London to cape town 2012

[Beattie99]

Hi,

Im planning a trip from london to cape town starting in sept and arriving in cape town in jan 2013. im still in the early stages of planning so im looking for potential fellow travellers and general advice.

My first question; why do most people choose the west cost? is this a security issue?

Please get in touch. Im 36 years old and ride a KTM 990 adventure.

Cheers Bruce

[PaulD]

Bruce, I actually think the East side is more popular, but either side is fantastic
my wife and I are currently 1/2 way down the east side. I would love to do the west as well one day. You will have a ball what ever you decide.
Cheeers
Paul

[catch22]

hi Bruce,

I'm leaving from Brussels to CPT august,15 and taking eastroute aswell.
Been busy yet a couple of months preparing the stuff.

Have You thought of the carnet for Egypt? Seems expensive for British.

Will tell you what i know, and fine for me if we ride a potion together!!

regards----------geert
geertvdgucht@yahoo.com

[Beattie99]

Cheers, Literally cant wait now.

If you dont mind what did you budget (guestimate?)??

Thanks Bruce

[Beattie99]

Hi Geert,

Thanks for the quick response. Im going to take the west route as ive visited Kenya before and im very keen to visit camaroon and angola.

Lets keep in touch, im from South africa originally so even if we can hook up and ride a bit of the souther region.

Bruce

[thoy]

Hi Everybody,

Our name is Roy & Lathoya our original plan is to Ride from Holland to Sydney.
We are currently in Kuala Lumpur and are now considering flying from Singapure to Cape Town Z-Africa and riding the East route op Africa back to Holland.
On The web we find that there is a lot of confusing information about the safety situation in for example Sudan and other eastern country's.

does anyone have an opinion about this matter ?

enjoy your ride people !!

Actueel - De Jimdo-website van nowayback!
e-mail: elmholdt79@hotmail.com

[Beattie99]

Hi Guys,

ill think you find that many african countries come with travel risk warnings, now its up to you if you are willing to take the risk. Many people travel the route and people i know do business all over africa perfectly safely. common sense is required.

Good luck.

[Multi Adventurer]

Hi Bruce

I am planning this same trip same time on a Ducati Multistrada 1200. Am looking to hook up with others for the trip as I understand its advisable to travel through parts of africa in a convoy. My plan was to spend a month in Kenya enroute, but this is only an option. Have you worked out how best to get your bike into egypt yet? Not easy it seems!

I'm based in Manchester.

cheers

Les

[Beattie99]

Hi Les,
Im taking the west route (any chance you fancy a change of route?). It just seems cheaper and easier to ride through europe and ferry over to Tangier? i would consider a cross over from angola to zambia to mozambique to do the last keg on the east side.

I would also prefer to ride with company...

Let me know either way as it would be nice to share advice.

Cheers Bruce

[Beattie99]

Hi Geert,

Are you still taking the east route?

Bruce

[catch22]

hi Bruce,

i'm around and watching...
i still prefer the eastern side, but i know, i got a problem how to come
into Egypt, and there's trouble in northern Kenya at this moment.
sweat it out and see what happens in the spring..
Either Syria becomes safer, maybe ferry to Alex or transit visa thr. Libya;

Entry Morocco for you: did you consider ferry barcelona/tanger with
grandnavi? is cheaper!
greets----------geert

[Multi Adventurer]

Originally Posted by Beattie99

Hi Les,
Im taking the west route (any chance you fancy a change of route?). It just seems cheaper and easier to ride through europe and ferry over to Tangier? i would consider a cross over from angola to zambia to mozambique to do the last keg on the east side.

I would also prefer to ride with company...

Let me know either way as it would be nice to share advice.

Cheers Bruce

Sorry Bruce, Im getting confused left and right! (not a good start!)...

I would be up for the west route instead...there are just too many obstacles on the east right now. Can I ask what you've budgeted for the trip? Will you be camping?? Are you planning to fly bike back from SA?...

cheers
Les

[Titbird]

About the West route or East route, both routes have their difficulties but I still think the East route is easier if you take the first hurdle of getting into Egypt, after that you just cruise down, without too much trouble, and it gets easier as you go. The West route, which I am taking now has more challenges, visa for Nigeria, DRC and especially Angola are difficult. Security is a bit of problem too, you have to watch out where not to go.
Many travellers here in Mali decided to get a container shipped from Accra Ghana to Namibia, to skipp all this trouble.


oh and hi Geert (catch22)! Hope you get a good start on your adventure.
www.tony-roundafrica.blogspot.com

[Beattie99]

Hi Les,

Sorry for confusion, im taking the west route. I know it comes with challenges but i think the west gives a wider range of what africa has to offer (desert, tropics etc) and im up for the challenge!

Im still in a budgetting stage but im estimating 10k all in. I would of course like to keep this to a minimum. This budget allows for a few extravagant luxuries / hotels on route after a tough leg but for the most part i want to camp and "get amongst it". There is after all not much point going to all the effort to watch from a distance.

Im not shipping back as im from south africa originally and go back annually so the bike will live there for now... for future adventures to mozambique etc.

Let me know if you would like to catch up, even to share ideas. Ive never taken a trip like this before so bit of a novice.

Cheers
Bruce

[Beattie99]

Hi Tony,
Are you shipping across?
Are the difficulties with bureaucracy or is it a safety issue?

Cheers
Bruce