Home / Ride to Mountain Gorillas | 2026

Ride to Mountain Gorillas | 2026
Chapter 1: Arrival in Cape Town
Chapter 2: Heading North
Chapter 3: Botswana
Chapter 4: Zambia
Chapter 5: Tanzania
Chapter 6: Rwanda
Chapter 7: Uganda
Chapter 8: Kenya
Chapter 9: Tanzania and a Safari

Ride to Mountain Gorillas | 2026

In 2007/2008 Audrey and I rode from Munich to Cape Town. On the way south we were delayed in Ethiopia as election rioting rocked Kenya. After it was safe for tourists to go through Kenya, we rode through fairly quickly and avoided the west of the country where the violence was the worst. This meant that we were not able to go to Uganda to visit the mountain gorillas. Further south, in Tanzania, we met travellers who had made the trip to see the gorillas and raved about it. We tried to figure out a way to go to see them but couldn’t make it work. We vowed to see them “someday.” Fast forward 18 years and that someday is today.

I am shipping my motorcycle from London to Cape Town and then riding north through South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania and Rwanda to get to Uganda where I have a gorilla trek organised for 15 February. After the trek I’ll ride through Kenya back to Tanzania to do a safari out of Arusha before returning south through Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to South Africa. From Johannesburg, I hope to catch a flight to Madagascar and then return to Cape Town at the beginning of April. It should be an amazing journey!

Planned route (blue and red) and 2008 tracks (black)

Chapter 1: Arrival in Cape Town

January 9 - 12: Calgary to Cape Town!

I had always known that it was going to be a long journey to Cape Town with an 11-hour layover in Frankfurt followed by a 12-hour flight to Cape Town. The flight to Frankfurt was unexpectedly pleasant. Discover Airlines changed their aircraft the night before my departure. Unfortunately, they changed my chosen (and paid for) seat in Premium Economy to one I didn’t like as much. I mentioned this at check in and was able to change to an aisle seat even though they weren’t allowing people to change seats (it would be chaos if everyone changed their seat). Then just as I was going to the gate, I got a message on my phone that my seat had been changed. Again. I went to the counter and was given a new boarding pass. For business class! Nice! It makes such a difference on an overnight flight to be able to get some sleep, it almost eliminates jet lag.

As soon as I deboarded in Frankfurt (all refreshed from my nap) I went through Immigration and jumped on the S-bahn to downtown Frankfurt. At the Hauptbahnhof I went outside into an icy cold snowy taste of winter to find a currywurst. Obviously. Then a coffee shop to read up on Africa before catching another train back to the airport. A very nice layover indeed. Just as boarding was completed for the 10:00 PM flight to Cape Town the captain came on and announced our flight had to be cancelled. The software that flies the plane was broken. Of course, passengers near me had helpful tips, have you tried rebooting it? How about unplugging it and plugging it back in? But alas we weren't going anywhere. Lufthansa put us up for the night with an expected departure of 1:00 PM the next day. After a good night’s sleep that changed to 5:15 PM so had another day, this time not venturing to downtown. We really did get going at quarter after five, finally arriving in Cape Town at 5:40 AM local time on Monday morning. I had called the hotel and told them I would have a late check in. Very late!

The Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof on a snowy, cold day

I came all this way for "Canadian Streetfood"?

I have never, ever seen currywurst at any Canadian streetfood

In addition to currywurst, Frankfurt is also a financial capital

Downtown Frankfurt

Back at the airport I share a moment with Albert Einstein

After a 7:00 AM check in at the Harbour Bridge Hotel I had a lovely day in Cape Town where I had a chance to meet Michnus and Elsebie at a coffee shop inside a BMW Motorrad shop. It was great to meet them in person. They run a few Facebook forums and make motorcycle soft luggage at Turkana Gear. And to top the day off, I got a message that I can pick up my bike at Econo Trans at 9:30 AM Tuesday! Let the adventure begin.

Good morning Cape Town! As a Standup Paddle Boarder commutes to work on the canal

Walked to the V&A Waterfront

The clock tower at the waterfront

I'll have to pick up this little souvenir when I return from Uganda

The coffee shop inside Donford BMW Motorrad

Hello Elsebie and Michnus!

Sunset over Table Mountain

The Tablecoth on Table Mountain

Good night Cape Town!

January 13: Capetown

Wow, what an easy pick up of the motorcycle. I took an Uber over to Econo Trans at 9:30 where Wayne had me sign some paperwork and pay for processing the bike through Customs (about $750) and then took me out back to the warehouse. My bike was in a nice crate (built by Moto Freight in London) and just needed to be freed. Lennox and a couple of other staff did that and then Lennox helped me put the windshield and mirrors back on. I put my Lefthand Drive sticker in the tankbag and then I was set to ride in South Africa. And what a beautiful ride it was, heading towards Cape Town with Table Mountain as a backdrop. What a great first ride of the season!
Just before riding to Moto Freight back in London I noticed an oil leak from the rear shock. I tightened up the damper adjustment where it was leaking and that seemed to fix it. When picking the bike up in Cape Town it still wasn’t leaking but I wasn’t especially confident in riding all the way to Uganda and back. I rode out to MP Suspension that afternoon for them to have a look at it. Martin was out, so I left the bike at the shop and took an Uber back to the hotel. That evening Jilly and Keith dropped by and we went for a lovely dinner at Miller's Thumb. I can see why Cape Town is a “foodie” destination! Audrey and I had met Jilly and Keith in Namibia in 2008 where they invited us to their place in Cape Town, so it was quite special to reconnect with them. The chapter where we first met: Chapter 19: South Africa - We Did It! and then again at my birthday lunch: Chapter 21: South Africa - To the end of an amazing continent.

Arrived at the Econo Trans offices

Nicely crated bike

Voila!

Lennox helps me to put the mirrors and windshield back on

Woo hoo!

Riding in South Africa!

Riding towards Table Mountain (Keep left, look right. Keep left, look right!)

Iconic Table Mountain

Jumping for joy!

Meeting Jilly and Keith for supper

We met Keith and Jilly in Namibia and then visited them in 2008

At my birthday party, June 11, 2008, in Cape Town at Five Flies

January 14 – 16: Capetown

It has been a lovely few days in Cape Town, meeting friends (new and old), enjoying the perfect (if windy) weather and getting the motorbike sorted for the trip. After getting the leaking rear shock repaired I took a test ride down the coast to Hout Bay and pronounced the bike ready to ride to Uganda. That afternoon I met up with Robin Goode, whom Audrey and I had ridden down a good chunk of Africa with. We had first met at Aswan, Egypt before taking the boat to Wadi Halfa, Sudan back in December 2007. Our paths crossed numerous times and finally said goodbye in Cape Town at my birthday party. It was so good to reconnect, even for a short time. Friday I met up with Keith at a regular breakfast he has with riding buddies and then took some nice backroads to his house for a cup of tea with Jilly. Now it’s time to hit the road!

Heading back to Cape Town after the shock repair. This view never gets old!

Out for a test ride along the coast

Karbonkelberg near Hout Bay

Returning to Cape Town, skirting Table Mountain

The cafe in Donford BMW Motorrad makes a mean chai latte

Meeting up with Robin Goode with whom Audrey and I rode through Africa in 2008

We first met in Egypt before taking the boat to Sudan in December 2007

Robin riding south through Sudan

The Ducati Multistradas were surprisingly reliable

Robin begging for gas

The gang all meets at Jungle Junction in Nairobi

Robin and Matteo at Ekke's birthday party, June 11, 2008

Walking along Roggebaai Canal in Cape Town

Going for a ride with Keith after breakfast

Does look a little like Saskatchewan doesn't it?

Keith's new Honda Transalp

Jilly has promised to make me a bobotie when I return in April

One last blueberry smoothie and the best French fries at Shift Espresso Cafe

Good night Cape Town, see you in April!

Chapter 2: Heading North

January 17: Cape Town to Gordons Bay

On the road! OK, Gordons Bay is only 50 km from Cape Town, but I did take the long way, going over Chapman’s Peak Road to the Cape of Good Hope (almost) and around False Bay. The day had everything from rain to sun and steak & mushroom pie to robots. I rode through Hout Bay to get to the famous Chapman's Peak Drive and through Simon's Town to get to the Cape of Good Hope. As I was riding I saw a house with solar panels on it, since I was southbound I thought it strange that the panels were on the north facing roof. After almost a week in Cape Town it only hit me then that I was in the Southern Hemisphere. It was slow going through either city traffic or Saturday afternoon traffic but eventually I got to the entrance to the park. I was rather taken aback by the 515 rand entrance fee. If I was going to spend the day exploring the park perhaps that would be OK, but I just wanted to recreate a photo from 2008 and didn’t think that was worth $45. I turned around and went back to Simon's Town to the Sweetest Thing Patisserie for lunch of steak & mushroom pie. This and the architecture of Simon's Town really reminded me of New Zealand. Then around False Bay to Gordons Bay for the night. The first day of the ride to Uganda is in the books!

Heading south towards Hout Bay

Hout Bay from Chapman's Peak Drive

It's a fun road

Nordhoek Beach from Chapman's Peak Drive

Robot is South African for traffic signal. Anyone else imagine Bender from Futurama directing traffic?

Simon's Town architecture really reminds me of New Zealand towns

False Bay

515 rand ($45) ?!? I don't think so.

A lot of AC Cobras around. I mean a lot. I saw a group of six of them earlier. I imagine they are rentals.

As recommended by Robin in Simon's Town

A steak and mushroom pie reminds me of New Zealand too

Around the top of False Bay

Drifting sand reminds me of Mauritania

Approaching Gordons Bay

The long way from Cape Town to Gordons Bay

January 18, 19: Gordons Bay to Victoria West

I had planned to ride up to Kimberley from Gordons Bay, crossing the Karoo fairly quickly, with one stop. But a stomach bug made me lose my confidence in being able to manage it, so I broke the ride into three days, stopping in Oudtshoorn and Victoria West. On Sunday I left Gordons Bay and rode the N2 for almost 200 kilometres before turning onto the R324 towards Barrydale. It was a pleasure to get off the busier N2 and onto a smaller road, crossing the Tradouw Pass to Barrydale. Here I stopped in at Diesel & Creme, a cafe suggested by Michnus. It was a very busy place on a beautiful summer Sunday. While the milkshake and hotdog probably weren't good for my stomach bug, they sure were delicious. A few kilometres further through the Klein Karoo was the famous Ronnie's Sex Shop. It was Ronnie's vegetable stand until some friends decided to prank him by adding the word "Sex". Ronnie noticed that business picked up and now it is a must-stop when crossing the Klein Karoo. In Oudtshoorn I had booked a room at the Duckpond Lodge, in the town's suburbs. Richard was the host for this lovely homestay, and it was such a treat to have a pleasant evening conversation with him rather than being in a sterile hotel room by myself. Monday, I rode through De Rust on to Meiringspoort, a nice canyon through the Swartberg mountains. Unfortunately, the drought in this area meant that the famous waterfalls were dry. It was a nice walk to the falls though and the temperatures weren't too high to be walking around in full motorcycle gear either. After stopping for lunch at 4 Sheep deli in Beaufort West (Lamb Sandwich) I continued on to Victoria West and the Victoria Oaks Guesthouse. I arrived fairly early, and my stomach had held out for the day so I probably could have made it to Kimberley, but in situations like this discretion can be the better part of valour.

Good morning Gordons Bay!

Heading over the Houwhoek Pass, leaving Gordons Bay

Across the plains where the orchards are protected from sun and birds

Nice to get off the N2

A family of baboons crosses the road

Stopping by the Diesel & Creme cafe for lunch

A hotdog and a milkshake probably won't do my stomach bug any good, but it sure was delicious

Crossing the Klein Karoo

An institution and a "must stop"

Lots of wide open spaces make for easy riding

Oudtshoorn is famous for its ostrich farms and a great place to buy a feather duster

Richard comes out with a warm welcome

I love the inside of the home. Check out the inside of the thatched roof!

Water levels on the pond are way down but there are still some birds

Quite a few "African Sacred Ibis" taking advantage of the low water levels

Thanks Richard for a great stay!

A group of riders entering Oudtshoorn as I leave. Undoubtedly picking up some feather dusters.

The "other" suburbs of Oudtshoorn (I found this dichotomy uncomfortable when we were here last time too)

Passing by an ostrich farm

Crossing the Swartberg Mountains via Meiringspoort

Well, it says there is a waterfall...

Nice hike to the falls

Umm, doesn't a waterfall need actual, you know, water? The drought has not been kind.

