Table of contents

• Motorcycle trip around Africa Not lengthways, not across, no, once all around!
• Elephants chase the BMW
• One fight with the mud
• four euros per liter
• Next up, Moshi and Arusha
• The travel route
• Info

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17th pictures

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1/17
My boat, my bike: motorcycles are an important means of transport in Africa. This man crosses the Niger at Segou in Mali.

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2/17
Slope to the Sindou Peaks, Burkina Faso.

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3/17
The Giza pyramids.

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4/17
Baby elephant in Etosha Park, Namibia.

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5/17
Waiting for a ferry in the Saloum Delta, Senegal.

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6/17
Girl sells typical local pottery in Segou, Mali.

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7/17
The motorcycle as an all-purpose vehicle for a funeral home in Abomey, Benin.

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8/17
Lady in the winding streets of Tangier, Morocco.

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9/17
Fishermen in Vilankulo in Mozambique.

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10/17
First Vespa breakdown on the dreaded Moyale Road behind Isiolo, Kenya.

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11/17
Woman in Djenne, the place with the largest clay mosque in the world.

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12/17
Meeting with Dirk and Trudy Regter, who drive their Ford T on a donation tour for SOS Children’s Villages around the world.

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13/17
Dogon in the Sanga market in Mali.

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14/17
White desert near Farafra.

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15/17
Spontaneous friendship in northern Mali.

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16/17
Meroe Pyramids, Sudan.

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17/17
The route: Duration: two years, distance traveled: 40,000 kilometers.

to travel

Motorcycle trip around Africa

Motorcycle trip around Africa
Not lengthways, not across, no, once all around!

If motorcycle travelers venture any longer on the unpredictable, exciting African continent, they either drive across or from top to bottom. Our author found out about Africa the hard way: all around.

Frank Lindert

03/27/2013

Dreams. Most of them are postponed until it’s too late. Not with me. I don’t want to go on like this anymore, but feel an inner necessity: a turning point must come in my life. Midlife Crisis? Does not matter. No matter how stressful it all gets, no matter what the others think, I have to go around the world on my motorcycle. At least five years. Quit job, rent a house, organize a thousand things and buy an old, good-natured motorcycle because it is easy to repair. A BMW R 100 GS that is upgraded with a reinforced chassis and other long-distance travel parts. On departure, the machine is too heavy and too wide, despite all the efficiency in packing. What the hell.

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Elephants chase the BMW

I escape the German winter to Morocco, enduro hike through this great country with the Atlas and Reef mountains. Ride unspectacularly through the Western Sahara. Then the mined strip of no man’s land and entry into Mauritania. Not very exciting. Shortly after I think that, there comes a sand runway. The first serious challenge, and everything goes well for five minutes. Then the front wheel disappears into the soft sand and the BMW overturns in a flash. Double. I feel dizzy, the panel is torn several times, the handlebars are crooked. Don’t complain, go on to Senegal. After Mauritania, this country looks as if the black and white television had been switched to color. Suddenly my shock absorber is losing a lot of oil. It takes a week for spare parts to arrive, then I can go to Dakar and on to Gambia.

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The motorcycle as an all-purpose vehicle for a funeral home in Abomey, Benin.

I follow the Gambia River towards Mali, pass Kayes, supposedly the hottest city in West Africa, and reach Bamako. The drive through the Sahel to Ouagadougou is sweaty, the arrival unpleasant, because there is a curfew. The military revolted. They forgot to reward the soldiers. I can only get a visa for Ghana with the help of my press ID. Shortly before the border, I allow myself the detour to Nazinga National Park. Crocodiles are lying around on the slopes, and elephants, who hate the noise of engines, are pursuing the BMW quite ambitiously.

One fight with the mud

After a few days of relaxation on the paradisiacal coast of Ghana, I go to Lome and meet Julien with his new Super Tenere. He also drives around the world, and only together can we succeed in wresting a visa for Nigeria from the disgusting office stallions in Cotonou. Despite all warnings, we do the ox tour: Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Calabar. Abuja because of the visa for Angola, but no chance. After all, there is a quick visa for Cameroon. Nigeria is ambivalent. Nice people, but a grueling traffic situation. I have never had so many near-death experiences.

