I’ve been planning overland adventures or let’s call them giant road trips, for the last decade. With all that experience in my pocket I look to answer your questions about your adventure dreams.
Can you drive across Africa?
Yes, you can to drive across Africa but not all directions are possible because some areas are considered unsafe to travel. To drive across Africa you will have to stick to the East or West coast and connecting the two you could even circumnavigate the continent.
That is the short answer to this intriguing question, but I bet you want to know more. In the rest of this article we will discuss all the possible routes, how long it would take and how much it would cost and is it safe? So join me as we dive into the details.
Sudan
How long would it take to drive across Africa?
That really depends on which way you plan to drive. North to South or East to West? The world record from Cape Town to Cairo by motorcycle is 7 days, however a minimum of 10 weeks is recommend. Take note that most adventurers plan on at least 3 months to a year.
A little history lesson
Back in the day there were a lot more possibilities of crossing Africa in any direction. Before Morocco closed the borders with Algeria and Libya was still ruled by Gaddafi you could cross from West to East following the North Coast. However at the time of writing the borders are still closed because of the disagreement around the Western-Sahara conflict.
A great video about tree lads crossing the Sahara by truck in the sixties
In the sixties another popular route was to cross the Sahara from Algeria to Mali/Niger and passing through Northern Nigeria heading South. These days that route is unthinkable since it will be unlikely you will survive. The area is a hotspot for extremist with ill intentions and will use a stray foreigner to their advantage.
Ethiopia
3 options for crossing Africa
These days there are three realistic options of crossing the continent of Africa overland:
- North to South on the East Coast - minimum of 10 weeks
- North to South on the West Coast - minimum of 15 weeks
- East to West through DRC or lower - minimum of 11 weeks
Choosing one depends on you goals and desires, generally speaking the North to South route on the East coast is the easiest. Traveling through relatively developed Kenia, Tanzania and South Africa where the roads are mostly paved as long as you stay on the main roads. The biggest hurdle on this stretch is Ethiopia which is notoriously unstable so check before you go if the country is open or caught up in a civil war.
The West coast is becoming easier as well, however it is a balancing act between staying away from the dangerous extremist regions on the edge of the Sahara, and the unstable regions at the coast. Roads are worse than in the East, there are more borders to cross and in general more corruption and less animals to see.
Lastly, crossing East to West isn’t as easy as it used to be since there is a lot of violence happening in the Centre of Africa so a straight line crossing the continent isn’t possible at the moment. The Northern route is blocked so the “first” option to cross in this direction is the Democratic Republic of Congo although this is only for experienced travellers. A more relaxed route would be through Zambia and Angola for first timers or families.
Tanzania
Ethiopia
How much does it cost to drive around Africa?
Most people spend between US$30 - US$150 per person per day driving the Pan-American highway. An average journey of Cairo to Cape Town lasting 6 months, 2 people in a car will cost about US$24,000 including shipping the car back.
It really depends on your style of travel in what range your budget will lie. A shoestring budget traveling by bicycle and bushcamping or couchsurfing most of the times will be at the bottom end of the spectrum whereas staying in a few luxury hotels or eating out in a nice restaurant in every capital will shift you to the higher range.
Is it safe to travel across Africa?
Traveling across Africa by car or by public transport is safe when you stick to the areas that are peaceful. The biggest risks are other traffic users and animals on the road. As well as driving at night. Take the right precautions and use common sense to stay safe.
I’m sure you also have your preconceived ideas about safety in places like Sudan, or South Africa and off course there is truth to the horror stories you hear on the news. But at the same time, you have to realise that 99.9% of the time you can easily avoid those kinds of situations and stay safe. As long as you use common sense and don’t do or smuggle drugs, do anything that is illegal in the country you are traveling through, avoid conflict with locals, stay away from conflict areas and be aware of the weather around you.
Ethiopia is the most unstable place I have traveled to so far, every citizen carried around a gun without even properly holding them. Two years after we left a civil war broke out. It is still ongoing.
Those are the main points that should keep you safe and out of harms way. Even when we were traveling through Sudan amidst a public uprising that eventually toppled the president and our embassy was advising all travellers to evacuate we stayed in the capital, where most of the protesting was happening and stayed out of any trouble and safely crossed the country to our next. So as long as you follow the advice of the locals, doing what they do to stay safe, you will probably be too.