Entering the next province

Pulling into the Victoria Oaks Guesthouse

January 20: Victoria West to Kimberley

It was an easy ride, crossing the Great Karoo, to Kimberley. The GPS can sure be a nice tool. As I was approaching Britstown, I looked for a coffee shop. The GPS found The Old Mill off main street. I never would have seen it riding through on the main drag. And it was a cozy little local coffee shop too, with eclectic decorations and a not half bad cappuccino (I am a firm believer that the only really good cappuccinos are found at the top of a mountain pass in Italy). I arrived early enough in Kimberley to walk over to the Big Hole. I had booked myself into the historic Kimberley Club hotel, but I didn't know quite how historic until I was at the diamond museum and saw the club mentioned in an article about Cecil Rhodes. Apparently, Cecil Rhodes was a founding member of the club and had a hand in building the club. Rhodes of course had an outsized influence on Southern Africa as a diamond tycoon (starting De Beers), as prime minister of the Cape Colony and founding Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe). As seems to be the pattern of all colonizers, whether it be in Canada or New Zealand, he also did some evil things, such as expropriating land from black Africans and effectively barring them from voting. But, the Big Hole you ask. What's that all about? It's the diamond mine at the centre of New Rush, now Kimberley. It's the largest hand-dug hole in the world. In the search for diamonds, miners dug to a depth of 215 metres. The mine produced over 2,700 kg of diamonds between discovery in 1871 and ceasing operations in 1914.

Good morning Victoria Oaks Guesthouse!

Riding across the Great Karoo

What a fabulous find on the GPS

Enjoying a cappuccino with the Girl with the Pearl Earring

These roadside picnic sites are placed fairly regularly along the highway

Time for a picnic lunch

Hopefully those rain clouds hold off (they did).

Entering the diamond city of Kimberley

The main entrance to the Kimberley Club

A grand entrance it is too

I love these character hotels

Walking to the Big Hole on the rough and tumble streets of Kimberley

Out to the viewing platform

174 metres down to the water level and another 41 metres below the water level for a total hand-dug depth of 215 metres

Some of the mining equipment at the museum

The story of Cecil Rhodes

Wait, what? That's my hotel!

An open-air museum at the Big Hole

Pure luxury

January 21, 22: Kimberley to Mahikeng and the border with Botswana

That's South Africa for the moment; I will be back in April! I debated whether or not to ride from Kimberley to Gaborone, Botswana in one day. While it was certainly doable it would mean getting an early start and putting off updating my website for another day. I decided to break the trip into two days. The road to Mahikeng was 365 kilometres of easy riding (or boring depending on your definition, but for me riding is never boring) so I left late and arrived early, including a lunch stop in Vryburg. I stayed at a business-oriented hotel in Mahikeng so that it was easy to finish getting caught up on the website. Thursday was then an even easier ride but with the unknown of a border crossing thrown in. South Africa and Botswana are part of the South African Customs Union so in theory I shouldn’t need to stamp my Carnet de Passages en Duane out of South Africa and into Botswana. On the other hand, it would probably be safest to stamp into and out of every country. Fortunately, the Ramatlabama border crossing is very quiet (I was the only non-truck driver there) and the Customs officer was very friendly. I showed him my Carnet and asked to be stamped out of South Africa. He asked where I was going and then said I would get it stamped when I left Botswana and entered Zambia (which isn’t part of SACU), not now. That confirmed what I thought but I joked with him and said if I had any trouble leaving Botswana, I would call him. Then it was a quick stamp in the passport from Immigration, and I rode into no-man's land.

Good morning Kimberley!

Seems like an appropriate message leaving Kimberley

The further north I rode the more the landscape changed from scrubby desert to farmland

Time for a break?

Don't mind if I do

Nutella, the perfect food for any occasion

Easy riding

A coffee milkshake at the Daily Grind in Vryburg

OK, more easy riding

Look! A tree!

Arriving in Mahikeng (which, like Kimberley, was under siege during the 1899 Boer War)

Good morning Mahikeng after a pleasant stay at the Protea Hotel

A short 15 minute ride to the border

2.3 kilometre long queue of trucks before the border

Only a few minutes later and I am out of South Africa and in no-man's land

Tracks through South Africa

Chapter 3: Botswana

Thursday, January 22 to Friday, January 23 – Mahikeng, South Africa to Gaborone, Botswana

Botswana! After filling in an immigration form and getting my passport stamped I was ready to enter Botswana. Just one last step where my luggage was inspected. The officer asked if I had any shoes in the luggage and was then told to dip them in a disinfecting solution. Apparently, this is part of Botswana's agricultural protection program. As was riding the motorcycle through a disinfecting pool. Into Botswana it was immediately apparent I was in a different country. There were hardly any fences and as a result livestock was just walking around willy-nilly. I stopped at the first town I came to with the idea that I should take some money out of an ATM. Unfortunately, I hadn’t looked up the exchange rate and didn’t have a clue how many pulas there were to the dollar. Do I take out 50 pula or 5000? It pays to do a bit of prep doesn’t it? Entering Gaborone was a pleasant experience as the traffic was probably the most laid back of any capital city I have been in. On the way to my hotel on “The Mall,” in the heart of the city, a motorcycle courier nodded hello and then chatted with me at the next light. After checking in I wandered around downtown, checking out the market on the mall and the parliament buildings. At a KFC I saw the motorcycle delivery rider again and chatted with him. He said he had sent me an email (!) about a motorcycle breakfast run on Sunday. Sure enough I checked my mail and there was a nice letter from Phazha with a picture he took of me riding into town and brochures for the ride. He had taken a picture of the map on my saddlebag which has www.ekke-audrey.ca on it and then followed the link to my email. Pretty solid detective work! Friday was a day of exploring Gaborone. The National Museum didn’t have too many displays and the one I was really interested in (origins of the country) was closed until April. At least the museum was worth what I paid for it (it was free). But that left plenty of time then to walk a couple of kilometres over to the Three Dikgosi monument, honouring the three men who were influential in the shaping of modern Botswana. That and some time in a couple of coffee shops made for a relaxing stay in this laid-back capital city.

Entering Botswana and right away things look different

Entering Gaborone and the courier rider takes my photo (and emails it to me)

The Cresta President Hotel backs on the Mall where a street market is set up

A sunset walk to the parliament buildings

Botswana's Parliament

The first president of Botswana after independence in 1966

The next day is museum day

Love the exterior design of the museum

Once I knew what this was, I saw signs for them in most communities I travelled through

I always love the presidential cars exhibits in national museums

The three Daimlers used for presidential purposes

The first presential Daimler

I love transportation!

A small women's art exhibit upstairs in the museum

Walking back to the Mall under the Pula Arch. (Pula means the coming rain and is also the name of the currency)

Walking a couple of kilometres to the statues

I am going to the memorial museum dedicated to Khama III tomorrow

Back at the parliament buildings I notice the "kraal" behind the presidential statue

Yes, a symbolic Kgotla at the parliament

The street market is set up again on the Mall

And then it takes two hours to disassemble in the evening

At 6:00 AM they start assembling the market again

Going to stay in Palapye tonight so I can get to this event at 7:30 AM Sunday morning

Saturday, January 24 – Gaborone to Palapye

I left Gaborone and crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, northbound, heading towards Serowe. There I wanted to visit the Seretse Khama III memorial museum to learn more of the history of Botswana. Khama III was one of the Three Kiglosi or great chiefs and the grandfather of Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana after independence in 1966. The doors for the museum reception were locked but as I was heading back to the bike, Kabo came out and gave me a tour of the museum. He had lots of great stories about both of the leaders. The grandson (first president) married a white woman while attending Oxford in the UK. This was a bit of a scandal at the time (1948) because the hereditary chief doesn't typically choose his own wife, nevermind one from a different country or a different skin colour. But eventually it was worked out (including banishment) and having the first president (almost 20 years later) in a biracial marriage led to Botswana being the open and inclusive country it is today.

Leaving Gaborone

Northbound

A comprehensive museum about Seretse Khama III

Khama III, one of the Three Dikgosi played an important role in the birth of Botswana

Khama III in a Kgotla

Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana, married a white woman in the UK

Sunday January 25 – Palapye to Nata

Saturday night I stayed in Palapye so that I could join the Ubuntu Breakfast Ride at 7:30 AM Sunday morning. About 30 people showed up for this, the tenth anniversary ride. As we were mingling before the start of the ride, Masego asked if she could ride pillion and I said sure. It was nice to have the company on the bike as we rode through the countryside passing through villages. After stopping at a village to mingle some more we rode back to Palapye. Just as we turned onto the main road (leading to the border with South Africa) another motorcycle joined our group coming from the direction of South Africa. I caught up to him and noticed the bike had a Quebec licence plate! I pulled up beside him and shouted that I was from Alberta. It would have been nice to chat with him but when our group went to ride around Palapye he went back to the highway. The Ubuntu riders ended up at Pub Twenty2 at 11:30 for speeches and ordered lunch. I still needed to ride almost 400 kilometres to Nata but thought if I had lunch now I wouldn’t need to stop for lunch on the road. By 1:20 I still didn’t have my food but really needed to get going, so said goodbye to my new friends and hit the road. I arrived in Nata before sunset, but the dark rain clouds made for an early twilight. The new lodge wasn’t on the map yet (the owner said I was their third guest) so I ended up on some sandy tracks looking for it. When I stopped, I was quickly surrounded by a group of kids wanting to help. No one knew of the Makgadikgadi Riverview though. I finally used WhatsApp to phone the lodge (no answer) and when the kids saw the WhatsApp profile picture of a horse statue they knew immediately where it was. They ran ahead and I dutifully I followed them down a few more sandy tracks to get to the rear entrance of the hotel. Unfortunately, the hotel didn’t have a restaurant, so I needed to go back to a gas station for a bite to eat before those dark clouds opened up. At least I now knew the shorter, sandy track to the highway. Whew, what a day.

Gathering for the Ubuntu Bikers Breakfast Run

Getting the rider's briefing from the organizer and the police

Heading out behind our police escort

My new pillion, Masego

Stop at a village for more mingling with new friends

All the bikes lined up

Masego and her daughter

Bathusi, the Gold Wing rider

Returning to Palapye

When we rejoin the main road a new bike joins the group. With Quebec licence plates!

Lunch (not!) at Pub Twenty2

My Ubuntu Ride badge

Now, 400 kilometres to Nata

They're harder to spot when they're lying down

My bike turned over 250,000 km!

A quarter of a million kilometres and 19 years old, still looks OK

Wait, what?!? I have to watch for elephants too?

Dark storm clouds means an early twilight

The Nata River is running very high

Pulling into Nata

Found the Makgadikgadi Riverview and its famous horse statue

Monday, January 26 – Nata to Kasane

Wildlife! Elephants and ostriches and elands and giraffes, oh my! In the wet season (I will get to that in a moment) wildlife sightings are not as frequent, so I am glad I saw some lovely animals today. It was an easy ride except for some seriously potholed construction zones. And then there was an enormous elephant beside the road! Amazing! A little further along a pair of ostriches were a bit more skittish than the elephant and scampered into the bush on my approach. Same with the elands. Riding along I saw a huge giraffe lope across the road in the distance and when I got there it had gone to hide behind the first bush. Its rump was still sticking out and it was peeking over the bush, so it wasn’t hiding all that well. As I approached Kasane, dark storm clouds signalled that my luck with avoiding the rain was about to run out. When I saw the rain coming down ahead of me, I whipped a U-turn and beat a hasty retreat of a kilometre or so to put on the rain gear. After some on and off again thundershowers, I arrived at the Old House just as it started pouring rain again. I had planned for a cruise on the Chobe River that afternoon but that wasn’t going to happen during the storm. Oh well. Still, I am so happy with my first wildlife sightings!

Leaving the Makgadikgadi Riverview via the front gate

Only 300 metres of sandy track going this way

Quite a few sections of construction and potholes

Cool, termite mounds

Reportedly a wonderful place to stay, but the timing didn't work out for me (I would have had to miss the Ubuntu Ride)

Run, Ekke, run!

