African Road Trip...Rifle and Ammo HELP!

[Hunter Houle]

A friend of mine did the trip and enjoyed every moment of it....40 years ago. Then it was feasible, today I doubt it.

In some of the countries you will have to ride through, many of the locals carry AK-47´s, some being engaged in civil wars. I am pretty sure they will be interested in your truck and other belongings.

By the way, I was born in Tandja (Tangiers), and also lived in Algeria among other countries. The Maghreb is very different from the rest of Africa.

Thanks so much! Yeah with todays screwed up governments its hard enough...I heard of somebody doing the trip from California into SA and so I might check that one out, no guns, just a road trip.

 

[siml]

BAD BAD BAD ...BAD idea, no chance of transporting a weapon from North to South Africa.

 

[ActionBob]

First off it is a crazy/stupid idea. Theoretically a wonderful adventure, but it is Africa! Likely hood of ending up in prison, kidnapped, dead or at least in the hospital before you complete such a tour is high. You must also know about all the road blocks and cops looking for bribes.... Hell we were stopped every couple of miles in some areas of Zimbabwe. I think you should tour around the areas you know and feel safe, then fly down to RSA and tour that and maybe Namibia. Skip all the discontent in the middle. I never felt in danger in Zimbabwe, just worried about getting ripped off by corrupt cops, however there are good ways to manage that and going up to Vic Falls would be great, I don't know about Botswana. I doubt you are allowed to take a rental car out of the country, might consider buying a vehicle in RSA to tour around and then re-sell it?

You came across as a whack job on here or else you might have even gotten help with a vehicle.

For the discussion, if you are hunting, can't beat a 375 H&H bolt gun for being legal everywhere, ammo availability, and the real ability to be effective on any game animal big or small. If you can handle the recoil of a 300 win mag, you can handle a proper weight 375 H&H. But strictly for protection, you don't need a 375. A 308 can kill a big cat. I'm sure you are in much greater danger from two legged predators. For true protection I would want to be carrying at all times, so that would require a pistol much of the time.... Not practical in Africa and I think the safest thing for such a trip is no firearm as you are too likely to be arrested for having it.

We had a young couple from Argentina with us several months on a training program. They bought a van, several spare tires and gas cans, and toured the US from Chicago to Vegas to Southern CA and then drove home to Argentina. Took about a year as they ran out of money and had to get jobs in Chile to earn money to make it home. Their biggest concern was Northern Mexico and stayed on the US side for the night, crossed at first light will full gas tanks and food and water... Drove as far into Mexico as they could, down the Pacific Coast, without stopping until they got out of the danger zone. Of course they had a common language (Spanish) all the way and were also fluent in English.....

Doing something on the Western Continents might be more sane and just as adventurous.... Personally I want to do Australia as well as NZ and Tasmania. But that is in the distant future.

 

[Scott Slough]

Doing something on the Western Continents might be more sane and just as adventurous.... Personally I want to do Australia as well as NZ and Tasmania. But that is in the distant future.

That's more like it!!!

 

[brushmore]

I drove across the US last summer. Just trying to keep up the laws for my concealed carry was not easy. On top of that there are few states/districts, namely on the coasts, where it would have been much more difficult to stay legal if not impossible.

 

[spike.t]

if you want to drive through some of africa in no great danger then start in kenya to tanzania then zambia and botswana and namibia into SA. its never going to be easy with the paper work etc involved buying a vehicle etc but great trip.

maybe get in contact with nick http://www.foleysafrica.com/#foleys +260977822218 he might have something for hire that you can take to namibia and botswana from zambia.

http://www.hemingwayszambia.com/

some SA and namibian hire car companies let you take their 4x4 out of the country.

 

[ActionBob]

Mike;
Is there a do-able route starting and stopping in RSA? A big circle of sorts... I suspect one could find a friend/outfitter in RSA who would help locate and subsequently re-sell an appropriate vehicle. Any major concern with a US drivers license? Would you cut up through Zimbabwe or avoid it?

