Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB

Hey there,
I also crossed the border about one month ago. I had about the same experience like Thimba, although the prices on the egyptian side differ. Please note, we crossed the border with one car and two people. We also used Mazar and Kamal, so we had to pay both. The final price therefore includes the sudanes and the egyptian border, Mazar and Kamal!

So here are the latest news about the “newly” opened road and land border crossing from Wadi Halfa, Sudan, to Aswan, Egypt! We are in Aswan now and therefor managed to cross the borders successfully (2 people and 1 Land Rover) on Wednesday the 8th of October 2014! We had Mazar (Mazar Mahir. +249 12 238 0740. mazarhalfa@gmail.com. His home is even in Tracks4Africa! Under ‘Mazar BMW’) in Halfa as a Fixer. He went with us to the Sudanese border, about 35km north of Wadi Halfa. On the Egyptian side, Kamal was already waiting for us (see text below).
Sudanese side:
Needed Time: It took 2h for Mazar to finish all the paper work. It is NOT just about get the Carnet and the passport stamped. He organized much more papers, like a “pamphlet” , which “allows” us to leave Sudan.
Our job: Sit in the shade and wait.
Costs: We paid 450 SGP (53USD with receipts ) for Customs etc. Mazar paid everything and we gave him back the money in USD. We gave Mazar 47 USD for his services (about 30USD for his services and 17 USD for staying with him in Halfa)
Total costs of 100 USD on the Sudanese side
Fazit: It MIGHT be possible (in the future) to cross the border without Mazar, but since the border just opened 1 month ago, it is not like any other border yet. One needs lots of papers, and there is no routine at all. Even for Mazar it took 2 hours to get all the papers.
Change some EGP (egyptian pound) already in Halfa (maybe 100 USD), Mazar will help you. Its good to have some EGP, although Kamal takes USD later. Exchange rate: 1USD=7.15 EGP.

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Finally, we drove the 200m to the Egyptian border control. Kamal (+20 100 532 26 69, kamalaswanegy@yahoo.com), who works together with Mazar on the Egyptian side, was already waiting and waiving for us behind the fence.
Needed time: 4h
Our job: Take everything out of the car and after wait in the shade.
Customs and security check: The officials are very nervous. Our car was carefully searched . We (they) had to take out everything, some of the boxes got screened, others just emptied and searched. They kept my ax (it was classified as a weapon) and I had a long discussion about my pocket knife and the cooking gas bottle.
Costs: Kamal paid everything in advance and I gave him the money back later in USD. No receipts were issued. I try to lists the approx. costs as far as I know:
Customs: 800 EGP (instead of 650 EGP at the harbor)
Third party insurance: 400EGP (instead of 160 EGP at the harbor)
Border entry costs: 50 EGP pp and 30 EGP for the car – 130 EGP
License and number plates: about 70 EGP
Later, after the border, a ferry ( 30km north of the border) from opposite Abu Simbel to Abu Simbel: 200 EGP . There is also a cheaper ferry (only 70 EGP), but since the ferries are just going about every 1.5h, we didn’t wait for the cheaper one.
Kamals service: 500 EGP (instead of 40USD at the harbor)
Kamal requested 2500 EGP (350USD) in total. If the above list is right (all prices according Kamal), we paid about 400 EGP baksheesh.

Visa: NO VISAS ARE ISSUED AT THIS BORDER! But, if Kamal knows it in advance, he gets a visa sticker from the airport in Aswan and brings it to the border. It is absolutely essential to check this with Kamal BEFOR you leave Sudan. Kamal needs to have the sticker and has to be at the border waiting for you!!!!!!! (25 USD pp)

Final Costs for 2 people + 1 car: 100 USD for Sudan, 350 USD for Egypt and 50 USD for Visa
500 USD to cross the border

Final comment: So far, in my opinion, it is not possible to cross this border without a fixer, especially not the Egyptian side. Maybe in the future, but not now. The costs are about the same (OK, slightly cheaper) like with the ferry, but since the border is open every day one is much more flexible. And ones don’t need a hotel room in Aswan while waiting for the barge. The Egyptians check the car very carefully, so be prepared and bring patience and water (and hide your ax!). But they check the car really carefully (each box, under the car, under the mattress, under the seat etc.) According to Kamal, a bike is slightly cheaper, something around 1500 EGP he said.
Apparently, the ferry from Halfa to Aswan is ONLY a passenger ferry now. NO BARGE is operating anymore! There are also busses running now from Halfa to Aswan. Ask Mazar for more information.

Cheers from Port Said