Well, hello there

140 km to Kasane, my destination near the border with Zambia

A giraffe galloped across the road and tried to hide in the bushes

Yes, I can still see you

My luck with riding in the rain is about to run out

A wall of water and a hasty retreat

Rain gear on just as the storm approaches

When it's not raining the rain suit is like a sauna and needs to be opened up

Arrival in Kasane

Well, I guess we're not going for a boat cruise

Tuesday, January 27 – Kasane to Livingstone, Zambia

What a great way to finish my time in Botswana! I met Heidi Van der Merwe. She is a liver cancer survivor and is riding a Harley Davidson Pan America to raise awareness of the disease. As an extra added challenge, she is riding with her dog, Harley. (I guess if I had a dog, it would be named Beemer or Boxer) This makes borders especially challenging from a paperwork perspective. She rode from Livingstone early in the morning so she could get to the Kazungula border crossing in time to process Harley into Botswana and then ride as far south as possible, hopefully Francistown. I checked out of the Old House and rode a few kilometres out of Kasane to a gas station and mall near the border to wait for her. It took quite a while, but she sent me messages on WhatsApp to keep me up to date on her arrival time. I grabbed a Stoney (a brand of ginger beer) and waited at the Hungry Lion. At a little after 11:00 I heard the sound of the Pan America, and she pulled up. She still needed to go to the official veterinary office in Kasane for the dog paperwork but had some time to visit. It was such a pleasure to meet her, especially because she had just done almost exactly the same trip as I am riding. You can follow Heidi on her Facebook and Instagram pages where she has great write ups on her travels (in Afrikaans but Facebook will translate for you) and also give you the option to donate to her cause. Then at about Noon we parted ways, I rode across the new bridge to Zambia, destination Livingstone and Victoria Falls and she was off to the vet in Kasane and then hopefully on to Francistown.

The Chobe River cruise boats docked up at The Old House

Waiting for Heidi at the Hungry Lion

I love ginger beer!

The sound of a Harley Davidson Pan America alerts me to Heidi's arrival

Getting Harley's leash

I think Harley is sticking out his tongue at me because I ride a BMW

Scan to QR code to go to Heidi's Instagram page

Going our separate ways after our brief visit

Crossing the Zamezi River to Zambia

Where the Chobe and Zambezi come together

Back in my day we had to ride through the Zambezi (2008, southbound from Munich to Cape Town)

The integrated border contral station for both Botswana and Zambie is on the Zambian side of the river

Map of my ride through Botswana

Chapter 4: Zambia

Chapter 4: Zambia

Tuesday and Wednesday, January 27 and 28 – Kasane, Botswana to Livingstone, Zambia

Victoria Falls, Zambia! I crossed the Zambezi River to the combined customs building on the Zambian side. The building had the exit from Botswana on the left and the entry into Zambia on the right side of the hall. And the booths were helpfully labelled and numbered. Exiting Botswana was super easy (and getting the Carnet stamped out of the SACU was a nonissue) and then I crossed the hall to enter Zambia. Instead of the two wickets on the Botswana side, here there were half a dozen which included an insurance booth (mandatory before they would stamp the Carnet) and a computer station where I could pay the road tax, carbon tax and the bridge toll. So a bit more work but still not especially difficult. Then it was a short ride of 70 kilometres to Livingstone. The roads were wet in spots but I missed the rain until the last 300 metres to the hotel. Then the heavens opened up. I parked up under a tree and checked in. After the rain had stopped I went for a walk around town, with the goal of checking out the Golden Leaf restaurant for reportedly delicious Indian food. Alas, they were closed for maintenance. A pizza at Debonaire's it was then. Wednesday morning, I rode the 11 kilometres to the Smoke that Thunders where parking was free but entry to the park was US$20. I think these are the most spectacular falls I have seen (which includes Fos de Iguatsu and Niagara Falls as well as a bunch of spectacular falls in Iceland). Even more impressive is that the Zambian side of the falls is about 1 kilometre wide and the Zimbabwe side is another 700 metres. Since I declined to rent a poncho I was soaked in a matter of moments. That afternoon, after drying off and getting a change of clothes at the hotel I walked over to the Livingstone Museum which had displays on the origins of humanity, village life, local fauna and of course an exhibit dedicated to Dr. David Livingstone. Unfortunately, no photos allowed inside this fascinating museum. Afternoon coffee and a scone at Cafe au Lait was a tasty treat. I had a read through the Zambia chapter written by Audrey in 2008, what a treat! Link to Chapter 16: Zambia.

Yep, in a different country. Here there is charcoal for sale every few hundred metres

And lots of people on bicycles (which means it isn't common for vehicles to drive on the shoulder)

Wet roads occasionaly but I missed the rain

I love these signs when I've been to places: Rio de Janeiro, Mt. Everest and Northern Lights

St. Theresa's Catholic church in Livingstone

The Livingstone Museum I'll visit tomorrow

Ah, that's why it wasn't that expensive. The Fairmount hotel, not the Fairmont

One entry ticket

What could be beyond this point?

Wow, spectacular rainbow! Apparently you can see a rainbow here on a full moon.

A small section of the 1.7 kilometre wide Victoria Falls

Soaked in a matter of seconds

Well, at least I don't need to do laundry this week

Lush green grass has a constant supply of water

Probably not a glacier lily

Looking across to Zimbabwe

Back along the Knife's Edge

Taking the trail down to the Boiling Pot you have to be careful not to trip over the baboons

I think I am just going to relax right here

Lovely baobob on the way back up the Boiling Pot trail

No photos allowed inside so that's it

Who could this be?

A Canadian connection!

Thursday and Friday, January 29 and 30 – Livingstone to Lusaka

I was a bit reluctant to ride from Livingstone to Lusaka in one day, with a distance just shy of 500 kilometres. Back in 2008, when we rode the reverse direction, this road was full of potholes, and it was slow going. (Chapter 16: Zambia) But when I left Livingstone on Thursday I was greeted with picture-perfect pavement. The first 100 kilometres seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye with light traffic, nice weather and of course that perfect pavement. There were a couple of toll stations where signs indicated the tolls were being used for “sustainable maintenance”. The toll for a car was 20 kwachas (about $1.30) and I would happily have paid but motorcycles were free. The only slow downs were in hectic towns that had numerous speed bumps and at the occasional railroad crossing that would have a queue up to a kilometre long as vehicles (especially trucks) had to crawl over the rough crossing. The traffic built up as I approached Lusaka but was always well-behaved. On Friday I walked over to the Lusaka National Museum, past the huge bus and train terminal complex and associated markets. It was quite crowded, and I had two instances where a man came up to me and started a friendly conversation. Then walked quite close to me, even brushing against me. They were obviously trying to pickpocket me, but I kept my hands on my pockets (I should have transferred my wallet to my bag beforehand) and they came away empty handed. I hope they enjoyed the conversation. The museum itself had art and the story of Kenneth Kaunda (first president of Zambia) on the lower level where photos were allowed and a display similar to the Livingstone Museum with archeological exhibits and the history of Zambia on the second level where photos were not allowed. It’s too bad photos weren’t allowed because they certainly help me remember things. I walked back to the hotel on a longer route that passed through a university campus that felt much safer, stopping at a Steers restaurant for lunch. That afternoon I did a little more trip planning, using Heidi's trip reports to get a better idea of what the Great Northern Road would be like as I ride towards Tanzania.

Leaving Livingstone

Wow, what perfect pavement

Cutting the grass using a scythe

No tolls for motorcycles

Entering Lusaka

Anyone else think it's ironic that the Freedom statue is behind a fence?

The statue commemorates those who gave their lives for Zambian independence

The Lusaka National Museum

Gorgeous art exhibit in the atrium

The ground level had the story of Kenneth Kaunda, the first president of Zambia

President Kaunda was influential in southern Africa politics

Saturday, January 31 – Lusaka to Fika Lodge

I left Lusaka on Saturday morning, going against the traffic heading into the city. Whenever there are predictable queues of traffic (like rush hour or at a speed bump) there will be people selling everything from bananas to popcorn to sunglasses. This allows you to reframe congestion. It isn’t so much a delay in your trip but a shopping opportunity. After a few shopping opportunities I was out of the core and heading north on a four-lane road that soon turned into a two-lane road with the other side being under construction. This went on for a couple of hours, all the way to Kabwe where I stopped at a Hungry Lion for an ice cream. At Mposhi, a little further north, the Great North Road turned east while the T3 continued north. Mposhi was especially hectic with truck traffic, but the traffic dropped off significantly when I left town and it was much more relaxed riding. Soon I pulled into the Fika Lodge, a spot that Heidi Van der Merwe had stopped at and really enjoyed. I relaxed in the restaurant with a cappuccino (more a cafe au lait) and a chocolate bar. For dinner I noticed bobotie on the menu, a dish that I make regularly at home from a Knorr package. The flavours were similar, but “my” (Knorr) recipe had a few different ingredients (like green beans and green apple) but it was fun having it in the “wild”.

Heading out of Lusaka on Saturday morning

Four-lane highway doesn't last long

Lots of construction

Hectic going through the many towns

Hungry Lion ice cream time!

Bit of a mess at Mposhi (this kind of truck chaos seems to happen wherever there is a weighbridge)

Then it is clear sailing on the Great North Road

A really nice cabin, though a bug the size of my hand freaked me out when I went to close the mosquito net that evening

Cappuccino and a bit of trip planning

Bobotie on the menu!

OK, not quite the same as make at home but tasty

Sunday, February 1 – Fika Lodge to Mpika

Sunday morning, I chatted with Johan Olivier, owner of the Land Cruiser pulling half a dozen BMWs on a trailer. He runs a South African tour company called Wild at Heart and he was bringing the bikes to Tanzania to run a tour. Our paths may cross over the next few days as I head to Tanzania as well. The riding was still nice when I left the Fika Lodge, on a good road with very little traffic. The reason for the lack of traffic became apparent before I got to Serenje. I came upon a queue of trucks several kilometres long. I passed the long line, ducking back into line when the occasional car came from the other direction. When I came upon the section where both lanes were jammed, I started squeezing the big BMW between the trucks and buses to get to the front. There I found a washout had created two enormous potholes (maybe a metre deep) blocking all traffic. People were filling one of the holes with sticks and stones and a couple of trucks had just started crawling across when I arrived. I crossed on the “bridge” between the holes and followed the trucks for several kilometres, stopping every now and again as an oncoming car blocked our progress. Finally we cleared the opposing queue and I passed the trucks with a clear road ahead. I gassed up in Serenje and emailed Johan to let him know of the blockage and struck out again on the Great North Road. From here the road became much more difficult to negotiate. The shoulders of the road were crumbling off with a sharp drop off and potholes, so the tarmac section narrowed down far enough that the trucks had difficulty passing each other. Soon I figured out a bit of a pattern, whenever I saw skid marks, I knew that there was a pothole coming up (the skid marks were from trucks slamming on the brakes to avoid the pothole or an oncoming truck also avoiding a pothole). On the motorcycle it was easy enough avoiding the potholes, but sometimes I would get stuck behind a truck weaving all over the road trying to negotiate their way through. Or oncoming traffic would suddenly veer onto my side of the road trying to avoid a huge hole. It made for slow going with the occasional heart stopping moment but eventually I made it to Mpika and the Northern Rock Lodge. I was initially told that they had no room for me (it looked like a conference was being held tomorrow) but while I was on my phone looking for alternatives suddenly one opened up. Yay! That certainly beat heading back into the rain. Later that evening I got a message from Johan saying that he arrived at about 8:00 PM, well after dark. He said he really missed his motorbike, and I could see why since I beat him here by about five hours.

Johan is taking his tour company's bikes to Tanzania for a tour

Motorcycles still don’t pay a toll but these toll stations they didn’t want me to ride through. No signage indicated I was to take the sidewalk on the other side so I had to push the bike back and ask three vehicles behind me to back up.

Riding is good to Serenje

Ouch

A queue of trucks is several kilometres long but I can pass on the motorbike

Buses passed as well but then got stuck (with the other buses) a few hundred metres from the front

The crowd people is where the blockage is. So close!

Made it over the "bridge" between the holes as people fill the holes with sticks and stones

Stuck behind a truck with no opportunity to pass until we are past the queue on the other side

Had to whip a U-turn and got the raingear on just in time

On the other side of the jack-knifed truck was a rolled minibus

Some close calls as we both avoid potholes

Sharp dropoff means I can't just go to the shoulder when there is oncoming traffic

Skid marks tell me there is a pothole ahead

When two trucks try to avoid a pothole and end up colliding

The other wreck is in the mirror

More rain ahead

There is a truck passing two other trucks on a blind corner in the rain. What could go wrong?

