ 230
Port entry (baksheesh for police) E£ 10 p/person

As has been mentioned several times before, I would perfectly agree with Taniya on the issue of fixers in Aswan. Mahmoud Idriss is indeed a good and quite professional guy who does speak some English and is in fact the guy the other fixers have to deal with at some point. Especially coming from the South, I would definitely recommend him as well.

Greetings,
Achim

So please do post his details; also negative experiences should be shared to help others!

Wadi Haifa(Sudan)Aswan(Egypt) Fixers?
 

I would like to share my experience with those recent border crossing.
In december 2012 I came up from Sudan do Egypt without using fixers and with out CARNET! it is possible, if you have time and you have to be very PATIENT! and POLITE! it works like charm,soon or later some one will help you, WITH OUT asking you for money,I learn that traveling over 40countries most of them 3rd world countries.
I must admit it, help me a lot financially and emotionally,it worked from me!
I was riding US register bike with Polish passport.

Since we're all sharing ;-)...

I used almost every single person available in dealing with our Sudanese visas and the ferry from Aswan - Wadi Halfa. Some background on us... We were 5 Americans and 2 Brits in 3 vehicles (2 w/ US plates, 1 UK plates).

We were trying to get to Sudan and spent about 4 weeks in Aswan trying to get visas and then waiting for the ferry (it was Ramadan). We did make it to Sudan, just in time for the US Ambassador to Libya to be killed and for people to riot in Khartoum!

In Aswan, we used Timur to help us basically do everything. We were there for so long, he was our go-to guy. We didn't actually pay him anything, but used him to book some tours and other stuff where he made money. He was able to hook us up with a lot of the other people we worked with and overall I think he is a great guy and a fantastic ally to have in a city like Aswan.

Mazar helped us get our Sudanese visas and he is just an awesome awesome guy. We hung out with him for about a week and just had a blast. He works with Midhat (who is his brother) and Magdhi (who is his uncle). We ended up hanging out with Midhat in Khartoum, but not using him for any services.

Due to all of our roadblocks, we went several directions with the ferry. We had Kamal help us do all the paperwork and get on the boat. He is definitely a weird guy, but he was always where he said he woudl be when he said he's be there...no Egyptian time with this guy. He got everything done that he said he would and for only $15 per person. We also had extra problems with our carnet, since the folks at the Salloum border apparently stamped it incorrectly. Kamal helped us sort it out with multiple trips to the port. Sidenote : not a single port person, nor Kamal tried to get bribes or anything from us for this, which was a pleasant surprise.

There was an individual named Jamal who worked at or near the Sudanese consulate (we never were sure which it was) and he helped us with visa updates and hooked us up with a guy taht worked in some capacity (I think managing cargo shipments?) at the port, named Mahmoud. He was the one that got our cars access to the port so that they would be guaranteed a spot on the barge. The parking fee was 30LE per day per car.

Saleh, the ticket guy wouldn't sell us tickets until he knew that we had our cars on the barge, but the barge couldn't guarantee that they would get on until the day after the ferry left (start circular logic here)!! :D

Essentially, while all working for us, Kamal, Mahmoud, and Saleh were constantly trashing each other and anytime we would tell one of them than another said something, we got a retort of "who is he? some taxi driver?!" or "he is just some cargo loader, he knows nothing!" In the end, they all were right about 50% of the time and full of BS the other 50% of the time.

As a general rule, trust EVERYTHING that Magdhi and Mazar tell you. They never had us going on wild goose chases, were honest, and extremely helpful. They didn't BS and at every turn, they got results.

Funny side note...the daily joke was about how the consulate was always waiting for a fax from Khartoum allowing them to process our visas. The name of the guy who was supposedly receiving these faxes was "Mohammed Ramadan." We joked taht CLEARLY this is a fake name, as John Christmas would be the most western equivelant. Well, it turns out there really is a Mohammed Ramadan, and he does indeed receieve faxes (just not ours because the ministry of foreign affairs never sent it...until we got Mazar involved).

Lastly, there is a guy named Mohamed Abd Alim. He is the customs manager and was very helpful and friendly. He said that with the vehicles in the port, he needed to hold on the carnets. We reluctantly let him hold them, but there were no issues and he got them to us promptly when we returned a few days later to get the vehicles on the boat. Apparently he is manager of Mahmoud and somehow has Saleh reporting to him (although we are still unsure if Saleh works for the same company or a 3rd party). Mohamed Abd Alim is also the one who decides which barge is going to sail...there are a couple to choose from, one that can fit more cargo and one that fit vehicles, so getting in with him is helpful. His number is 122 640 6861. Lastly, he is the one that also sells the tickets for vehicles on the ferry (Saleh deals with tickets for people).

Sounds like from all the posts here there is a lot of great info for the future idiots that are planning to do this ;-) Good luck intrepid fools!

Spoiler Alert : (It's totally worth it - Sudan was fantastic!)

Update: May 2013