Where to store a car in E or S Africa?
 

Hi All,

Does anyone have any clue of the simplest places to store a car for a few months anywhere south of the Sudan.

We plan to break our next driving adventure heading S from Cairo with a couple of months walking in India/Nepal. Hence we need to exit the country without the car, and probably outlive a temp import permit. I don't mind a few fines but I rather avoid massive penalties and risk of confiscation.

The need for carnet in some places remains a bit murky (as ever) with some reports of travelling through Kenya and even Egypt without one, so any views from recent or past experience would be most welcome. I'd particlarly like to avoid the nightmare that is the RAC Carnet department and renewing next November. I'm still organising the return of my double deposit when I recently renewed.

Thanks in advance... and I did try and search for the info..honest.

Hello mate,

Are you getting bored of post revoluntionary Cairo?

I would probably try either Uganda or Tanzania. Both can be entered on a TIP, and provided you exit via a small border crossing, I don't think having an expired TIP will be too much of an issue. Neither stamp your vehicle in your passport so leaving the country without the vehicle should not be too much of a problem.

I expect you could negotiate long term parking at either Backpackers or Red Chili in Kampala, although I haven't been to either for a few years, so others may have more up to date info.

Otherwise Nairobi is the obvious option, and there used to be vehicles stored long term at Upper Hill campsite, but this would likely require a carnet, unless you can manage to get in without one.

Namibia could also work. There is long term parking not far from Windhoek.

Thanks
 

Cheers Matt,

God it seems like a very long time ago that we chased the pharoans rally.

Thanks for the info, definitely helpful.

Not really bored of Cairo or the outrageous desert trips we manage so easily,...but the job is starting to bore us both and well,....we haven't had a year off for over 4 years.

Ta

I've seen the same reports re managing without a carnet but it still seems very much the exception rather than the rule. The other factor to consider if you want to store a vehicle is that most TIPs are only for 30 days (though usually there's the possibility of renewing) so to that extent a carnet is a plus as you'll have no time limit once you enter (other than the expiry of the carnet of course).

Re storage -Jungle Junction in Nairobi is an obvious one - Chris keeps lots of overland vehicles there for people breaking their trips. Further south I can also vouch for Foleys in Livingstone.

Having been at Jungle Junction in Nairobi, I can say it seems super safe there! Really nice place to leave your vehicle, as there are lots of vehicles stored there. May not be the cheapest though...

Hi
You can store aswell your car in Dar Es Salaam at FPCT Center : Free Pentecoast Church of Tanzania
We have stored our 2 4x4 from last June 2012 till October 2012
It is not as good as Jungle Junction because it is not really for overlanders and for camping, it is a guesthouse where people linked to Pentecostal Church come (no alcool, no cigarets,...), but you can have rooms and meals It is clean and staff is helpful. In particular Charles Nkwabi, the assistant manager
You can email them at this address : fpctcentre@yahoo.com
We paid 50 USD per month. It's a covered parking with fences but not a lot of places. Thay started the car, once per week.
The whole place is protected by a big wall because they store aswell trucks and containers
Nadraia