Yay, they have a room for me afterall

Monday, February 2 – Mpika to Isoka

Monday turned out to be quite a short riding day. I knew it wasn’t going to be long, so I did some border preparations in the morning while I had Internet. I contacted a fixer (I had heard and read that this was a fairly chaotic border) via WhatsApp and told him I was crossing from Zambia to Tanzania on Tuesday. He asked me to send him scans of my documents so that he could prepare the paperwork before my arrival. In the end I could probably have stayed a little longer to update Facebook while I had good Internet but with the way the road had been and the rain the day before, I thought I should get going. For about 150 kilometres it was the same road conditions as yesterday with the narrow road and potholes, but then 100 kilometres from Isoka we had a brand new road, with perfect pavement and wide shoulders. When I came across a toll plaza, a sign indicated that a motorcycle was tolled 20 kwachas, like a car, and I was happy to help pay for road maintenance if we could have more roads like this. Alas, they wouldn’t take my money and said motorcycles are free. With a speed limit of 120 km/h I made really good time to Isoka (even though I was riding at 100-110 km/h), getting there just before 2:00. I could have made the remaining 120 kilometres to the border, but I didn’t want to cross late in the afternoon and border towns are usually a bit too hectic for a good night's rest. So I pulled up to the Gracious Lodge when a bakkie stopped and the driver said you want the next building over. I wasn’t sure but followed him over anyway and it also had a Gracious Lodge sign but quite a bit nicer than the one I was at 100 metres away. Weird that they would both be called Gracious Lodge but maybe I was at the old one. In any case the room was nice and clean. There was no Internet and while my cell phone had a good signal it didn’t seem to have any data. Good thing I had downloaded a few books before I left home. What a pleasant afternoon. For 250 kwachas they even brought dinner of chicken and chips to my room (no onsite restaurant). How gracious is that?

Good morning Northern Rock Hotel!

Looks the same as yesterday

Being a truck driver on this route is a hazardous occupation

Sometimes the road was OK

And then... Wow, what a beautiful new road!

Still quite a few pedestrians and cyclists along the road but much better than before

Yay, I can pay for the road maintenance! But no, they wouldn't take my money.

Enjoying the nice ride between rain showers

Looks like I won't be able to avoid the rain much longer

Seems like a nice spot to fill up. Too bad they didn't take a credit card.

The Gracious Lodge next to the Gracious Lodge

Tuesday, February 3 – Isoka to the border of Tanzania

After having a breakfast delivered to my room, it was only 115 kilometres from the Gracious Lodge to the border. With that perfect new road, it was an easy ride and I arrived at Nakonde on the Zambian side of the border at about 10:15. Like most border towns, Nakonde was hectic and then I entered the actual border zone which was really chaotic. Someone came up to me and said they were a friend of Richard, the fixer I had texted the day before, and to follow him. He ran ahead through the chaos until I met Richard at the combined Zambian/Tanzanian customs and immigration building. I could see now why Johan really dislikes this border crossing just from a parking perspective. On the bike it was easy enough to park off the road, in front of the building. Richard guided me first to the health check where they checked my Yellow Fever vaccination card and then to Zambian immigration to get stamped out. That was quick and easy. Right next to that was the Tanzanian immigration which was a bit more convoluted. I had to fill in a card with my information and then we had a discussion about getting a transit visa or a 90-day tourist visa. Since I was coming back through Tanzania, they suggested the more expensive tourist visa because then I wouldn’t have to pay again when re-entering from Kenya. With that figured out, I then took a piece of paper to a bank in the same building where they took my US$50 and gave me a receipt to give to immigration who then stamped my passport. (Though it said “single entry” I was assured by the immigration office that I could enter Tanzania again if I came from an East African Community country, like Kenya) Now Richard took over with my carnet, getting it stamped out of Zambia and into Tanzania (with various customs officials coming out to inspect my bike and its VIN). This process took a while but after about two hours I was ready for Tanzania!

Good morning Isoka!

Downtown Isoka

Out on the nice highway with the 120 km/h speed limit you still have to watch for pedestrians and cyclists

A traffic jam, I mean, shopping opportunity

Still no luck trying to pay the toll

He really should have a "wide load" sign

Entering the border zone at Nakonde it was a chaotic mess of unlabelled buildings and a jumble of cars and trucks (glad I got a fixer)

Tracks through Zambia

Chapter 5: Tanzania

Tuesday, February 3 – Zambian border to Utengule Coffee Lodge (near Mbeya)

After exiting the border zone at 12:30 (I had entered at 10:30), I went with Richard, the fixer, to buy some insurance. He thought it would be possible to buy COMESA insurance, valid for most of the countries I was travelling to, but the person selling that was out of the office. So he bought insurance valid just for Tanzania. I paid him and he said he would send a copy of the insurance via WhatsApp. Later, when I received the insurance certificate, the invoice was for a lot less than what I paid Richard. Either he mistakenly charged me for the COMESA, or he blatantly ripped me off. I have had something similar happen when using a fixer to buy insurance before. The problem is that he does his business with the insurance broker while I wait by the bike so I have no idea what really transpires. Mental note: don’t let fixers buy the insurance. Anyway, I was in Tanzania! I had booked the Utengule Coffee Lodge, just before Mbeya which was about 100 kilometres away. As was normal near a border the truck traffic was pretty heavy and the roads were crowded with tuk-tuks and small motorcycles (that’s different from Zambia!) so it took a couple of hours to reach the lodge. It was 8 kilometres up a rough road from the main highway but oh so worth it when I got there. It was situated on a hillside with spectacular views, so I ordered a cappuccino and a handful of shortbread cookies to enjoy on the veranda. A coffee-infused carbonara was tasty for dinner as was the coffee mousse for dessert (hey, it’s a coffee lodge!). As I was finishing my carbonara Angus and Sally showed up. I had seen them at the border earlier, but their process took a lot longer. Five hours versus my two. Their challenge was getting the temporary import permit as UK citizens with a South African registered Land Rover. We had an absolutely lovely evening together, sharing travel stories. Hopefully our paths will cross again as they have a gorilla trek booked for February 17 and mine is February 15.

Richard the fixer sends me the insurance documents

Wow, this is different from Zambia, tuk-tuks and motorcycles!

Wide Load

Sorry for the poor picture quality, but I just had to try and get a photo of the Tanzania traffic cops. Great outfits and I love the rubber boots.

Oh, that sunshade looks like a good idea. I wonder if it would work at 100 km/h on my bike?

A future BMW rider! (Also, I love dad's Valencia MotoGP circuit T-shirt)

Turn off the main highway and head up to the Coffee Lodge

School's out!

Dirt track heading up

Reception has a nice rhinoceros horn to hang your hat while you check in

Nice!

The pool might be nice if it wasn't the rainy season

Some of the welcoming committee

When I took this picture, I thought what am I going to do with those coffee beans and flower petals? But they had a turn down service so when I got back from dinner it was all cleaned up and the mosquito netting put down.

I have to remind myself every now and again that it is February

Cappuccino with a view

Doesn't that sound delicious?

Yep, delicious indeed

Wednesday, February 4 – Utengule Coffee Lodge to the Old Farmhouse

I chatted with Angus and Sally over breakfast (they're staying another night) and finally got going by about 10:30. It was back eight kilometres of rough road (where I passed a small motorcycle with the passenger carrying a calf) and turned east on the T1. It was about thirty kilometres of slow going with rutted pavement and lots of truck traffic mixed with tuk-tuks and motorcycles. It was so slow that my air-cooled engine's oil temperature gauge was at the top, just before overheating. But I was glad I was on the motorbike so I could at least pass, in a car it would be much slower. (Update: Angus and Sally took two hours for this stretch) As traffic eased off a bit I stopped for a splash of fuel and then continued east. About half way to my destination of the Old Farmhouse the road improved tremendously with relatively new pavement. It seemed like the second half of the day took half the time. Audrey and I had camped at the Old Farmhouse back in 2008, having their famous set dinner and delicious breakfast. I didn’t bring my camping gear on this trip so needed a cabin. All the ordinary cabins were sold out so I had to take a “luxury cottage”. Oh wow. It was a small house set on the edge of the property and simply stunning. That evening I went for the dinner with high expectations and wasn’t disappointed. Just like 18 years ago, it started with tomato soup and then the main dish was a huge plate of vegetables and potatoes with lamb steak (it was T-bone last time) followed by strawberry cake and cream for dessert. The flavours were just amazing, especially the fresh, crisp vegetables. I retired to my cottage, and to be honest, really missed not being able to share this experience with Audrey. Sometimes I can be in the most beautiful circumstances and still get overwhelmed with grief.

Good morning Angus and Sally!

The rough road back to the highway. What's that first motorcycle carrying?

A calf!

Going through Mbeya is 30 kilometres of slow going

Hey I know what polepole means! It means slowly in Swahili as I learned on Kilimanjaro all those years ago.

When I saw the rain it seemed that I might be able to push through to the other side without putting on the raingear. I did, and it only lasted a few minutes. I was almost dry again by the time I got to the Old Farmhouse

Managed forests in Tanzania

A lumber tuk-tuk

Audrey and I camped here in 2008

No tent with me so I ended up in their "luxury cottage"

Wow

Last time it was T-bone steak, this time lamb steak. Also delicious.

Thursday, February 5 – the Old Farmhouse to Dodoma

Thursday morning, I had breakfast in the same place that Audrey and I had breakfast 18 years ago. Of course it was delicious, and then it was time to ride the dirt track back to the highway and coninue eastward. There was still quite a bit of truck traffic on the T1, but at Iringa almost all of that traffic continued east to Dar es Salaam while I turned north to Dodoma. It was a steep climb up to busy Iringa with its gorgeous mosque and then the traffic dropped away almost completely as the road twisted into the hills. I haven't had some decent curves in ages, after the straight roads of northern South Africa, Botswana and Zambia. A few baboons added some interest too. On the higher plains it was getting warm (33°), so I stopped for a break in the shade of a baobab tree. The water break was nice but of course the highlight was a couple of spoonfuls of Nutella. Only later did I find out from Michelle Stow that it was World Nutella Day. What a perfect way to celebrate. After crossing the Mtera Dam it was an easy ride to Dodoma. This is a “manufactured” capital city (the original capital was Dar es Salaam) though a lot of activity still happens in Dar. So traffic wasn’t really bad when entering this city of 800,000. The Domiya Wine Estate was tricky to find but a couple of young men on a motorbike pointed me in the right direction down a sandy track. What a lovely spot this was. Over a cappuccino and a lemon loaf I did a little trip planning using the good wifi and determined I could stay an extra day. I find it nice to take a day off the bike at least once a week and it was about a week since I walked around Lusaka.

Audrey enjoys the breakfast at the Old Farmhouse in 2008

The dirt track back to the highway

Eastbound on the T1

The tuk-tuk bus

Turned off the T1 on to the T5 towards Dodoma

A short, steep climb up to Iringa

Iringa is a bit busy

What a lovely mosque

I have an "I Love Asas Milk" sticker on the R100GS I rode through Tanzania last time.

Hello baboons!

What, a curvy road?

Nice

Crossing the Mtera Dam

Quite suddenly there are baobab trees along the road

Perfect for a shady break

World Nutella Day! What a perfect way to celebrate February 5, in the shade of a baobab tree.

The suburbs of Dodoma

It was a little tricky to get here, but worth it

Yes, I think I could stay another day...

Saturday, February 7 – Dodoma to Igunga

After a nice day “off” in Dodoma on Friday I was awakened at 4:00 AM on Saturday by the sound of thunder. And a little later, pouring rain. Oi, this wasn’t looking good for an early departure. I had planned on a 470 km ride with an early getaway. When I met Sally and Angus for breakfast it was still pouring at 8:00. Finally, by 9:00 it had eased off. The sandy track had some erosion from the heavy rains, but I made it out to the pavement and headed for downtown, where the GPS told me to turn left but I knew better, and went straight through at the roundabout. Straight into a Saturday morning market. One that eventually blocked the road, so I had to turn around and find another way out. It took a little longer to get out of Dodoma and the suburbs went on for quite a way with their traffic. Out of town there was some lovely scenery with rock outcroppings as I rode along. I decided to scale back the ride to 380 km. Sally and Angus went shopping before leaving so they were aiming for Singida, only 250 km away. It was fairly easy riding except for the truck traffic but it was mostly easy to pass. I got to Singida at 1:45 and gassed up and then rode a little further to Mimi's Coffee Cafe where I had a delicious strawberry milkshake and four small samosas. I texted Sally and Angus and they were also going to try for Igunga as they were making pretty good time. After a long descent the landscape has changed, more like the Serengeti and people are wearing shukas while brandishing sticks. I arrived at the Somanda Hotel in Igunga and checked out a few rooms. I chose one at the back, which is quieter and has windows but a squat toilet. 20,000 TZS or $10 is a pretty reasonable price. Sally and Angus arrived and parked in the secure lot, paying for a room to use the toilet and shower. They found NUTELLA on their grocery store visit and give me a present!! How nice is that? We walked over to a nearby restaurant and had goat and chips for dinner. Chewy but flavourful. Not grisly like in Ethiopia.

