Ethiopia - Djibouti - Eritrea - Sudan
 

I know this question has been asked before, but the latest information I can find is 2004. So, does anyone have any recent news on this possible route north with regard to borders being open/closed? Thanks.

We had a plan to go to Eritrea around two months ago and we were in Djibouti then. Sad thing is: Eritrea borders both with Djibouti and Sudan are closed, and obviously with Ethiopia too, which means Eritrea is now a completely isolated country for overlanders. To ride it you need to fly or ship there and out again.

Eritrea had serious border disputes with Djibouti recently so there's not much hope this one would open up in near-future. Only probable border that apparently MAY be open again sometime is with Sudan, but Sudan has its own problems right now.

Check the latest updates but don't put much hope on Eritrea opening up.

Thanks Margus - that's helpful. We'll keep listening out for information as it will be about 12 months or more before we get there.

I can confirm that currently all Eritrean land borders are closed. My suggestion for your itinerary would be to take a cheap flight with Yemenia Airways from Djibouti to Asmara. You will not need a visa for the stop-over in Sanaa and
Yemenia even arranges a hotel plus airport transfers for free.
We had no problems to get the Eritrea visa in Berlin in January 2011.