Tanzania (July 2015)

Visa

Issued: At the border

Duration: Three months, single entry

Cost: 50 USD

Border crossings

Tanzania – Rwanda (Rusumo): I stamped my passport and Carnet de Passages en Douane and I exited the country without any trouble.

Checkpoints

Motorcycle shops

Faiz: Spare parts and repair shop specializing on Honda XR 250s! Telephone: (+255) 718 222 222, Coordinates: S6 49.385 E39 16.339

Honda dealer: The do not have big motorcycles like an XR. Coordinates: S6 50.453 E39 15.173

Aluminium welder: Coordinates: S6 47.596 E39 15.770

Digital maps

   Garmin City Navigator Pan-Africa NTU 2013.30 is quite detailed but it’s not accurate in some parts. Tracks4Africa 2012.10 v02 are less detailed but the information there is accurate.

   Really beautiful off-road routes (attention: the route around Saadani National Park and on Usambara Mountains are possible only on a dirt bike, as they pass through trails!), repair shops, sights, embassies and wild camping spots: you can download the file in GPX format.

Wild camping

   There is quite some space in the bush, especially in the western part of the country which few people visit. Tanzanians are discreet and they don’t make any troubles when they see a foreigner wild camping.

Rwanda (September 2015)

Visa

   I got the East African Tourist Visa which is valid for three months in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. This visa must be issued by the country which will be first visited.

Issued: At the border, after an online application.

Duration: Three months, single entry (multiple entries between those three countries)

Cost: 100 USD

Border crossings

Tanzania – Rwanda (Rusumo): I paid my visa and I entered Rwanda easily. Keep in mind that plastic bags are not allowed in the country. They did not check my luggage but of course plastic bags should not be visible.

Rwanda – Uganda (Cyanika): I stamped my passport and Carnet de Passages en Douane and I exited the country without any trouble.

Digital maps

   Open Street Maps are quite accurate even on off-road routes.

   Really beautiful off-road routes, sights and wild camping spots: you can download the file in GPX format.

Wild camping

   Rwanda is one of the most densely populated African countries. So, it’s hard to find free space to wild camp. Rwandans are not dangerous but they are curious, so they will pay a visit if they find you wild camping.

Uganda (September 2015)

Visa

I got the East African Tourist Visa which is valid for three months in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. This visa must be issued by the country which will be first visited.

Issued: At the Rwandese border, after an online application.

Duration: Three months, single entry (multiple entries between those three countries)

Cost: 100 USD

Border crossings

Rwanda – Uganda (Cyanika): Even if you got a Carnet de Passages en Douane, you must pay 20 USD road tax which is valid for a month.

Uganda – Kenya (Suam): I stamped my passport and Carnet de Passages en Douane and I exited the country without any trouble.

Digital maps

   Open Street Maps are quite accurate even on off-road routes. Tracks4Africa 2012.10 v02 are not detailed enough around these areas.

   Really beautiful off-road routes, sights and campsites: you can download the file in GPX format.

Wild camping

   Uganda is densely populated, so it’s hard to find free space to wild camp.

Kenya (October 2015)

Visa

I got the East African Tourist Visa which is valid for three months in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. This visa must be issued by the country which will be first visited.

Issued: At the Rwandese border, after an online application.

Duration: Three months, single entry (multiple entries between those three countries)

Cost: 100 USD

Border crossings

Uganda – Kenya (Suam): I stamped my passport and Carnet de Passages en Douane and I entered the country without any trouble.

Kenya – Ethiopia (Ileret): I stamped my passport and my Carnet de Passages en Douane in Nairobi, since there is not a border post in Ileret. I stamped the Carnet de Passages en Douane in Times Tower (S1 17.413 E36 49.447), on the first floor, in the “Enforcement” office. I stamped my passport on the ground floor of Nyayo House (S1 17.245 E36 49.098). The policemen in Ileret just write down the details of your passport.

Digital maps

I was using both Open Street Maps and Tracks4Africa 2012.10 v02 but some roads on the way to Ileret were not shown in any map.

Beautiful off-road routes, including the whole route to Ileret, places to camp and useful offices: you can download the file in GPX format.

Wild camping

There are a lot of places where you can wild camp, especially on the route to Ileret, since that area is sparsely populated. Sometimes the dry riverbeds are the only places without rocks but don’t camp at the bottom because they can be flooded anytime, even if it’s not raining in that area.