The torrential downpour has ended and it is time to hit the road

The vineyard for the Doyima Wine Estate

Under a glowering sky that spit rain for most of the day

Looks like a nice coffee shop

They had milkshakes on the menu. Yum!

Hey, can you check my butt?

My doppelgänger

Not bad for $10

Though it did have a squat toilet

Look what Angus and Sally found when they went shopping in Dodoma!

How happy does this make me?

Yummy goat for dinner

Sunday, February 8 – Igunga to Nyakansanza

I hadn’t ridden more than 50 kilometres out of Igunga, enjoying the light traffic and a few slower trucks when I came upon a truck going about 80 (speed limit 100). I checked my mirrors to see if it was safe to pass, a Land Cruiser was coming up quickly, but I figured I could easily make the pass without inconveniencing him. I put on the signal light and went to pass, checking mirrors again and the Toyota was still a way back. Halfway past the truck the Land Cruiser was right on my tail. Honestly, it felt like centimetres behind me. At 110 km/h. I flashed my brake light to let him know I wasn’t happy with his brutal tailgating. As soon as I was past the truck I moved over to the side of the road, giving the Land Cruiser lots of room to pass. I was really upset that he endangered me like that and unfortunately my anger got the better of me. I gave him the bird. I didn’t see the driver through the darkly tinted windows so didn’t see his reaction. In that instant he swerved into my lane and broadsided me, hitting the handlebars and causing the bike to go into a wobble. Fortunately, I wasn’t pushed into the ditch and quickly regained control of the bike. The mirror had been pushed out of position and the Velcro on my glove was pushed up, presumably from his passenger side mirror. I snapped a couple of photos as he sped off but didn’t give chase. Probably the first smart thing I did during the encounter. Anyway, a valuable lesson learned; control your temper because you never know how the other person will respond.

I caught up to Sally and Angus at Nzega and passed them with a wave. Further along I started looking for a restaurant for lunch but didn’t like any of the options I saw. After gassing up I rode to a shady tree for Nutella and water. I got to the Ruhinda Lodge in Nyakanazi at 2:30 and texted Angus and Sally to say I was thinking of going on. Then we could do the 50 kilometres of the construction zone today rather than before the border crossing tomorrow. The weather forecast also indicated that it might rain overnight and tomorrow and I’m sure a muddy construction zone wouldn’t be much fun. They arrived at 3:00 and we took off to tackle the infamous construction zone. It started shortly after Nyakanazi but it was rough and hard packed, so not challenging. Just dusty and rough until about 34 kilometres from Nyakansanza where the road alternated between pavement and dirt construction zones. I arrived at the Starmax Lodge with decent rooms for 20,000 TZS ($10) in Nyakasanza at 4:45. Now I was just 20 kilometres from the border and the construction behind me. Sally and Angus arrived at 5:15 and since the restaurant wasn’t open, they made delicious fajitas with beef for supper. We chatted until 8:30 and then I organized my paperwork for crossing into Rwanda tomorrow.

Get along little doggies

The Land Cruiser that nearly killed me

You can see that the car's mirror clipped my mirror and my right hand with the Velcro ripped off the glove

Working the fields

Passing through a busy logging or mining town with lots of temporary housing

Alberta doesn't need another bitumen pipeline, just trucks with barrels!

The dusty construction zone goes on for about 50 kilometres

The hard packed dirt is OK to ride when dry but it must be challenging in the wet

Yay, beef fajitas made by Angus and Sally. Yum

Monday, February 9 – Nyakasanza to Rwanda Border

I woke up to a steely grey sky that was spitting rain and when I checked the weather radar there was some serious rain and lightning back along the road we had done yesterday. I was so happy that we (Sally and Angus and I) had decided to push on and do the construction zone to get to Nyakansanza when it was dry. Now it was just 20 kilometres to the border. I thought the construction was over and done with, but I was wrong, 15 of those 20 kilometres was slogging along a wet, muddy road dodging potholes and trucks crawling along at a walking pace. After leaving the Starmax hotel, the rain intensified so that I was properly soaked and muddy when I got to the border. I parked up behind the familiar @donorth_ Land Rover and got my Carnet de Passages stamped out of Tanzania and then rode the short distance to the combined border building. It was just a few minutes in the queue to get the passport stamped out of Tanzania and then it was time to start the process for entering Rwanda.

Quite the storm back on the road we had covered yesterday

The construction goes on

And then the rain started

The Kagera River, also known as Akagera River, or Alexandra Nile, is an East African river, forming part of the upper headwaters of the Nile and carrying water from its most distant source. With a total length of 597 km from its source located in Lake Rweru in Rwanda.

The bridge over the Kagera River crosses the border between Tanzania and Rwanda

Here the traffic switches from driving on the left in Tanzania to driving on the right in Rwanda

Wow, I love these instructions. Explains why there aren't any fixers at this border.

Tracks through Tanzania

Chapter 6: Rwanda

Chapter 6: Rwanda

Monday, February 9 – Tanzania border to Kigali, Rwanda

Once the passport was stamped out of Tanzania, I then started the process for entering Rwanda. This turned out to be really easy as visitors from Commonwealth countries get a free 30-day visa for Rwanda and it was again a simple process to stamp the Carnet into Rwanda. Boom, country #110! Once through I waited a few minutes for Sally and Angus (they needed to get a temporary import permit) and then we rode a couple of hours north to Kayonza for lunch. Rwanda drives on the right so their right-hand drive Land Rover was a bit challenging for overtaking but the traffic wasn’t too heavy. Overall, the riding in Rwanda was very relaxed. Great pavement, lots of curvy roads through the lush, green hills and a low, 80 km/h speed limit that was enforced by lots of photo radar made for a pleasant, if wet ride. We were having lunch when a nice gentleman came over and said he and his buddies also rode motorcycles. Katikati was the president of the local motorcycle club and rides a BMW R1250GS. The other guys joined us, and we discovered we had all done the Ubuntu Bikers Ride in January, me in Botswana and them here in Rwanda. What a fabulous coincidence! Then it was another 1.5 hours for the 70 km to Kigali where Sally and Angus were staying at a different place from me. Hopefully we can connect again. And I am not saying that because they bought me Nutella, they are genuinely nice people. I checked into the M Hotel and was surprised how much it remined me of China. It obviously catered to Chinese guests with Chinese instructions and all rooms beginning with the number 8 but even the amenities and quality of construction was the same as hotels in China. I am really enjoying Rwanda so far and looking forward to exploring this small country over the next few days.

A damp crossing

I like your bike!

Wet rice paddies in the valleys

Lush, green hills of Rwanda

Katikati sports a Niagara Falls hat and rides a BMW R1250GS

Hello Ubuntu Riders!

The damp ride continues

Sally is my videographer

It did lighten up a bit closer to Kigali

Good night Kigali!

Tuesday, Wednesday, February 10, 11 – Kigali

It has been a couple of lovely days in Kigali. It is a nice city, not as hectic as other places I could name. The overwhelming first impression upon riding into the city on Tuesday was that there are a lot of moto-taxis. They are certainly the predominant mode of transportation. I have done a fair bit of walking, and it is a pedestrian friendly city as well with good sidewalks. At one point I was walking beside a busy road and someone stepped out into a crosswalk. All the traffic stopped! I couldn’t believe it, so I had to try it myself. Sure enough, when I stepped off the sidewalk into the crosswalk, all the traffic stopped until I was all the way across. Amazing. I walked over to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, commemorating the one million Tutsis massacred in 1994. I can’t possibly describe the emotions one feels when seeing the horrors and hearing the stories of the survivors. It is truly unfathomable how people can do this to their friends and neighbours. The real lesson here is that genocide doesn’t happen overnight, it is a build up over time, starting with something small. That kernel of hatred or mistrust then grows (and is nurtured) until killing the “other” is normalized. This is something we need to watch for in our own lives today. We must not let this happen again. I was glad that Sally and Angus were at the memorial ahead of me and we went for lunch afterwards. It gave us to the opportunity to reflect and talk about what we had seen and try to come to grips with it. One thing that really struck us was how different the Rwanda of today is, how people have been able to overcome the tragedy to build a peaceful society.

Good morning Kigali!

Took a shortcut and found some upaved roads but the houses are still nicely kept up and I didn't feel unsafe at any time

Qutie a few of the moto-taxis are electric with swappable batteries

A battery swapping station

All traffic stops for a pedestrian!

Sally and Angus' Land Rover is already here

Some of the graves of the 250,000 people killed in Kigali

The peacefull gardens give time to reflect

Time for a walk to downtown Kigali (or uptown?)

Lots of moto-taxis available if I didn't want to walk (all required to have a helmet for the customer)

Gorilla statue amidst the highrise construction of Kigali

Nice cafe restaurant; Perk and Plate

Delicious!

In the evening I met up with fellow world traveller Tiffany Coates who had just finished guiding a motorcycle tour of Uganda. It was lovely getting caught up with her. The last time we had met was at the Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Meeting in Nakusp, 15 years ago. It’s always nice talking with someone who knew Audrey as well. As a bonus she had some tips for riding in Uganda.

Long time friend, Tiffany Coates, just finished leading a tour in Uganda and is renting a motorbike to tour around Rwanda

Tiffany takes a moto-taxi back to her hotel

Thursday, February 12 – Kigali to Lake Kivu

What a great day Thursday was. I rode out from Kigali to Lake Kivu to stay near the south end of the lake at Maravilla Resort, a spot recommended by Heidi Van der Merwe whom I had met in Botswana. She had also recommended Asaabe Café so I arranged to meet Tiffany Coates there for lunch. Once clear of the slow-moving traffic of Kigali it was a great ride west, the NR1 remained quite busy. For some reason my GPS wanted me to turn off onto a gravel track, which I thought was odd but rode to the turnoff and checked my map. I had passed a perfectly good highway 10 kilometres back. I doubled back and found a newly paved route that had very little traffic. I got to the café and met up with Tiffany at about 1:30. After lunch she rode with me for a way down the lake and then I continued on what was the most fantastic motorcycle road I have been on in Africa. Perfect pavement, little traffic, almost no straight sections and with only the many speed cameras to spoil the fun. A three-kilometre rocky track led down to the lake and the resort. As I was checking in, the wind came up and a moment later it was accompanied by rain and lightning. It was nice to be watching this from the comfort of my cabin and not descending that rocky track. Friday will then be a lovely ride to the north over the same perfect road to Musanze, where I can visit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Centre and be close to the border for Saturday’s crossing into Uganda for the gorilla trek.

Leaving Kigali on Thursday morning

Missed the turn the first time but now enjoying brand new pavement, not even any road markings yet

Stopped to take a photo of this beautiful view over the mountains of Rwanda

When Il ooked over the edge I was greeted by these surprise waterfalls!

This cyclist was going about 70 km/h (!)

Meeting up with Tiffany at the Asaabe Café

Put the rain gear on again?

Let's ride!

Approaching Lake Kivu

Wow, what a gorgeous lake

Riding with Tiffany

Time to say goodbye while I continue south

Two photos at the same time. One by Tiffany and one by the speed camera

While a perfect road, there is a lot of pedestrian activity

Perfect pavement, perfect curves

Amazing farming on steep hillsides

Lake Kivu, looking twoards the Democratic Republic of Congo

Three kilometre rocky track down to the lake

The fishing boats go out at night, I could hear them singing in the evening as I headed out to the lake

Just when I checked in a storm blew in

Finding some tasty snacks after the rain

That was quite the storm cell

Friday, February 13 – Lake Kivu to Musanze (Kigali)

Thursday evening, I was preparing for Saturday's border crossing to Uganda when I noticed that Uganda doesn’t do visa on arrival anymore. One can only apply online for an evisa according to Uganda Immigration. And it can take a few business days to process. I started filling out the form but had second thoughts when I saw that I needed to pay now. What if it wasn’t ready by Saturday, would I lose the money in addition to not being able to enter Uganda? Maggie from Kori Safaris, who I have the gorilla trek booked with, suggested going to Kigali and applying for the East Africa visa there. So, I packed up early, skipping breakfast (gasp!) and started riding to Kigali instead of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Centre in northern Rwanda. Sally and Angus checked with Immigration while I was riding and when I checked my messages, they said that Immigration couldn’t issue the East Africa visa. They said it needs to be at a point of entry and suggested the airport. Two hours later I was threading my way across Kigali to the airport where I was told that motorcycles are not allowed in the airport. I parked near the pedestrian entrance and walked in. At security I was told there was no way for me to enter and go to Immigration, but they gave me a phone number. I called and had a long chat with a customs officer, but the short version is that I could not get the East Africa visa while I was in the country on another visa (the 30-day free visa I received at the border). I would need to exit Rwanda to a country that I already had a visa for and then re-enter. That would be Tanzania then. I started the 3.5-hour ride back to the Rusumo border crossing, desperate to get a visa for tomorrow’s entry to Uganda and the gorilla trek. One and a half hours later I was at Kayonza (where Sally & Angus and I had lunch a few days ago), still two hours from the border. After a little mental arithmetic I figured I would be back here (with its many accommodation options) by 9:00 PM at the earliest. This was madness. I turned around and went back to Kigali, hitting peak rush hour, where I joined the small motorbikes on the narrow shoulder to overtake kilometre long queues of cars. That night, back at the same hotel I had stayed in previously, I had the first good news of the day. Maggie had contacted someone at the border who could arrange to get the visa on arrival. We'll see how that goes tomorrow. Can you imagine if I missed the gorilla trek because of a simple mistake to take the free visa when I entered Rwanda?

