Egypt to Sudan unofficially?
 

Is it possible to unofficially cross from Egypt to Sudan through the desert? I have read of people making the trip many years ago. There was one guy in the late 90s that did it illegally in a beach buggy. Another example is from cookies site where they travelled from Abu Simbel to Dongola

Crossing The Egyptian-Sudanese Border Not Quite Legally. | Travel Photography Blog by Nisa Maier and Ulli Maier.

Here is an extract

"we decided to pretend to leave Abu Simbel just before the checkpoint closed in the evening. We told the officers that we’d sleep along the road and drive up to Aswan again the next day. This would give us some time to disappear into the desert. After being out of sight of the checkpoint, and with no other traffic on the road, we turned off our lights and drove off into the vast desert landscape. Only the moon guided us"


The problem is I have not seen anyone attempting this in recent years. Anyone know why this is? Does the Egyptian military now have a huge presence in the desert making such a crossing practically impossible?

Good guys, bad guys situation
 

People traffickers possibly.

Check out the current situation between the two new Sudans.

CS's map, about half way down the link below, is worth a scan.
Trans Sahara Routes | Sahara Overland

But, maybe we are all being ultra cautious?

yes buts that's at the opposite end of the country, far away from the border in question.

I did think of people traffickers, but if we worried about every criminal gang, we would not travel anywhere.

I thought the reason nobody had tried this in recent years was maybe because of a heavy presence of Egyptian military, but can't find any information on this. Also that part of the desert does not seem to be associated with a large terrorist presence, so it leaves me wondering why nobody has tried this in the last few years? Am I missing something?

It starts to beg the question of why you would like/want to cross that particular border illegally.
For a "one off" or to continue onward to cross more borders illegally?
(border crossing check points will want to see the stamps in your passport for your earlier routing).

The main point of my last post is that there is a great deal of unrest within the Sudans - that leads to people smuggling opportunities which are a lttle bit more than "basic" criminality in the modern context.

But, yea, give it a go, and tell us how it works out.

If you leave illegally, then there will be no record that your vehicle left Egypt and your carnet or bond would have to pay up.

I think you are

Those days back in the 80s nowadays seem so far away it’s almost unreal; major changes & impacts have happened int he last 30-40 years – also for travelling….

We're living in a post 9-11 world.
Have not read how they got away with it back then but these days such a stunt could cost you your vehicle.

I well remember reading a very erudite article from a professor of history et al a long time ago, in which he postulated that the modern day international borders are fixed, set in stone, inviolate; as a young guy I was very impressed with the levels of knowledge shown in his argument and the logic of his discourse.
The trouble is that he turned out to be utterly in error; the relatively new border between the two Sudans is but the latest example of his error.

What's my point? None. :offtopic:
But somehow this thread brought it back to me!!

Here is a more recent example in the post 9-11 world. These guys did it in 2004 from Egypt to Sudan:

ABOUT - Adventuress Wanted - The Movie

Are things now impossible compared to 2004? Or is it just about having the balls / stupidity and going for it?

The word that comes to mind for me, tonight, is fluidity.
I don't think you will ever get a definitive answer to your detailed question via a forum if only because it doesn't exist.
When you are on the ground and weighing up the situation - from whatever inputs you happen to receive at the time - you will make a decision there and then and make your personal move.
If you decide not "to go for it" no one will be any the wiser; if you do and it works out you can write up the blog.
If it doesn't work out then your blog may become a "best seller".

No big deal whichever way it goes.

You will always find examples of travellers, who did something what is not officially possible.


I did enter china without recognicing it, during a offroad trip in Laos.


Others are travelling in algeria with theyr own bike and without a guide, what seems impossible if you watch other threads about:


4x4tripping: Algerien - ohne Guide bereisen, im eigenen Fahrzeug.


Many travellers did wait till there is a way they can pass, like Myanmar crossings or so on, because they dont want to get stuck and waste theyr traveltime with having to return often.


Others dont care a lot and try to see as much as they can, without an ecact plan.They are the people who will make a path for us travellers, who like to have an idea about the possibility to cross somewhere.


If you can live with that, that you probably get stuck at the border, give it a try ;-) There are any year travellers on the east route, you will find examples how did they cross. Uninofficial I cant remember one example to be fair....


Everything about the east in the last years till 2014 (till i did start by myself again) i did collect here:


4x4tripping: Ostroute


Unfortunately the situation changes very fast. Most of the collected informations are outdated after one year for shure... Have fun!


Surfy

egypt
 

hello all 4x4 fanatics im entering egypt tomorrow will reach aswan by the weekend possibly is there any fellow travelers on the border that time as i am driving alone due to my partner getting sick.........
:funmeteryes:

How are you entering Egypt?

Yes but the Spanish couple didn't go east of Constantine or south of Biskra, so they didn't see much sand. Anyone of us could do that trip today, with own vehicle, if the visa is given. Algeria is even kind of quiet these days, compared to most of the neighbouring countries.
Question is how far south one could penetrate. Guardaia? In Salah? Tamanrasset?

I suppose it depends on your motivation for doing this. I suspect some people are willing to forego financial penalty for a deeper sense of adventure. Plus there are ways round this (not always legally), it all depends what limits someone is willing to go to.

[QUOTE=Walkabout;520894]It starts to beg the question of why you would like/want to cross that particular border illegally.
For a "one off" or to continue onward to cross more borders illegally? [QUOTE]

For you, they are what?