First ever trip on a motorbike..
 

Hi Guys (and Gals!) my friend and I are planning to do our first Adventure Tour into Southern Africa next year. We've never been to Africa before, and only got our motorcycle licenses around 5 weeks ago. We're both mid-forties, so better late than never I guess.

I wanted to ask if anyone has any advice to share on our trip? We are planning to fly from Australia to Cape Town SA. Hire some bikes and ride through Namibia, Botswana, and either Zambia or Zimbabwe up to Victoria Falls and then back again to CT.

I was looking at possibly May or June as the time to go, and we were going to allow 3 weeks for the trip.

Would love to hear from those who have done it, or live there; have we allocated enough time? Is that a good time of year to go? Im guessing that South Africa's climate isnt radically different from Australia at the same time of year.

I've been looking at these guys to hire the bikes; Motorcycle Hire in South Africa with Karoo Biking - Motorbike Rentals/Hire but I'm open to suggestions too.

Thanks,

Scott.

Hi Scott,

we are flying our bikes over to Cape Town in January to ride back to the uk and have been planning for some time, it would seem that 3 weeks would be way short if you want to see anything, the distances alone are something. I guess it depends on what you want to see or do.

I agree with dippy! In three weeks up to victoria falls and back? Man u gona ride all day and still have to hurry!! Not really enjoyable in my opinion... then better do a three week tour in south africa and actually see something from the country...

Cape town to Victoria falls and back in three weeks!!!! even if all roads are paved all the way I don't think you could do it within that time frame. I would say allow for 2-3 month to enjoy it and see things. Coming all the way from down under to Africa for the first time, if I were you I would spend more time as this could be a trip of a life time.

Well schenkel, there was this spanish guy doing in three months and a have whole Africa but as mentiond, is this worth it? I also have to say that, sometimes maybe it would be better people go for a short travel when the first time in afrika, instead of a half year or more... juste to see how it is...

Hi Guys, thanks for the reply. Unfortunately my friend and I are leaving the wife, kids and work commitments behind so I can't make it any longer!

But I can see the sense in cutting down the distance. I think I will try and plan a loop from CT, to Namibia, to Botswana and back through parts of SA.

Sorry for the dumb question, but is it mostly safe to ride around South Africa? I've heard of car jackings, muggings etc at places like Johannesburg, but overall, in the countryside is it mostly a case of keeping your wits about you?

G'day Scott, I admire your sense of adventure although................

Having a bike licence for just over a month, may I suggest you guys get used to riding, packing, attire, maintenance, upkeep and bike fitness but to mention a few, a lot closer to home before you jump off into the deep end. Also plan for more time, if you want to do it that much you'll find a way, 6 weeks might just cut it. Look into inoculations and in detail at health insurance with repatriation, if it's available given the Ebola situation.

Good luck with it all, Cheers Dave.

Thanks Dave. The trip wont be until around July next year, so we have some time to build on our skills, take local trips etc. We've already ridden trail bikes in the past, just new to onroad riding really. :-)

Good idea about the inoculations, although I wouldn't think Ebola would be a serious issue that far south?

3 weeks might give you enough time to see the Garden Route never mind the 2 day ride to the Namibian border.

Margaret

Is there no way you can save up holiday and make your trip longer? Three weeks really is nothing and you'll end up regretting not having longer as you start heading home just as you get into the swing of things

Three weeks off of work is good going, and that is what most people will max out at for PAID vacation.

so I still say go for it but remember that 250 miles a day for a non European / American roads is good if you actually want to not be stressed and see the scenery! (that is about 2500 miles!)

sometimes you might do a bit more but sometimes you won't!

Plan accordingly and have an AMAZING trip!

My guess is people travel, I'd check the net and speak to your doctor a couple of months before you decide to leave. I'm not an alarmist but it's a good idea to have the facts.

Here's a few websites worth a look.

https://www.globalrescue.com/index.cfm

Immunise - Frequently Asked Questions about Immunisation

Travel Clinics Australia | Vaccinations, Immunisations, Malaria tablets & gastro prevention for travellersThe Travel Clinics

MD Travel Health - South Africa - vaccinations, malaria, safety, and other medical advice

Oh while on health, maybe a few weeks sick leave will extend the trip :innocent:

Thanks everyone. Brendan, you nailed it - roughly 250 miles/400kms a day is our target with rest days every now and then. I've mapped out a rough 4,000km loop going from Cape Town out East (still deciding on towns/stops) gradually north up to Gaborone. Then across to Windhoek and down again to CT.

I know we're going to miss a tonne of things, but being our first trip to Africa, even a simple road trip will be a pleasure to see and take in the sights and sounds (and smells too on a motorbike lol).

I plan to come back every year from this point, so I can always take in other stops the next time I'm there.

Have you given any thought to flying into Windhoek and spending the three weeks in Namibia? if you've done off road riding there may be more for you there and it seems an amazing place to spend time in.

Trying to make some useful suggestions :cool4:
With such little riding experience Namibia isn't a good proposal, because 75% of the roads are unpaved - and unfortunately many must-sees are only accessible via gravel roads, like the Fish River Canyon, Sossous Vlei, Spitzkoppe, White Lady etc. etc. And for m/c riders Botswana is fairly boring - flat countryside, dense bush in the north and arid veld further south. BOT ist much more interesting for 4x4 travellers visiting the remote game reserves.