Good morning after the storm at the Maravilla Resort, no time to enjoy it (or breakfast), need to ride back to Kigali

The fishermen returning with their catch and singing as they approach port

After I've packed up and am leaving up the rocky track the fish is being sold and ready to go to market

Flooded rice paddies

Who's that coming the other way? Tiffany!

Taking the milk in

Through Kigali on the way to the airport

After the airport fiasco and riding out to Kayonza and back I'm back in the M Hotel in Kigali. What a day.

The planned ride of 3.5 hours to the mountain gorilla centre, near the border with Uganda

The actual 6 hour ride (not including the time at the airport or traffic delays during rush hour)

Saturday, February 14 – Kigali to Kisoro

After receiving the message on Friday evening from Maggie at Kori Safaris that a fixer would help me obtain the East Africa visa at the Uganda border I slept much better than the night before. So, I woke up refreshed in the M Hotel in Kigali on Saturday morning, ready for the border. Riding through Kigali (again) I thought the traffic was quite heavy for a Saturday morning, but I once again joined the small motorcycles, cyclists and pedestrians on the shoulder, passing long queues of cars. Just outside the city I turned north and climbed up into the hills. The road danced through the mountains, and I passed through towns balanced on ridges, climbing to 2,000 metres. I avoided putting on the rain gear for a quick rain shower but a few minutes later it didn’t work. I had waited too long, and I was properly wet by the time I had struggled into the waterproofs at the side of the road. Still, just after that, the skies really opened up with big, fat drops landing with a splash in the rivers running down the road. The rain eased off by the time I got Musanze where I had originally planned to stay last night. That would have given me plenty of time to visit the Dian Fossey Mountain Gorilla Centre but now I felt some pressure to get to the border and decided to forego the centre. It was only 30 kilometres to the border where I met Anitah. She took my Carnet des Passages to get stamped out of Rwanda and then we went to the combined Rwanda/Uganda immigration centre. After standing in a queue in a light rain for a few minutes I was stamped out of Rwanda. Now it was time for the real test. I filled out a simple form at a desk beside Uganda immigration and took that to the customs officer. After telling him my destination was Kenya, he filled out an East African visa sticker and put it in my passport. Boom, done. Then Anitah took me to pay the road tax (which took all of my exchanged Ugandan schillings) and then I paid her fee in US dollars. I was in Uganda! It was only 10 kilometres to the Ichumbi Hotel in Kisoro. There I met Shelley Robinson, a friend from Canada who is joining me for the gorilla trek and a safari out of Arusha. After getting caught up over dinner it was time for bed as we needed to be up at 5:30 for the drive up to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and our gorilla trek.

Good morning Kigali (again!)

Passing long queues of cars and trucks on the shoulder

Climbing into the hills behind a Diesel-spewing bus

Lots of activity near towns with markets (I like the bicycle-taxis!)

Above Musanze

Stamped the carnet out of Rwanda, now to the Ugandan side for the rest of the formalities

I met a South African rider at the border

Back to riding on the left

Arrived at the Ichumbi Hotel in Kisoro

Do I look ready for the gorillas?

Tracks through Rwanda

Chapter 7: Uganda

Chapter 7: Uganda

Sunday, February 15 – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Gorillas! I woke up at 5:00 AM on Sunday morning and joined Shelley (a friend from Canada who flew in to Uganda specifically to join me on the gorilla trek) at breakfast at 5:30. Our Kori Safaris guide, Isaac, arrived at about 6:00 and soon we were driving into the darkness, climbing up into the mountains. The 30 kilometre drive from our lodge in Kisoro should take approximately one and a half hours. When I had booked the gorilla trek, several months ago, I had wanted to stay at a lodge bordering the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a few hundred metres from the park entrance, but Maggie, the agent at Kori Safaris, suggested that the rough dirt road might not be that much fun on the motorbike. Especially if it was raining. While it wasn’t raining (unlike the day before where I got soaked) I could appreciate her advice as the road was quite rough and would have been challenging on the big bike in the rain. We arrived at the meeting point at 7:30 and joined about 80 other trekkers for an orientation. A group of local women performed an extremely energetic dance at 7:45 and then a park ranger gave the orientation. In the meantime our guide, Isaac, joined the other guides around a desk registering their parties for one of the ten groups. Shelley and I were a bit concerned though, as Isaac was on his phone quite a lot. Soon all the trekkers had joined their groups, leaving us sitting by ourselves. Isaac explained there was a problem with the permit and they were working to fix it but because it was Sunday it was difficult to get a hold of anyone at the head office. We retreated to Jungle Java to wait it out. Finally at about 10:00, Isaac's phone rang and we were cleared to go. But how could we join one of the ten groups now? No problem, the park ranger said, as one of the groups had already returned. That group had walked down a trail from the orientation site while the other groups drove to their respective start points. We entered the jungle with our ranger, Andrew, and Shelley's porter, George, while our rear guard, Ivan, caught up with us down the trail. It was a rough “trail” and progress was quite slow with a bit of slipping and sliding. I slipped right into an enormous depression, sinking to my knee in mud. Elephant tracks! I guess being covered in mud was good for an extra bit of camouflage so as not to startle the gorillas. After 40 minutes or so, Andrew had contacted our trackers, who go out early in the morning to find the gorilla family. We were close! Then we could see foilage moving. We crept closer while the tracker hacked at the jungle with his machete. There he was, a huge male gorilla, sitting in the jungle, snacking on shoots and leaves, while his family roamed the bush near him. It was simply magical. The magic was enhanced by having a “private” tour, with just me and Shelley switching viewing spots every now and again as we crept through the jungle following the family. We had about an hour with the family, getting within a couple of metres at times, and then retreated. We walked away from the gorillas about a hundred metres and sat in the jungle to enjoy our packed lunch. As I sat there I felt something on my neck and swatted it. It felt like a large wet insect or plant and my hand came away wet but I didn’t see what it was. (This is foreshadowing) Then it was another couple of hundred metres to the ranger station where Isaac was waiting to take us back down to Kisoro. What an incredible experience.

5:30 AM breakfast

Arriving at the ranger station

Shelley puts on a coat as it is chilly at 2,000 metres elevation

A welcome dance

Other trekkers are in their respective groups

The groups are leaving

Isaac is still on the phone

Waiting at Jungle Java, just outside the park gate

Enjoying the view while I wait for my African tea

Finally we can start trekking! Shelley, Andrew, George and Ivan

The jungle trail is slippery and steep

Shelley's porter helps her across the bridge

That circular puddle is an elephant footprint. I slipped into one and it was knee deep.

Oh my goodness

Snack time

We had to wear masks for our own protection as well as protecting the gorillas

A gorilla doing its best impression of the Fonz

Away from the gorillas we have our packed lunch

During the day we can see what we drove up in the dark. Marvelling at the farming on the steep volcanic slopes

Who's that coming up the road? Angus and Sally! Check out their Instagram page for their gorilla experience: @donorth_

Monday, February 16 – Kisoro to Nyore Hillside Retreat

After the amazing gorilla trek on Sunday, it was time to hit the road again on Monday. Shelley was going to Queen Elizabeth National Park with Isaac as a continuation of the Kori Safaris trip while I would ride towards Mburo National Park and then we would meet up again in Entebbe. Having only ridden for 10 kilometres in Uganda (from the border on Saturday) I wasn’t sure what to expect so I decided not to go to Mburo in one day. My destination for Monday was Nyore Hillside Retreat. Leaving Kisoro I rode up into the hills over a lovely pass (about 2,400 metres) to Kabale where I joined the main road. But even the main road didn’t have too much traffic and the riding was easy. The landscape changed from lush jungles and mountains to rolling hills and farmland. I turned off the main road in the early afternoon and climbed up a rutted dirt track for about two kilometres to the Nyore Hillside Retreat. I was shown to my grass thatched roof hut and then had a Greek salad for lunch while enjoying the view over the valley.

Leaving Kisoro on a nicely paved road, into the hills

Lovely view of the volcanoes in Rwanda

The road climbs up into the lush, green mountains

At about 2,400 metres elevation

Back down at Kabale and it gets a bit busier

I love the median so that drivers don't cut the corner into oncoming traffic

Into the hills towards Nyore Hillside Retreat

Hopefully it doesn't rain too much, the rutted track wouldn't be a lot of fun in the wet

My grass thatched hut

Lovely accommodation

What a lovely view from the restaurant (listening to thunder from that big dark cloud)

A perfect spot for a Greek salad and a ginger iced tea

Tuesday, February 17 - Nyore Hillside Retreat to Leopard Rest Camp

Tuesday was then a super short ride of only 90 kilometres including 10 kilometres of dirt road to get to the Leopard Rest Camp. So, I had a late departure at 11:00 and rode to Mbarara where I found Café Buffalo on the by-pass. A muffin and an African tea were a perfect accompaniment to doing a bit of people watching. Mbarara is where the road from Tanzania joins the main highway, so after the by-pass there was quite a bit more truck traffic on the road. As I was leaving Mbarara I noticed a safari vehicle up ahead that looked like a Kori Safaris truck. It was Shelley and Isaac! They were going all the way to Entebbe today, so they continued on when I turned off toward Leopard Rest. After a couple of kilometres on the dirt road I stopped for a photo and noticed some black and white horses near the road. Zebras! Later it was warthogs and brown crested cranes and famous long horn cattle. I was doing my own game drive! I met Paula, the owner of the camp, who showed me to my luxury tent and had another relaxing afternoon. Maybe having short riding days isn’t so bad?

Good morning from the Nyore Hillside Retreat!

Helpful signs to navigate back to the highway

Must be in banana country

OK, it's only been 30 kilometres but it's not too early for a break is it?

An African tea (spicy tea made with milk) and a muffin

Hey, a Kori Safaris truck! Yep, it's Shelley and Isaac!

I waved goodbye to Shelley and turned down this ten kilometre dirt track

I stopped to take a photo of the Leopard Rest Camp sign and then I turned around...

What's that black and white horse doing over there?!?

So I started my own little game drive

The famous longhorned cattle

Could be a bit of a road hazard

What a lovely ride into the hills, bordering the Mburo National Park

More wildlife

Pumba!

Arriving at the main lodge for Leopard Rest Camp

Meeting the owner, Paula

My luxury tent for the night

These bumps were getting awfully itchy. From the time I swatted something on my neck on the gorilla trek.

The route from Kisoro to the Nyore Hillside Retreat and on to the Leopard Rest Camp

Wednesday, February 18 – Leopard Rest Camp to Entebbe

On Wednesday I left the Leopard Rest Camp under blue skies and rode the ten kilometres back to the highway. There wasn’t as much game this morning as coming in yesterday, so I was glad I had my own little game drive then. The riding was fairly easy with the exception that I had to take evasive action a few times to avoid a head on collision. As a motorcyclist it was the expectation I would drop down onto the shoulder to make room for oncoming traffic. This was tricky as I was doing 100 km/h, unlike the 125s going 50 and made for some stressful moments. It was a few kilometres of a dusty construction zone before the equator and then the souvenir stalls around the monuments (one on each side of the road). I snapped the obligatory photo and grabbed a couple of fridge magnets before continuing my journey. As seems to be normal at this time of year, scattered thunderstorms were the order of the afternoon. I hit the next construction zone in a downpour, getting properly muddy. It was still raining lightly when I had to make a decision. Should I take the dirt road to a ferry or should I ride into chaotic Kampala and then the expressway to Entebbe. Fortunately, when I pulled over I noticed a bakery. Decisions always go better with a tea and a scone. Tiffany had sent me the ferry schedule, and I determined that I would probably miss the 2:00 o'clock ferry and have to wait for the 3:30. That and the idea of ten kilometres of muddy dirt road had me choose the expressway. The traffic did get more chaotic the closer I got to Kampala but it never came to a complete halt, so it was OK and then, after paying the 3,000 schilling toll, the expressway was dreamy. No traffic and a perfect four-lane divided highway for forty kilometres to Entebbe.

