Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Regional Forums > sub-Saharan Africa
sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
Photo by Stephan Hahnel, Kradwanderer, in Northern Argentina

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Stephan Hahnel,
www.krad-wanderer.de,
in Northern Argentina



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #16  
Old 8 Jul 2004
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 19
good god. $100 day? $200 a day. Jeeeeeeez! A decent bottle of wine at a medicocre eatery is going to cost me $40-$50 - add gas, lodging, food to have with that wine ;-) and we might be close to Werner's budget... but I've planned on $100/day RTW... should cover it but might have to settle for cheap wine once in awhile....
__________________
2001 BMW F650GSA | Contact Me | Blog
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 14 Jul 2004
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 55
Our budget for crossing Africa was +- 1000 GBP per month for 2 people each on their own bike. That covered for all visas enroute, fuel, food etc. We did spend a couple of nights in a pricy hotel in Nigeria, and splashed out on a few game park trips in East Africa which left a few teeth marks in the budget. Also we didn't have any big mechanical problems on the way. Our trip was over 8 mths and covered 26,000km.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 6 Nov 2004
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Berlin
Posts: 58
hi folks
my wife´s and my budget was some 35$ a day a head going to Central Asia and back. 4 1/2 months, 25.000 km, quite fast. Some 8-9$ a day was only to pay the visas. (Maybe it´s the reason why so few people go there by bike).
The slower U go, the less you pay.
Werner, you went fast. I read all your books and we met personally at TTT ´04.
And it´s true, the "old" buggers do need more dough. We are in our 40ies.
If we´d go to the Americas, I´d reckon on less a head a day.
Whatever style we ride, let´s just ride and go there.

Goetz

------------------
ïóòü = öåëü
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 5 Feb 2005
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 5
Hello to everybody

Just thought I would contribute before you all go off the deep end about costs!

As a prospective RTWer I was interested in this string. This information is often hard to come by in terms of the 'rough' cost of trips. I know that it is a bit like 'how long is a piece of string' but all information is useful.

I am interested in the costs as I will be separating from my wife in a few months (house sale etc.) and will have a fair (probably £30-40,000) amount.

I have been on motorcyles for 30 years (am 49) and need to spend some time on the road to work through events.

Thus I am interested in everybody's wide variation / experience along with comments on how long they were away and how much you all got through - whether sleeping beside the bike (more like me) or splashing out (probably occasionally!)

Thanks for any posts which pick up this question.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 11 Feb 2005
JS JS is offline
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Singapore
Posts: 3
Hi Boxerman,
I'm in a similar situation as yourself (no emotional ties)/ age bracket/finances. I'm planning my RTW for after june 2006 (when my contract in singapore ends). Presently, in the process of planning route, organising stuff etc. If interested in exchanging info. give me a bell (email). JS
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 13 Feb 2005
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 2,134
I've always averaged about USD $100 a day. I don't drink, but I like to sleep in clean places - not luxury at all, just clean. I don't camp. I find that the $100 a day budget works just about anywhere in the world - some places cost more, some less, but that's the average for everything, fuel, food, lodging, visas, sightseeing, everything except motorcycle maintenance costs (tires, etc.).
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 14 Feb 2005
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Hulme or India, this year
Posts: 285
Renee,

How is it? Still stuck on the CA?

I travelled Africa in 2001 on approximately 500 quid a month plus a 2 grand (pounds sterling) in-the-pocket-bonus and that was sleeping cheap but drinking heavily.

And Werner - 'I'd rather sleep under 5 stars' - brilliant. As the League of Gentlemen Hooligans says - 'Ride like a hooligan, eat like a gentleman'.

Cheers, suerte, Dan Walsh
__________________
Que el cielo exista, aunque mi lugar sea el infierno...
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 7 Jun 2005
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 9
hey guys, this is just my tuppence worth -

Look at how much money you will have in your pocket when you start the trip - that is X Work out how long your trip will be in days - that is Y.

Divide X by Y and you have your daily budget.

It will be enough.


Personally - I have found that $100USD a day is too much, but $700 USD a week is just right.

Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 8 Jun 2005
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Louisville Colorado, USA
Posts: 90

Did West Africa South last year on about $20 per day. Had to camp quite a bit as there wasn't always a place to stay. Of course on 4 wheels with a tent on top we are really a mobile hotel, so don't need any stationary ones. ;-) The $20 included food, fuel, visas etc.

I would think that the East coast of Africa may be a bit more expensive as they get more tourist traffic.

cheers

Graham
www.africaoverland.org
__________________
Graham 'Cracker'
Director: Overland Training
Editor: Overland Journal
Instigator: Africa Overland
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 8 Jun 2005
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tura Beach,NSW,Australia
Posts: 22
talking on budgets.Therese and I went home overland two up on a R65 BMW in 1994. I know awhile ago now. London to Sydney via asia. all up costs including shipping of the bike and flights for us ,mix of camping and hotels ,site seeing ,chitwan, xmas in Kathmandu[gifts]carpets and nic-nacs for 6 months we spent just under $10,000 Oz dollars between us, around $55 Oz aday for us both.

