Welcome to Africa Trip Preparation

Africa Trip Preparation from Aug. 29, 2007 to August 31, 2008 - Approx. 70,000km

This page includes some of the main research that was required to make our dream a reality.

Our Good-Bye Cake for 100 People and a Toast to Wild Africa

Proposed Route
Points of Interest
Trip Planning Checklist
Proposed Schedule, Visas, Vaccination, Carnet de Passage Requirements

Proposed Route:

Trip Planning Check List:

September 2006

Purchased new tent, sleeping bags, thermorests and stove from MEC. (Gear)

October 2006

Purchased Lonely Planet Africa on a Shoestring, DK travel books for Italy, Tunisia, Morocco, South Africa.

November 2006

Started to compile a list of all UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa & Italy that we were interested in and mark them on our Africa Map. In addition we added any other must see's and do's in Africa & Italy. Points of Interest.

December 2006

Visited International Travel Clinic to determine vaccination requirements for Africa. Ruby received last Twinrax for Hep A/B ($60.00 plus $100.00 for admin fee).

January 2007

Purchased new Nikon D200 SLR camera c/w Nikkor 18-200mm Lens and 4G memory chip.
Purchased new SB800 Flash for Nikon D200.
Started researching Visa requirements, Vaccination requirements and Carnet de Passage requirements.
Determined preliminary route through Africa.

February 2007

Purchased more travel books and maps.
Acquired new 42-page passports.

March 2007

Researched motorcycle requirements, new Wilbers front and rear shocks, new AGM batteries, new Metzler Tourance tires and new rear drive adapter plate. Contacted BMW dealer in Sinn, Germany for parts and service appointments.
Corrective Laser Eye Surgery for both Ruby & Mike (Yeah no more glasses or contacts).

April 2007

Determined detailed route through Italy (View Itinerary). Researched Ferry departures from Sicily to Tunisia.
Received PADI scuba Diving Certification in Mexico.

May 2007

Purchased Airline Tickets to Frankfurt, Germany leaving August 29, 2007.
Purchased new Toughbook Panasonic Laptop and 120GB external harddrive.
Researched climb of Kilimanjaro and Serengeti game park tours.
Requested itinerary from tourist escort in Libya, inquired for Libya visa (Quote received approx. 840 Euro with Shati Zuara Tours).
Determined Point of interests and route through Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania.
Continue research of remainder of Africa countries.
Purchased new clothes and shoes - MEC and Northface

June 2007

Purchased waterproof enclosures for Nikon D200 & Pantex Point & Shoot.
Purchased new Garmin Zumo 450 GPS, complete with updated Europe Maps.
Determined Point of interests and route through Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia.
Found Townhouse sitter for one (1) year.

July 2007

Wired Euro to BMW Dealer in Sinn for parts and Service (4500 Euro). Service booked Aug. 31, 2007.
Determined Point of interests and route through Angola, Congo, DCR, Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, Morocco
July 16, 2007 - Ruby received vaccination for yellow fever ($80.00), mumps (Free), and meningitis ($145.00). Mike vaccination for meningitis ($145.00) only.
Renewed the Carnet de Passage (Expiry Aug. 23, 2008) - Deposit required $31,120.00 (Bank Draft made out to AMA - money will not be returned until return of Motorcycles to Canada in 5 to 7 years).
Entered point of interest GPS coordinates (Camping, World Heritage Sites etc.)
Purchased new battery for helmet camera.

August 2007

Visited Doctors for physicals - Get prescriptions for Asthma, Penicillin, Malaria (Doxycyeline - 8 1/2 months supply - 550 pills), Acetazolamide - Diamox (Altitude Sickness for Kilimanjaro), Praziguantel (for Bilharzia) total prescription bill $669.00CDN.
Visited Dentist for cleaning and final check up.
Purchased 500 minutes for Satellite Phone from Iridium ($795.00)
Contacted Visa, Mastercard and AMEX to advise of travel in Africa (otherwise they block credit card as they believe it is stolen).
Purchased International Driver License on Aug. 15, 2007.
Renew motorcycle registration.
Purchased Travel Insurance through Nomad. (www.worldnomads.com)
Good-bye party Thursday Aug. 23, 2007.
Arranged House Sitter - Thanks Aaron & Sarah.
Aug. 29, 2007 - 2pm leave Canada for Germany.

