Hi, I traveled solo - South Africa, Namibia, (Caprivi strip route), touched in an amazing corner of Botswana, then Zambia, Malawi, Tanazania, then a flight over to Zanzibar to complete my trip.  I had no issues (except with my initial travel partner) 😂 and never felt unsafe.  Please note, I always made sure I was in a guesthouse or campground each night.  I used other journals to research my route as I went and got tons of info by doing so.  I carried cash and mostly only used my credit card at nicer hotels or large supermarkets.  I split my cash up on my bike.

If you use common sense, you should be fine.  I always find that people are generally kind wherever you are in the world.  Happy cycling!

Thanks Kim. It sounds like you got to see quite a bit of Africa. I appreciate the advice and will review as many journals as I can find. It is good to know that people are generally good in other parts of the world. All the best to you.

Thank-you Rachel and Patrick. I have no definite plans, yet. I am in the exploratory and research phase of planning.  I would imagine that upon having made the effort to get to Africa, staying there for a month or two, minimally, would be appropriate.

I noticed that you did not pass through the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Angola. Are there reasons, other than directness of the route, for not going to those places?

Hi Dino,

A few thoughts on your possible ride to/in Africa:

I've been privileged to spend a lot of my life visiting, living & working in Central/Southern Africa, around 15 years in all, spread over four decades, from Sept 1969 until June 2014.  I've lived in Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa at different times, and both of our kids were born in Zim in the mid-1980s. I've spent a fair amount of time on two wheels in those three countries, both on motorcycles and bicycles.  Though I still stay in touch with friends in the region, I haven't visited for nearly a decade now, so my first-hand knowledge is a bit out of date. But, I owe a great debt to the peoples of the region, and to the hospitality, kindness and patience they showed in welcoming and educating me (and eventually, my family).

My instinct would be to suggest a tour in Southern/Central/Eastern Africa, similar, say, to what Kim has done. Her suggestions about travelling with a companion, and seeking guesthouses & campgrounds are well-chosen.  And, Jean-Marc's knowledge and experience is unrivalled. My suggestion draws on my experience, obviously. But also: despite serious under-investment and neglect, the road and communications infrastructure is much better than in, say, Angola and both Congos.  And, English is very widely used and understood. (I was never able to visit Angola in my years in the region, largely because of the prolonged and widespread conflicts there. My visits to DRC were mostly confined to many trips across the "Congo pedicle" separating northern Zambia from the Copperbelt.)  The countries of the region generally have a kind climate (take pains, however, not to get caught in a high-veldt thunderstorm!)  The landscapes (and waterscapes), flora and fauna are astonishing, huge, and diverse, and you could do well to park your bike and do some hiking. (One example is Mt Mulanje, in the SE corner of Malawi.  Mulanje is huge massif (as large in circumference as Kilimanjaro), with 24 granite peaks on top.  I've hiked on it many times, and have some trail notes if you're interested.  I hiked up Kilimanjaro twice, separated by 30 years, and Mulanje is vastly more challenging and rewarding; and ditto less crowded and expensive.  And, the many cultures of the region are diverse and fascinating.  Just have a listen to some of the music, and you'll get a sense of those.

My experience of West Africa is very limited, but here's a reference to a (self-described) rookie's story of his journey from London to Cape Town, which I found via the website of the Adventure Cycling Association in the U.S: https://www.globalcyclingnetwo...

Hope that's helpful,

Cheers,  John

Wow! Thanks John. A lot of good information is here and will keep me busy for a while. It sounds like you have had some great adventures and experiences. I truly appreciate your having taken the time to provide all of this for me. 

All the Best,

Dino

Mostly route, and partly safety. Though we met up with a cyclist who had cycled in the Congo. The cyclist also rode through Burundi and said he heard shots.

Suggest concentrating on what area you really want to see. Also to plan on taking a safari: either to the Masai Mara in Kenya, Serengeti in Tanzania,  South Luangwa NP in Zambia 

If you decide on cycling across Botswana, stay at the resorts. You can camp cheaply and use the facilities (pool). Especially at Planet Baobab. 

Taking the boat MV Liemba down Lake Tanganyika is a great experience though uncertain if it is still out for repair.

If you are not a REM (Ride every Mile) member, you can see much more of Africa by taking a bus or the Train from Bulawayo and Victoria Falls.

Happy Planning!

Thanks, Dino.

One other source I neglected to mention:  In 2002-03, a South African fellow named Riaan Manser cycled around the entire coastline of Africa. He wrote about that journey in his book, Around Africa on My Bicycle.  It's well worth a read.  (I'm biased, of course, but his coastal route rules out the delights of landlocked countries like Zim, Zam, Bot, Malawi, Uganda, or Lesotho.  And, despite the undoubted splendours of the oceans and the Med, there are few things anywhere to compare with the Great Lakes, the Zambezi, and southern Africa's waterfalls.  On the latter, BTW: if you're in NE Zambia and SW Tanzania, make sure you visit Kalambo Falls.  Much of Zambia is a well-watered plateau, and it's full of waterfalls which tumble over the edge of the plateau. Vic Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya is only the most famous. Very few people know about or visit Lumangwe Falls in Northern Province, for example.)   Ooops! got sidetracked down memory lane there...  Manser's website lists a lot of other solo journeys, a lot of them paddling:  http://www.riaanmanser.co.za/ 

Hope that's helpful, Dino, and not, er "too much!"

Thanks again John. Not too much. I need all of the information I can get. 

BTW, I read the article about Rob MacLennan's trip. Regarding the food poisioning he had been experiencing, is this something others have experienced? Is there a way to avoid it? 

Thank-you again, Rachel and Patrick. I'm usually a REM, but there are sometimes circumstances beyond control and/or things to be seen that are impractical by bicycle. This is great information. I appreciate your taking of the time to put it all down for me. 

All the Best, 

Dino

Thanks, Dino.

The matter of food and drink, its digestion and What Happens Next is usually a long story, full of "It depends..."

Where are you located?  My suggestion would be to contact a specialist travel clinic, someone who has experience in the area(s) where you expect to be travelling.

It's a matter of food poisoning, traveller's tummy, malaria, water purification, and local conditions & local knowledge, to name just a few sub-issues.

My own experience is probably not much of a guide:  I had malaria just once, at the beginning of July 1970 (oddly, this was the height of the "cold" season in the Luapula Valley of northern Zambia, where I was teaching at the time.)  This, despite religiously taking my tabs -- chloroquine, in those days.  It was horrible:  chills and fever, aching joints, tummy cramps, and running at both ends.  Worst of all was the black pit of despair during "sleep".  The good news is that the whole thing lasted just three days and two nights.  Otherwise, in all my time & travels in the region, I rarely had any bugs or tummy problems.

One thing that's esp important for me is sun protection:  I'm of Scots/Irish descent, a member of The Spotted Tribe (along with Rod Laver).  I never found the Southern African sun to be as fierce as the very same sun in Australia, but a floppy hat and A-grade sunblock, in copious quantities, were constants in my life (& remain so, even in Ottawa.)

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that, even tho' it's not as "dramatic" a question as collywobbles or malaria.  What was Kipling's advice in the "Instructions for the Raw Recruit"? --

      Now the worst of yer foes is the sun over'ead,

     And you must wear yer 'elmet for all that is said,

     If 'e finds you uncovered 'e'll knock you down dead,

     And you'll die like a fool of a soldier.

Cheers,  John