Then the rainy season begins in Central Africa. Nevertheless we conquer the Ringroad in the north of Cameroon. Too much water, too much mud, but incredible vegetation, waterfalls, crater lakes, fantastic views of the mountain landscape. We fight our way through deep watercourses, mud paths and steep slopes with gigantic stones. The front wheel keeps slipping and falls are unavoidable. An agony for man and machine. The journey to Lambarene, Albert Schweitzer’s leprosy station, and further to the Republic of the Congo is a single battle with the mud.

four euros per liter

But the fight doesn’t stop. This time with the authorities to get a visa for Angola. All efforts are in vain, we have to load the bikes into a container for Namibia. The box should go to Walvis Bay, then a total loss is reported and finally Cape Town as the delivery destination. What a theater, but I’ve got my BMW back and I’m touring the beautiful landscape of South Africa.

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Fishermen in Vilankulo in Mozambique.

In Johannesburg I have to renew the gearbox bearings, then the GS is fit for Tofo, a picturesque coastal town in Mozambique, famous for one of the best diving spots in the world. After the compressed air orgy comes Zimbabwe, where there are few tourists even at Victoria Falls. I don’t get much of the beauty of Zambia. Masses of water fall from the sky, the BMW mutates into a submarine. The country is rushing through in search of better weather. What I find in Malawi. Actually I only want to stay a few days, but the gigantic lake, the adjacent mountains and the nice people cast a spell over me. I’ll stay like that for six weeks. The only downer: gasoline prices of the equivalent of four euros per liter. But you have the streets almost to yourself. The route to Dar es Salaam leads through the Mikumi National Park, and all the great wild animals of East Africa can be found on the side of the road.

Next up, Moshi and Arusha

Then the diode plate of the BMW is defective and the battery is hardly charged. In the Usambara Mountains, I fix the record. Bulky-eyed reptiles inspect the screw shop. This is the land of the chameleons. Moshi and Arusha are the next stage destinations. I refuse to climb Kilimanjaro and continue to Nairobi in the Jungle Junction. General cleaning for my bike and me before we continue to Uganda. Again the rain catches up with us, again the GS slides through deep, muddy ruts. From Kampala I can go trekking to the gorillas, and on the way to Murchison Falls I cruise alone through a national park for the second time.

Don’t mishap now, because there are also hungry lions. Everything is going well, and I meet Chris, who wants to drive the only really hard road towards Ethiopia with his Vespa, the Moyale Road. We’ll do it together. Progress is slow, but make the 600 kilometers to the border without many problems. But they are not long in coming, because the streets in Ethiopia are extremely full of people and animals. Chris has a collision and the Vespa needs a general overhaul. The BMW needs a new sealing ring for its cardan housing. Finally we can enjoy this mountainous, excitingly beautiful country with its countless serpentines. After the castles of Gondar, the Simien Mountains and Lake Tana, we travel to Sudan and experience the great hospitality of the Sudanese at temperatures of 43 degrees Celsius.

Although the road around the Nasser reservoir is actually finished, we have to take the ferry from Wadi Halfa to Aswan. The petrol stations in Egypt run out of fuel, there are riots in Cairo and so we take refuge in the white desert. A fabulous backdrop: a snowy landscape in shimmering heat. We visit the pyramids of Giza, then we say goodbye to Chris and Africa. I book the ferry from Port Said to Turkey. I’ve made it all around Africa, now the Asian continent is moving into my sights. The decision to just drive off was the best of my life…

The travel route

Soothes

First Vespa breakdown on the dreaded Moyale Road behind Isiolo, Kenya.

Morocco
Visa: no visa requirement for EU citizens. Carnet: When entering the country by motorcycle, this must be registered at customs at the border. Either the local insurance company takes over the protection (MA must not be crossed out on the green insurance card), or insurance must be taken out on site. ATMs: everywhere, accepting most cards. Best travel time: depending on the region, almost all year round. Road conditions: good.

Western Sahara
Visa: no border with Morocco. Carnet: It is best to create a so-called “fiche” and copy it several times (slip of paper with all information relevant to the controls). ATMs: only in Ad-Dhakla, but often defective. Best travel time: Coast April to November, inland October to May. Road conditions: very good. Special feature: many controls on the road to the Mauritanian border.

