Hello & Travelling options in northern Africa?

chrisratay

chrisratay

New Overlander
Jul 2, 2017
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0
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Hi!

We are Chris and Erin from Boulder, Colorado, USA. Here's our intro: Many years ago, we took a trip around the world for 4.5 years on 2 BMW motorbikes, thru 50 countries on 6 continents, riding 101,322 and (unknowingly) earning a Guinness World Record in 2004 for Longest Motorcycle Ride by a Team (2 or more people).

5 years later, in 2008 we began taking 2-months off from work each Dec-Jan. After 3 trips in South America and 3 in Africa on a KTM 950, we sold the bike in Colombia, then later bought a LR Defender 130 in Cape Town and kitted it out for overland travel.

We are ready for our 10th annual 2- month trip: The Landy is currently in Nairobi, and we'll reunite at the end of November 2017. We would love to get to western Africa, but route choices from Kenya are seeming to be problematic thru DRC/Chad. Any suggestions on getting from Kenya to Cameroon/Nigeria/Ghana in 2 months?

Our Plan B at the moment is to drive up from Kenya to Egypt this Dec 2017/Jan 2018, ship the Landy to Europe, then next trip Dec 2018/Jan 2019 drive down to Ghana from Morocco.

2-months from Nairobi to Alexandria should be easy, but then there's the 3 weeks shipping to sort out.

QUESTION: Would you:
1) Hustle up from Nairobi to Alexandria in 5-6 weeks, ship the Landy, then retrieve at end of Jan and put in storage? Or...
2) Travel pole-pole (slower), ship the truck at end of Jan, fly home to USA, and return to Europe 3 weeks later for only a few days just to retrieve/park in Italy? This is less stress but more $$ and hassle.

Thanks in advance,
Chris and Erin Ratay
Work. Play. LIVE!
www.UltimateJourney.com
 
Last edited:
chrisratay said:
Hi!

We are Chris and Erin from Boulder, Colorado, USA. Here's our intro: Many years ago, we took a trip around the world for 4.5 years on 2 BMW motorbikes, thru 50 countries on 6 continents, riding 101,322 and (unknowingly) earning a Guinness World Record in 2004 for Longest Motorcycle Ride by a Team (2 or more people).

5 years later, in 2008 we began taking 2-months off from work each Dec-Jan. After 3 trips in South America and 3 in Africa on a KTM 950, we sold the bike in Colombia, then later bought a LR Defender 130 in Cape Town and kitted it out for overland travel.

We are ready for our 10th annual 2- month trip: The Landy is currently in Nairobi, and we'll reunite at the end of November 2017. We would love to get to western Africa, but route choices from Kenya are seeming to be problematic thru DRC/Chad. Any suggestions on getting from Kenya to Cameroon/Nigeria/Ghana in 2 months?

Our Plan B at the moment is to drive up from Kenya to Egypt this Dec 2017/Jan 2018, ship the Landy to Europe, then next trip Dec 2018/Jan 2019 drive down to Ghana from Morocco.

2-months from Nairobi to Alexandria should be easy, but then there's the 3 weeks shipping to sort out.

QUESTION: Would you:
1) Hustle up from Nairobi to Alexandria in 5-6 weeks, ship the Landy, then retrieve at end of Jan and put in storage? Or...
2) Travel pole-pole (slower), ship the truck at end of Jan, fly home to USA, and return to Europe 3 weeks later for only a few days just to retrieve/park in Italy? This is less stress but more $$ and hassle.

Thanks in advance,
Chris and Erin Ratay
Work. Play. LIVE!
www.UltimateJourney.com
Click to expand...

Do the slow version as long as you don't have money constraints. you will enjoy it more. You would be better off to start the west coast in November as by January the whole area is hazy due to the Harmattan winds. Take that seriously. A friend of mine killed himself in Mauritanea 2 years ago because he couldn"t see where he was driving in the haze. Can"t cost more than $1000 for the flight ticket to Italy to pick up the vehicle as nobody flies in Feb.
 
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