On Jupiters Traces
 

Hi all,

I'm a new member in this community and not really sure if this is the right way to get advice; however, let me try and give me an info if I'm doing anything wrong or unpolite.
I'm 63 years old, just retired, now planning to make my long term dream come true: I'd like to follow the route Ted Simon did twice years ago, starting by end of February 2024.
So I would enter Africa via Tunis, ride through Libya towards Egypt and from there direction south to Sudan, Ethiopia and further on.
The official information of the German government means NO, NO, NO, no way. Is it really like this? What is the situation at site? Is it as bad as described?

I would really appreciate any advice of well experienced riders around here. Many thanks in advance.

Regards
Georg

BtW: Happy New Year!

That sounds like a brilliant trip and certainly an interesting idea following the Jupiter route!

I'm not a super experienced traveller in Africa (I'd only been here on a two week family holiday before a trip im on now) and I've never been to that side of Africa and only researched for fun rather than in depth planning of a trip so I have no specific advice but rather a number of points to consider from my other trips and research. Hopefully someone with first hand experience will be able to help more!

African changeability:
In overland travel there is often a west coast and east coast route when crossing Africa. Most of the time this is dictated by the fact that wars, political blocks and foreign policies can change at the drop of a hat in that area. Research will need to be up to date and routes may need to change because certain counties, areas or borders are off limits at the time of travel.

Visas:
May need to be acquired in advance, it's worth checking what the situation is for each country you pass through. Sometimes you may get a 3 month visa at the border others may need to be acquired before leaving and only grant 7 days. If you plan to leave in 2 months then it would be best to start looking and possibly applying soon.

Government information:
Take it with a grain of salt, it will have some basis in truth but most people who have travelled long distance will have done so in areas that their government states is a no go. That being said there are places that most definitely should not be entered at any given time due to militia, bandits, pirates etc. Typically there are military checkpoints that ensure you don't just wander into these zones.

Travel insurance:
Worth considering that per the above many companies only insure you for countries that your government approves for travel, for example on my current trip I believe there are three counties I'm not insured in because of this. It's your own risk here on what you decide to do, more specialist insurance may be available but I'm on a tight budget!

Bike choice and prep:
You haven't mentioned what bike and gear you have already but I strongly advise that you get all of your kit ready and sorted before you leave and have a few test rides and nights out before you go because it's awful when you're already on the road and realise you forgot something or you brought something you never use!

Nice idea Georg but right now is not a good time in Libya or, I presume, Sudan.
Anything is possible with enough determination and money, but for normal travellers it is just too much added stress.
Not sure people are even transit Sudan since the war.
Start from Ethiopia.

Sadly Libya is very unsafe and it's almost impossible to get a visa.

I spoke with a few Sudanese people not too long ago and they strongly advised me to not visit Sudan right now due to the civil war.

I am currently in Ethiopia and the locals here tell me that it's not safe to use roads inside the country, you can only travel safely by flying from city to city.


Maybe you could do another part of the route and them come back to Africa once things clam down? Also if you are not a experienced travelled you will be taken advantage of in Africa.

Cool concept, but....

As above, several of the countries you mention are currently difficult at best, out of the question at worst, and this is just the beginning of your hoped-for journey. Since you give no indication you're aware of or prepared for this---and have only a month and a half to GET prepared, should you decide to go anyway--it's probably best you start somewhere other than northern and eastern Africa.

Depending on your nationality, schedule, and budget, there are other potential sticking points. Travel warnings by national governments are not my first stop for accurate information, since they tend to be very black-and-white, sensationalistic, and sometimes totally clueless; I'd start by reading as many trip reports as possible by actual travelers, here and perhaps elsewhere.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

If I were you i´d highly consider the west-coast route these days starting with Morocco. Head down to Senegal from Mauretania, continue to Guinea Bissau ( don´t miss Bijagos archipel, truely a little paradise !!!!! ) and Guinea Conakry. Then you decide if you either directly enter Ivory-coast or also visit Sierra Leone and Liberia. After that continue all the way to Cameroon following basically the coastline. Avoid Mali and Burkina Faso these days. I´ve done both west- and east route south- and norhwards and definately prefer the region of west- and central Africa in terms of overland travel !!


