Ethiopia to Cape Town 2013-2014
8 months - with Gitane - Toyota Hiace 4x4 van

Information on the Journey

While resting in Quebec, we get an Ethiopian visa valid for 6 months (very difficult to get abroad). Then, I leave for Tanzania where I get the vehicle back. For a few weeks, I make changes on the van: installation of an electric fridge, installation of a roof rack, complete mechanical checkup. Later, Gitane comes to join me in Nairobi, Kenya, and we begin the trip.

Our journey starts with the area around Lake Turkana in Northern Kenya. Then we spent almost 3 months in Ethiopia with a small visit in Djibouti. Afterwards, we travel down to Namibia with a few stops in Zambia along the way. We don't explore East Africa since I already visited most of it. After several weeks in Namibia, we go down as far as Cape Town. After a few days in Cape Town, Gitane's trip ends and she goes back to Quebec.

For the rest of this journey that I continue on my own, see Cape Town to Tanzania 2014-2015.


Some data

Travelling with Gitane

Regions visited: Kenya (Turkana), Ethiopia, Djibouti, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa (western region)
When? September 2013 to May 2014

Timeline:

Kenya 1 month 7 days
Ethiopia 2 months 3 days
Djibouti 10 days
Ethiopia 21 days
Zambia 11 days
Namibia 2 months
South Africa 1 month 5 days
Travel Time: 8 months 1 day
Not travelling:
 
Total: 8 months 1 day

The best

Kenya Lake Turkana.
Ethiopia Ethiopian people - the food - Lalibela - Omo Valley - Simien Mountains - Danakil - churches around Tigray - Harar.
Djibouti Lake Assal.
Zambia Victoria Falls - scenery during the rainy season.
Namibia Etosha National Park - Kaokoveld - Damaraland - Cape Cross - Sossusvlei.
South Africa All the Cape Town region.

The worst

Kenya 45-50 degrees Celsius at Lake Turkana.
Ethiopia Ethiopian children (yes, people are either very nice or irksome; especially rural children.
Djibouti Unbearable heat, the country seems dying and run down.
Zambia During the rainy seasons, parks are difficult to drive to.
Namibia Distances are huge.
South Africa ---

Technical Data

Travellers with a Canadian passport.

Kenya (September 2013)

VISA Obtained at the border or airport. $US 50 for 3 months. Road tax of $US 50 for 3 months or $US 20 for 1 month.
CURRENCY Kenyan Shilling - $US 1 = 87 KES
INSURANCE COMESA insurance that covers the country ($90 for 6 months for all the covered countries).
DIESEL $US 1.20-1.30 / litre

Ethiopia (October 2013)

VISA Almost impossible to get on the road - obtained in home country - $US 35, 6 months, multiple entries.
CURRENCY Ethiopian Birr - $US 1 = 18.35 ETB
INSURANCE COMESA insurance that covers the country ($90 for 6 months for all the covered countries).
DIESEL $US 0.95 / litre

Djibouti (December 2013)

VISA Djiboutian embassy in Addis Ababa. $US 130 for 1 month.
CURRENCY Djiboutian Franc - $US 1 = 178.5 DJF
INSURANCE COMESA insurance that covers the country ($90 for 6 months for all the covered countries).
DIESEL $US 1.26 / litre

Zambia (January 2014)

VISA At the border. $US 50 for 1 month. Taxes of $US 62 (depend on km and border posts).
CURRENCY Zambian Kwacha - $US 1 = 5.52 ZMW
INSURANCE COMESA insurance that covers the country ($90 for 6 months for all the covered countries).
DIESEL $US 1.66

Namibia (February 2014)

VISA At the border, 3 months, free. Road tax of $US 20.
CURRENCY Namibian Dollar - $US 1 = 10.8 NAD
INSURANCE None (not needed?).
DIESEL $US 1.20

South Africa (April 2014)

VISA At the border, 3 months, free. No road tax.
CURRENCY South African Rand - $US 1 = 10.56 ZAR
INSURANCE None (not needed?).
DIESEL $US 1.30