This mirror does not lie

Out on another game drive back to the highway

Some longhorned road hazards to contend with

Brown-crested cranes amongst the zebras

Back on the busy highway (the towns are always a bit chaotic)

One foot in summer and one foot in winter

Those clouds look ominous

OK, got the rain gear on in time

Ugh. Through a construction zone.

At Bread Time Cafe to make the decision

Straight south via the dirt road and the ferry or into Kampala and the expressway?

Decisions always go better with tea and a scone

The expressway route starts with going into Kampala first.

Chaotic but not unduly so

Paid my 3,000 schillings and ready to ride the expressway

Well, isn't this lovely?

Thursday, February 19 - Entebbe

As you know, I like to visit the capital city of a country in order to experience the best museums and galleries. But the national museum in Kampala has been closed since 2024 so that’s when I decided to join Shelley in Entebbe. On Thursday, Shelley and I visited the botanical garden and the wildlife conservation centre in Entebbe. The garden was enjoyable as we had a guide who showed us things like frankincense and pointed out colobus monkeys in the treetops. The conservation centre was just a sad zoo and a bit of a bust. The highlight being the chimpanzees that I hadn’t seen in Queen Elizabeth Park.

Shelley and I go to the nearby botanical gardens and hire a guide

Vervet monkeys are plentiful and precocious

An Egyptian goose struts its stuff

Visiting with the chimpanzees!

Mental note; don't go running through the forests and spider webs

Yikes

Colobus monkeys hiding in the tree tops

While vervet monkeys run around down below

Wildlife Conservation Centre (zoo)

The chimpanzees would have been good to see in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Nice to see the chimps here though

Seems nice and warm to me

Why do we need a patio heater?

Friday, February 20 – Entebbe to Busia

Time to move on, out of Uganda. My time here was all too short, as there is much left to explore. I packed up at the K Hotel in Entebbe on Friday morning and said goodbye to Shelley. We'll meet again in Arusha for a four-day safari in the Serengeti. She's off to Zanzibar first and I am on my way to Nairobi to get a long overdue service done on the bike (the last service was in Seville at Boxer Motorrad!). I was a little concerned about the traffic around Kampala, so I left a bit later, hopefully missing rush hour. The ride up the expressway was again absolutely dreamy and then the Northern Bypass was also very good four-lane divided highway. Until it wasn’t. Construction detoured all the traffic onto one side of the freeway, and it was a bit tight to squeeze between trucks and the barrier so it was slow going for a couple of kilometres. But then the bypass was again free flowing. So, Kampala wasn’t a problem. The problem started when I left Kampala on a busy two-lane road with lots of truck traffic. I understand that motorcyclists are persona non grata, but it still made for a stressful drive all the way to the border town of Busia. I had to take evasive action to avoid head on collisions about a dozen times. Every oncoming truck needed my complete attention in case a minibus darted out to pass into my lane and force me to drop down onto the shoulder. So, it was nice when I crossed the Victoria Nile at Jinja to take a well-deserved break from the chaos. A Nutella (!) and banana milkshake calmed my nerves. As did the lovely people who came over to chat when they saw the bike. Really, Ugandans are so friendly. At least when they aren’t driving a minibus. After a few more hours of riding I turned off the highway that leads to the busy border crossing at Tororo and took the quieter road to Busia. I stayed at the Meltonia Luxury Inn, just a few hundred metres from the border. It was like a quiet oasis compared to the chaos outside the gates. As I was getting ready to go to dinner there was a knock on my door. A young man asked if I wanted my motorcycle washed. I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

Goodbye Shelley, see you in Arusha!

Off to the border

Back on the wonderful tollway

Heading southeast from Kampala and the traffic becomes a bit more intense

Motorcycles are expected to be on the shoulder, passing on the left

See that minibus peeking out from behind the truck? Keep an eye on it...

Passing through an area where they produce my drug of choice: Sugar

Crossing the "Source of the Nile Bridge" in Jinja

The Victoria Nile

Time for a well-deserved break

Don't worry, the healthy fruit plate was followed by chicken strips and fries

I'm hoping to beat the rain to Busia

Uganda has been a very clean country so I was surprised to see all the garbage as I approached Busia, the border town

That is one filthy motorcycle

Getting a much-deserved wash. While I beat the rain to Busia, my washer had help with an extra rinse cycle from the storm

Saturday, February 21 – Busia

Saturday morning I was thus at the border nice and early. I didn’t think I needed a fixer but after being pestered for a while I thought if it makes my life a bit easier then why not? So my fixer took care of getting the carnet stamped (jumping the queue), road tax for Kenya and the mandatory insurance while I got my passport stamped out of Uganda (needing to show my Yellow Fever vaccination card) and into Kenya. An hour later I was in Kenya and ready to ride in the direction of Nairobi.

Good morning Busia! A few hundred metres to the border.

My fixer doesn't seem absolutely delighted. But I am. I am in Kenya!

Tracks through Uganda

Chapter 8: Kenya

Saturday, February 21 – Busia, Uganda to Sahara Gardens, Bomet, Kenya

Welcome to Kenya! The border formalities were completed by 9:30 AM on Saturday morning and then I started my ride towards Nairobi, with plans to stop about halfway there. My initial impression of riding in Kenya was that the oncoming traffic wasn’t nearly as aggressive as in eastern Uganda. But then I realized that there wasn’t really a shoulder for motorcyclists to ride on. Ten or twenty kilometres out of Busia the shoulder was back (a narrow strip of rough pavement with a few centimetres drop from the actual roadway) and oncoming traffic became a bit more aggressive in forcing bikes off the road. On the plus side, speeds were a bit lower (80 versus 100) so it was easier to dive onto the shoulder when I needed to. By 12:30 I had reached Kisumu, on the shores of Lake Victoria, where I stopped at an ATM and topped up my Kenyan schillings in addition to what I had exchanged at the border. As I returned to the bike a young woman got out of a black SUV and said hello. We chatted for a bit and after exchanging WhatsApp numbers I headed off to find a café for lunch. I had stopped at the side of the road, and someone came up to say hello, so I asked them. Their recommendation didn’t work out, but I did come to the realization that Kenyans, in addition to being friendly like people in other countries, were also not shy about coming up to me. I eventually decided that the nice-looking Imperial Hotel must have a café and wandered in where I was shown to the rooftop bar. It had a great view over Kisumu and a glimpse of Lake Victoria. The samosas and a Stoney were a nice break and soon I was ready to tackle the rest of the ride. About 50 kilometres from my destination near Bomet the GPS turned me off the main highway and onto a smaller road with much less traffic and almost no trucks. The road wound its way up to about 2,000 metres where there were enormous tea estates spread over the hillsides. That 30 kilometres was the most enjoyable riding since going over the pass near Kisoro. Back on another main highway I rode the remaining 20 kilometres to the Sahara Gardens where a conference was in full swing and the place was hopping with activity. I was shown to my room and then enjoyed a delicious African tea in the lounge; grateful I had made it before the usual afternoon thunderstorms.

Border cleared at 9:30, let's ride in Kenya!

The first few kilometres doesn't have much of a shoulder so oncoming traffic isn't too bad

Soon there is a passable shoulder to ride at 40 km/h on a small bike and I am expected to ride there

Downtown Kisumu

Nice view over Kisumu and a glimpse of Lake Victoria from the rooftop bar at the Imperial Hotel

Samosas and a Tangawizi ginger beer for lunch

Sometimes it's just easier to ride on the shoulder

Oh wow, this is a nice road, climbing into the hills

Light traffic except for a few smaller towns (watch for goats)

Look at those tea plantations!

What a beautiful green carpet

Arrive at the Sahara Gardens near Bomet. (By the way this is nothing like the Sahara I was in a few months ago)

Sunday, February 22 – Sahara Gardens to Nairobi

I woke up to the sound of a steady rain (which might be considered a bit of a miracle if this was the real Sahara), not too enthusiastic about riding to Nairobi. Fortunately by the time I had finished my breakfast the rain had stopped and it was warm and cloudy. Even the bike cover had dried by the time I had packed up and then rode the short distance to the highway. It was about 80 kilometres to the town of Narok where I found a Shell station to fuel up. Prices in Africa have been pretty similar, around $2.00 per litre and Kenya was no different. As soon as I stopped by the pump a crowd slowly gathered, peppering me with questions. Yep, Kenyans are friendly and not at all shy. What really struck me about Narok though was that the town seemed to be overrun with safari vehicles. I imagine the big draw is the Maasai Mara, south of Narok. Ten or twenty kilometres out of town, I found a quiet spot to have a drink of water and a spoonful of Nutella at the side of the road. But of course, it wasn’t long before I was again surrounded by people, peppering me with questions and wanting to exchange WhatsApp numbers. Good fun really. (Of course, now WhatsApp on my phone is blowing up with messages) Continuing my ride east towards Nairobi I noticed that it was raining on a line of hills in the distance. The GPS said I would be turning south and I really hoped that would be the case, so that I could avoid the rain as the road ran parallel to the hills. The turn to the south was in the town of Maai Mahiu, and the rain was falling just a few hundred metres up the hill. I turned right onto a busy road that was jam-packed with trucks. Still, no rain so maybe I had lucked out. But no, the road climbed up the hill and soon it started to rain. Heavily. The road was narrow, and the trucks were crawling along at a walking pace. There was no place to pull over. So, there I was, slipping the clutch, slowly riding in Diesel exhaust fumes and getting wetter by the minute. Soon rivers were running down the road. Finally, a place to pull over! I was quite wet by this point, but I figured putting on the rain gear would prevent me from getting totally soaked. Back in the line of trucks, a few kilometres up the road, I found a viewpoint and pulled across the road to have a look. I could see down to the plains below, where I had been riding a little while ago, and it was still dry there. This was a stationary rain event hanging over the ridge. Looking up to the summit I could see the rain was going to intensify. I got back on the bike and splashed on, through the rivers running across the road and down the other side of the ridge. After a construction detour (thank goodness, it was paved) I ended up on a four-lane divided highway running straight into Nairobi. Only by good luck did I manage to turn off the expressway, looking for my exit, and avoiding the toll road that the expressway turned into. Then it was fun playing in traffic, filtering my way through, until I got to the PrideInn Azure Hotel. That evening, before supper, I walked over to the BMW dealer where I would be bringing the bike on Monday morning and was happy to find it was a short walk and will be an even shorter ride tomorrow. Then it was time to watch the Gold Medal hockey game between Canada and the USA on CBC’s YouTube channel in the hotel’s coffee shop.

It had quit raining at the Sahara Gardens by this time but the forecast didn't look good for riding into Nairobi

A few hundred metres back to the highway

Traffic is fairly light, but always be ready to drop down onto the shoulder

Wide load in Narok

Narok is the epicentre of safari trucks

That doesn't sound good

Oh, I can see why this would be a Black Spot, a narrow bridge at the bottom of a hill from each direction

Stop for a break and soon enough I have company

And more company

Riding east

Road hazards

Uh, oh. That looks like steady rain in the hills. Hopefully the road turns south just before the hills.

Maai Mahiu. The road turns right at the intersection with the rain in the hills. I made it!

Nope, raining and stuck in a line of trucks crawling at a walking pace up the mountain with no place to pull over

A viewpoint on the other side of the road

Those are the sunny plains I was on before Maai Mahiu

A line of trucks crawling up the hill

And the rain is going to intensify

The outskirts of Nairobi and take off the rain jacket and gloves to be a bit more comfortable riding in the city

Lane discipline is non-existent

If you have ever been stuck behind a Diesel bus in the developing world you'll appreciate the electrification of the fleet

Pulling into the PrideInn, just a short walk away from the BMW dealer

Then the rain storm catches up with me, fortunately I am inside

Time for the gold medal hockey game!

In the hotel's coffee shop having a "Black Forest Cake" and watching the game.