Proposed Schedule, Visa & Carnet de Passage Requirements:

This spreadsheet was updated (with the exception of actual travel dates) after completion of the Africa trip. Visa and Carnet de Passage requirements continuesly change and also depend on nationality of applicant.

Country	Dates		No. of Days	Entry Visa			Acquire Visa @		Yellow Fever Req'd	Carnet de Passage
Country	From	To	No. of Days	Req'd	Valid	Cost/person	Border	Prior	Yellow Fever Req'd	Req'd	%
Germany	30-Aug-07	06-Sep-07	7	N/A						No
Austria	06-Sep-07	07-Sep-07	1	N/A						No
Italy	07-Sep-07	24-Sep-07	17	N/A						No
Sicily	25-Sep-07	02-Oct-07	7	N/A						No
Tunisia	03-Oct-07	08-Oct-07	5	Yes	30	Free	Tunis, Tunisia			No
Algeria	09-Oct-07	14-Oct-07	5	Yes	30	$75.00CDN	Did not Visit			No
Tunisia	15-Oct-07	21-Oct-07	6			See Above
Libya	22-Oct-07	30-Oct-07	8	Yes	30	$51.00CDN	By Tourist Escort			Yes	100%
Egypt	31-Oct-07	14-Nov-07	14	Yes	30	$15.00US	Salum, Egypt		Recom'd	Yes	55%
Sudan	15-Nov-07	25-Nov-07	10	Yes	90	$100.00US		Cairo, Egypt		Yes
Chad	Note 4
Eritrea	Note 4
Djebouti	Note 5
Somalia	Note 4
Ethiopia	26-Nov-07	08-Dec-07	12	Yes	30	$30.00US		Cairo, Egypt	Yes	Yes
Kenya	09-Dec-07	19-Dec-07	10	Yes	90	$50.00US	Moyale, Kenya		Yes	Yes	78%
Uganda (Note 1)	20-Dec-07	25-Dec-07	5	Yes	90	$50.00US	Bugiri, Uganda		Yes	Yes	100%
Rwanda	26-Dec-07	28-Dec-07	2	Yes		Free	Kisoro, Rwanda			No
Burundi	Note 4
Tanzania	29-Dec-07	16-Jan-08	18	Yes	90	$50.00US	Rusumo, Tanzania		Recom'd	Yes	100%
Malawi	17-Jan-08	23-Jan-08	6	Yes	90	Free	Songwe, Malawi			Yes	100%
Zambia	24-Jan-08	03-Feb-08	10	Yes	90	$110.00US	Mchinji, Zambia		Recom'd	Yes
Zimbabwe	29-Jan-08	29-Jan-08	1	Yes	1	$65.00US	Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe		Recom'd	N/A
Botswana	04-Feb-08	11-Feb-08	7	Yes	90	Free	Mohembo, Botswana			Yes	29%
South Africa	12-Feb-08	15-Feb-08	3	Yes	90	Free	Martin's Drift, South Africa			Yes	29%
Mozambique	16-Feb-08	23-Feb-08	7	Yes	30	$16.00US	Moamba, Mozambique		Yes	Yes
Swaziland	24-Feb-08	27-Feb-08	3	Yes	90	Free	Lomahasha, Swaziland			Yes	29%
South Africa	28-Feb-08	04-Mar-08	5			See Above	Golela, South Africa			Yes	29%
Lesotho	05-Mar-08	07-Mar-08	2	Yes	30	Free	Sani Pass, Lesotho			Yes	29%
South Africa	08-Mar-08	18-Mar-08	10			See Above	Caledonspoort, South Africa			Yes	29%
Namibia	19-Mar-08	02-Apr-08	14	Yes	90	Free	Wenela, Namibia			Yes	29%