You might have your own ideas what it is like to travel in Africa when you have never been there. I have to tell you that is is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. It doesn’t mean it is unsafe but it is raw experience and requires a special kind of mindset. Be ready to be flexible and be ready to ditch some of your principles. You might have to bribe a person or two.
But it is so worth it! Don’t let the possible dangers hold you back. So how do you get there?
How do you get from Europe to Africa?
- Take 1 of the 8 ferries from Spain to Morocco
- Take a ferry from Italy to Morocco
- Take 1 of the 3 ferries from Spain to Algeria
- Take 1 of the 4 ferries from Italy to Tunesia
- Ship your vehicle into one of the main ports (Alexandria, Mombasa, Durban, Cape Town, Walvis Bay, Dakar) and fly yourself
- Travel by cargo ship from Italy/Greece to Israel and drive into Egypt
- Drive overland through Turkey, Iran & Saudi Arabia (LHD only)
You didn’t expect me to be so straight to the point, did you? Well there it is. Options 1-4 are very easy to google on your own and to book through any of the ferry booking websites. The only point I have to make is that if your plan is to travel across Africa is that as soon as you ship to Morocco you are stuck on the West Coast so that is the coast you will travel until you get to the bottom of Africa where you can switch.
For beginner overlanders I do not recommend taking the ferry to Algeria or Tunis, because it requires you to drive through the deep desert of Algeria and cross into Mauritania. It is an uncertain route because it only opened up recently and not many people have done it. It is better to stick to the relative safety of the coast if you are just getting into the way of traveling.
For options 5 - 7 I’ve written up an extensive blog post which is still valid today, so if you are interested in traveling the East Coast, take a look at this article. The short conclusion is that the old route driving through Syria is still not possible and therefor you have two option. Taking a huge detour through Iran and Saudi Arabia, which is a new route because they only recently started issuing tourist visas, or shipping your vehicle across the Mediterranean Sea and fly yourself.
A secret option 8 just crossed my facebook feed where a couple managed to travel from Iran to Iraq and onto Jordan. This was previously impossible because the visa issued was only valid for Kurdistan Iraq but one couple managed to convert it to be valid for the rest of Iraq too. It’s a route for those who are willing to try and willing to turn around if they fail.
Conclusion
I hope that this article about the practicalities of traveling across Africa hasn’t scared you off. I tried my best to entice you with pictures of the amazing scenery because traveling through Africa is something you will never forget. It is an experience unlike anything you’ve seen before in all your travels. It is raw, it is thrilling and nerve-wracking but it is Africa.
In situations in Africa when your blood starts to boil and your face is turning red because of a situation that should have been resolved in 5 minutes already takes 5 hours you will hear a local with a big smile on his face say “This is Africa” or TIA. Meaning, this is the way it works around here. Leave all your preconceptions at home and come with a fresh mind and leave your watch at home.
Related Articles
FAQ
Is it safe to drive to South Africa?
Driving to South Africa by car is safe when you stick to the areas that are peaceful. The biggest risks are other traffic users and animals on the road. As well as driving at night. Take the right precautions and use common sense to stay safe.
Is it safe to drive from north to South Africa?
Driving from North to South Africa by car is safe when you stick to the areas that are peaceful. The biggest risks are other traffic users and animals on the road. As well as driving at night. Take the right precautions and use common sense to stay safe.
Is it possible to road trip through Africa?
Yes, it is possible to road trip through Africa, but depending on your preferred level of adventure certain areas of Africa are more suitable for beginners and safer than others. Southern Africa is the most accessible place to travel in Africa for the first time.
Is there a ferry from Europe to Africa?
Take 1 of the 8 ferries from Spain to Morocco
Take a ferry from Italy to Morocco
Take 1 of the 3 ferries from Spain to Algeria
Take 1 of the 4 ferries from Italy to Tunesia
Can you drive from Europe to South Africa?
Yes, you can to drive from Europe to South Africa down either the East or the West Coast. It will take a minimum of 10 - 15 weeks to traverse the continent and US$10.000 (2p) to complete such a trip including shipping the car home.
Can I drive from Europe to Africa?
No, technically you cannot drive from Europe to Africa because the Mediterranean Sea is in between the two. You can take the ferry to Morocco in the West or take a huge detour through Iran and Saudi Arabia since the old route through the Middle East is blocked by civil war.
Is it possible to drive from UK to Cape Town?
Yes, it is possible to drive from the UK to Cape Town down either the East or the West Coast. It will take a minimum of 10 - 15 weeks to traverse the continent and £7.500 (2p) to complete such a trip including shipping the car home.
