Africa: Ocean To Ocean – Difficult & Complex? Bring It On!

“Africa from west to east is one of the most difficult and complex overland journeys in the world, primarily due to severe infrastructure gaps, geopolitical instability, and impassable gaps through Central Africa.” – AI

For TDA Founder Henry Gold, who has done the Tour d’Afrique (Cairo to Cape Town/2003 – Present) and the West Africa en Vélo (Casablanca to Cape Coast/2018), this is waving a red flag in front of a bull. Like Paul Theroux’s memorable opening line in his book, Dark Star Safari, “All news out of Africa is bad. It made me want to go there...”, reading that sentence is a challenge that, in good conscience, we simply could not ignore. And that quote is talking about doing it in a vehicle! While we will have support vehicles, our riders will be completing the distance on 2 wheels.

About 170 years ago, David Livingstone also concluded his journey from west to east, from Angola to Mozambique, the first European to do so. While not following his route exactly, we are certainly keeping his spirit in mind. He once claimed “I will go anywhere, provided it be forward.” We couldn’t agree more.

Over the years a number of issues have made past crossings of Africa from west to east problematic.

Visas and Border Bureaucracy

Entering Sudan from Egypt on the S.S. Sagalnaam

In the past, getting the required visas for crossing Africa involved a delicate dance of getting dates just so and crossing each border could be time consuming and frustrating. You might have had to have the correct amount/currency in cash, maybe passport photos, maybe not. Maybe this, maybe that. Now, with the widespread implementation of e-visas, crossing from one country to another is much easier and less stressful.

Road Conditions

Roads can vary from smooth asphalt to deep mud tracks in the rainy season to corrugated gravel and everything in between. If you are heading out on your own, there might be some nasty surprises lying in wait if your information is not up to date. Our African Project Manager, Sharita, has driven every inch of our Africa: Ocean to Ocean route and, while conditions can still change quickly, her detailed knowledge of the roads will make for a much smoother ride.

Safety & Security

Crossing any continent will bring risks with it and heading out across Africa from west to east would certainly be worrisome for any group if you were unsure of what to expect along the way. On the Africa: Ocean to Ocean expedition, riders will be supported by our talented and veteran field crew who have many years of experience in Africa and can count on a dedicated team of local contacts and knowledgable office staff to back them up.

Vehicle & Logistics

Driving vehicles over 5,000 km across Africa is a huge challenge. Insurance, carnets, fuel, mechanic issues…the list is endless and quite daunting. For the Africa: Ocean to Ocean Cycling Expedition, we will be using our own, custom-designed support vehicles, trucks that have been successfully crossing the continent for many years, driven by experienced African drivers who understand the local conditions and have a detailed knowledge of what to expect along the route.

“The question isn’t, are we crazy, it’s, are you coming?”

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