Mauritania
Visa: for all EU citizens. Visa available at home or coming from Morocco in Rabat. Carnet: not necessary. ATMs: no ATMs for common cards. Best travel time: November to April. Road conditions: mostly good. Special feature: bring your nerves. Between the Western Sahara and the border with Mauritania there is a four-kilometer strip of no-man’s-land that is NOT paved, but is not a problem if you do not leave the piste (landmines).

Senegal
Visa: no visa requirement for German citizens. Carnet: recommended. ATMs: in all major locations (Visa). Best travel time: rainy season between July and mid-October. Road conditions: basically good, but occasionally potholes.

Gambia
Visa: Visa at the border for Germans. Carnet: recommended. ATMs: only in large locations
(Visa). Best travel time: rainy season between June and October. Road conditions: mostly good.

Mali
Visa: required. Carnet: recommended. ATMs: in larger places (Visa). Best travel time: rainy season June to October with many flooded roads in the south. Road conditions: different.

Burkina Faso
Visa: required. No problem in Bamako (Mali). Carnet: recommended. ATMs: in large places (Visa). Best travel time: rainy season June to October. Road conditions: mostly good.

Ghana
Visa: required and difficult or tricky to get in Ougadougou (Burkina). Preferably in your home country. Carnet: recommended. ATMs: in all major locations (Visa and Maestro / Master). Best travel time: rainy season May to September. Road conditions: very good.

Togo
Visa: required. Go to the border, easier in Accra (Ghana) or Quga (Burkina). Carnet: recommended. ATMs: in all major locations (Visa). Best travel time: rainy season May to September. Road conditions: mostly good.

Benin
Visa: required. No problem in Lome (Togo). Carnet: recommended. ATMs: only in large locations (Visa and Master). Best travel time: May to October. Road conditions: only good in the south.

Nigeria
Visa: required but difficult to obtain. Tip: try at home or in Cotonou (Benin). Carnet: recommended but not required. ATMs: in all major locations. Best travel time: rainy season May to October. Road conditions: partly catastrophic. Special feature: dangerous road traffic. Petrol by 35 cents, but often bad.

Cameroon
Visa: required. Possible in Nigeria (Abuja). Carnet: required. ATMs: in all major locations (Visa). Best travel time: rainy season in the south from April to October. Road conditions: good.

Soothes

Spontaneous friendship in northern Mali.

Gabon
Visa: required. No problem in Yaounde (Cameroon). Carnet: required. ATMs: only in very large locations and only Visa. Best travel time: rainy season January to May and September to December. Road conditions: from top to disaster.

Republic of the Congo
Visa: required and available in Libreville, Gabon. Carnet: recommended. ATMs: only in a few large locations (Visa only). Best travel time: rainy season January to May and September to December. Road conditions: New roads are e.g. Currently built by Chinese, but still a lot of mud.

DRC (Congo-Kinshasa)
Visa: required, not easy to get. Carnet: recommended. ATMs: in short supply and only Visa. Best travel time: rainy season like Brazzaville in the Congo. Road conditions: really bad or nonexistent.

Angola
Visa: Visa requirement. Visas are very difficult to obtain. Carnet: compulsory. ATMs: almost no ATMs. Best travel time: from May to October. Road conditions: rather bad, traffic dangerous.

Namibia
Visa: no visa requirement for EU citizens. Carnet: required. ATMs: everywhere and with almost
all cards. Best travel time: rainy season November to April. In the south of the country also June and July. Road conditions: Main roads are great, but there are only a few. Most of the rest is gravel and sand. Special feature: the South African rand is exchanged one for one.

South Africa
Visa: not required. Carnet: mandatory. ATMs: everywhere for all common cards. Best travel time: depends on the region, almost all year round. Road conditions: really fantastic, especially the coastal roads, but definitely also a paradise for off-road addicts.

Mozambique
Visa: required and expensive, but not a problem at the border. Carnet: required. ATMs: almost everywhere in larger towns (Visa). Best travel time: April to October. Road conditions: Many new roads are being built, but there are still many bad roads with large potholes.

Zimbabwe
Visa: required but available at the border. Carnet: required. ATMs: many that mostly take Visa and give US dollars, if any. Often also empty. Best travel time: March to September. Road conditions: astonishingly good.

