Southern Africa - Kenya to Cape Town

This is Southern Africa Motorcycle Tour is a 41 day expedition and covers around 6,000 miles.  The start point is Nairobi, Kenya and the finish point is Cape Town, South Africa.

Week 1 – Kenya
Your Southern Africa Expedition begins in vibrant Nairobi, where you collect the bikes and gear up. Ride north across the Great Rift Valley, passing Lake Naivasha and crossing the Equator. Visit Nyahururu, Kenya’s highest town, and marvel at Thomson’s Falls. Wind through the lush Aberdare Highlands, before heading southeast to explore the vast wilderness of Tsavo National Park, where red elephants, lions, and giraffes roam freely.

Week 2 – Tanzania
Cross into Tanzania beneath the towering presence of Mount Kilimanjaro. Ride through the fertile northern highlands to the legendary Ngorongoro Crater, where you’ll spot the Big Five in a spectacular volcanic landscape. Cruise the escarpment above Lake Manyara, home to tree-climbing lions and flocks of flamingos. Then journey south through the heart of Tanzania, passing the capital, Dodoma, to reach the cool, green hills of Mbeya, surrounded by coffee plantations and volcanic peaks.

Week 3 – Malawi & Zambia
Enter Malawi and follow the lake road to Chintheche and Senga Bay, where golden beaches meet the turquoise waters of Lake Malawi. Enjoy a well-earned rest day by the water, soaking in this inland paradise. Then cross into Zambia, riding through Chipata and on to Lusaka, the fast-growing capital. Continue south to Livingstone, where the mighty Victoria Falls await—one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The roar and spray of “The Smoke That Thunders” is a true expedition milestone.

Week 4 – Botswana & Namibia
Ride west into Botswana, following the Chobe River—elephant territory—where wildlife lines the banks. Cross into Namibia via the lush Caprivi Strip, a striking contrast to the arid lands ahead. Explore Etosha National Park, where lions, rhinos, and giraffes gather around waterholes. Then roll into the remote beauty of Damaraland, with ancient rock art and surreal desert scenery. Follow the dramatic Skeleton Coast to the lively, German-influenced town of Swakopmund, where desert meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Week 5 – Namibia & South Africa
Head deep into the Namib Desert to Sesriem Canyon and the towering red dunes of Sossusvlei, some of the oldest on Earth. Ride south through wide, open landscapes to the dramatic Fish River Canyon, Africa’s answer to the Grand Canyon. Cross the Orange River into South Africa and reach Springbok, set amid rugged mountain scenery. Continue into the wild beauty of the Cederberg Wilderness, famous for its ancient rock formations and remote gravel passes.

Week 6 – South Africa
Descend into South Africa’s lush Western Cape, where mountain passes lead to Franschhoek, famed for its wines and French heritage. Ride south to the southernmost point of Africa, Cape Agulhas, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. Stop in Hermanus, a coastal town known for seasonal whale sightings. Then cruise the scenic roads to the legendary Cape of Good Hope, before your final triumphant arrival in Cape Town, framed by the majestic Table Mountain. A spectacular end to a once-in-a-lifetime expedition.

Riders are often surprised at the high quality of the accommodation on the Southern Africa Motorcycle Tour.  We stay primarily in 3* or 4* hotels and game lodges, of good standards, with en suite bathrooms.  In remote locations, rooms do not have televisions and there may not be internet access or it is slow speed.  In some small towns, the accommodation is more simple, but still with en suite bathrooms.

Here are some of our favourite places to stay to give you a feel for the different types of accommodation:

Utengule Coffee Lodge
Beautiful traditional rooms with views of the terraced gardens and swimming pool on an estate famous for its gourmet coffee

Chintheche Inn
Chintheche is set on the pristine northern shores of Lake Malawi, famed for its clear warm waters and white sand beach, with all rooms having an incredible view over the water.

Lianshulu Lodge
Lianshulu Lodge overlooks the Kwando River, with gorgeous wooden chalets along the banks and its own viewing deck, perfect for when the sun sets. Drift to sleep to the sounds of snorting hippos!

