Travel Planning

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Busy, Busy

Passports

Allow for 2 pages per visa, passports must be valid until at least 3 months after you intend to finish your travels. You may require Arabic translation of passport if going into some Arabic countries. With the exception of Egypt, all Arabic countries will not let you in with an Israel stamp/visa in your passport.

International Driver's License

Valid for 1 year from time of issue. Your home country's driver license must be shown in certain countries together with your International driver's license.

Immunization document

Must be carried on you when crossing any borders. Yellow fever is mandatory in most African countries. Cholera is also mandatory if coming from a area or country with a cholera outbreak.

Paper work and documents

Travel Visas

Take 2 spare passport photos for each visa required. Allow 2 pages per visa.

Carnet De Passage (carnet)

An essential and expensive document for anyone taking a vehicle across Africa. In Canada they can be obtained through the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). All persons who will be driving the vehicle are required to have their name on the document.

Carte Grise (grey card)

An international certificate for motor vehicles and a vital investment. It is the vehicle registration papers.

3rd Party Insurance.

COMESA is 3rd party insurance for several East Africa countries and can be purchased at the borders.

ECOWAS Carte Brune insurance for 15 West Africa countrie

CEMAC Carte Rose insurance for Central Africa
More paper work and documents

List of Medications

Take a list of all medications you intend taking across borders, with a letter from your doctor. Permission is required for transporting any medical supplies across a border.

Photographic and electronic equipment

Write the serial numbers of all electronic equipment you are carrying with you in your passports. Carry proof of purchase.

Contacts

Make sure you have the embassies and consulate contact information for each country you are planning to visit. The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT) has a list of physicians who can be contacted while traveling in a country.

Return airline tickets

If flying from Canada or the USA. You will not be allowed into a foreign county without a return ticket.

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THE ROUTE

Yes it is quite far

East Africa Overland Route 2005-2006
Africa is a large continent, covering 30,321,130 Km2. It is larger than all of USA, China, India, Europe, Argentina and New Zealand added together. If all these countries were in Africa, they would only need 30,211,130 Km2 Choosing a route across this vast continent is primarily influenced by budget, time and points of interest. We had some tough decisions to make as there is so much to see and visit in Africa. We took 8 months and drove Cape Town to Cairo covering over 32,000km. Traveling always requires flexibility,

For more details on this trip visit our Travelogue.

West Africa Overland Route 2007
We will be departing South Africa and traveled through Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana

West Africa Overland Route 2008

Leaving from Portugal we will drive down through Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, DRC, Angola, Namibia and back to South Africa. Our cruiser will then be for sale (maybe, if we can bear to part with it)

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Chinook

VEHICLE

Make	Land Cruiser
Model	FJ80 series
Engine	gasoline
Year	1997
Km at purchase	113,000
Km at end of journey	145,000

 

Why a Land Cruiser

Our experience with Cruisers in Africa has been great. As it is the vehicle of choice in Africa, spares or a
Home on Wheelsmechanic are usually easier to find. Other factors were simplicity, reliability comfort, size and capacity. Unfortunately the older models of cruisers are no longer permitted to be imported into Canada, (unless 15 years or older) nor the USA and vehicles available in North America are not built to survive a trip through 3rd world countries. This left us with no option but to buy a vehicle in South Africa and have all the modifications done in SA while still in Canada. This presented challenges in and of itself. A picture of the vehicle was sent to us by email and we made the decision to purchase it. Next was the decision of what modifications needed to be made.

Modifications and Equipment

Our cruiser named “Chinook—eh”, required modifications for wilderness travel. Some the modifications /equipment on the cruiser included;

The Best

• 2 full spare tires mounted on back with a duel spare wheel carrier
• Awning
• Bull bar
• Compressor
• Differential lock
• Dual battery split charger system
• Fridges, 2 one for daily use and the other for longer term food storage
• Gauges, oil heat, battery, fuel levels in tanks, High lift jack with jacking plates
• Long range fuel tank 160L
• Roller Drawer
• Roof rack with a roof tent
• Skid plate
• Snorkel with centrifugal filter
• Solar panel to power computer and other electronic equipment
• Spare parts and mechanical tools
• Suspension
• Vehicle Recovery Equipment
• Winch

We took a 4X4 driving course including vehicle recovery while in South Africa.

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FINANCES AND BUDGET PLANNING

There is always some chaos in travel

Budget can be divided into one time start up costs and daily living costs while traveling. Biggest expenses on the road are fuel, visas, park entry fees, shipping and/or ferry.

Credit cards

Always carry copies of all your credit card(s) and the contact phone numbers should you need to report it lost or stolen. Carry this information at all times and separate from your credit cards. Canadians need to inform their credit card company that they will be traveling through Africa. Credit cards may be canceled by the credit card company if purchases are made in Africa. VISA and Mastercards are most widely used.

Traveler checks

Carry travelers checks in either US$, euro$ or British pounds. Difficult to get cashed except in cities. Not that useful in Africa.

ATM

There are very few places with ATMs so don't rely on finding one. Carry only as much cash as you need between city centers. Cash is the easiest to bargain with and will always be accepted. Check whether your bank has banking affiliates in the countries you are planning to visit.

