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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
is the one
you never begin

Photo by Daniel Rintz,
Himba children, Namibia



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  #1  
Old 8 Oct 2007
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Riding through Angola in Dec

I'm riding through Angola, the DRC and Congo in December/Jan and have been told Angola is almost impassible as it will be the rainy season. Is this the case? I've had very mixed reports!

Cheers
Luke
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  #2  
Old 16 Oct 2007
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Bad bad bad

The worst road I travelled on by far was Makoko-Franceville (Gabon) dry season. Congo/DRC wasn't much better and Angola was a kind of hell. To do it in raining season is really asking for an end to your journey.
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  #3  
Old 16 Oct 2007
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Location: Luanda, Angola
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Talking It'll be fine :-)

We are riding through Gabon, Congo, DRC and Angola around Dec/Jan too, I'm not expecting it to be all plain sailing but we aren't exactly pioneers.

Plenty of people have done these routes at this time of year and lived to tell the tale. Check out Paul and Zoe Jenkins in the Travellers Tales section, they did it in 2004, also see Lois on the Loose, Lois did it on her own on a 250 Yam at the beginning of this year, including crossing Angola in 5 days. Also read about Robbo and Amy, THE HARD WAY HOME, they were in central Africa around Dec 2006.

Bring a shovel, a tow rope and a bottle of whiskey incase the first two don't work.

Of course, bike choice makes a big difference, all those people I mentioned used offroad bikes, as do we.

See you in the mud!

Last edited by levitan; 16 Oct 2007 at 22:52.
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  #4  
Old 17 Oct 2007
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see you on the road

Looks like we're gonna need a boat. HAha.
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  #5  
Old 17 Oct 2007
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Location: Samaipata / Bolivia
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rainy season??

dobre dien,

we crossed Angola on two bikes (Tenere and DR350) in January 2005, yes the roads are no good, but it was not the rainy season. ok, we had a bit of rain in Luanda and further North, but the rainy season we met in Congo in the end of March, with real mud.

enjoy

mika from Bulgaria
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  #6  
Old 17 Oct 2007
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angola

Hei lukecapetown just take a pair of oars and pump up the tyres,more of an achievement when its not as easy.anyway do you know a website of a honda dealer in capetown and if the honda nx400 is available,i'll be over next year up to uk then down the east coast back to sth africa,don't mention the rugby,good luck,ron.
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  #7  
Old 17 Oct 2007
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Honda

Hey Ron,

Sorry about the rugby... we'll carry the cup for the Southern hemisphere.
Check out Honda Cape Town or www.wilddogtours.co.za

cheers
luke
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  #8  
Old 17 Oct 2007
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Question

So when is the best time to ride down the west coast of Africa? If the rainy season is March-May, then riding down Morocco December and arriving in Namibia in April will avoid the rainy season???
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  #9  
Old 18 Oct 2007
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Smile thanks

Hei thanks a lot Luke for the dealer info good luck for the final.looks like june,july,aug is the drier season west africa,central africa check out africaoverland.info-climate also lonelyplanet.com,ron
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  #10  
Old 18 Oct 2007
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Question

If we leave Morocco in early January, and reach Nigeria by May, will we miss the rainy season farther North in for example, Gabon?
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  #11  
Old 19 Oct 2007
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gabon

looks like heavy rain in gabon jan-april then oct-dec dry may-sept on the website above go to the bottom of the page click on nth to sth route etc,good info in the lonely planet guidebook for africa as well,ron.
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