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Oct - 2009_1 Trip Planning The Mule’s Route Notes I started researching months ago about the route we’re planning and where and when to get visas etc, and thought it might make some interesting reading, (apologies for the lack of formatting).
South Africa – Sorted. March 2010 No visa needed for 90 days for Aust Passport Holder From South African Embassy Website Botswana (optional) - Sorted March 2010 No visa needed for 90 days for Aust Passport Holder Called Botswana Embassy Namibia - Sorted March 2010 No visa needed for 90 days for Aust Passport Holder Worldtravels.com http://namibia.visahq.com/information/ Angola – sorted (finally!!) March 2010 Visa is Required before arrival No Embassy in Aust – pointed to the one in Singapore Contacted them and Finally got a response (October 9th), need to send the forms and all documentation in early February, they will call if something is missing, apparently I don’t need an LOI, just a letter stating the reason for travel. Then will need 2 days in Singapore to get the visa, drop off on one day, and collect the next day. YAH!!!! You get the elusive 30 day Angola tourist visa in Pretoria, South Africa, without any real problems. Posted on the HUBB, July 2009 friends of mine tried in Cape Town and in Windhoek for 1 week each without success. Then they went up to the border NAM-ANG to a town called Rundu. There at the Angolan Consulate they got the visa without further problems. 6 month passport, 2 blank pages. Yellow Fever International Vaccination Certificate Needed LOI from Individual, Organisation or Company is Needed By Car can go in from Namibia at the border post near Oshikango(Namibia)/Ngiva(Angola). Email sent to embassy for info June 30 From the HUBB - … friends of mine tried in Cape Town and in Windhoek for 1 week each without success. Then they went up to the border NAM-ANG to a town called Rundu. There at the Angolan Consulate they got the visa without further problems. Consulate is in Singapore (they NEVER answer phone email fax... &%*&^!!!) Address Embassy of the Republic of Angola 9 Temasek Boulevard, #44-03 Suntec Tower Two, Singapore 038989 Lady I eventually spoke to was called Amelia, very friendly and helpful. Telephone Fax T (65) 6341 9360 F (65) 6341 9367 6568357964 Consular dept Maznah
Travel Advice Language is Portugese Photography of govt places is banned Dont drink the tap water Mine Fields Red and white halo trust spots denote mine fields Avoid anything surrounded by red stones or similar markers Currency Kwanza (AOA) is official currency Can not take currency into or out of Angola Good place to get the onward Visa’s In Luanda can apply for Visas to (from Lonely planet web) Congo – on or next day DRC – US75 Gabon – US100 30 days CABINDA - ANGOLA For a contact in Angola who will provide a letter of invitation you could try Nancy's English School e Hospederia in Benguela. Nancy is an American and very helpful and runs a decent hotel. I stayed with her. Can't find an email on the Web but her number is in the Lonely Planet guide -- 244 923 594 093.
Democratic Republic of the Congo (can be avoided by boat/air) – Sorted - Apply for Visa in Angola. March 2010 Visa is Required before Arrival No embassy in Aust Can get visa in Angola, capital city is called Luanda (nth west), Address is: 3, Av. 4 de Fevereiro, Luanda. Got this info from the Canadian embassy in DRC, should be reliable. Need to recheck this info closer to travel date. Place seems very dangerous. Embassy in the USA is at http://www.ambardcusa.org/contact.html Have contacted them for information, and downloaded applic form from their website. Need an LOI – not sure how to get this. http://www.news.com.au/travel/destination/visas/0,,democratic%20republic%20of%20congo,00.html Says can often get a visa at the border on arrival within 24 hrs. visas will only be granted on arrival to passengers holding a pre-notification letter issued by the Direction Generale de Migration officials I think this is a LOI Don’t know how to get this? Lonely Planet Strongly Recommended to Avoid DRC “at all costs” Do not travel at night, or alone Do not give passport to anyone! The Canadian Embassy in Kinshasa is the place to get help for Aust travellers in DRC Sent them an email on July 1 waiting for a reply. Replied saying visa can be gotten from the DRC embassy in Angola – in Luanda. Kinshasa is in DRC on the border with Kongo, from here will take a ferry across a river to Congo, into Brazzaville. Congo – Sorted – Apply for visa in Angola or at the border. March 2010 Visa is Required No Embassy in Aust Can be purchased on arrival at the border, (Kinshasa or Brazzaville hopefully) - 15 day tourist, USD$70 From http://www.lonelyplanet.com/congo Some Borders closed as at June 2009-07-01 Much safer than DRC Language is French Onward visa for Gabon – apply in Brazzaville, see details below. Gabon (optional – could travel directly to Cameroon) – Sorted Apply in Rep of Congo March 2010 Visa is needed No