Little Sossus
A family owned lodge in a tranquil spot at the heart of the Namib Desert and a perfect base for those wanting to visit the Sossusvlei Dunes.

Please note that if you have wish to book single supplement, we are unable to guarantee this for all nights of the Namibia section of the expedition (except Swakopmund), due to the constraints on accommodation and this has been taken into account when you pay your single supplement price.

Before you go

• The assurance of booking with a fully bonded and insured UK operator, acting in accordance with The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, ensuring your money paid in advance is protected.
• GlobeBusters Guidance Handbook with all pre-trip information.
• Pre-departure expedition briefing and ongoing access to the GlobeBusters team for any questions you may have, via additional one-to-one meetings.
• Assistance with the procurement of visas for each country and provision of Letters of Invitation, if required.
• Daily hard copy route notes (road book) with GPS co-ordinates and information about the hotels, the roads and the sights.
• Loan SD Card with open source GPS mapping for countries outside of Europe, suitable for Garmin units.
• GPS routes supplied via .GPX file suitable for importing into GPS units and/or some phone navigation apps.
• Expedition Tour Shirt.

En Route

• The hotel will send a free minibus to the airport to collect you at the start (this is provided free by the hotel and not part of our package).
• Normally 4* (sometimes 3*) hotels or lodges on a bed and breakfast basis, or in remote regions, the best available. This is on a shared basis unless you have booked single supplement.  NOTE – single rooms are not always available in Namibia.
• Twenty evening meals – being the Welcome Dinner and Farewell Dinner, plus eighteen evening meals at accommodation in remote locations where there is no other choice. Evening meals will often be buffet style or a set menu.
• All en route ferry crossings.
• Daily route notes with GPS co-ordinates, loan SD Card with GPS mapping for the region
• Any National Parks which are on our official route and we have to drive through.

Motorcycle Freight

If you select the freight options as an extra, we will facilitate the freight and be on hand to help you through the process. The freight price in not part of the tour package with us. It is a separate charge and it includes all costs for freight (including crating) and all destination charges (handling, warehouse storage, customs clearance). However, the price that we quote is paid by you directly to the freight agent, not to GlobeBusters. If you notify us by ticking the extra box on booking, then this freight price is fixed at the time of booking. The contract for the freight is between you and the freight agent. We will be on hand to assist you at the airport in Nairobi to clear your motorcycle and ensure everything goes smoothly. And at the end of the trip, we will co-ordinate drop off with the freight agent in Cape Town

Additional Freight Costs payable direct to the Freight Agent and including destination charges are:

Outward Air Freight: UK – Nairobi £1,995 | USA – Nairobi £3,795
Return Sea Freight: Cape Town – UK £995 | Cape Town– USA (Houston) £1,795

In-transit Insurance for your motorcycle is not included and is based on the value of your motorcycle.  The freight agent will offer this as an optional extra to you.

Motorcycle Rental

Where you have chosen to rent a motorcycle, this is organised by us with the local motorcycle rental provider.   We act as agents for the local rental company and we reserve motorcycles with them in accordance with your booking.  Your rental fee includes:

• 41 days motorcycle rental, including side panniers at no extra charge.
• One way rental transportation fee
• All motorcycles are fitted with new dual purpose tyres.
• Collision damage waiver and theft protection insurance are included in the price.  There is an excess of ZAR35,000 in case of any damage to the motorcycle. The excess is taken as an online credit card authorisation on departure of rental, and withheld until the motorcycle is cleaned and inspected upon return.
• Should you require a top box or tank bag, please request this on booking.  There is an extra charge and it must be specifically requested.
• On arrival at the start of the tour, you will be required to sign the local motorcycle rental agreement and provide your credit details as a guarantee against damage.

Your contract for motorcycle rental is with the local rental provider and not with us and you must comply with their terms and conditions for rental.  We act as agent for the motorcycle rental provider, and on arrival you will be required to sign the local motorcycle rental contract.  You can request a copy of these terms and conditions from us by contacting us in advance.  You must provide the local provider with valid credit card details with sufficient credit limit as a guarantee against damages up to the insurance excess.  Motorcycles will not be released unless you have a valid credit card that will authorise the damage excess amount.  Please note that on rare occasions the local provider may need to substitute your choice of motorcycle for something equivalent.