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

A similar thread: Border Crossings with Gun? Travelling Central Africa by Bike: http://www.africahunting.com/thread...h-gun-travelling-central-africa-by-bike.6040/

 

[spike.t]

bob driving from sa through bots to zambia and back through namibia to sa isnt difficult . the main roads in bots and namibia are good, but you are best with a 4x4 for visiting parks and looking at the back country . zambia is upgrading some of the major roads and tarring some smaller ones , some dirt roads are rough but in a 4x4 no probs. a great road trip . i presume you can get some sort of international driving licence in the states?

nternational Driving Permits
Although many countries do not recognize U.S. driver's licenses, most countries accept an International Driving Permit (IDP). An IDP functions as an official translation of a U.S. driver's license into 10 foreign languages.

Before departure, you can obtain an IDP at a local office of one of the two automobile associations authorized by the U.S. Department of State:

• AAA (American Automobile Association)
• National Auto Club

To apply for an IDP, you must:

• be age 18 or over
• present two passport-size photographs and
• present your valid U.S. driver’s license

The cost of an IDP from these organizations is less than $20.00.

 

[ActionBob]

I drove across the US last summer. Just trying to keep up the laws for my concealed carry was not easy. On top of that there are few states/districts, namely on the coasts, where it would have been much more difficult to stay legal if not impossible.

Not much hope on the Coasts, that seems to be the low lying areas of the US... Where all the nuts seem to roll into and pile up.

But just a tour around all of N. America can be a great adventure and fascinating with everything we have to see and learn about. And here it would be doable to bring rifles as well as shotguns, muzzle loaders, bow if so inclined and hunt various regions... Although that takes considerable planning as well to line up seasons, hunting land, tags, etc.

Now I'm wondering if there is a consultant or someone who lines that all up... Not that I am ready to do it, but could someday!?

 

[ActionBob]

Thanks Mike, that does sound like a blast! I'm not retired enough yet to do it, but gonna have to plug that onto the bucket list I really should figure out how to do that before I get too old to handle it. Seems to me the best way to handle it would be to just buy a Land Cruiser and gear it up properly?

I would bet I could arrange to even do it over a couple years if need be, just park at a reputable outfitter's place and fly out and back in and continue on. Work in several hunts along the way. Might be formulating something here!

My first time to Africa just over a year ago we did a hunt for 9 days, guided tour for 3, then rented a car and self guided for 8 more days.... Just expand on that!

 

[spike.t]

sent you a pm with some ideas. but yeah a cruiser or hilux double cab kitted would be fine. for you the hilux probably better.

 

[sierraone]

Sad, but true.

Agree with Brickburn! Not an expert on Africa, but spent a lot of time in the Middle East. I don't think it can be done in modern times.

 

[Joes]

From experience there are a number of countries which are easy to travel through and some that should be avoided. Driving through Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda is not a problem. Mozambique and Zimbabwe can be problematic, but can be done. I would avoid Angola and the DRC unless you are conversant in Portuguese and French and have a lot of dollars to give away. In these two countries during the wet season you will find the road conditions difficult to say the least. Travelling internally in Angola is difficult and as a foreigner you need to have paperwork allowing you to travel from one city to another. Ethiopia is Ok, however the road between Addis Ababa and Nairobi is not safe to travel on. In general the road infrastructure East Africa is better developed than West Africa.

Driving in Africa requires a sense of humour as you can be stopped and 'fined' for no apparent reason and the 'fines' can be negotiated. Speeding particularly in Mozambique is a favourite where the speed is judged visually or in a perhaps more 'scientific' manner by the sound your vehicle makes as it goes over rumble strips.

I would not travel with firearms particularly where the are any rebel groups active, you could find yourself chained up under a tree in an army camp. For hunting you the best would be to work through an established operator in the country and generally they will have rifles you can use. Using a firearm for self protection is not a good idea rather avoid any situations.

 

[spike.t]

"sound your vehicle makes as it goes over rumble strips".

i hate those bloody things!! the amount of them and the places they put them are f@?£$%g!!! ridiculous.

 

[CAustin]

Ok thank you guys for opening my eyes! Very good information...I will rethink my approach, check which countries allow guns (always can hide one) and see if maybe we should just hop around on a plane

Sorry that I may be joining this discussion late.......do not hide a gun to go through Africa. Get caught and your eyes will not see day sky for many years.