London to Cape Town - January 2020

[Ash7215]

Have the opportunity to travel down from London to Cape Town From January 2020 (a couple of months time) and want to go through Ethiopia, Kenya,Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and on to Cape Town via Lesotho.
The challenge is how to get from Greece or Turkey to either Sudan or Ethiopia without going through Egypt (carnets very expensive) or hostile areas.
Has anyone shipped or used Air fright from either Greece or Turkey to Sudan or Ethiopia? Any advise would be greatly received.
Also anyone going around that time let me know as happy to travel with company.

[Ash7215]

It looks like i may have found the route across to Africa from Europe bypassing Egypt... I have a freight company looking into freighting bike from Italy to Djibouti which means I will miss out Sudan but as I am having problems getting visa for Sudan as you need a sponsor not too worried missing Sudan out. Will post confirmation and cost. I also have moved leaving date to 10th Feb.

[Freed]

Hey Ash,

I am hoping to do exactly the same trip but I'm struggling to find a group as I would like to convoy the journey.

Who are you doing the trip with? Are you going as part of an organised group?

[Ash7215]

I had planned to do the trip myself but realise now that it may be better to do the trip with others. I am still going and have purchased the bike (tenere700) and am now organising the transport from Europe to Ethiopia

[lifes-a-twisty road]

Hi guys,

Clive and Phil have just ridden our bikes from south Africa to Egypt. I am writing this in Giza and tomorrow will drop off the bikes in Alexandria to be shipped to Turkey - and then ride back to the UK.

It was not that difficult to get a sponsor for Sudan we used the Acropole Hotel Khartoum - acropolekhartoum@gmail.com speak to george who will provide you with a letter of invitation. We presented this to the Sudanese embassy with other docs and the next day we had a 1 month tourist visa. The other 5 waiting to be processed were sent away because they didn't have that letter of invitation.
We crossed into Egypt at Argeen using the road from Dongola - there is no fuel between Abu Simbel and Dongola so carry lots. there is a petrol station on the Sudan side but it is shut - we bought 30 litres from someone we found just by asking around.
Coming North took 3 hours to leave Sudan and 8 hours to process through Egypt. The cost to get into Egypt was $100 per person and bike.
Our bikes are being shipped From Alexandria to Derince Turkey by Consolidated Freight Services in Alexandria, one way for about $800.
Good luck
Phil

[maroonga]

Hello Ash and Freed,

Did either of you find someone to ride with? I am very interested in doing the same trip but I know I cannot be ready by 10 Feb 2020.



Hello Phil,
How did you get your bikes to South Africa? How many days did it take to ride from South Africa to Egypt? How many miles/day did you ride on average? Any trouble along the way? I have a million more questions but will stop there. Thanks


Lance