Support Crew

• GlobeBusters Expedition Manager, on bike to accompany the group.
• GlobeBusters Assistant Manager, where the group is more than 12 riders.
• GlobeBusters Support Driver, with motorcycle mechanical experience and first aid qualifications
• Support Vehicle, equipped with satellite phone, spare fuel, water, tools, selected spare parts and emergency first aid kit.

Optional Activities
These are not included in your price but can be facilitated by us and paid for by you to the local operator or local hotel. This is not an exhaustive list and other activities are also available, but these represent the most popular.

• Safari Tour into Tsavo National Park
• Safari Tour into Ngorongoro Crater
• Local coffee Plantation Tour
• Safari Tour into Etosha National Park
• Sossusvlei and Seisrem Canyon Tour
• Chobe National Park Sunset Boat Cruise
• Devils Pool at Victoria Falls
• Wine Tasting in Franschhoek

Not Included

• Return passenger airline flights or any other travel costs to get to the start and from the finish point of the expedition.
• Freight costs, in-transit insurance and destination charges for the motorcycle freight from your home country to Nairobi
• Personal travel, accident and medical insurance (covering matters such as medical expenses, repatriation, cancellation, curtailment, loss or damage to property)
• Search & Rescue policy / membership
• Third party liability motorcycle insurance cover (or any other type of motorcycle insurance), motorcycle breakdown cover or recovery costs
• Entrance fees to sights and parks, optional local excursions or local activities, (except where stated)
• Lunches, snacks or evening meals (except where stated).
• Personal spending money, tips, souvenirs or other extras.
• Personal documentation (eg visas, passport), vaccinations, personal taxes, border crossing fees, motorcycle documentation (including carnet de passage)
• We do not supply riding gear; you must bring a minimum of your own helmet, jacket, trousers, boots and gloves.
• Costs of motorcycle servicing, motorcycle repair (parts, labour or other related costs), spares, transportation of your bike to the workshop
• Fuel, oil & other motorcycle consumables, toll road fees, traffic fines or other charges relating to breach of the law
• Any travel, subsistence & hotel costs to and from the freight depot when you drop off or collect your motorcycle, and to and from any UK briefing meetings.
• Freight of the Participant’s motorcycle back to their home county in case of repatriation of the rider due to illness or injury.
• Additional transportation of you or your motorcycle en route where you or your motorcycle cannot continue beyond the short and temporary assistance offered by GlobeBusters Support Vehicle.
• Transfers to / from the airport at the start and end of the expedition.
• Any other item not specifically included in the price.

Please also refer to our Booking Conditions

Flights

For clarity, we do not include any passenger flights. Once we have confirmed that this tour is a guaranteed departure, it is your responsibility to organise your own flights to the start point (if needed) and from the end point.  Only book your flights once we have confirmed that your motorcycle expedition is a guaranteed departure. We do not refund flight costs if you have booked flights for a tour that has not been notified as a guaranteed departure.

We understand that booking an expedition is a big commitment both financially and in terms of time and preparation.  And on this Southern Africa Motorcycle Tour, we are sure you have many questions racing through your mind.  Here are some of the most common that we are asked before riders book.  If you wish to meet with us prior to booking to find out more, do not hesitate to contact us.

What type of bike do I need?
We recommend that you use a medium to large capacity dual purpose / adventure style bike.  We support any make and model.  Our Support Crew ride the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro or Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro.  We also have lots of experience with the BMW GS range, having previously been a Partner with BMW Motorrad.  The most important aspect is that you have a reliable and robust bike that you are comfortable riding and has been fully serviced prior to the start and has new tyres.