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NAVIGATION

“If you don't know where you are going, any road will lead you there” unknown

Maps

Maps should be purchased in Canada. Detailed topographic maps are available from specialty shops. Don't rely on thinking you can buy maps in Africa. We recommend
Heaven taking tape for mending maps, Ziploc bag for storing maps and a light magnification map reader.

GPS

We use a Garmin 276C while traveling in the cruiser. We also have a 60C which is portable great for hiking. A digitized and calibrated mapping system for all of Africa was developed by Tom and has many helpful functions such as route planning, way point creation, 3D viewing, and route tracking and many other useful annotating and management functions. This mapping system is linked to our GPS for real time positioning. Learn how to use your GPS well before heading off.

TRACKS4AFRICA

Nobody goes without Tracks4Africa, especially east Africa. See links under resources for the website.

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ON THE ROAD

PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT

Cameras and film can be difficult to find in Africa and are very expensive.
We will be using Canon camera and a Panasonic camcorder.
So much learningOur equipment is stored in a hard photographic equipment case, to protect them from dust, moisture and off road 4X4 driving We always carry a spare memory card, lens caps and extra batteries. Camera straps of brand-name cameras are replaced with a plain strap with no logo. You may want to cover the camera brand name with electrical tape, if using an expensive well known brand.

ELECTRONIC

Computer. We have a Panasonic Toughbook. This computer is used in Canada by personnel working in extreme conditions (and conditions in Canada can be very extreme). We chose this computer because of its ability to withstand a lot of wear and tear. It can be dropped, shaken, is dust and water resistant and can withstand the vibrations inside of a bouncing vehicle when off road.

HEALTH AND MEDICAL CARE

All medical and dental check ups are completed at least 6 months before leaving. These should be done before starting your course of immunizations.
This won't hurt Depending on the immunizations you require, it can take up to 6 months before all immunizations are completed. We always carry copies of prescriptions for medication and glasses, and take spare sun and reading glasses. We both completed a First Aid Course and have take a comprehensive first aid and medical kit. Knowledge of tropical diseases and first aid is very helpful. Suggest you take along a good reference medical aid and tropical diseases book.

Immunizations. Routine vaccinations are up to date, such as measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis and chickenpox. We received the following immunizations through the travel clinic; yellow fever which is mandatory in most countries, polio, cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis A and B, rabies, tetanus and meningococcal.
Our biggest health risk in Africa will be getting malaria. We have both had malaria so know the importance of taking malaria prophylaxis. We will also be carrying a good supply of DEET. Several countries in also require Cholera vaccinations.

INSURANCES

Personal belongings, cameras and electronic equipment were done through our home policy.
Car insurance is purchased through Campbell Irving in London.
Medical Insurance and Evacuation and the
Bon VoyageCarnet de Passage were acquired through the Canadian Automobile Association

COMMUNICATION

“no one is listening until you fart” unknown

Our main source of communication is through this website. We will also have a cell phone and purchase a SIM card for each country. In some countries only the locals can purchase a SIM card e.g. Ethiopia. We also have a satellite phone in case of an emergency. We have a short wave radio so we can listen to the BBC news and to keep up with what is happening in Canada and the rest of the world. We have the phone numbers and addresses of the Canadian Embassy for each country we will be traveling through. Canadian foreign affairs, is a wealth of information. They provide travelers with an emergency contact phone number in each country. They also provide information about each country, including any travel advisories.

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Travel Tips

• Never ever drive at night
• Spray your tent well with permethrin; it is really effective in keeping mosquitoes out of your tent.
• It is easier to get an expired visa renewed than apply for a new visa if you are not applying in your home country.
• Duct Tape is an excellent “fix it mend it, tape it” tape and is a Canadian invention
• iPod with griffin technology, preloaded with music and novels for those long drives
• Quick drying clothes buy the best outdoor travel clothing you can afford. Clothing with sunscreen impregnated are a great advantage
• Plug adaptors, for every plug outlet you can possible think of.
• Bottled water is available just about everywhere.
• Don’t give children candy, pens or money, creates an attitude of dependency and can make it difficult for the next over-landers.
• Learn to use all your equipment well before you leave: GPS, camera equipment
• Take 4X4 driving lessons if you have not had real 4X4 driving experience.
• Never ever pick up hitch hikers or offer anyone a ride. You don’t need a guide to go down into Ngorongoro crater.
• Sun screens for your car windows, it makes a huge difference, when leaving your car in the sun.
• Plan to be at border crossings early in the day.
• Start looking for a place to camp at about 1500 with the intention to have a campsite by 1600. This allows you to make camp, cook, do laundry etc while there is still day light and no need for lights which attract every bug around.
• Use really tough boxes with tight lids for packing helps keep the dirt and dust out. Make sure you can pick it up when filled.
• Treat all officials respectfully and be patient nothing happens fast in Africa.
• Save plastic bags for garbage.
• Apply for the Carnet as early as possible as it can take months to get.
• “Tracks for Africa” is an excellent mapping system and can be down loaded from the internet. Don’t leave home without it.
• Keep a journal and notes of all the things you see or do and the people you will meet.
• Back up your photos and videos every day.
   

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Future Trips

• Central America and South America
• Asia

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