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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #1  
Old 31 Jan 2006
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congo mining zone travel permits/nigeria visas
been hunting around for info on the DRC mining zone permits e.g. kasaï and "some parts of orientale province" as i'd read before. these don't seem to be mentioned any more and the travel permit has been replaced on the US government site by a requirement for "government permission". is this the same thing or is the 500$ no longer needed...?

and any recent info on where i can get a nigerian visa in west africa ?
cheers
thomas
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  #2  
Old 1 Feb 2006
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Let me know if you have more info. I contacted some embassies in DRC, but they just told me "we advise you not to go there", end of story.

Very little hands-on experiences I'm afraid. Did you check out this topic already: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000345.html
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  #3  
Old 4 Feb 2006
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yeh i looked at that, i have some replies posted at the bottom.... it's just that since then all info on the web (e.g. there used to be some on the US government travel website) has disappeared.. maybe they are advising people to stay away from these areas cos of the elections in april..

anyway ill try to get some info. not very easy here in helsinki but i have some friends in brussels i can send out on the rounds...

thomas
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  #4  
Old 4 Feb 2006
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hey Patonki

I got my permit for "SAUF-CONDUIT DE CIRCULATION DES ETRANGERS DANS LES ZONES MINIERS" from the "Ministere de l'interieur, Decentralisation et Securite",in Kinshasa. This was a federal permit that allows you to travel all over the minings areas, cost 500 bucks + some 50 for greasing otherwise letargic wheels despite all took me almost one week and the help of a local missionary to get it. It was sign by the minister himself.
You may obtain the permit from the various states but the validity is limited to the issuing state.
safe ridings
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Old 6 Feb 2006
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cheers
where are these ? so far i've gathered that it's both kasaï provinces and "some parts of orientale province". which parts are they ? and any others ?
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Old 7 Feb 2006
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hi
I am not sure which ones are the states. As at august 2005 the demilitarised zones on the zambia road were only the Bakongo and Kin. Out of these safe heavens any officer at any road block (and there are many) may ask you for the permit. I was asked( very politely I admit) just before Kenge which is obviuosly NOT a zone miniers. The 2 Kasai and the Katanga are for sure zone miniers and the oriental provinces will be affected, but who wants to go there now?
By the way there are reports of May-May activities north of Kolwezi. These people are no fun.
all the best

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Old 7 Feb 2006
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Tarisius, I presume the 500bucks is 500US$?

Did you get the permit locally in Kin? Any chance of obtaining it from abroad? How long was it valid?

Nice to know there is an option at least...
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Old 8 Feb 2006
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Hi

The permit is obtainable from the " The Ministere De L'Interieure" in Kinshasa. It is costing $500 official fee + something to oil the wheels. It is valid for 3 months from date of issue.I do not think it is possible to get it from embassies abroad.
Safe ridings

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Old 8 Feb 2006
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Albait still being bloody expensive, that is pretty good news!

Did you (or anybody else) actually travel in the Kasai Provinces and/or Katanga recently?

I'm growing dreams again... ;-)
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Old 8 Feb 2006
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Hi
my plan was to go from Kin to Lubumbashi but I had a crash just before Kenge. I was taken to a catholic mission were I stayed few days to recover after which, a bit disheartened, I return to Kin and went down the Angola road.
Adam, a brave Israeli presently in Mali in his Cape to Sweden trip, travelled the leg from Lubumbashi to Mbuj-May so Kasai and katanga. He was arrested for not having the permit but managed his way out(there is allways one). He is a member of this forum and has posted few treads on this matters a couple of months ago. His user name is "adamiko" and I am sure he will be more than happy to contribute with his experiences if asked.
By the way the road from Kinshasa to Kikwit marked in the Michelin map as tarred road is only so for the first 100 km, after which is totally destroyed by heavy traffic and transformed into a piste of deep ruts and loose sands climbing hills and descending valleys with lots of trucks stuck in it. Nevertheless it is still doable with some patience.
Safe ridings


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Old 8 Feb 2006
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Looks like I was mixing up some names here. I see you actually started the topic I referred to earlier (http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000345.html)

The roads you are talking about, are they do-able with a 4x4? Adam already described the roads he took... looks hard but manageable. If your end is possible it's only a little (relative) distance of unknown road to cover...

If funds allow for it I sure plan on trying this route later this year! BTW, we'll be two persons in the 4x4. Is the permit valid for a vehicle, or for a person?

Thanks for all the very valuable info thus far!

[This message has been edited by 2cvfred (edited 08 February 2006).]
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Old 8 Feb 2006
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.......and how about public transport ? is there any apart from boats and trains ? i would normally guess there are bush taxis but if the roads are so bad....

im hoping to go from kinshasa in august either to rwanda via mbandaka and kisangani or to burundi via ilebo-lubumbashi-uvira. obviously if i have to pay 500$ for the permis this could sink the plan completely...
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Old 9 Feb 2006
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Quote:
Originally posted by 2cvfred:
Looks like I was mixing up some names here. I see you actually started the topic I referred to earlier (http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000345.html)

The roads you are talking about, are they do-able with a 4x4? Adam already described the roads he took... looks hard but manageable. If your end is possible it's only a little (relative) distance of unknown road to cover...

If funds allow for it I sure plan on trying this route later this year! BTW, we'll be two persons in the 4x4. Is the permit valid for a vehicle, or for a person?

Thanks for all the very valuable info thus far!

[This message has been edited by 2cvfred (edited 08 February 2006).]
4x4 is essential: this is not a negotiable option. December is about the peak of the rains, if I remember well and will be hard time on these roads, but we like fun the hard way, don't we? so….
The permit is per person and “they” do not care if you travel on bikes, cars or foots…
There are not bush taxis but one can join a lorry for a fee(expect tough negotiation) average speed between 15 and 20 km /h but lot of action, and lot more of waiting. The traffic thins out dramatically the more you get afar from the big centres and becomes practically non existent in some segments of the road to Lubumbashi.
safe ridings
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Old 9 Feb 2006
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My fellow travelers,

I'll try to post a detailed description of the road I did, Lubumbashi to Mbuji May, plus some useful contacts in the DRC, "just in case". If any of you want, i can email pic from different parts of the route.

Good luck!
Adam.
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Old 9 Feb 2006
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Thanks adam! Pics are welcome at frederik (dot) willems (at) gmail (dot) com
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