Sudan visa, again!
 

I am currently in Zambia and speaking to other travellers coming down through Sudan was told try as many places as possible for a visa, Dar, Nairobi and Addis.
Any advice on what type of visa, if any is most likely to be granted, transit or tourist and for what length of travel.
I was also told it is currently easy to get one in Cairo and should consider as a last resort flying to Cairo and getting one there and fly back to Addis, has anybody tried this?
Also, how long does the visa last? not long I believe.
Mark Manley

Howya Mark

I've just done the route from cape town to cairo ( took me 37 days :) )

I was worried about the visa to Sudan as well and tried all sorts of stuff to try to get it organised before.
In the end I just went into the Sudanese Embassy in Addis and got it in the same day. Normally it takes until the next day but i was in a hurry and kicked up a fuss until I got it.

It is a transit visa and if you have an Egyptian visa beforehand there is no problem at all.
I know you can get the Egyptian Visa in addis as well, and i'm not sure if they will issue the Sudanese one so easily without the Egyptian one.

But bottom line is once you dont passs addis without it , it is not such a big deal to get it.
And another thing, Sudan was one of the easiest places I passed through from the point of view of customs etc and Egypt was without doubt the worst

Sudan visa
 

5Eyes, 36 days from Cape Town to Cairo. Well done!!!

At least now you have a good reason to do the trip all over again later and actually see something of Africa! Maybe you can do a race with an Overland truck. They do the return trip from Cape Town to Nairobi in 6 days when they are empty.

For people who are not in a hurry and want to see something of Sudan and consequently don't want a 5 days transit visa but a real visa, the Sudan embassies are a real challenge. I met an Aus/UK couple in Addis who waited 3 weeks for a real visa and had to settle for a transit at the end because time was running out. Saw them again in Aswan. They moved with public transport and might have just as well taken a plane because they'd seen only busses and taxis.

Mark,
A normal visa is valid for a month. You have to enter within a month after issue date and after entering Sudan you can stay for one month. Sudan is worth staying longer than 5 days. The Sudanese people are beautifull! They nicest and friendliest on the East Coast.

The advise to apply in Dar, Nairobi and Addis is a good one. We applied in Dar and asked them to send the feedback to Nairobi. Didn't work but the people in Nairobi sympathised and we got it there in 4 days. Willingness of embassies change though so check for actual stiuation. Making a fuss is definately the thing you should not do. You will not only spoil it for yourself but also for those who come after you. You know, "these arrogant westerners". We also had the "last resort plan" to fly to Cairo but didn't need it fortunately.



Cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl

Hello,
My name is Emad, I am from Egypt, I can help you organize shipping your car and arrange customs procedures from Alexandria to any port in the world.

Just make sure that once at Aswan, the driving licence you take from traffic police is with same info on the carnet de passage, specially chasset number and motor number.

Also, I can help you book the ferry from Wadi Halfa to Aswan.

Just send me an e-mail and will arrange necessary.

Best regards
Emad Younan
emadyounan00@gmail.com

Emad - thank you for the offer, the advice and the contact details ! I'm certain you will have people from here contact you.

I wonder if it would be possible to obtain a visa in Uganda and ride up from the south of Sudan towards Wadi Halfa. Will they even accept foreiners on that border, or will they just let you pass without a Visa :)
Do you have to show your visa at some point when you'r in the country?

Visa in Uganda
 

Steven,
As far as I know there is no official Sudanes embassy in Uganda. But there is an SPLA office who issues something like a visa. With that you can enter from the south and since the SPLA is now on friendly terms with the official government it might be possible to travel onwarts to Khartoum. We have considered it but in the end we did not do it. That is a little bit over a year ago now.

Cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl

Southern Sudan
 

On new Michelin 745 map (2007) southern Sudan (below Malakal) is marked as "restricted or prohibited area". Anybody been there lately? Crossing to Uganda seems interesting option.

Some day someone will try it and one day someone will succeed - that is how routes re-open - but my neighbour goes there regularly for work and tells me travel outside Juba is not safe. The SPLA may be in charge but not everyone has got the message yet - or is pleased with this outcome.
Maybe there will be a convoy you can hook up with to south Sudan?
The Mich maps are OK but I would not take much store from that sort of info. I know the 953 is permanently out of date in places.

Ch

My plan was to try and hook up with a convoi in Juba, it's interesting to know the SPLA can issue papers there, i just have to find out if the northern reigions will recornize this 'visa'.
I still have al lot of mile's to travel before i'm there so fortunately some time to get opinions and information on this route.

Tracks4Africa show's some traveled route's true south of Sudan, but of course i dont know how long it is that this is traveled and under which sircumstances.

T4a
 

Steven,

These T4A tracks thru southern Sudan must be fairly recent additions because in my July 2006 version there are no tracks in southern Sudan at all!! Usually if these tracks are not reliable or from single source the T4A guys add some remarks like "to be confirmed". If that is not the case then my guess it should be ok and otherwise just contact them!

Travelling thru the northern part of Uganda (to get to Juba) could be potentially unsafe due to the LRA who are still active there! They are a very scary lot!

Cheers,

Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl