African plates
 

Hi everybody.

I'm wondering about this driving under African license plates and registering in an African country. Mind me, I don't know anything about bikes, but let me tell you what I know about cars.

As a devt. worker in Ghana, I'm allowed (with a letter from the Dutch embassy) to import one car without paying import tax. The idea is that I'll take the car out again after my contract. But if I want to sell my Jimmy (Suzuki) here, the person would have to pay around 2000 Euro import tax.
I also still have an old Toyota Landcruiser (1987) without official papers - don't ask me about the story - which I'm trying to sell. I'm being told that it will cost about 4000 Euro to import it, because of its weight. In fact, there's lots of people here in East Ghana, driving around with a Togolese number plate: the car was bought from the Freeport in Togo and 'once they have the money' (in a thousand years to come), they will import it officially.

In Benin it was the same story. I don't remember the amounts exactly, but they were substantial, including for the bike of a friend of mine.

So I wonder about the cheap registration you managed, Javier!! It definetely sounds good!!

Apart from this, I also have a question. I'm really trying to find out some things about getting to Europe with an african plate, which is not common on these pages, since most people do it the other way around. But Javier (or others), may be you can help me.

The ANWB (Dutch RAF) will only give me a car-insurance for Europe if I have a dutch plate. So who knows a (cheap) insurance companyt that can get me an insurance for Europe? (Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Holland). I also saw something somewhere about a carnet for Spain... Now please, I was too happy to be off the hook in Africa because of the african plates, I hope Europe is not going to bother me in my ghanaian car with carnets, are they?!

Looking forwrd to answers!

Mana

Carnet in Senegal and Gambia
 

Hiya,

Okay I came back from Gambia in February and let me try and tell you the situation in Senegal and Gambia regards vehicles. I am now recovering from a near fatal accident in Senegal on the 30th of January and haven't really been able to face posting. See my post in main forum.

You will not get into Sengal via Rosso without a Carnet - they will impound your car. Using a fake Carnet means instan arrest and a minimum of five years in jail. There are lots of cars impounded at Rosso for this very reason.

Rosso is awful - hassle and in the end I used a fixer - he was brilliant.

Every few miles you will be stopped by Gendarmerie, customs, Police, uncle tom cobbly and you will go through a ritual of Carnet, Insurance, passports, driving licence, yellow fever, 2 x triangle, fire extinguisher, spare bulbs and even mobile phone! You are missing any of these except the mobile phone and they will fine you. Or stop you completely (No carnet in serious trouble unless under 5 years old)

I met one french couple and for not having an extinguisher ever few miles they were fined 10 euros. They got one by the time they reached St Louis and had been relieved of 100 euros.

If you go near Dakar it gets worse. I did and it got worse.

Any car that is right hand drive is now not allowed into Gambia without a carnet without exception. You must have the Carnet - this is from my friend who is a Brigadier in the Gambian army. I also checked this out with the border guys entering Gambia. They are getting tough on vehicles as they are trying this year and next year to start MOT's of a kind and they do nto want unroadworthy vehicles entering the country. Checkpoints are much less in Gambia.

It really isn't worth the hassle for a Carnet that you can get for £165 UK pounds.

Yours

Andy (Was a 110 Defender still in Dakar and now a Discovery which is with me in England)

well , in Africa nothing is "forbidden" and nothing is "allowed" . The line in beetween is too blurry .. and easyly moved deppending on your bargaining abilities.

Rosso is really tought if you don't have a Carnet. Not impossible ,but much more difficult.

That's the reason all people without a carnet prefers to cross via Diama (see several posts here about it ) in which you can cross for around 100 Eur.

If you got a PassaVant ,then you have exactly the same right to drive trought Senegal than having a Carnet. Exactly the same. They expect you to have a carnet , but if you show them a Passavant Its exactly the same.

REgarding Gambia... well , dont know really for RHD cars. I heard that ITs impossible to sell them in Gambia , but for tourists... dunnow. A friend of mine is driving a UK Mondeo to Banjul ( no carnet , of course ) to Gambia. I ll let you know how it goes , but I am ready to bet a few pints that It will make it to Banjul.


The more times I go to West Africa (and I am back home just a few days from UK->Morocco->Mauri->Senegal->Gambia->Guienea->Mali->Burkina->Niger -without Carnet- ) is that you can do whatever you wish , with a bit of " knowledge" . I have met people driving their cars without carte-gris at ALL (me for example)!!! Same with Visas.. .they are a joke. You get them wherever you want , and if not , you can bribe your way in with the utmost difficulty.

I can tell you endless stories of how the "impossible " in Africa becomes possible just with a few beers/Cadeaux in exchange. Just don't look too rich and too in a hurry and It will do !

Good to hear you are back home safely .

Javier

Hi Javier

Do I take it you didn't get any further with the the idea of registering vehicles locally?

Best wishes
Q

I won't redo my entire post but in April we got two vehicles to the Gambia through Senegal without carnet, gambia only because we had a letter of authority from the police as a charity, but senegal was done in both directions on a passevant.

found the same probs with fire extinguishers etc, we had them but they tried all sorts of tricks to extract money from us. the post is on this forum subject under - 'senegal hassles'

Andy
TLC H60
landy 101ambie/camper
1968 morris minor traveller
www.plymouth-dakar.com

Hi !!

Sorry , I didnt saw your post until now .

Yep , I did it . REgistered the bike (a 600 XL) in Gambian plates , paid duty , etc... and now I got an African Bike !!!! you can see it at the banner of my web http://viajesyaventuras.mywowbb.com/ Look the black number plate .. Its Gambian !!

Since then , I didnt had any problems at all at borders. I don't get even a passavant/laizepasse nothing at all . Just drive as If I drive a bicycle. Definitely the 30quid better spent in Africa. The bike now is in Nyamey parked for a few months , waiting the issues at Chad to ease down a bit.

A car is somehow much more pricey , on the region of 100 -200 Euros in Gambia.


REgarding entering Gambia... Its probbably the easiest country to bring a car in . I have never had any problem at all .

Actually in a week I am gonna drive that RHD mondeo to Banjul (as my friend couldnt) , and I hope , that will show you all again (the 5th time) , that it is perfectly possible , legal , and hassle free to drive a car from London to The Gambia.

Have a nice day.