Is it possible to drive from Cairo to Cape Town?
Yes, it is possible to drive from the Cairo to Cape Town down the East Coast. It will take a minimum of 10 weeks to traverse the continent and US$7.000 (2p) to complete such a trip including shipping the car home.
Is it possible to drive from Capetown to Cairo?
Yes, it is possible to drive from the Cape Town to Cairo up the East Coast. It will take a minimum of 10 weeks to traverse the continent and US$7.000 (2p) to complete such a trip including shipping the car home.
Can you drive to Egypt from South Africa?
Yes, it is possible to drive from the Egypt to Cape Town down the East Coast. It will take a minimum of 10 weeks to traverse the continent and US$7.000 (2p) to complete such a trip including shipping the car home.
Can you drive from Cape Town to Europe?
Yes, you can to drive from Cape Town to Europe up either the East or the West Coast. It will take a minimum of 10 - 15 weeks to traverse the continent and US$10.000 (2p) to complete such a trip including shipping the car home.
Can I drive from Kenya to Egypt?
Yes, it is possible to drive from the Kenya to Egypt up the East Coast. It will take a minimum of 2 weeks to travel through Ethiopia and Sudan. However, at the moment the land border between Ethiopia and Sudan are closed due to a civil war.
Is it possible to drive from Morocco to South Africa?
Yes, it is possible to drive from the Morocco to South Africa down the West Coast. It will take a minimum of 15 weeks to traverse the continent and US$10.000 (2p) to complete such a trip including shipping the car home.
Can you drive from Algeria to South Africa?
Yes, it is possible to drive from the Algeria to South Africa down the West Coast. It will take a minimum of 15 weeks to traverse the continent and US$10.000 (2p) to complete such a trip including shipping the car home. It is a route only for experienced overlanders.
Can you drive from Nigeria to London?
Yes, you can drive from the Nigeria to London up the West Coast via Mali, Mauritania and Morocco. It will take a minimum of 5 weeks to traverse the continent and £3.200 for 2p for a one way trip. Most travellers plan at least double the time to enjoy the adventure.
Is it possible to drive from London to Nigeria?
Yes, it is possible to drive from the London to Nigeria down the West Coast via Morocco, Mauritania and Mali. It will take a minimum of 5 weeks to traverse the continent and £3.200 for two people and a one way trip. Most travellers plan at least double the time to enjoy the adventure.
Can you drive from SA to Nigeria?
Yes, it is possible to drive from South Africa to Nigeria up the West Coast. It will take a minimum of 2 weeks to drive up through the 7 countries. Most travellers plan at least double the time to enjoy the adventure. A one way trip will cost about US$3.500 for two people in a car.
Can you drive from one end of Africa to the other?
Yes, you can drive from one end of Africa to the other but not all directions are possible because some areas are considered unsafe to travel. To drive across Africa you will have to stick to the East or West coast and connecting the two in the South you could even circumnavigate the continent.
How long does it take to get from the top of Africa to the bottom?
Yes, you can get from the top of Africa to the bottom down either the East or the West Coast. It will take a minimum of 10 - 15 weeks to traverse the continent and US$10.000 by car (2p) and half by public transport.
How long would it take to drive down Africa?
It would take 10 weeks to drive down Africa from North to South however the current world record from Cape Town to Cairo by motorcycle is 7 days. To drive down Africa you will have to stick to the East or West coast and plan enough time to enjoy the beautiful continent.
Can you drive the length of Africa?
Yes, you can drive the length of Africa when we consider the length to be North to South. To drive across Africa you will have to stick to the East or West coast and connecting the two in the South you could even circumnavigate the continent.
Can you walk across Africa?
Yes, you can to walk across Africa but not all directions are possible because some areas are considered unsafe to travel. You will have to stick to the East or West coast and the journey will be at least 2 years. Only one guy did it before, Mario Rigby.
Is it possible to go to Kenya by road from Nigeria?
No, it is unpractical to go from the Kenya to Nigeria by road down however it is not impossible. The shortest route through CAR and South Sudan is not safe. You will have to plan a detour through the south of DRC or even Zambia to find decent roads to drive. Adding at least 1000km to the journey of 6 weeks.
Can you drive to Africa from Mexico?
No, you cannot drive from Africa to Mexico. Have you ever even looked at a map? For once, Africa is a continent and Mexico a country and secondly the Atlantic ocean is in between the two and as far as I know your car cannot drive across the ocean. Try again.