 | Home > Expedition & Overland > South Africa 2012 |
 
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11240   
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That's a tricky one. I guess it depends on your level of experience with the vehicle (from both mechanical and driving perspectives) along with your general 'confidence', for want of a better description. If you or your travelling companions are the sorts who likes to have everything planned as much as possible and know what's coming, then a leap into the relatively unknown like this might just not be enjoyable. Alternatively, if you're the sort of crowd who are 'up' for anything and can be relaxed in the face of adversity, it could be the trip of a lifetime.
You quite often read in the LR magazines stories of a couple of guys who just bought a vehicle, spent a year kitting it out and then headed off for somewhere like India or Russia. Personally though, my wife and I felt a lot more relaxed about striking out on own our having done a guided trip first (to Morocco, which is culturally different enough without being totally beyond civlisation). The best suggestion I can make is do your research. Read up on the places you expect to go (rule and regulations, money, local customs, etc) and be sure that you're confident in your vehicle and your skills to drive and maintain it. Read trip reports of others who've done similar things and then you can weigh up if you want to jump straight in or build up to it in a more gradual fashion. I hope this helps. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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3rd Dec 2011 9:28am |
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| BigMike Member Since: 13 Jul 2010 Location: Lancashire Posts: 2253
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At todays prices there is no point in even thinking about shipping vehicles. just hire some Hiluxes out there, far cheaper. "Ah but I have a defender, I want a defneder!". Have a read of higgers thread about namibia and see how much more money a defender is to hire than a hilux
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3rd Dec 2011 12:11pm |
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| yobbie Member Since: 15 Nov 2010 Location: Isle of Wight Posts: 711 
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Big Mikes right. I've just come, back hiring a motorbike was 12000 rand (£950)for 8 days the car (4 door saloon) 4000 rand (just over £300) for 17days. Some things are expensive like Defenders I looked and I think the cheapest I found was nearly 2000 rand/day, Hilux's or simular just over 1000 rand. Were looking at possably buying a hilux or simular next time we go and driving to Nambia & Botswana. How much out of interest were you quoted for shipping?
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4th Dec 2011 10:25pm |
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| xatzhs Member Since: 12 Dec 2010 Location: Northumberland & Down South Posts: 258 
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It was actually my mate who did the quotes and if I'm honest I didn't really understand it but I think it was something like £3,000 for a container there and back and around half that for a ferry? (Roll on/Roll off)... Anyway I had a look at those numbers, then adding in the cost of making our vehicles overland prepared, and thought there's not a chance.
Are we rushing things by trying to get it done by this summer coming? As a complete novice at this I feel as though we should be possibly taking a lot more time over everything? |
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7th Dec 2011 2:14am |
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| Naks Member Since: 27 Jan 2009 Location: Stellenbosch, ZA Posts: 2602  
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Timeframe for this trip? Hiring is a good idea, if you want to buy remember than 2nd hand car prices in ZA are very high compared to EU. Aussie couple I know did this, ended up paying around EU3000 for an old Hilux bakkie and then still spent another EU1500 fixing it for their trip up North. Diesel is the preferred choice of engine though, unleaded can sometimes be an issue in the bundus. Also, you will need a ZA physical address to register the car and when you get to Kenya, you will have to bring the vehicle back to ZA, you will not be able to sell it there. The trip itself can be done on tar - hell, 2 journos from the local Getaway magazine just drove from Cape Town to Malawi & back in a Mini Cooper in two weeks! Fuel is available all over, so are ATMs and most places take credit card (Visa is more popular in Southern Africa). -- 2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear 2015 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged 
Defender Puma Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zZ1en9 Discovery 4 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zXrtKO Range Rover/Sport L320/L322/L494 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zc58JQ |
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7th Dec 2011 10:02am |
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| xatzhs Member Since: 12 Dec 2010 Location: Northumberland & Down South Posts: 258
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Looking to set off probably July/August of 2012.
We had realised that a lot of the journey would be on tarmac, it's not going to be entirely direct as various people have various contacts throughout Africa and we'll be making stops off in Botswana and Zimbabwe off the top of my head... Possibly other places. |
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7th Dec 2011 11:50am |
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| yobbie Member Since: 15 Nov 2010 Location: Isle of Wight Posts: 711
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Your be leaving in the winter then??
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8th Dec 2011 8:53pm |
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| domcoutts Member Since: 08 Dec 2011 Location: Kent Posts: 111 
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I did a trip in May hiring some Toyota Hiluxs in SA and travelling through Botswana and back.. Was planning a similar one for next year to Namibia but that might have to go on hold for work commitments. Happy to give you a few pointers from lessons we learned ( both good & bad! ) if you're interested let me know.
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10th Dec 2011 12:15am |
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| Killer90 Site Sponsor Member Since: 09 Oct 2011 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 6478 
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Give foley overland a call they specialise in overland especially africa/south africa and can arrange containers etc
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10th Dec 2011 12:27am |
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| BigMike Member Since: 13 Jul 2010 Location: Lancashire Posts: 2253
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That doesnt really help them though does it. All they do is put their margin on top when you can do it cheaper yourselves.
Still, cheapest/less hassle is hiring, and no, I dont think you need longer to plan it. You'll need (realistic) routes, have details of fuel stops, enough cash etc. Planning is neccessary but sometimes too much planning can take the adventure element out of it. |
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11th Dec 2011 10:33pm |
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| Killer90 Site Sponsor Member Since: 09 Oct 2011 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 6478
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if you read Mike you will see xatzhs asked if anyone knows of good companys to recommend for shipping, and also someone who would rent out overland vehicles, so yes what i said does help them doesn't it,  jesus |
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11th Dec 2011 10:39pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8578
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11th Dec 2011 11:02pm |
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| Mark-Eran Member Since: 11 Dec 2011 Location: Durban Posts: 8
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Hi,
Could you give me some dates with regard to your planned trip to SA? How many people will you be and how many vehicles were you planning to purchase a/o rent? I am a tour operator operating a fleet of Defenders (TD5) all outfitted with top-quality equipment (Howling moon roof tents, warn winches, long range tank, and so on...) - I am generally using my vehicles in a guided tour on a self-drive basis but rent some of them from time to time if I can fit a rental between two tours. For a trip to Kenya I do supply also the carnets de passage which will be necessary for Tanzania & Kenya. Another tip : if you were pushing all the way to Kenya, give it another push to Rwanda which is a stunning country! If interested you can contact me on my private email. Good luck Mark |
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12th Dec 2011 6:04pm |
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| Mark-Eran Member Since: 11 Dec 2011 Location: Durban Posts: 8
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Hi,
Could you give me some dates with regard to your planned trip to SA? How many people will you be and how many vehicles were you planning to purchase a/o rent? I am a tour operator operating a fleet of Defenders (TD5) all outfitted with top-quality equipment (Howling moon roof tents, warn winches, long range tank, and so on...) - I am generally using my vehicles in a guided tour on a self-drive basis but rent some of them from time to time if I can fit a rental between two tours. For a trip to Kenya I do supply also the carnets de passage which will be necessary for Tanzania & Kenya. Another tip : if you were pushing all the way to Kenya, give it another push to Rwanda which is a stunning country! If interested you can contact me on my private email. Good luck Mark |
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12th Dec 2011 6:06pm |
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