What riding experience do I need?
This trip is not suitable for novice riders.  We generally recommend that you are an experienced motorcyclist, who has ridden overseas before and is used to touring.  You will enjoy the experience more if your riding is of an advanced standard and by that we mean you have a good command of slow control (ieg you don’t dangle your feet or paddle at slow speeds and can U-turn your bike), you are assertive on the road and have good forward planning and hazard perception, you are able to perform safe and precise overtakes and are able ride to the legal speed limits.

You also need to have some experience of riding your motorcycle on unpaved surfaces such as gravel and dirt.  Around 20% of the expedition route, particularly in Namibia, uses these types of roads.  In addition, if there any roadworks on our route, normally diversions will be on temporary dirt roads.

It remains your responsibility to ensure your motorcycling skills are up to the requirements for this trip. If you need to improve your off road riding skills, attending a training school such as Adventure Bike Training , Triumph Adventure Experience  or BMW Off Road Skills is highly recommended.

How does motorcycle freight work?
We no longer include the cost of motorcycle freight as part of your tour price. Your motorcycle needs to be freighted from your home country to the start point which is Nairobi, Kenya. At the end of the tour, your motorcycle needs to be freighted back from Cape Town South Africa.  If you select the freight options as an extra when you book, we will facilitate the freight and be on hand to help you through the process. The freight price in not part of the tour package with us. It is a separate charge and it includes all costs for freight (including crating) and all destination charges (handling, warehouse storage, customs clearance). However, the price that we quote is paid by you directly to the freight agent, not to GlobeBusters. If you notify us by ticking the extra box on booking, we will assist you with the freighting but the price is subject to what the freighting agent charges.

Additional Freight Costs payable direct to the Freight Agent and including destination charges are:

Outward Air Freight: UK – Nairobi £1,995 | USA – Nairobi £TBC
Return Sea Freight: Cape Town – UK £995 | Cape Town – USA (Houston) £TBC

You will be offered in-transit insurance for your motorcycle by the freight agent and is based on the value of your motorcycle.  This is an optional extra.

In Nairobi, the GlobeBusters Team will accompany you to the airport and have a Customs agent in place to assist customs clearance. The Team will also assist you to de-crate your motorcycle.  In Cape Town, the GlobeBusters Team also facilitates the sea freight back to the UK and will accompany you to the freight agent in Cape Town to drop off your motorcycle.

Do I need a Carnet de Passage?
Yes, you must have this document as it is required by Customs when you arrive in Nairobi and this document is recognised at all borders and eases the border process considerably.  See further information below in “Documents” section.

What about servicing & tyres?
Your motorcycle must arrive having been fully serviced and with new tyres.  As this expedition is around 6,000 miles, we do not organise any servicing of your bike en route.  Tyre choice is the responsibility of the rider.  We will provide tyre recommendations at our pre-departure meetings, but it is normal for us to change to knobbly tyres (such as Continental TKC80) when we reach Namibia.  We will pre-plan the purchase of these tyres on your behalf, but the costs of new tyres is your responsibility.

Is it difficult to get fuel?
In certain regions, once en route, we have experienced some fuel shortages.  We will warn you in advance of any possible fuel shortages or if there is a route with a key fuel stop, where everyone must fill up with fuel to get to the next destination.  It is not necessary to fit any after-market large fuel tank or carry fuel bottles, although some riders chose to do so.  Our support vehicle also carries spare fuel for emergencies.

What is the average group size?
Our groups are normally between 8 – 16 riders (some have passengers).  Our groups are often very international and whilst the majority of riders come from the UK, we also get riders from USA, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Spain, France, Germany, Italy and so on.  Groups are predominantly solo male riders, but it is normal for us to have riders with pillions on tour as well.

Is this ride suitable for a passenger?
On every Southern Africa Expedition, we have had other riders successfully complete this ride with a pillion passenger. Your passenger needs to also be an experienced tourer, used to long distance riding and riding on unpaved roads. Your passenger must ride the motorcycle each touring day – there is no option to sit in the support vehicle, as it’s primary purpose is for participants who are ill or injured, unless the road conditions are too difficult for a rider and passenger to attempt two-up.

