*Note: We’ve had challenges getting this tour of a lifetime back up and running since Covid – with border issues and accomodation. But we’re working on it and are as keen as mustard to get dates confirmed. We may even do an abridged tour prior to the big one – just to get back into the continent and reconnect with our routes and network. Billy has been out to recce the routes. We’ll keep you in the loop if you send us your email or sign up for newsletter.
Also, for a long time we’ve been considering adding 4×4’s to the group – so if you don’t ride – you can STILL JOIN THE ADVENTURE! Watch this space. Thanks xx
Have your own Long Way Down with me and my good mate Billy Biketruck next Sept/Oct and have the ride of a lifetime from Cape Town to Victoria Falls via Namibia and Botswana – finishing at the awesome Victoria Falls hotel. Or onward through Zimbabwe, Botswana and into South Africa before exploring the Kingdom in the Mountains, Lesotho. Ride down the infamous Sani Pass, and the beautiful Garden Route back to Cape Town – or do the whole lot – Cape Town to Cape Town. This is our regular double trip and it’s getting better and better! Mica, from the USA was one of about 20 who joined our Cape Town to Victoria Falls trip a while back and with nice helmet cam and digital camera, he’s crafted some pretty cool segments and also ran a trip blog.
You can check out the video here http://youtu.be/p4GTmh91tRE and the blog account here http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=725446.
Another couple of riders created youtube bits – here are a few:
We enjoyed the life on the road and stayed in some awesome lodges – sometimes way out in the desert or on the banks of the Zambezi river and some right in the swamps – surrounded by crocodile, hippo and lion. Staying in some lovely lodges and some simple ones too – gives you a real taste of Africa.
The upward trip starts in Sept and will cover around 5,000 kilometres and 4 countries, in about 18 days through Africa’s most amazing countryside. Across open plains, through dense bush-land, forest and barren desert – this is a truly amazing journey, the first leg ending in Victoria Falls – on the Zimbabwe side.
The second leg starts just a few days after and heads South through Zimbabwe, sneaking into Botswana through a tiny little bush border and then back into South Africa’s thriving city, Joburg. This year we found ourselves in a herd of elephants as we crossed the border – we were glad to have Billy with us, who’s a qualified field guide! What an experience. Leaving Johannesburg we cross an easy border into Lesotho – known as the ‘Kingdom in the Mountains‘ before enjoying the famous Garden Route of South Africa back into Cape Town. The trip uses BMW bikes primarily – a combination of 1200’s, 800’s. Knobbly tyres and Garmin Zumo GPS’s and we’re off. We will also have room for partners or family who would rather be in one of the support vehicles – or you can just rent one of our 4×4’s and not even ride a bike at all. This means that sometimes family can get ahead of the riders and laze at the pool or explore till the riders get in.
If you want to come – but worry that it’s too hard – it’s certainly not an enduro – it’s sometimes challenging and borders can be frustrating, but well within the reach of most competent riders. We always recommend that riders should have completed an off road riding course in your home country, just to set you up and give you some confidence for the trip. Billy Biketruck, based in Ireland also offers low ratio or one on one training prior to the trip – contact him at billy@charleyboorman.com In the UK and Ireland. Remember, it’s an Adventure Ride – it’s not a race, not an enduro – it’s about culture, travel, sights, fun and riding, all wrapped into one – it’s about feeling the sense of Africa – the good bits and the challenging bits! Once you’ve been to Africa – you’ll come back!
We’ve had a bit of a break with Covid and missed three years of Africa. The good news is that Charley and Billy will continue on with their Australian and African tours for 2023/4/5 and onwards. Our new booking site has had numerous delays – again, thanks to Covid but in the coming weeks we hope to have it live – so please bear with us and watch this space. If you’d like to express an interest please email billy@charleyboorman.com – we are optimistic and hope to see 2024/5 as a bumper year for international travel and adventures!
So what are you waiting for – Africa, get your interest on the record now by emailing billy@charleyboorman.com and we’ll be updating you shortly with a new website showing the routes and letting you pay your booking deposit.
Charley xx
