Thanks also Chris
The planning at this stage is definitely keeping to the west and then east coast up to Taba
By the way we met way back in 2008 on our way back from Morocco
Cheers kym

Hi kym,
Have you found any updates yet re 4x4 in the Sinai?
Where's the best place to ask for most up to date info?
Looking into this and all the other options for departing Africa in the east around October.
Tx

Try asking in Overlanding Africa on FB seems to be good source for information

Tx. Will get the other half on to it: I'm not on FB

Hi
I read your post about your journey London to Cape Town and back.
I am planning a similar trip to leave middle of August, only one way though - from London to Cape Town!
Our thoughts are that we would try to put our Land cruiser on a ferry to Egypt from Greece or Turkey. This seems to be the most difficult bit of our journey to organise. Any tips would be appreciated. How did you get from Europe in to Africa?
Thanks
Lily

Europe to Africa
 

I'm currently sitting on a Gremaldi ship in Ashdod, Israel, waiting to disembark.I embarked in Salerno, Italy, with my motorbike (very easy and straightforward) and in the morning will attempt to get the bike through customs and immigration. On hearing this a local taxi driver I spoke to a couple of hours ago told me "ahh, my friend, you will sweat tomorrow", but the fact he knows this suggests that whilst arduous the process is by no means an unexplored one! The ship I'm on, the Grande Mediterraneo, actually stops in Alexandria as well however although the Captain saw no reason why I couldn't disembark there when I booked the passage Grimaldi head office were adamant I could not.

Customs have granted me entry (we arrived late so just me, not the bike, however the captain has kindly let me stay onboard tonight) and when I explained that I was travelling down to SA they told me they wouldn't stamp my passport. They haven't even put an insert in, so not sure how that will figure out when I exit in Eilat. I plan to cross over to Jordan and pick up the ferry from Aqaba down into Egypt.

You should check upfront if ferries from Aqaba to Nuweiba still operate since traffic through Sinai has been banned for motorbikes and 4x4 vehicles.

Good luck on your journey.

Sinai and Suez
 

I just went from Nuweiba to Cairo on my motorbike yesterday, Sinai seems to be open for business (I went the long way, around the bottom, as was in a rush and was told the road past St Catherine's monastery was in a terrible state), although worth noting apparently motorcycles aren't allowed through the Suez tunnel. I got stopped at three different checkpoints and told I needed "papers", although in the end patience and a few phone calls from the soldiers got me through. I suspect it very much depends on who is on duty that day. The soldiers suggested I put the bike on a truck, which sounded like a bother I would rather avoid.

Hi, how did having recognition of Israel on the carnet for the bike go down as you proceeded south?
Thanks
Jordan

Hi Alex PB and everyone,
I'm going down this September from Spain, arriving to Ashdod and riding south to Egypt and then down to Kenya. Do you hace any fixer, contact or whoever who helped you entering through Taba?
At the same time, It seems that I need a permit to cross under suez with the bike. Any idea where to obtain it?
I appreciate any help. Best Regards from Spain.
Alfonso

Crossing the Sinai with a 4X4
 

I would like to try and ship my truck from Ashdod with Grimaldi in June 2018 . Has anyone with a vehicle got to Taba and crossed into Israel in the last 2 years? If they did was a permit required from Cairo?
Thanks Chris

Hi everyone,

We are getting closer to our big African trip and currently trying to firm-up plans for arrival in Africa. I see some of you have taken the freight cruise from Salerno (Italy) to Ashdod (Israel), I assume this is with Grimaldi? (we will be in a Land Rover 4x4).
How did you book this? On their website they appear to suggest booking via 3rd party websites such as IVSS - has anyone had any experience of this?

Following this, the road around the bottom of the Sinai peninsula appears to be the best option - am I correct on this? Is the Taba border crossing doable?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!
Lottie

We exited Egypt via the southern edge of the Sinai into Israel at the Taba border in November 2018 in our 4x4 Mercedes Vario 814DA . If you do not look at the front axle our truck does not look like a 4X4 but we met in Addis Ababa one couple on a motorbike and a family in a 4X4 Ford Ranger pickup that had come around the bottom of the Sinai from Israel. The main advantage of exiting Africa this way is you can sail on the Grimaldi ship with your locked vehicle and keep the keys in your pocket. It also has the side benefits of a 1 hour exit from Egypt instead of the 3 or more days you have spend with paperwork in Alexandria. We paid 1650 euros for the Vehicle and a cabin for 2 and 250 euro for the Customs Agent in Ashdod for the 9 day voyage to Salerno . If anyone is interested I will detail our strategy for passing the police stops and getting through the tunnel under the Suez.
Chris

Worth noting:
A: If leaving Africa, going via Israel is ok passport/stamp wise - change your passport if you are planning to come back to countries 'angry' at them at a later date.
B. If going towards Africa, if you go through Israel you run the risk of being denied a visa for Sudan etc. They know the names of the entry points of Jordan for example, so even if you have nothing Israeli in your passport the fact that you entered Jordan via the Israeli border will likely be noticed.
Plenty of older posts on here about it etc

This is widely known, but has it ever happened to a regular overlander ticking all the boxes? Not to my knowledge.