Why Fly when you can ride

steve treloar
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 15 Jun 2005
Contributing Member
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: brisbane
Posts: 24
This has always intrigued me, the cost of travelling on a bike, no one has broken down the costs of "per day" against the actual living costs PLUS the bike costs. Almost 12 months on my GS650 thru Asia and sticking to the Manufacturers recommendations for servicing, plus replacing, tyres,chains and sprockets. I believe alot of your budgets leave the bike maintenance underdone.
In my travels I have seen many RTW bikes in pitiful condition, after all thats what your life depends on. After asking them about how much they have allowed for bike maintenance, every one of them had not allowed enough.

Safe Riding costs more than a cheep hotel.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 10 Aug 2005
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: prague,czech republic
Posts: 49
Being very rich but also miserly I spent 6 eur per day for the 4 of us!!! in a VW transporter. We travelled for 4 months through Maroko, Mauritania, Senegal (no carnet just a very lucky border blag), Gambia, Gunea Bisseau, Guinea and back to Europe.
We slept out ,ate with the villagers, supplying the rice and condiments, and learnt a lot about the people and countries we visited. How did we do it. We bought fuel where it was cheap, drove at carefully. We ate every other day and took the advice of our Gambian friend who "smoothed" our border crossings, village visits and various "dash" situations. In fact an altogether an African travel experience.
On our return we were slimmer, wiser and yes richer....
Rather good eh.....
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 18 Nov 2005
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Calgary, AB
Posts: 18
Since you are in Germany and you seem to know the tricks for cheap travel. What do you think it would cost per day to travel from Frankfurt to Armenia through Poland, Ukraine, etc?

Quote:
Originally posted by RalEva:
Hi there,

to all the people, who wants to travel:

I`m shure you can travel much cheaper!!!

We never spent that much money on our travellings!!!

I swear not a third of the costs!!
It is although easily possible!!!

We had costs on our tour from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego about € 500 a month per person. Includes evrything, also transports by planes, ship etc.!!

And I had much more less on my travelling to India!!

__________________
Alec in Calgary
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 9 Apr 2010
roadhawk's Avatar
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Indonesia
Posts: 17
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomforde View Post
This has always intrigued me, the cost of travelling on a bike, no one has broken down the costs of "per day" against the actual living costs PLUS the bike costs. Almost 12 months on my GS650 thru Asia and sticking to the Manufacturers recommendations for servicing, plus replacing, tyres,chains and sprockets. I believe alot of your budgets leave the bike maintenance underdone.
In my travels I have seen many RTW bikes in pitiful condition, after all thats what your life depends on. After asking them about how much they have allowed for bike maintenance, every one of them had not allowed enough.

Safe Riding costs more than a cheep hotel.
For the scheduled services wouldn't you be able to plan ahead and do them by yourself along the way? For example cleaning carbs, changing tyres, wheel spockets + chain, oil and other small maintenance tasks can all be done roadside by yourself if you have the right bike and tools. If you don't want to carry a pair of tyres half way across Africa or Asia you can always get the parts sent in to a designated location or source a supplier before setting off.

I mean it's not like you wouldn't be eventually performing these tasks if you stayed at home anyway. Unless you're only a weekend rider in which case it's cheaper than car maintenance hey

One of the things I found most appealing about using a motorcycle for a RTW trip is just that - it's so much easier to work out glitches along the way and take care of the routine maintenance by yourself. Changing chain and sprockets on a bike seems a lot easier that changing the belts on a car. Also with a lot of bikes still running with carbies and only on 1-2 pots (for those hardcore adventure bikes :P) it's easy do do those "tune-ups" and oil changes on the road that would cost a pretty penny if done to your car in a workshop back home.

Anyway I'm rambling.

Ride on guys!

-Roadhawk
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 9 Apr 2010
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Aus. Qld. Mackay
Posts: 474
Oldie

Roadhawk,
The question you answered is 5 yrs old now ! He could of been RTW
3 times now and has answered his own questions re:budgets.
Has you said ride on.

Cheers
Paul
__________________
....rather Die Living.....than Live Dying !
www.globetrekkers.net.au
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

  • California: April 18-21
  • Virginia: April 25-28
  • Germany Summer: May 9-12
  • Québec: May 17-19
  • Bulgaria Mini: July 5-7
  • CanWest: July 11-14
  • Switzerland: August 15-18
  • Ecuador: August 23-25
  • Romania: August 30-Sept 1
  • Austria: September 12-15
  • France: September 20-22
  • Germany Autumn: Oct 31-Nov 3

2025:

  • Queensland is back! May 2-4 2025!
  • CanWest: July 10-13 2025
  • France: September 19-21 2025

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

HUBBUK: info

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

Adventurous Bikers – We've got all your Hygiene & Protection needs SORTED! Powdered Hair & Body Wash, Moisturising Cream Insect Repellent, and Moisturising Cream Sunscreen SPF50. ESSENTIAL | CONVENIENT | FUNCTIONAL.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 13:33.