Namibia	19-Mar-08	02-Apr-08	14	Yes	90	Free	Noordoewer, Namibia			Yes	29%
Angola	03-Apr-08	10-Apr-08	7	Yes	30	$100.00US		Runda, Namibia	Yes	Yes
Dem. Rep. of Congo	11-Apr-08	14-Apr-08	3	Yes	30	$130.00US		Luanda, Angola	Yes	Yes	100%
Congo	15-Apr-08	18-Apr-08	3	Yes	15	$89.00US	Brazzaville,Congo Note 2		Yes	Yes	100%
Gabon	19-Apr-08	24-Apr-08	5	Yes	30	$63.00US		Brazzaville, Congo	Yes & Cholera	Yes	50%
Equatorial Guinea	Note 5
Cameroon	25-Apr-08	30-Apr-08	5	Yes	60	$130.00US		Brazzaville, Congo	Yes	Yes	53%
Central African Republic	Note 4
Nigeria	01-May-08	04-May-08	3	Yes	30	$157.00US		Douala, Cameroon	Yes	Yes
Niger	05-May-08	15-May-08	10	Yes	30	$35-50.00US		Note 8	Yes	Yes	25%
Benin	16-May-08	21-May-08	5	Yes	30	$50.00US	Cotonou, Benin		Yes & Cholera	Yes	100%
Togo	22-May-08	27-May-08	5	Yes	30	$50.00US	Aneho, Togo		Yes	Yes	100%
Ghana	28-May-08	02-Jun-08	5	Yes	60	$16.00US		Lime, Togo	Yes	Yes	Free
Ivory Coast	03-Jun-08	08-Jun-08	5	Yes		CFA20,000	Did Not Visit	Note 3	Yes	Yes	40%
Liberia	Note 4
Sierra Leone	Note 4
Guinea	Note 4
Guinea-Bissau	Note 4
Burkina Faso			4	Yes	7	$50.00US	Po, Burkina Faso			Yes
Mali	09-Jun-08	21-Jun-08	12	Yes	30	$50.00US		Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso	Yes	Yes	0%
Senegal	22-Jun-08	27-Jun-08	5	Yes			Naye, Senegal			Yes	73.3%
Gambia	28-Jun-08	01-Jul-08	3	Yes	30	$12.50US	Santa Sue, Gambia		Yes	Yes
Mauritania	02-Jul-08	09-Jul-08	7	Yes	30	$100.00US		Bamako, Mali	Yes & Cholera	Yes	110% FCIF
Morocco	10-Jul-08	24-Jul-08	14	Yes	90	Free	Al-Gargara, Morocco			No
Spain	25-Jul-08	26-Jul-08	1	N/A						No
Portugal	27-Jul-08	03-Aug-08	7	N/A						No
Spain	04-Aug-08	14-Aug-08	10	N/A						No
Andorra	15-Aug-08	16-Aug-08	1	N/A						No
France	17-Aug-08	23-Aug-08	6	N/A						No
Switzerland	24-Aug-08	26-Aug-08	2	N/A						No
Germany	27-Aug-08	03-Sep-08	7	N/A						No

Note 1: Travelers with visas for Uganda, Rwanda, or Burundi could be refused entry upon arrival in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Note 2: Take Ferry from Ngobila Beach in Kinshasa to the Beach in Brazzaville. A 15 day, multiple-entry visa can be bought upon arrival at Brazzaville.

Note 3: Apply for Visa in Accra, Ghana at the Ivory Coast Embassy Phone: 774611; 9, 18th Lane. Must be payable in CFA. Visa is issued within 24 hours, 2 photos required.

Note 4: Travel not Recommended

Note 19: Not en Route