Being able to travel in Africa can be wonderful, and when it is right on our doorstep, taking up the opportunity is incredible! For South African, exploring other parts of the continent can be an affordable way to travel.
However, South Africans do need to be aware of rules and regulations that come with travelling in Africa, especially if you are going to be doing so with your own vehicle. Think of it like this – Just like you need a passport to see the world, your car needs a similar document called a Carnet de Passage.
A Carnet de Passage is compulsory when travelling to Egypt and Kenya in your own vehicle, and comes highly recommended by AA Travel when visiting countries outside of the Southern Africa Customs Union. The document gives the foreign government a guarantee that the vehicle in the Carnet can be removed from the country within a time limit, and if it isn’t, all duties and taxes associated with permanently importing that vehicle may be claimed by the government.
Apart from that, a Carnet can also be used as an alternative to leaving cash as a security deposit with another country. It also eliminates the need for national temporary importation documents. AA Travel encourages those who plan on travelling outside of South Africa to visit them for this document before travelling, it makes the process of getting into another country with your own vehicle a lot easier too.
Knowing that you need this document is vital, but so is knowing the rules and regulations with each country. For example, Mozambique requires you to have a reflective vest in your vehicle, and you need a foreign circulation permit for your vehicle when entering Kenya.
Educating yourself on the local laws of the countries you are travelling to it vital in making your trip enjoyable. Failure to adhere to the various can ruin your trip. Always be prepared, the information you need is usually a click away and can be found on AA Travel’s website: https://www.aa.co.za/products/cross-border-information
Proper planning before leaving will ensure you have enough time to deal with any unforeseen events. Don’t wait until it’s too late or think you don’t need to do certain processes.