As mentioned above, the distances are immense and 3 weeks are rather short. My suggestion would be to cruise around the Western Cape. This is probably the most scenic part of SA. But take into consideration that May can be quite cold already and June/July is definitely winter time in the Cape. Freezing, windy & wet.

I'll check out some POI for the Cape and post them in this thread later today.

OK, here's a possible itinerary :thumbup1:

Some safety precautions:
Don't travel by night. Don't enter black townships like Khayelitsha or Mitchells Plain without a local guide. M/C travellers are not usually targets of muggers or hijackers, but in the more densely populated areas unnecessary stops along he main roads should be kept at a minimum.
At the accommodation make use of the cupboards. Don't let your stuff lie around in the room. Very often thieves go “fishing” for luggage with a hook. And once stolen, don't expect the police to help you. Consider it as a donation to Africa :innocent:



But don't be put off by that. Southern Africa is a great country to visit. The people are mostly VERY friendly. A useful web site is the bikers' forum Wild Dog Adventure Riding - Index


My suggestion for a short trip:

• Cape Town local: V&A Waterfront, City centre, Table Mountain
• CT vicinity: Chapmans Peak Drive, Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope, cruise along False Bay to Gordons Bay (good sea-food restaurant at the yacht harbour).
• Travel north via Sir Lowry's Pass, Viljoens Pass, Franschhoek Pass, via Paarl (city centre), Wellington, Bains Kloof Pass to Tulbagh, a laid-back Karoo town with lovely Dutch-Cape architecture.
• Route 62: One of the lovely routes through the Western Cape. From Tulbagh go for Worcester and carry on via Robertson, Kogmanskloof Pass, Montague, Barrydale. Turn south via Tradouws Pass towards Heidelberg, but turn left about 6 kms before Heidelberg, past Hessequa Hills Nature Reserve and carry on until you hit the R 323 just north of Riversdale. Turn north via Garcia Pass, Wapadskloof to Ladismith, where you get to the Route 62 again. Carry on to Calitzdorp via the Huisrivier Pass.

• From Calitzdorp a beautiful day's tour would be through the Seweweeks Poort to the Gamkapoort dam. This is mostly gravel road, but if you reduce the tyre pressure you won't have any probs. No difficult terrain....
• Same for the next part of the trip from Calitzdorp via Oudtshoorn to Prince Albert via the Swartberg Pass. This is one of the most scenic roads in SA, but again partly dirt road. So reduce the tyre pressure and proceed with confidence :thumbup1:
  
• Prince Albert is a very relaxed Karoo town with beautiful old architecture and good restaurants. A day-trip from here could be back up the Swartberg Pass and near the summit westwards, down to De Hel, a hidden settlement in the Gamkaskloof valley. Again, this is a dirt road, but the landscape is simply magnificent!
• From Prince Albert ride westwards via Meiringspoort and then south-easterly via Uniondale, Uniondale Poort, Prince Alfred's Pass to Knysna, where you could explore the Garden Route back to Cape Town.

This should keep you busy for quite some time, and it takes you along some of the best roads in he Western Cape.



A useful web site for accommodation is Accommodation in South Africa - Where To Stay

Hi scott
I agree with vaufi! Reduce it to south afrika... riding 400km a day is nice for a few days but not 3 weeks. I havent arived in sa yet so i can only talk about west afrika wich i know from a few travels. The nice thing in afrika, sometimes also annoying, is that time doesnt matter. So bring plenty of it and if you dont have short the travel. Chatting with people, at roadside foodstands, police or who ever. Tee ceremony, only muslim countrys, take fotos of all kind of funny things and just chillin... man its your holidays and not a fletch!! Enjoy!!!

Ah yeah and come on, ebola is not an issue in whole afrika. Exept maybe Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Though i know people who were travelling thru all three countries a month ago. I was in northern Guinea two or three months after the outbrake...
I dont like the way media is treatening this case. Its a serious decease no doubt, but come on... not traveling afrika because of it, is juste ridiculous....
At least thats my opinion...

Hi Guys, thank you so much for the information. My friend ended up pulling out of the Africa trip, so the plan for now is a three week tour of New Zealand. Quite different to what I was initially planning I know, but probably a good country to cut my teeth on, being my first international ADV tour.

Africa definitely remains on the cards though, I want to travel there above all else. I will keep the information that everyone has kindly supplied handy. Thank you.

I've just completed a 2 week whizz around Lake Victoria.
Mostly paved roads, COMESA countries so borders, visas etc are a bit easier and friendly people.
I'd recommend it as a first foray into Africa (it has been my first Africa trip)

Hope you have good fun in NZ.

Thanks guys. Pikestnt - I would LOVE to ride around Lake Victoria. Equatorial Africa looks like some of the most beautiful countryside on the whole continent. Do you have a ride report or blog?

Erm... Yes I have but it's rather juvenile and really a cheap collection of f8rt gags rather than a helpful travelogue

Carry On Up The Um Bongo

Apologies if anyone is offended. It's not that bad... just infantile

As I say, I can recommend looping through TZ, Rwanda, Uganda and the Lake acts as a focal point. I wasn't much taken with Kenya but I'm at pains to point out that I probably just unlucky.

Pike

I'm pretty infantile myself at times lol. Thanks mate, will check it out.