Zambia
Visa: required. Carnet: required. ATMs: many, almost only Visa. Best travel time: May to October. Road conditions: consistently good.

Malawi
Visa: required. Carnet: recommended. ATMs: in all major locations (Visa). Best travel time: May to September. Road conditions: Better than expected, but obtain information about local road conditions beforehand.

Tanzania
Visa: required. Available on entry at the border. Carnet: recommended. ATMs: almost everywhere (Visa, sometimes Maestro and Master). Best travel time: June to November.
Road conditions: generally excellent.

Kenya
Visa: required and easy to obtain upon entry. Carnet: required. ATMs: almost everywhere. Best travel time: January to August. Road conditions: varies. In the north there is Moyale Road. Allegedly the worst slope in the east.

Uganda
Visa: required and easy to obtain at the border. Carnet: recommended. ATMs: everywhere (mostly Visa). Best travel time: January and February and between July and September. Road conditions: mostly okay.

Ethiopia
Visa: required and difficult to obtain in neighboring countries. Better to try in the home country. Carnet: required. ATMs: in large places. Best travel time: October to May. Road conditions: different. Dangerous driving due to many obstacles suddenly appearing.

Sudan
Visa: required. Available in Addis (Ethiopia) or better in Nairobi (Kenya). Carnet: required. ATMs: no ATMs for common cards. Take enough cash with you. Best travel time: between September and April. Otherwise extremely hot. Road conditions: mostly good. Special feature: tourists have to register in Khartoum for a fee. Lots of roadside checks.

Egypt
Visa: Required and obtained at the border. Carnet: The vehicle is also entered in the passport. ATMs: almost everywhere. Best travel time: between October and May. Road conditions: consistently good. Special feature: Egyptian license plates must be applied for. Petrol extremely cheap (30 cents / liter) but not available everywhere. No more convoy requirements.

Info

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Slope to the Sindou Peaks, Burkina Faso.

A motorcycle trip around Africa is an adventure in life. But the current brief information from our author on each country is also useful for all those who do not take two years and only want to travel partial sections.

Generally:
You will probably not be able to always find the best travel weather when circumnavigating the African continent. Nevertheless, one should be careful not to have to visit some states during the rainy season. In Central Africa in particular, many roads will then become impassable. Preventive health care is strongly recommended. Many African countries insist on a yellow fever vaccination noted in their vaccination card. Further vaccinations should be discussed with a specialist beforehand. Likewise the question of malaria prophylaxis. In any case, bring enough liniment against mosquitoes with you, as it is not available everywhere. Further travel information: www.lindest-photographie.de/blog

Motorcycle:
There are supposed to be travelers who managed this tour without a Carnet de Passage. But if you don’t want to negotiate for hours at the border and put a lot of money into the pockets of the customs officers, a carnet is required. Most of the time, crossing the border is quick. Obtaining a visa is a problem for some countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Congo-Kinshasa, Angola and Ethiopia). If possible, apply in your home country. In West Africa there is a “touristique entente” visa that allows entry into the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Niger, Togo and Benin, but is difficult to get. Definitely in Ouagadougou. There are two vehicle insurances in Africa that cover a large part of the states. On the one hand, there is the “Card Brune”, which covers most of the West African (CEDEAO) countries with the exception of Nigeria, and the “COMESA yellow card” for South and East Africa. This saves a lot of bureaucratic effort and is always on the safe side.

Money:
The safest way to raise money is with a credit card at an ATM. This also works almost in all of Africa in the larger towns. Exceptions: Angola, Mauritania and Sudan. There is no getting around cash here. Travelers checks are out.

Equipment:
Which motorcycle and which equipment you choose for such a tour depends on which route you want to ride. With the exception of the Mojale Desert in northern Kenya, the Cape Town-Cairo route can be covered entirely on asphalt roads. There is of course another way of doing it. When choosing clothes, you should consider that it can get very cold in the mountains of some states. In addition to the Carnet de Passage and the international vaccination card, the necessary documents also include the international vehicle registration document and an international driver’s license. The passport does not need to be mentioned separately. Basically: You should make copies of all documents so that you can still have something in hand if they are lost. Another good solution is, for example, to scan the papers and put them in a personal cloud on the Internet.

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