Is there a support vehicle?
All our motorcycle expeditions have a dedicated GlobeBusters Support Vehicle, driven by a GlobeBusters Support Driver.  It is capable of carrying two motorcycles and two passengers.  Our support vehicles carry a satellite phone, mobile phone, medical bag and spinal board, spare fuel, water, tools, some spare parts, some spare tyres.  Our support vehicle provides temporary assistance to you if you have a mechanical problem or have had an accident and are injured or if you are ill.

This is not a luggage vehicle – you must carry your own luggage on your motorcycle. For more information, please see our Support Vehicle section.

Do I have to ride in a group?
No!  We do not make you ride in convoy.  We offer you the freedom to decide how you would like to ride.  We give you a road book, GPS co-ordinates and hotel information.  You can use this to self-navigate.  If you prefer to ride with our Expedition Manager, then you can do this.  Occasionally we will ask you to ride in a group when we are crossing a border or if there is a security issue.

What documents do I need?
You will need your original documents as follows:  Passport, Motorcycle Registration Document (and Title if your country issues one), Driving Licence, International Driving Permits (1949 & 1968).  In addition you must have travel/medical insurance and 3^rd party motorcycle insurance (where available).  Your motorcycle will need a Carnet de Passage.  For UK motorcylce, the Carnet de Passage is facilitated by GlobeBusters, using the only UK carnet issuer, but it is an additional cost to you.  They cost around £250 each plus an indemnity insurance fee based on the value of your bike, so this can range between £200-£900.  If your bike is not UK registered, you must purchase a Carnet de Passage from your the carnet issuer in your own country.  We will provide advice to you about this at our pre-expedition meeting.

Tell me more about 3rd party Motorcycle Liability Insurance
If you are suing your own motorcycle, it is your responsibility to put in place 3rd party insurance where you are legally required to do so.  UK insurers will not offer 3^rd party insurance for Southern African countries.  Some specialist EU insurers can offer a third party liability policy for all of the countries that we ride through such as Alessie or TourInsure.   At time of writing, they will offer cover up to €500,000.  Please check level of cover directly with them at time of purchase. However, many local officials do not recognise this policy and some border officials may make you buy local third party vehicle insurance, as evidenced by a “Yellow Card”.  Suffice to say that a fully comprehensive motorcycle insurance policy as you would find in the UK or other developed Western countries does not exist.  It is important that you understand that you have sole responsibility for financial amounts above that provided for in these local insurance policies should you have a motorcycle accident and cause injury to third parties.

Do I need visas for travel?
As visa requirements are dependent on your nationality and are complex with constantly changing requirements, we would direct you to a specialist visa agency for advice.

Most nationalities need visas as follows :

1. Kenya (an e-visa) – http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html.   Cost for single entry is US$51.
2. Tanzania (an e-visa) – https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/. Cost for single entry US$50.
3. Malawi (an e-visa) – https://www.evisa.gov.mw/Index Single entry / 30 days  US$75
4. Zambia (an e-visa) – https://eservices.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/#/home Single Entry US$50
5. Botswana, Namibia and South Africa generally don’t require visas for EU citizens, USA, Canada

The above information is general information and provided in good faith.  It is your responsibility to have the correct visas in place prior to travel.

Are these countries safe?
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) monitors overseas destinations and provides destination travel advice for UK nationals. GlobeBusters monitors the advice from the FCDO and any decisions taken regarding a Tour’s safety and security will use the vast experience of the company’s 16 years of operating as well as the FCDO advice. In the interests of your safety and security, changes may be made to your Tour based on any FCDO warnings given.

We strongly recommend that you read the information about the country you are planning to visit to be fully informed – each country has a summary and general information as well as advice on safety & security, local laws & customs, entry requirements and health, and road conditions.

If you are not a UK national please make sure you have checked your own country’s travel advice for your destination/s: The US Department of State: http://travel.state.gov Canadian Foreign Affairs: www.voyage.gc.ca Australian Government Travel Advice: www.smartraveller.gov.au NZ Government Travel Advice: www.safetravel.govt.nz.