Ethiopia (January 2016)

Visa

From the Ethiopian embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. Normally that embassy doesn’t issue visas to non-residents in Kenya. In this case you have to post your passport to your home country and get the visa from there. The only chance for the embassy in Nairobi to grant you a visa is if you have a note verbale from your country’s embassy in Nairobi.

Issued: On spot

Duration: Three months, single entry (it starts counting from the moment the visa is issued)

Cost: 46 Euros

Border crossings

Kenya – Ethiopia (Ileret): I stamped my passport and Carnet de Passages en Douane in Omorate, since there is no border post at the actual border.

Ethiopia – Sudan (Metema): I stamped my passport and my Carnet de Passages en Douane without any troubles.

Motorcycle workshop

Alex: He rebuilds and repairs cars and big motorcycles and he does a very detailed job! Telephone: (+251) 9300 79 050, Coordinates: N8 54.656 E38 45.875

Digital maps

Open Street Maps are very detailed!

Off-road routes, including the route to avoid the Awash Bridge, where motorcycles are not allowed, sights, motorbike workshops and other useful shops: you can download the file in GPX format.

Wild camping

Ethiopia is very densely populated, so it’s almost impossible to find free space to wild camp. On top of that, Ethiopians are infamous for their curiosity and vast numbers of them surrounding foreigners and messing with their stuff.

Sudan (February 2016)

Visa

From the Sudanese embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In that embassy they issue only transit visas and they require you to have a flight ticket out of Sudan or a visa for the next country you will visit. They accept to grant a longer tourist visa only if you have an invitation and approval from the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Issued: In one day

Duration: 15 days, single entry (it starts counting from the moment you enter Sudan)

Cost: 62 Euros

Border crossings

Ethiopia – Sudan (Metema): I just handed over some photocopies of my documents and I stamped my passport and my Carnet de Passages en Douane without any troubles. You can complete the registration there too but it’s a little bit more expensive.

Sudan – Egypt (Qustul): Exiting Sudan costs some money. An agent, usually Mazar, will probably approach you to offer his paid services without even letting you know! I paid 25 euros for all the fees. A very detailed and useful border crossing report is located at: http://myoverlandadventure.com/ethiopia-metema-gallabat-sudan-border-crossing/

Registration

You have to register your passport within the first three days you are in Sudan. You can do that in the Aliens’ Office of many big cities. Keep in mind that they are closed on Friday. Then you can do it at Khartoum’s airport. You need around 385 Sudanese pounds (about 26 euros), one passport photo and photocopies of your passport’s information page and Sudanese visa. They will ask you for a Sudanese sponsor. Locals are willing to help you on that for a fee but if you resist, you can register without a sponsor.

Exchanging money

In the black market you get almost double money for your dollars than in the banks or exchange offices. The rate was 11 Sudanese pounds for a dollar.

Digital maps

Open Street Maps are usually enough but in some cases Tracks4Africa have more details off-road.

Off-road routes, sights, public offices, money exchange places and other facilities for travellers: you can download the file in GPX format.

Wild camping

Sudan is paradise for wild camping! The desert got lots of space and the locals are really friendly and hospitable!

Egypt (March 2016)

Visa

From the Egyptian embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Issued: In two working days

Duration: One month, single entry (it starts counting from the moment you enter Egypt). You can extend it for 1 euro in The Mogamma, Cairo.

Cost: 30 Euros

Border crossings

Sudan – Egypt (Qustul): I spent 4.5 hours in the Egyptian side of the border and about 90 euros for fees, two-month motorcycle insurance, Egyptian number plates etc. As expected, it was the most time-consuming and expensive border I ever crossed. I didn’t need an escort to Aswan. A very detailed and useful border crossing report is located at: http://myoverlandadventure.com/sudan-wadi-halfa-egypt-abu-simbel-qustul-border-crossing/.

Egypt – Israel (Taba): Crossing the Suez Canal was a bureaucratic nightmare but after that, exiting Egypt was much easier than entering the country. It took me only 1 hour and 15 minutes to return the Egyptian number plates, stamp my Carnet de Passages en Douane and my passport. I had to pay 3 euros for that.

Digital maps

Open Street Maps are usually enough.

Sights, campsites and other useful waypoints and routes: you can download the file in GPX format.

Wild camping

There is plenty of space in the desert to wild camp but the problem are the policemen who would never let you do that. If you are really out of sight, then it’s fine. Keep in mind that the area around the Nile is too densely populated.