Hi Ionut,

If it's any help in your decision making, the embassy in Matadi can be slow and sporadic in issuing visas. I met up with some friends there last year who were heading south, they spent about a week waiting for the visas to be issued, with the usual back and forth and being told to try again tomorrow. One would hope that reopening after a long shutdown would mean that they were open for business and would be fairly quick, but one never knows. As you know, the deadlines given have a way if shifting.

Hope it all works out.

Angola Visa - our experience
 

Hi Folks

We passed through Angola start of this year (got 5 day transit visa in Abuja). I am sorry to see that things have changed and we wish you well with getting the visas sorted.

Just for information purposes......

We tried to extend the transit visa in Angola and went to a customs office with a fluent local speaker who personally knew the customs director at the office - they told us that they had stopped extending transit visas early in 2011. It might be possible to extend in Luanda as it is the capital and things might have changed (as is the way with Africa).

We got our DRC visa in Brazza as we came in via Gabon - Franceville route (takes just a few hours - as long as they are issuing) and crossed the Congo River at Pioka (avoids the rip off on Brazz / Kinsh ferry but very tricky road once you cross the river - see our website for details Latest news / About us - Langebaan Sunset - Stonehenge UK to Cape Town SA - 2010/11). The "easier option" is Luosi.

We entered into Angola via Luvo / Songo. You can camp at the customs post. They have a brand new customs post here that seemed pretty organised when we were there. If you fail to get Angolan visa at Matadi and Kinsh' you could try this as a fall back plan but I don't have any confirmation of anyone getting a visa at this post but its a possible fall back plan. You could also just ask the Chef de Post on the DRC side - he was very helpful and friendly and it would be worth the few KM to drive down the road to ask them - you will pass the turn off for this on the road from / to Matadi / Kinsh so its something to try if all else fails.

If you run out of options there are a couple of people who have driven the Kinsh - Lumb "road" and on into Zambia - one report you can read is at the link below - this would be a challenge in the wet season, esp. on bikes.

05. Kongo (Kinshasa) | toyota-adventure

We wish you well folks - we enjoyed Central Africa - we hope it all pans out ok for you.

Safe travels

Nick

Decision taken
 

Hello,
We've decided to take the road to Lubumbashi!!! We'll keep you guys posted in hopefully 2 weeks.
Just follow our blog (blog.intotheworld.eu) or our thread in ride tales.

For others behind us just try after 9th of Jan at the consulate in Dolsie (RCongo). They said that is possible to get in 24/48h for 200$ a double entry 7days Transit visa (to go via Cabinda) or for 100$ single entry 7 days transit visa (go to the ferry at Luozi then Songolo - Lufu). Not possible in Pointe Noire, Brazza or Kinshasa. Maybe in Matadi or Muanda (in DRC next to the border w. Cabinda)

Cheers from DRC,

Ionut

Hello MrWhite.

We are just behind you (both on Motorbikes) sitting in Brazzaville also with Angola visa problems. Are you planing to put your bike on the train from Kananga to Lubumbashi?
We are also considering the Lubumbashi route...

Route info for Kinshasa to Lubumbashi
 

Hey Morten

I would strongly suggest putting your bikes on the train - every bit helps on that route!

Make sure you get a visa for longer than 30 days in Brazzaville - everytime I cross DRC I take longer than a month and then have to negotiate to let me leave the country without paying a fortune.

Beware of the Kasumbalesa border - almost as bad as Rosso!
Take lots of money - no ATM's between Kin and Lubumbashi!
Hotels cost hundreds of dollars and the DGM (Direction General de Migration) eat up money in the form of bribes and passport pages in the form of stamps!
The evil ANR (FBI) will find you and want to "register" you for 50 dollars each time! Katanga is the worst!

Let me know if you need GPS routes (I can't remember if you copied them from me when we were in Mauritania together?)

You can find a pic here: http://bit.ly/pyIpuA and I will attach the gdb file also. (I lost some of the info, but the first 600km is no problem)

GDB file won't attach - moderators - please increase your file size for GDB from 500kb to at least 2MB - DRC tracks are hectic!

Morten, I will send you an email of the file.

Try get personal phone number of someone at your embassy in Kinshasa - that is, if you're not keen on paying the DGM, ANR and Gendarme every day!

Say hi to Dom!

Regards
Dave

Hi David

Thanks for your reply and the GPS Tracks - Dominik and i are as you can see in Brazzaville now and Henri is still in Gabon with some bike batt.charge problems - but hope he join us soon.
We are still looking over our options from here - and know that the DRC / Zambia route will bee long and hard. Took the Plateau route from Franceville to Congo and it was very wet + sandy and we found it quite hard - and that was only 100 km.....

Have a nice X-Mas and great new year
Best regards
Morten

Heading south too, Xmas / New Year anyone?
 

Hi all following this thread,

We (2 bikers) are currently in Lambarene, Gabon. It sounds like we'll head for Matadi for around the 9th (we've already got Congo and DRC visas), if anyone has any new info or changes in developments please post it here.

Also, if anyone is between here and Matadi for Xmas and/or New Year, please let us know, it would be great to celebrate with those of you out there!

Cheers,
Adrian

Hey guys,

Just a quick update. We receive our Angolan Visas at Dolisie today. 5 day, multiple entry transit. A bit of a process, but staff very friendly and helpful. We had to apply for permission to apply for a visa, but once that was approved we had the visa in 24hrs.
I think this is definitely a place to try for the Angolan Visas.

Thanks for the advice to go to Dolisie, it wasn't even one of our planned stops for a Angolan visa.

Any news from the guys doing the Lubombashi road?

Cheers,
Henri and Dominik

Great news Henri and Dominic,

We have not been as lucky, we tried today in Kinshasha and were told that they are not issuing visas to overland travellers here in DRC (incl Matadi). They will how ever issue visas to people flying in

Unfortunatley Dolisie was not an option as our DRC entry visa was due to expired on 04/01.

We are now making alternate plans. Suggestions welcome

Russell


P.s Dominic, it was good meeting you on the Dolisie-Brazza road. That road was an absolute mess!!!

We are safely in Namibia. Used Cabinda - DRC - Angolan route. No issues entering with visas issued along the way.

See this thread - http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-dolisie-61133

We changed our plans, we blagged a free flight for us and the bikes from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi on a cargo plane. Made it through Zambia and we are now in Malawi.

Angola can shove it where the sun dont shine

Hi
Just wanted to let you all know that we managed to get the Angola visa in Dolisie in February 2012. transit 10 days.

www.amsterdam2afrika.nl