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  #1  
Old 6 Aug 2017
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London to Cape Town Routes 2017/18
Hi I'm looking into riding London to Cape Town and route options seem increasingly limited.

Is going into Morocco and down the West Coast the safest option or are there any alternatives? Is it still doable?!!
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Old 6 Aug 2017
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I am also planning London-Cape Town and have been looking at East Africa - but so far I can't find a way to get to Egypt by sea - land being impossible atm.

Mauritania seems to be the only major obstacle on the West Coast - currently a big red no-go according to the FCO website. But possibly there is a way around - a boat or via Algeria/Mali which I imagine would be pretty challenging..

I'm all ears anyway!
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Old 6 Aug 2017
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a bit more digging has found Consolidated Freight Services cfsegypt.com to get bikes from Greece to Egypt - apparently this costs nearly 900 euros and is for the bike only, a flight for the rider would be on top.
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Old 7 Aug 2017
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Another couple of bits of info on sea crossings for the East Med:

The Turkey to Lebanon Ferry is running:

https://ferries-turkey.com/ferry-rou...-en.html#start

Also the Greece-Egypt Ferry:

Salamis Organisation - Home
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Old 7 Aug 2017
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Sorry that should have read Greece-Israel Ferry:

Salamis Organisation - Home
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Old 18 Aug 2017
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Hi goo, I'm in planning mode too.

Why no go Mauritania (as compared to Côte d'Ivoire, DRC, etc.)?

Would be great to compare notes!

Dave


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Old 19 Aug 2017
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Hi Dave,

My only count against Mauritania is that on the FCO website it advises strongly against going there at all due to terrorism - but the way things are going in Spain and Finland just now maybe it would be safer than Europe.. I haven't looked that hard at it as I am pretty set on using the East Africa route anyway. A certain level of risk is what makes these journeys adventures..

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Old 20 Aug 2017
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Thanks Guy, good to know. And you're right about a "certain level of risk". I've posted about this in another thread trying to wrap my head around it. At this stage I'm still planning to do the West coast... but I might consider doing East as well!
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Old 20 Aug 2017
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We did the west coast this year with zero issues. Mauritania was interesting and the people welcoming and lovely. The police were professional (unlike the border dudes who were petty and corrupt), and we never doubted our security.

After comparing our notes from 6 months in Africa to those of the US/UK/AUS/NZ Travel warnings.. I've come to the conclusion that travel warnings are either a load of politicized nonsense, or are designed for the typical Disney World vacationer with zero common sense, a $1,200 camera around their neck at all times, and a general appearance of being lost and confused.

If your plan is to stand in the western sahara in a hula shirt, too-short shorts, and holding a map upside-down and shouting loudly in english asking where the damned McDonald's is -- yeah, consider giving it a miss. I don't think people like that congregate in this forum, though.

$0.02

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Old 20 Aug 2017
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  • If you take the Salamis Line, you can be in the boat with 300 euro (full board & accommodation).
  • Mauritania was always a red zone but is properly doable with some caution. Check Dan Grec's recent trip here: theroadchoseme.com. You can ask Dan for more updates or check his site.
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Old 22 Aug 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by schmookeeg View Post
After comparing our notes from 6 months in Africa to those of the US/UK/AUS/NZ Travel warnings.. I've come to the conclusion that travel warnings are either a load of politicized nonsense, or are designed for the typical Disney World vacationer with zero common sense, a $1,200 camera around their neck at all times, and a general appearance of being lost and confused.
I.e. exactly the sort of person who would scream for the consulate instead of dealing with things on their own.

Anyway... you're in much more danger of dying in a traffic accident going from Finland to Spain than from any terrorist activity in either or at points in between.
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Old 22 Aug 2017
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I was concerned about crossing the Sinai for example so I talked with someone on this Forum who had done it recently and now it seems do-able with caution.

I'm going with a Turkey-Israel RoRo freighter that Grimaldi run - with the customs on arrival in Egypt it looks like it will work out way cheaper.
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Old 16 Jan 2018
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West Africa
Quote:
Originally Posted by schmookeeg View Post
We did the west coast this year with zero issues. Mauritania was interesting and the people welcoming and lovely. The police were professional (unlike the border dudes who were petty and corrupt), and we never doubted our security.

After comparing our notes from 6 months in Africa to those of the US/UK/AUS/NZ Travel warnings.. I've come to the conclusion that travel warnings are either a load of politicized nonsense, or are designed for the typical Disney World vacationer with zero common sense, a $1,200 camera around their neck at all times, and a general appearance of being lost and confused.

If your plan is to stand in the western sahara in a hula shirt, too-short shorts, and holding a map upside-down and shouting loudly in english asking where the damned McDonald's is -- yeah, consider giving it a miss. I don't think people like that congregate in this forum, though.

$0.02

- Mike
Just wondering did you secure Visa's in advance or along the route, Regards Mike
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  #14  
Old 16 Jan 2018
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Originally Posted by hw187 View Post
Hi I'm looking into riding London to Cape Town and route options seem increasingly limited.

Is going into Morocco and down the West Coast the safest option or are there any alternatives? Is it still doable?!!
Westcoas is great. Enjoy it http://afrikamotorrad.eu/?report=en_...te&design=dark

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Old 17 Jan 2018
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For what it's worth, spoke a few weeks ago to an Israeli gentleman and asked him about the Israel to Egypt overland crossing... while this is someone cautious by nature, he seemed to think it would be very much doable for an overland motorcycle traveller. Might want to go in a convoy from the border across the Sinai, but otherwise no showstoppers.
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