Comesa insurance starts from Zimbabwe and you can use until Sudan (include), it’s writing Egypt as well but they won’t except it. The price are changing, it depends how long you want to have it and how many countries you will enter. If your plan more than 3 countries you need to have it for all countries which are Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan.
We applied for the Yellow Card in Lusaka, Zambia. We didn’t get it in Zimbabwe because the prices are way to high there. If you use the Victoria falls border you can easily get the Comesa in Livingstone as well.
Before you get it you must have a Zambian insurance from the company. So you need to try to pass the border without getting any insurance, tell them you will get it in the next city and you will get the Comesa for all East Africa countries. Otherwise you need to pay the local insurance twice as you need to have it from the same company.
We paid for each motorcycle 24.5 USD for the Zambian traffic insurance and than 57 USD for 6 months Comesa to enter all countries. (I am sure there are better deals if you search more).
The Comesa Insurance was with us Zambia to Sudan and nobody ask about it. Only, Malawi border wanted see it. Otherwise, nobody asking if you don’t do anything wrong in the traffic or accident. Her brother travel without Yellow card Egypt to Zimbabwe. He told us only Tanzania when a police stop him they asked it. He passed them with 5 USD. If you ask to us we can recommend to have it is not expensive.
We made a short video for our Africa journey, roads, life… We hope that you like to watch :
All information about the Visa’s in East Africa Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.
Zambia
We entered Zambia from the Kariba border and paid 50 USD for our visa (Netherlands and Turkey), valid for 30 days and single entry. Multiply entry costs 80 USD.
Better to do, buy the KAZA visa, see our blog for that.
If you only visit the Victoria falls from Zimbabwe the is a daily visa which costs 20 USD.
Prices are for all European passports as well.
We also paid for road and carbon tax. They are expensive for motorcycles.
Malawi
We got our visa’s in advance in Lusaka at the Malawi embassy, apply in the morning and collect in the afternoon.
You need 1 passport photo and a passport copy. Costs of the visa is 75 USD for all European, US, Australia and Turkish passport.
Tanzania
Visa on arrival for Tanzania, costs are 50 USD for all nationalities except US they pay 100 USD. The visa is valid for 90 days and single entree; a multiple entrée visa costs 100 USD for all nationalities including US.
Rwanda
Visa on arrival for Rwanda, costs are 30 USD for almost all nationalities.(Indonesia, Malaise are free we know) The visa is valid for 30 days and single entree; a multiple entrée visa costs 100 USD on the door.
If you visit their website multiple visa price is 60 USD to online apply. They have transit visa for 3 days but same price with single entree, 30 days.
Apply online and pay online, you print the papers and just go to the border. Costs are 50 USD for all nationalities. The visa is valid for 30 days and single entrée.
Visa on arrival for Kenya, costs are 50 USD for European and Turkish passport. The visa is valid for 30 days and single entrée. A multiple entrée visa costs 100 USD
We got our Ethiopian visa in Nairobi (Kenya), it is one of the hardest visa’s to get on our route but I think we got lucky and had a very quick. You need to have a letter of introduction from your embassy, this is because they want you to apply in your home country. But for a lot of people like us this is not possible as we are for a long time on the road.
This is what you need;
Letter of introduction
passport copy
Passport photo
When you apply you need to fill in a paper, they ask for a address in Ethiopia and all your personal details. Also they want to know all countries you visited in Africa and your next destinations.
Costs for the visa are;
1 month 40 USD
3 months 60 USD
6 months 90 USD
The amount you need to pay at the bank, you get the details when you apply in the embassy.
All visa’s are single entree, they didn’t want to give us a multiple entree ( we did ask for it).
We got our visa on the same day!
Note, the visa starts the day you apply!
Sudan
We got our Sudanese visa in Addis Ababa, it went really easy and we got it in 24 hours.
This is what you need for the visa;
Passport copy
2 passport photos
copy from your Ethiopian visa
hotel reservation and a contact at the hotel (not from the hotel itself).
The costs are 68 USD (only cash in USD) for a 1 month visa, the is a 14 days transit visa as well but that costs the same.
Note, the visa starts the day you apply!
We made a short video for our Africa journey, roads, life… We hope that you like to watch :
Western Africa, Southern Africa and now we are at the last part of Africa (East) in our trip. It is look like that this part will be more expensive than others.
– Zambia
We entered Zambia from Kariba
Passport – they just ask how long you want to stay and they prepare your visa (more details see visa story) .
Vehicle insurance – we didn’t buy any insurance at the border but bought it in the Capital Lusaka and took the Comesa insurance here to.
Road- and Carbon tax – We paid 20 usd per motorcycle road tax (paid in usd cash only) and 70 kwacha per motorcycle only payable in local currency (no cards excepted).
Bribery – no money or gifts asked, there is a money exchanger around who you need, his rate is not so bad. When you leave the border you have to pay 30 kwacha community tax per vehicle only local currency cash.
Vehicle insurance – We used our Comesa insurance (see our blog about that)
Road- and Carbon tax – We needed to pay 20 USD road tax for each motorcycle, only payable in USD. You fill in a form after that you pay and with that receipt you will receive a paper that you paid for the road tax. No carbon tax to be paid.
Export Vehicle – We used our Carnet de Passage (see our blog about this). But, we stayed in Kenya more the 14 days so we needed to pay road tax for our motorcycles. We told the custom officer we don’t have any money left and we only stayed longer in Kenya as we got stuck because of riots at the border on Ethiopia side. Eventually we left without paying, lucky us!
Bribery – No money or gifts where asked for.
– Ethiopia
We entered Ethiopia at the Moyale border.
Passport – We had a visa already and our passports got stamped easy, nothing asked for.
Import Vehicle – We used our Carnet de Passage (see our blog about this). They do want to now your road in Ethiopia, all places you want to visit. Also they write down what valuables you have like a phone, tablet, camera and laptop (they check when you leave).
Vehicle insurance – our COMESA insurance is valid here.
Road tax and Carbon tax – No road or carbon tax to be paid.
Export Vehicle – We used our Carnet de Passage (see our blog about this).
Bribery – No money or gifts where asked for.
– Sudan
We entered Sudan at the Metema border.
Passport – We had a visa already and our passports got stamped easy. We needed to pay 606 Sudanese pounds each to register our visa. It turned out to be valid for 2 months instead of 1 month now. When having check points they are only interested in the register part not the visa.
Import Vehicle – We used our Carnet de Passage (see our blog about this). We arrived on a Friday afternoon, this is the public holiday in Sudan and the general is not always available. They needed to go to his house to stamp our Carnet de Passage (CdP)
Vehicle insurance – our COMESA insurance is valid here.
Road tax and Carbon tax – No road or carbon tax to be paid.