Aust Embassy Apply at the Gabonese Embassy in a neighbouring country A couple of days and $US50 May require an LOI Embassy in Rep of Congo is in Brazzaville (sth part of congo) B.P. 2033 Brazzaville sécretariat (242) 81 56 20/81 37 51 Cél. (242) 41 32 31 Sounds like a great place to visit, heavy investment in eco tourism Language is French ATM’s only in Libreville Euro’s better than USD Take in all the cash that will be needed At Sedoc in Libreville (nth west), can get visas for Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea Cameroon - Sorted – Apply for visa at the Border. March 2010 Visa Needed No Aust Embassy Usually available at the various borders for around USD$60 From lonely planet Cameroon Embassy in Congo is in Brazzaville DRC BP : 2136, Brazaville Mt Cameroon – 4095m highest mountain in west Africa – active volcanoe. Visas for onward travel can ge gotten in Yaounde From Lonely planet. Nigeria - Sorted. No action needed until January, Aust Application. April 2010 Visa is Required There is an Aust Embassy 26 Guilfoyle Street Tel : (02) 6282 7411 Tel : (02) 6282 0357 Tel : (02) 6282 0693 Fax : (02) 6282 8471 Email : chancery@nigeria-can.org.au Emailed the Aust Embassy for info July 3 Called for info July 13th. They pointed me to their web site www.nigeria-can.org.au Have an online application, looks easy enough J I asked about the LOI, and told them i will be travelling through Africa without fixed itinerary, woman i spoke to said that would be fine, that i need to include a letter stating these details on the application, and it should be approved ok. She suggested to make the application with all relevant info, and include a telephone no with it, once it is sorted out,they will call and let me know, and i’ll email the passports then with return envelope. $161 fee, 2 week approval, but only need the passport for few days. Valid from date of issue for 90 days. Niger - Still working on it, prob apply in Nigeria. April 2010 Visa Needed No Aust Embassy Lonely planet says it’s less hassle to get the visa in Africa than trying to get it from Aus. Can be gotten from Niger Embassy in Nigeria, applications accepted Tues and Thurs 10am to 1pm)
(Central Nigeria – will prob use this one as it’s on the way) Niger Embassy , Nigeria Or (South West Nigeria – a
little out of the way)
Algeria - sorted April 2010 Need a visa There is an embassy in Australia. Make the application in Mid January Need to specify an entry and exit date from Algeria, it’s a 30 day visa so will need to think about this a little bit. Tel : (02) 6286 7355 Tel : (02) 6286 7818 Fax : (02) 6286 7037 Email : info@algeriaemb.org.au Web : www.algeriaemb.org.au Called them and spoke to a woman, she said we need a guide and LOI from them for the visa. Visa Requirements are: A return ticket when travelling by air or sea, "certificat d'hebergement"signed by your host in Algeria and authenticated by the local authorities in your host's home town, Please note that your host must be a resident of Algeria. Or a confirmation of a hotel booking. Or an invitation from an Algerian travel agency. Provide itinerary details including approximate dates and location to be visited.. Emailed a tour operator in Algeria for the LOI July 13th http://www.tanezrouft.com/Contact.contact.0.html Have made contact with these guys, organize cost and an itinerary for the guide from the border. Seems fine. Embassy (in Agadez – central city in Niger) for Algeria is at: N16° 59.131 E7°59.905 (not far from governerate). Open monday to friday and saturday morning. Apply in the morning and pick up in the afternoon. Got this from The HUBB – someone posted in June 2008. benmed71@hotmail.com this email contact as someone to provide the invitation letter for Algeria from the HUBB. Also read on the HUBB that visa can be gotten in Niger in Agadez, same day with invite or confirmed hotel booking Libya – sorted, apply at border with LOI from Guide. April 2010 Guide does this for us, nothing more to do. There is an embassy in Australia – ph 0262907900 mon to thu 9-3 (to 1 on fri) Visa only available with an invitation from a Libyan tour company (LP), need to have a guide at all times Get an Arabic translation of the Visa and Invite to make things easier (LP) There is a Libyan consulate in Aus, but no email address. Phone no is 02 6290 7900 in the ACT Need Arabic translation page in the passport (done) Contacted Travel Guide, and arranged for the required guide for Libya, all good. Info from Libyan tour guides is that the border with Niger is currently closed and can close at short notice. The only reliable land entry is fromTunisia (or Egypt but that wont work for us). See alternatives below. Alternatively - Chad and Sudan may be possible without a guide, but visa for Sudan is supposedly very difficult to get, travel is dangerous and it means being in the sahara for LONG time. Sudanese embassy is in Singapore, and Chad does not have an embassy. Alternatively Algeria (visa seems straightforward, no mention of a guide, same