Sharita van der Merwe

“The thing I love most about my job is watching the social dynamics unfold.”

For as long as I can remember I’ve been stripping, fixing, and riding bicycles. As well, I knew from a young age I wanted to explore, travel, and see the world—my dream at one time was to fly airplanes. However, it wasn’t long before I realized that flying in a straight line from point A to point B wasn’t for me!

When I left school I had no direction, no idea of where I wanted to be or what I wanted to do, once my dream of flying died. In 2003, I saw a magazine ad of a bunch of cyclists lined up in front of the Giza pyramids and I became hooked on the idea of doing that but I had to choose between taking a four-month cycling trip across Africa or going to Warriors Boot Camp to get educated. I chose Warriors and the programme equipped me for life by giving me a solid foundation. There, I was free to discover and explore who I was and to test physical and mental endurance. Having my attitude and my comfort zone constantly pushed readied me for all sorts of real-world challenges. I stayed at Warriors for three years, then cycled solo across Africa when I was 22 years old. In 2009, I landed the job as TDA’s assistant tour director on the Cairo to Cape Town trip—and the rest is history.

Ever since, Africa has been my baby and my favourite. I’ve worked on other tours—the Silk Route, the Bamboo Road, Ruta Maya, Magical Madagascar—but Africa is my full-time project and has lately included TDA’s complex tour of West Africa.

I’m based in beautiful Cape Town; when I’m not here, I’m scouting, exploring, problem-solving somewhere in the world and revelling in the adventure of being alive.

TDA has taken me to 80 countries and my most incredible off-the-beaten-track expedition was the West Africa scout in 2017, especially Guinea—I’d never been to a place so remote, rough or wild. I fell in love with Africa all over again on that trip. The stories are epic and endless!

There’s never a dull moment with TDA, because you absolutely never know what’s going to happen next.

Alina Burau

Douglas Percival

Flinging spanners, clicking gears. Juggling bike spares & Humans Habits to create Bicycle Tours that function in crazy locations. See you guys at the next crazy location.

Christopher (Kit) Campbell

Transecting Africa remains an unfinished project; the memories and experiences of 2020 are in daily thoughts. We'll try again in 2022, and just hope that the situation will allow the ride to continue even if it's to be in a somewhat attenuated form.

Jim FOWLER

I'm a nomad based in the Florida Keys. I did the 2020 Tour d'Afrique from Cairo to Arusha (where it was canceled due to Covid-19).

Craig Saunders

77 year old Cardiac Surgeon, retired. Athlete most all my life, played a little football, did a fair amount of running and climbed a few mountains. Took up cycling 5-6 years ago. Do some writing in my spare time. I'm too private to have a significant social media footprint.

Uwe Rydzek

Kathie Knell

Ex Army Officer and Leadership Consultant, married with 3 teenagers. Relative cycling novice!

Kevin McAleer

Thys Neser

I am a businessman in South Africa age 64. If I had the ability I would have liked to be a competitive cyclist. Due to the fact that I kept on growing I can now only enjoy touring on by road or MTB in Africa and many other places in the world.

Harald Hälbich

I am living in Cape Town and enjoy recreational cycling. Looking forward to join the 2022 Tour de Afrique.

Herbert Sommerfeld

Hi everyone, I'm Herbert, 58 years old and live in the south of Germany in the beautiful Black Forest. I have been riding mountain bikes for many years now, and have dreamed accepting this challenge for a long time. Now that it is a shortened tour it fits with my 3 month sabbatical I'm already looking forward to the tour and all of you.

Johann du Toit

59 year old keen Mountain Biker living in Johannesburg, South Africa. Enjoy touring and experiencing diffirent environments and cultures on my Mountain Bike. Doing this tour with friend Thys Neser.

Brigitta Varadinek

I was on the TDA tour last year when we got stuck in Tansania due to Covid 19. Now I hope to finish the tour and I'm very excited about meeting some of my friends from last year. I'm a lawyer from Berlin, Germany. I have two daughters and live with my husband and his four kids in Kreuzberg, a very lively part of Berlin. I also have two dogs, one from Poland and one from Romania.

Coni Dean

Biking and exploring.

Natalie Elliott

I'm riding Livingstone to Windhoek with my dad! I've travelled through southern Africa by vehicle and cannot wait to experience the hot, African sun on my bike.

Simon Boyd

Originally from the UK (I obtained Irish citizenship after the Brexit vote), I lived in Poland for 27 years but currently spend my time between South Africa and Portugal. was a chartered accountant by trade and spent the last 20 years of my working life in the cable tv business, originally in the finance area but for most of the time in general management. Now retired I now spend my time on the golf course as it is my main passion. I completed the Pub Ride 2 in 2018 and was hoping to do the inaugural Journey to the East but had to cancel due to other commitments. Been doing quite a bit of mountain biking. Looking forward to getting back on the road!

Michael Treloar

Retired Geotechnical Engineer, who enjoys long distance cycling, currently residing in the Great Karoo, RSA. "When it comes to traveling, it's not the destination which matters, but how many different beers you get to taste, before you get there" (Apologies to Ralph Waldo Emerson).

Bill Heidler

I am a 67-year-old American, still working. I’ve been biking at least somewhat avidly since I was in college. I live in San Diego CA so can ride year round and have lots of terrain choices for workout rides. I belong to a local age-appropriate cycle club and ride regularly. I enjoy studying languages and have spent a little time looking at a book on Afrikaans, I would very much like to get some tutoring from a native speaker during the tour. I really want to go see Africa, I’ve never been there.

Mike Crum

Fifty Six years old. Kiwifruit Orchardist from NZ Looking for an adventure. Participated in 2020 Cairo to Capetown until Covid stopped the tour. Some long distance hiking experiences. Very excited to be doing this !!!

karen robyn

Film worker by trade. I took up cycling in 2015 to do the Bamboo Road, Shanghai to Singapore. Followed by 14 months working in Shanghai, without the bike. In 2018, Cairo to Capetown ended for me in Lusaka due to illness, and I’ve been trying to get back there to finish it ever since. These tours are as tough as anything I've done, but they're also full of magical moments. Look forward to sharing it with all of you...

Kim Wright

Christopher Brown

Australian Actuary. Live on the Sunshine Coast Queensland. Love adventure travelling. Keen cyclist, surfer, triathlete. Have done a few cycling trips in various countries including some of the TDA 2020 before it was cut short due to COVID. Time to try again !