This, our first foray into Africa beyond the South Africa / Namibia borders was always going to be the ‘BIG ONE’ for 2024. I’d been asked by a regular Wildwood clients to plan a bespoke tour up to the Ngorongoro Crater in Northern Tanzania. After 18 months of planning we finally met at Vic Falls, Zimbabwe for a two week epic African adventure.
Our route went as follows:
Vic Falls – Binga – Kariba (Zimbabwe)
Lusaka – Putauke – Chipata (Zambia)
Senga Bay – Nkhata Bay – Mushroom Farm (Livingstonia) (Malawi)
Mbeya – Ringa – Dodoma – Lake Manyara – Zanzibar (Tanzania)
Highlights:
- Without doubt the people throughout the 4 countries. Although generally dirt poor the goodwill and hospitality is off the charts. Even in heavily congested settlements like Mbeya (Tanzia city) with traffic gridlock and complete chaos we never experienced any road rage or agro. Just a level of good cheer and acceptance. And not once did we ever worry about personal safety or crime.
- The natural beauty of much of Africa knows no bounds.
- Beautiful roads in Tanzania.
- Stunning spring weather. September is the dry season and not too hot.
Not so great:
- Chaotic / Corrupt / Unfriendly / Over priced border crossings. Simply the reason I sadly will never undertake a multi-country tour of Africa like this again. To spend an entire day in a government sanctioned shithole with no communication and having to rely on dodgy local ‘fixers’ to navigate in and out of countries spoiled the trip for me. And then pay wads of US Dollars with only a hand written receipt is not cool.
- A destroyed road network in all but Tanzania. Trailering the bikes we destroyed our trailers and landed up shipping the bikes back to South Africa at great expense. There was simply no other way getting the bikes home. Lack of rail and overloaded trucks have destroyed a once fine road network and seemingly little action from governments to fix either.
- Cost. Hotels and restaurant prices are simply off the charts. I got the feeling tourism is seen as the band-aid to Africa, instead of ending corruption. All prices in US$. The min boom African tourism experienced pre-covid has passed and so sad to see once thriving lodges and hotels mostly empty and run down.
- No wild animals outside of game parks which tend to be expensive and off limits to motorcycles.
In Summary:
A bucket list adventure I’m glad to have experienced but not likely to continue as a commercial venture which was my plan. My advice to wannabe visitors is fly into Malawi or Tanzania and rent a bike / car to get around. Without the uncertainty and chaos of border crossings planning is simply and although a bit pricey these are beautiful countries to visit.
For now Wildwood will continue to run tours in South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia. Between the three you’ll get everything the rest of Africa can offer and more. They offer the greatest networks of off-road and road networks in the world and some of the finest wilderness areas on the planet. All with extremely favourable currency and first world banking.
Kaokoland in north west Namibia is not without reason considered ‘Africa’s last unspoiled paradise’ where you can still ride amongst free ranging wild animals in pristine nature.
The Wild Coast of South Africa is beyond beautiful. Ditto the high mountains and epic tracks of Lesotho or the rugged desert wilderness of the Richtersveld and Orange River.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Ngorongoro Crater Unesco World Herritage site. The crater is a natural wonderland with more wild animals than you’ll ever see in one area. Sadly turned into a greedy tourist trap by letting in to many game viewing vehicles. Every big animal sighting becomes a Landcruiser race with hardened drivers fighting for the best view for there paying clients.
Ngorongoro Crater Unesco World Herritage site.
Ngorongoro Crater Unesco World Herritage site.
Ngorongoro Crater Unesco World Herritage site.
Ngorongoro Crater Unesco World Herritage site.
Ngorongoro Crater Unesco World Herritage site. Into Southern Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Lake Malawi Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Decent from Mushroom Farm
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Mushroom Farm view of Lake Malawi
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Mushroom Farm view of Lake Malawi
loo with a view – Although the most rustic of our lodges Mushroom Farm in Livingstonia , Malawi was my favourite
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.Mushroom Farm, Livingstonia (Malawi)
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Mushroom Farm, Livingstonia (Malawi)
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Lake Malawi
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Lake Malawi
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Lake Malawi
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Dried fish stalls along Lake Malawi
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Lake Malawi – Beautiful sunsets
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Lake Malawi – Beautiful sunsets
Into Southern Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Animals often treated poorly and transport can be cruel. Not uncommon to see pigs and goats strapped to motorcycles
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Kariba Dam, Zimbabwe / Zambia
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Kariba Dam, Zimbabwe / Zambia
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Dreaded fesh fesh
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Tough fesh fesh tracks in Zimbabwe
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Fesh fesh tracks
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Kariba Dam sunset cruise
Kariba Dam sunset cruise. Got to see plenty of Hippos and crocs.
Kariba Dam – Zimbabwe
Into Southern Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark.
Into Africa motorcycle tour with WildWood Motorcycle Tours 2024. Photo Sam Clark. Locals chilling below Vic Falls , Zimbabwe
I wish your objective view like this appeared in any one of our dailies, Malawi. It would help relevant officials to sobber up in various systems related to tpurism
I find it so sad. It had always been a dream to visit Malawi and the beaurocratic nonsense just ruined it for me.
I don’t understand why all the governments of the region can’t arrange for a common travel document, cut out the ridiculous border requirements and turbo charge travel between the countries. Trust me the criminals don’t go through the formal borders, but simply cross somewhere else. Perhaps come up with a single passport card that you get before you travel and instantly move from country to country. In Europe you don’t even get out of your vehicle between nations. Takes less than 30 seconds.
The benefits of tourism are incredible and the best possible chance out of poverty. Come up with a win win plan for joint local / foreign ownership of lodges etc. So what if foreigners get rich out of your country if your own people are being employed , unskilled and wads of dollars and Euro’s coming in to uplift the region.
The only way to have a good road network is build cross Africa rail networks and get the trucks off the roads.
But I guess we get the governments we vote for. So in the end we the people are to blame and doomed to more poverty , unrest and hunger.
Great commentary and insights on what can be done to mine more value from tourism. + good network & infrastructure critical indeed.
U can engage us for In & Out Transfers within & through Malawi.