day visa in Niger) and then into Tunisia (lots of tourism so is very simple to get visa on arrival or none needed with Italian passport, then 300km Ferry into Italy) or into Morocco (No visa needed for Morocco, then a Ferry into Spain < 50km) Algerian Embassy in Australia Tel : (02) 6286 7355 Tel : (02) 6286 7818 Fax : (02) 6286 7037 Email : info@algeriaemb.org.au Web : www.algeriaemb.org.au 9 Terrigal Crescent Egypt Aril 2010 Visa is needed but seems straightforward on arrival, except that we are entering from Libya... E.g. At cairo airport, 20min process, US25 There is an embassy in Aus – ACT Ph is 02 6273443 Jordan May 2010 Visa Needed Visas issued at the border with minimal fuss (Lonely planet), but not from Israel. If arrive in Aquaba by sea from Nuweiba in Egypt, visa should be free because Aquaba has been designated Aqueba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) area set up for free trade. If stay > 2 weeks need to register with ASEZ office in A. Syria – Sorted – Apply end of Jan in Canberra May 2010 Visa Needed Should be gotten in Advance, can apply for 3 or 6 month validity, commencing from issue date. 7 working days to process the visa, download form from Aust Consulate website, does not indicate a LOI is needed. $100 fee Syria is ~ halfway point of trip, so should arrive there around 1 June. Travel thru Syria is ~1000km, say 5 days, need visa valid to Mid June. Need to Apply for the visa at the end of January, possibly in Person at consulate in Canberra.
Turkey May week 1 (no visa needed) Apply for Azerbaijan visa in Ankara (with LOI from StanTours) Apply for Turkmenistan visa in Ankara (with LOI from StanTours) Apply for Uzbekistan visa in Ankara (with LOI from StanTours) Apply for TAJ visa and GBAO permit in Ankara
From Turkish embassy website in Australia Australia: Ordinary and official passport holders are required to have visa to enter Turkey. Ordinary passport holders can obtain three month-multiple entry visas at the Turkish border gates. Italy: Ordinary and official passport holders are exempt from visa for their travels up to 90 days.
Armenia May 2010 wk 2 Apply for Visa at the border
Visas can be gotten on arrival at border no fuss (LP), no invite needed for Aus Note there is no Armenian embassy in Turkey and they don’t list a Turkish entry point... may need to go via Georgia or Iran instead... Armenian visas are available at all entry points – 21-day tourist visas cost $30, and three-day transit visas cost $20. The officials might not speak much English, but it’s just a matter of filling out a form and paying. A 21-day e-visa from www.armeniaforeignministry.com costs $60 and takes two days to be emailed to you. Print out a copy and have it on hand on arrival and departure. E-visas are only for arrivals at Zvartnots Airport. If you want a longer visa, apply directly to an Armenian embassy. Processing time is usually three to five days and the fee is about $60. You can get up to 120 days, but make sure you ask for this specifically if you want the maximum number of days
Georgia May 2010 wk3 No visa needed for EU passport holders.
No visa needed for EU members, 90 day single entry. Sarpi/Sarp Road border with Turkey. (Right on the Black sea). Vale/Posof Road border with Turkey, (half way along the turkey/georgia border
Azerbaijan May week 4 Azerbaijan LOI provided by StanTours – US$100/person Travel to Baku (in AZ) and take a ferry to Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan June week 1 Turkmenistan LOI and guide with own transport to be arranged by StanTours
Uzbekistan June week 2 Apply for Russian double entry visa in Toshkent UZ LOI provided by StanTours – US$35/person
Tajikistan June week 3 Apply for KYRG visa in Dushanbe no LOI needed. Apply for KAZ visa in Dushanbe
Kyrgyzstan June week 4
Kazakhstan July week 1
Kazak LOI to be provided by StanTours Apply for Mongolia visa in Almaty
Russia July week 3 Russian visa to be arranged by StanTours
Mongolia July week4 Visa needed Will need to arrange in Mongolia Emb in Kazakhstan http://www.mongemb.kz/en/consular/application print the form, fill it in, take it to the consulate, US68 + 20 for sameday turnaround Embassy of Mongolia in
Kazakhstan Office Hours
Visa application documents acceptance: Aus web site states... Applications for a Tourist visa must be accompanied by either a copy of the travel itinerary showing arrival and departure dates; a copy of the letter from the tour company if on an organised tour, or a covering letter explaining the travel arrangements and intended dates of arrival in, and departure from, Mongolia. http://www.mongolianconsulate.com.au/visas/index.shtml
Russia August week2 Magadan Sept Week2-ish
Shipping from Magadan (thanks Eric from the HUBB) FESCO is the name of the biggest shipping company
in this part of the world but, you have to contact their agent Transfes. Their contact info is as
follows :
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Donkey & the Mule
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