Route & GPS data

At the moment we are planning the West Coast route entering via Morroco from Spain.  As with most things "Africa" there will be changes along the way based on who we meet, where we want to go or simply what the weather might be doing.  A rough idea of our route is shown in the maps below but nothing is set in stone as yet. 

Our exact route and will be updated as we make progress.  We also intend to log our GPS tracks with way points using our Garmin unit.  This means we can share useful data with other folks making trips in the future.  We will also link this Google Earth at some point so you can see our route and "interact" with it.

GPS Data

We will be using GPS and Map data from Tracks 4 Africa

 

T4A supply more detailed GPS maps and data on Africa (most are covered) and the database is constantly being refined and updated by overland travelers.  The data is easily transferred to any Garmin unit via the Mapsource Trip and Way Point Manager software and there is a useful forum you can join at their site. GPS maps for Africa are also available from Garmin.  We have also spent a bit of time gathering way point information from other Overland Sites.  Two good sources of way point data that are worth a look are:

Big Sky http://www.bigsky-adventures.com/route/gps.htm (useful summary of GPS waypoints for several countries in Africa)

Dutch Courage http://www.dutch-courage.net/index.php  (these guys have provided a really good summary with comments on a wide range of camp sites and related way points - very detailed)

Some of the overland websites such as http://www.overland.co.za/ also have various GPS data posted on them.  There is a great camping way points / GPS files to be found at The Hubb.  The zip file is located here

The same guy that made the camping GPS file made a way point file for Africa minefileds too.  This can be found here  (only really needed if you venture off the beaten track but worth knowing!)

We also got a freeware product called GPS Utility Version 4.20.5 http://www.gpsu.co.uk/  This software allows you to abstract way point data from a variety of GPS file formats and re-save them as Garmin Map Source compatible .gdb files.  This is really helpful as it allows you to quickly build up an archive of useful way points (like campsites, bush camps, sites of interest, fuel stops etc...).  The website also has a links page for all the GPS data you can handle !!!

NOTE: ALWAYS remember to check the GPS datum and way point format for any data you acquire.  There are a many ways GPS data can presented to the end user....make sure you know which is which.....could make a big difference when trying to find a water well in the middle of the desert!  (DD MM SS Vs DD MM.MMM is one to watch out for)

Live tracking using SPOT GPS Messenger

Our friends doing a similar trip are using a Find Me Spot GPS system  Its a "dum" GPS that sends out singles that can be viewed via a web browser so people can automatically track your progress. 

Its got a subscription that allows for rescue and also allows you to send a single saying you are "OK".  It covers a big chunk of North / North West Africa and we are thinking of getting one.

Forums

GPS data including way points and tracks and will be hosted here.  We are also going to use a direct link to Google Earth so you will be able to see our actual route and track our progress in semi-real time assuming we can upload the data at points along the way. There are a range of good GPS forums out there to ask questions.  The following proved very useful when getting to grips with our GPS and asking general questions

Sample GPS data linked to Google Earth

By way of an example, here is a Google Earth .kmz file showing our 4x4 tracks on Salisbury Plain - click on the following link Salisbury Plain 4x4 tracks

Unless where specified all OUR data was gathered using our Garmin 60CSx and is compatible with Map Source and Garmin Trip and Way Point Manager and Tracks 4 Africa software. To upload them to Google Earth and save them is very easy as there is a function in the Map Source "View" menu called "View in Google Earth" that uploads your saved track data to Google Earth where you can then save them as .kmz files to post on your website or share with friends.  We do not accept any liability for any errors or innacuracies for any of the data listed on this website

The following MS Word .doc file contains some useful waypoints for Western Africa gathered by the Dutch Courage guys

 Useful Africa way points