Monday, February 23 – Nairobi

On Monday morning I rode the bike a few hundred metres to the Inchcape BMW service centre. There the first order of business was to give the bike a good pressure wash before doing the service. I have been happy with the Heidenau Scouts on the bike (I’ve used them on other long trips too) and they would probably last until Johannesburg but Cape Town might be a stretch. Since I was getting a service done I might as well combine everything in one stop rather than taking a day in Johannesburg to do the tires. BMW didn’t have tires but a parts and accessories shop known as Rad254 had a set of Michelin Anakee Adventures in stock in my size. So I hopped in an Uber to their shop to pick up the tires and bring them back to BMW for mounting. Rad254 didn’t accept credit cards so I withdrew the maximum from a nearby ATM and paid cash. Back at BMW I was told they actually don’t do the mounting, it is farmed out to another shop who also only takes cash. Well, the tires already took almost all my cash so Peter, the service manager, called over a boda (moto-taxi) who then ferried me to another ATM. It was kind of fun being on the little bike where the rider had to seriously slip the clutch in order to get 115 kilos of Ekke moving. Back at BMW I paid the cash for the tire mounting and walked back to the hotel to do some other mid-trip chores. Like getting the motorcycle gear washed and updating the website. Later in the afternoon I got the call the bike was ready. I arrived just as the mechanic was giving the bike a coating of Armour All. It now looks too nice to ride. I might have to take the bus to Arusha.

A good cleaning before starting work

Doing the 10,000 km service (250,000 km)

Picking up new tires in an Uber

A quick ride to the bank on a boda

The bike is too clean to ride

Tuesday, February 24 – Nairobi

With the serious work completed on Monday, Tuesday was dedicated to a bit of sightseeing. I took an Uber to the National Museum and was greeted by hundreds of school children, lined up to enter the museum. So, it was a noisy visit. But easily the best history museum of the trip (not counting the Genocide Memorial in Kigali) with great exhibits on Kenyan history, art, animals, and early humans. Sharing the museum with the school kids was a lot of fun too. I couldn’t help thinking how Audrey would have engaged with them, she just seemed to have a magic touch with children. Since it was Audrey’s birthday tomorrow and I would be travelling, I thought I should have a special lunch. I took another Uber, this time to Cultiva, a restaurant Sally and Angus recommended. Traffic was dreadful but it was worth the long ride. At first, I was concerned when I was asked if I had a reservation, but then they found me a table. Whew. Certainly, one of the best meals of the trip. Finished off by a tiramisu that rivaled any that I’ve ever had before. This is the mid-point of the trip. Now, with the bike serviced and clothes washed it's time to head south, back towards Cape Town.

Lots of school children lined up for the museum

The calm before the storm

The mammal exhibit

Since I had just gone to see the mountain gorillas these mammals were of particular interest

I loved the early human history section

Trade between East Africa and the Middle East and Asia

Even a nice art gallery upstairs

Sally and Angus had recommended this restaurant, perfect for celebrating Audrey's birthday

Almost a full house on a Tuesday afternoon

One of the best meals of the trip and one Audrey would have enjoyed

Best tiramisu I have had in a very long time

Wednesday and Thursday, February 25 and 26 – Nairobi to Ol Donyo Orok Camp to Arusha

Wednesday, February 25th, marked Audrey's birthday and also the turnaround point of the trip. While I had technically reached the northern-most point of the trip at Jinja, Uganda; Nairobi felt like the real start of the return ride to Cape Town. The bike was serviced, and had new tires, I washed the motorcycle gear and was ready to head south. I could probably have made it to Arusha in one day, but I prefer border crossings in the morning and I wanted Audrey's birthday to be special. I had booked a tented lodge near the border that also operated as a wildlife rescue centre. Nairobi is famous for some serious traffic, and it took nearly an hour to wind my way out of downtown. Traffic cops directed traffic at roundabouts and at one roundabout it seemed like my direction didn’t get any love for ages. So eventually I tried squeezing the big BMW through the traffic jam like the small bikes were doing. I only clipped one wing mirror on my journey to the front where I ducked behind the cop and simply rode through the roundabout. After clearing Nairobi and its suburbs I saw a nice-looking restaurant called Rebar and thought a cappuccino would be nice. And wouldn’t it be nice if it was accompanied by poached eggs on toast? Yum. While enjoying my break I got a text from the Ol Donyo Orok Camp asking for my arrival time and if I would like lunch. Sure, as long as it is light so as not to spoil my dinner. An hour later I turned up a dirt track towards the mountain with the same name as the camp. I was greeted at reception by my favourite person at the lodge. The chef. I was shown to my lovely tent/cabin and after freshening up I went for the light lunch. Their definition of light was different from mine as I had a salad followed by a plate full of rice, chips, roasted vegetables and chicken in a mushroom sauce. Teatime was at 4:30 and dinner at 7:00. Aside from a couple of kudus I didn’t see any of the rescue animals between meals. Dinner was again over the top, starting with soup and a salad before the main course with beef, fish cakes, rice, mashed potatoes and spinach. I couldn’t finish it. It was a quiet evening as I was the only guest, and the Internet didn’t work very well. But what a special way to celebrate Audrey’s birthday.

The ride so far, from Cape Town to Nairobi

Reset the trip meter

Out into Nairobi traffic

Traffic police directing traffic at the roundabouts

Finally, clear of Nairobi

Found a nice looking restaurant

Poached eggs on toast and a cappuccino

Might be a spot of rain in the forecast

Mount Ol Donyo Orok

After a short dirt track I am at the lodge

Who greets me upon arrival? The chef of course!

Nice tent for the night

A "light" lunch

A Superb Starling in the rain

Thursday morning, I did manage to see a couple of the rescue animals including a couple of ostriches and a giraffe. After a hearty breakfast I was on my way to the border, just 23 kilometres away. A few fixers came over when I registered at the security gate, but I waved them off, knowing that this should be an easy border since I already had the Tanzanian visa and the carnet just needed to be stamped. It was indeed easy, until it wasn’t. Passport stamped out of Kenya, passport into Tanzania and then carnet out of Kenya. See, I don’t need no stinkin' fixer. I asked the woman at Tanzanian customs to stamp my carnet into the country. She said something I didn’t quite get but it sounded like “agent”. She went to another officer and then I had a discussion with her about only needing the carnet stamped, I didn’t need an agent. But she insisted that unless I was able to use my phone to register, I needed an agent. And in hindsight that is exactly what the first fixer (who had followed me along all the way) had said. So, I turned to him and he called someone else who took all my paperwork and then got to work on his phone. 20 minutes later (and US$20 poorer) the same woman who I first spoke to signed my carnet. Back in Tanzania! It was a couple of hours to Arusha where I met Shelley at the Shoki Shoki Lodge, and we prepared for tomorrow’s start of our safari.

Good morning!

A few of the rescue animals

A rescue kudu

Another superb starling

Tracks across Kenya

Chapter 9: Tanzania and a Safari

Chapter 9: Tanzania and a Safari

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Home / Ride to Mountain Gorillas | 2026

Ride to Mountain Gorillas | 2026

Chapter 1: Arrival in Cape Town

January 9 - 12: Calgary to Cape Town!

The Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof on a snowy, cold dayI came all this way for "Canadian Streetfood"?I have never, ever seen currywurst at any Canadian streetfoodIn addition to currywurst, Frankfurt is also a financial capitalDowntown FrankfurtBack at the airport I share a moment with Albert Einstein

The Tablecoth on Table Mountain

Good night Cape Town!

January 13: Capetown

January 14 – 16: Capetown

Chapter 2: Heading North

Chapter 2: Heading North

January 17: Cape Town to Gordons Bay

January 18, 19: Gordons Bay to Victoria West

January 20: Victoria West to Kimberley

January 21, 22: Kimberley to Mahikeng and the border with Botswana

Tracks through South Africa

Chapter 3: Botswana

Chapter 3: Botswana

Thursday, January 22 to Friday, January 23 – Mahikeng, South Africa to Gaborone, Botswana

Saturday, January 24 – Gaborone to Palapye

Leaving Gaborone

NorthboundA comprehensive museum about Seretse Khama IIIKhama III, one of the Three Dikgosi played an important role in the birth of BotswanaKhama III in a KgotlaSeretse Khama, the first president of Botswana, married a white woman in the UK

Sunday January 25 – Palapye to Nata

Gathering for the Ubuntu Bikers Breakfast RunGetting the rider's briefing from the organizer and the policeHeading out behind our police escortMy new pillion, MasegoStop at a village for more mingling with new friends

All the bikes lined up

Monday, January 26 – Nata to Kasane

Tuesday, January 27 – Kasane to Livingstone, Zambia

Map of my ride through BotswanaChapter 4: Zambia

Chapter 4: Zambia

Tuesday and Wednesday, January 27 and 28 – Kasane, Botswana to Livingstone, Zambia

Thursday and Friday, January 29 and 30 – Livingstone to Lusaka

Saturday, January 31 – Lusaka to Fika Lodge

Sunday, February 1 – Fika Lodge to Mpika

Monday, February 2 – Mpika to Isoka

Tuesday, February 3 – Isoka to the border of Tanzania

Tracks through Zambia

Chapter 5: Tanzania

Chapter 5: Tanzania

Tuesday, February 3 – Zambian border to Utengule Coffee Lodge (near Mbeya)

Richard the fixer sends me the insurance documents

Wednesday, February 4 – Utengule Coffee Lodge to the Old Farmhouse

Thursday, February 5 – the Old Farmhouse to Dodoma

Saturday, February 7 – Dodoma to Igunga

Sunday, February 8 – Igunga to Nyakansanza

Monday, February 9 – Nyakasanza to Rwanda Border

Tracks through TanzaniaChapter 6: Rwanda

Chapter 6: Rwanda

Monday, February 9 – Tanzania border to Kigali, Rwanda

A damp crossingI like your bike!Wet rice paddies in the valleysLush, green hills of RwandaKatikati sports a Niagara Falls hat and rides a BMW R1250GSHello Ubuntu Riders!The damp ride continuesSally is my videographer

It did lighten up a bit closer to KigaliGood night Kigali!

Tuesday, Wednesday, February 10, 11 – Kigali

Thursday, February 12 – Kigali to Lake Kivu

Friday, February 13 – Lake Kivu to Musanze (Kigali)

Saturday, February 14 – Kigali to Kisoro

Tracks through RwandaChapter 7: Uganda

Chapter 7: Uganda

Sunday, February 15 – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

5:30 AM breakfastArriving at the ranger stationShelley puts on a coat as it is chilly at 2,000 metres elevationA welcome dance

Monday, February 16 – Kisoro to Nyore Hillside Retreat

Tuesday, February 17 - Nyore Hillside Retreat to Leopard Rest Camp

Wednesday, February 18 – Leopard Rest Camp to Entebbe

Thursday, February 19 - Entebbe

Friday, February 20 – Entebbe to Busia

Saturday, February 21 – Busia

Good morning Busia! A few hundred metres to the border.My fixer doesn't seem absolutely delighted. But I am. I am in Kenya!

Tracks through Uganda

Chapter 8: Kenya

Saturday, February 21 – Busia, Uganda to Sahara Gardens, Bomet, Kenya

Sunday, February 22 – Sahara Gardens to Nairobi

Monday, February 23 – Nairobi

A good cleaning before starting workDoing the 10,000 km service (250,000 km)Picking up new tires in an UberA quick ride to the bank on a bodaThe bike is too clean to ride

Tuesday, February 24 – Nairobi

Wednesday and Thursday, February 25 and 26 – Nairobi to Ol Donyo Orok Camp to Arusha

Tracks across KenyaChapter 9: Tanzania and a Safari

Chapter 9: Tanzania and a Safari

Northbound

A comprehensive museum about Seretse Khama III

Khama III, one of the Three Dikgosi played an important role in the birth of Botswana

Khama III in a Kgotla

Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana, married a white woman in the UK

Gathering for the Ubuntu Bikers Breakfast Run

Getting the rider's briefing from the organizer and the police

Heading out behind our police escort

My new pillion, Masego

Stop at a village for more mingling with new friends

Map of my ride through Botswana

Chapter 4: Zambia

Tracks through Tanzania

Chapter 6: Rwanda

A damp crossing

I like your bike!

Wet rice paddies in the valleys

Lush, green hills of Rwanda

Katikati sports a Niagara Falls hat and rides a BMW R1250GS

Hello Ubuntu Riders!

The damp ride continues

Sally is my videographer

It did lighten up a bit closer to Kigali

Good night Kigali!

Tracks through Rwanda

Chapter 7: Uganda

5:30 AM breakfast

Arriving at the ranger station

Shelley puts on a coat as it is chilly at 2,000 metres elevation

A welcome dance

Good morning Busia! A few hundred metres to the border.

My fixer doesn't seem absolutely delighted. But I am. I am in Kenya!

A good cleaning before starting work

Doing the 10,000 km service (250,000 km)

Picking up new tires in an Uber

A quick ride to the bank on a boda

The bike is too clean to ride

Tracks across Kenya

Chapter 9: Tanzania and a Safari