As the others have mentioned already, Libya is a big no no these days for overlanders and I doubt you would even get a visa if not posing as a business man or investor. Not even sure if anybody has done this route in the last years. For the current situation this video sums it up pretty well :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_YDZ1HTYMU

For Egypt also consider that you need a carnet de passage and it will still cost you as much money ( and hussle ! ) for the temporary import than all the following countries on the way to Cape Town together. Spoke to friends in and from Sudan some months ago and the situation there is very unstable and dangerous too !


Greetings,
Chris

Thanks for answers and advice
 

Dear all,
first and most important: many thanks for your advice.

Some of you pointed out travelers experience and equipment, so let me just give a more detailed introduction o myself:
I do think I'm a quite experienced traveler, but up to now only in Europe. 2023 I did Spain and Portugal in January, Italy, Switzerland and Austria in March/April and North Cape/Finland/Norway/Sweden in June, total ~ 30.000 km in 2023, always with camping gear.
I've just retired, before I was (and I still am) a vehicle engineer, in my latest position responsible for the development of fuel cell driven trucks (www.enginius.de)

My bike is a little bit - hmm, let's say uncommon: I'm using a Honda Deauville NT650V from 1998 but transformed to an Enduro (TransAlp fork and 21" front wheel) with Wilbers front and rear suspension, 220 mm travel and, for me most important, cardan shaft drive. Looks quite ugly but is not too heavy (198 kg including 19 l fuel), provides 37 kW and good torque from low revs. At least on the German TET she performed quite well.
I will post some pictures when she is back, currently she is sitting in a welders shop to have the crash bars and skid place welded.

I'm carrying ~ 15 kg equipment (camping gear, tools, clothes, personal stuff) and have an option for additional 10 Liter fuel and 10 Liter water. (Not sure I will ever need this, the plastic cans are 10 € each so no big loss if I decide to leave them behind).

Of course I already thought about using the western route; I was just wanting to follow the eastern trail to stay as close as possible to Ted Simon's route. But if there is no way I'm fine with the alternative of course.

The western route currently is content in the videos of Itchy Boots; you might know her. Doesn't look too easy, does it? So I guess I will find my limits there as well as on any other route...

I'll be happy with any further comments from you.

Best regards
Georg (from Northern Germany, living close to Bremen)

The western route may look difficult (and yes, the Itchy Boots series is widely watched and discussed), but it's often done. The full eastern route is as close to impossible as anyplace on the planet at the moment, and including a traverse of Libya makes it more difficult still. That may change--for better or worse.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with your kit or choice of bike, and is only marginally related to any amount of travel experience in Europe. That's worth keeping in mind.

I'm not criticizing your adventurous spirit; nor am I predicting one way or the other as to whether you'll enjoy travel in the Global South. I'm merely offering that your initial post asking what we think of a route through Libya and South Sudan, suggests a need for lots (and lots) of basic research, following which your questions and planning will be more realistic and effective. Of course, if your purpose here is otherwise, what I'm saying may have little bearing and can safely be ignored.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

[Edited to sound less obnoxious]

If I were not interested in your advice I had not asked for...

The reason for the original post was that I was uncertain about the situation. Of course I'm well informed about the civil war in Sudan as well as about all the other countries in problems. But sometimes the information from people who are really there are different from official statements like the governmental travel warnings (example: Nigeria is a no go according to German government, videos from there show a different picture.

However: I will for sure not try to do the eastern route.

Again: many thanks for your statements.

Regards
Georg

Sounds like a strong case for ignoring me, which (as I said) is fine. Safe journeys and fun times!

Mark