What will the weather be like?
This ride is timed to coincide with the dry season, with day time temperatures generally between 20 – 35C degrees. As we head into South Africa, it becomes cooler and the possibility of rain will increase.   It will also become less humid as we travel south although this will vary with the terrain.  You will not experience any freezing temperatures. You can find out more information on temperatures and rainfall on worldclimate.com or www.weatherbase.com.

What about my health when I am abroad?
You need to be physically fit and healthy and also take the necessary health precautions.  It is essential for you to consult your doctor or travel clinic for up-to-date medical travel information prior of travel, particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition. For up-to-date medical advice you may wish to use the Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad “MASTA”  https://www.masta-travel-health.com/, the NHS website  http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.aspx  or NaTHNaC https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/.

You will be obliged to disclose any medical condition or medication that you are taking to GlobeBusters in advance and to your Expedition Manager at the start of your Tour, for health and safety purposes. We provide you with our Emergency Details Form for this purpose and to collect information about who to contact for you back home in the event of an emergency.

Please note that many countries on this route do not have the same level of medical infrastructure nor consistent medical standards that you may be used to.  In particular, emergency services often may be a long distance away, with no co-ordinated response, or sometimes no medical response available within reasonable times.  Please do not book this trip if this unduly concerns you.

First Aid Training
It is not a requirement to be first aid trained to participate in this expedition. However, we do strongly recommend that you consider doing a motorcycle first aid course.  Some sections of this trip are remote and hundreds of miles away from medical treatment.  If you, or a rider you are with, are involved in any accident, whilst not riding with or not close to the support team, having first aid skills may make a significant difference to an injured party.

Disease from Mosquitos
In tropical countries, mosquitoes can spread diseases such as dengue, malaria, yellow fever and Zika virus. Whilst travelling there are several simple measures you can take to reduce your risk of infections spread by mosquitoes: wear suitable clothing and cover up at times of day when mosquitoes are active and use insect repellent on exposed skin.  You must also seek advice from your medical practitioner about malaria in particular and what malaria prevention tablets they recommend.

Yellow Fever
All riders and passengers will require a current Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate (or exemption document). This is an entry requirement for several countries en route and you will not be allowed to cross the border without it.

If during the Expedition you become ill, are injured or feel fatigued, it is your responsibility to inform us immediately. We can then decide the most appropriate action for you and the Expedition group.

Travel / Medical Insurance
It is a condition of you travelling with us that you are adequately insured.  Your insurance policy must cover you for the costs of any medical expenses, medical treatment or repatriation needed, due to injury or illness on this trip, including those that occur whilst motorcycle touring, either as the rider or a passenger.  It is important that your insurance company understands that the MAIN PURPOSE of your trip is motorcycle touring, using your own large capacity cc motorcycle or a rental motorcycle.  Your insurance must cover you for the full duration of the trip and for all countries we travel through.

In addition, we strongly recommend that your insurance policy has cover for loss or damage to your personal belongings, delay at your outward or homeward point of departure, personal liability, overseas legal expenses and cancellation and curtailment.

We also strongly recommend that you take out your travel insurance at the time of paying your deposit for your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. This will therefore provide cover should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason such as illness or serious injury. We do not refund your deposit simply because you failed to take out insurance in sufficient time.

Search & Rescue (SAR) Insurance
We strongly recommend that you put in place a search & rescue policy or take out a membership, in addition to travel/medical insurance. Such policies / memberships are commonly linked with satellite emergency messenger devices such as Garmin inReach or SPOT X.  These provide an extra safety net for you in case of any injury in a very remote location and to get medical help as soon as possible.  Standalone options such as Global Rescue also exist.

What about local currency?
The base currency for this trip is the US Dollar. The US Dollar is readily exchangeable for the local currencies. When you bring US Dollars, it must be in MINT condition or locals will not readily exchange the notes. The websites below will give you the current rates of exchange.

http://www.oanda.com/
http://www.travelex.co.uk/

Minimum Numbers
We require a minimum number of 8 riders on this tour.  If we do not have this number of bookings, then we reserve the right to cancel the tour.