Trans-Africa: Equator Motorcycle Expedition

Early in the morning we start from Accra along the Gulf of Guinea to the border with Togo.

We cross the Voodoo land of Togo and Benin. In Benin, we make a stop in the legendary Voodoo stronghold of Ouidah. There we take a moment of remembrance at the 'Way of No Return' – a place where over 200,000 slaves were taken to other continents. For us, this point also marks the 'Way of No Return' of our Trans Africa motorcycle journey.

Via the heavily trafficked coastal road, we reach the border crossing into Nigeria. After the time-consuming border formalities and completing all paperwork, we make our way through the heavy traffic to the gates of hell – Lagos. In Lagos, we enjoy the comforts of a 5-star hotel, where Philipp awaits us, who has organized the routing through Nigeria. This is important, as in Nigeria it feels like every ten kilometers a checkpoint is set up, where normally passports and vehicle papers are checked. Thanks to our booked escort service, we are allowed to pass the checkpoints without having to stop.

This small border crossing does not have any travel stamps or the ability to stamp the carnet papers of the motorcycles. Our contact person in Cameroon will take care of this as soon as we reach the capital, Yaoundé. There, Fred awaits us to maintain the motorcycles and change the tires. In Yaoundé, we allow ourselves a day off and discuss the next leg of the journey across the bush of Cameroon. The following days are very strenuous, with no notable civilization – one of the most exciting and beautiful stages in West Africa.

Next, we arrive at the border with the Republic of Congo, where we glide along well-paved asphalt roads. We spend the night in a special camp with the gorillas. Traveling up the river, we take a speedboat to see the last three silverback gorillas of the region and experience an impressive species that can now only be observed in countries like Ghana or the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, the first known HIV case was registered in 1959, presumably caused by the consumption of bushmeat (chimpanzees and gorillas share 98% of our genes). Welcome to the 'hell' of Kinshasa! With escort service, we will navigate the city safely and reach the border with Angola.

Along the South Atlantic, we cross Angola and make a supply stop in Luanda. We continue south, passing through the highlights of Benguela and Lobito, until we reach the border with Namibia. Motorcycle trips through Angola are a highlight for every biker – among other reasons, because fuel here costs only about €0.22 per liter.

The border crossing into Namibia has become more complicated, as Europeans now require a visa, which we obtain at the border. In Namibia, there is the opportunity to stay overnight at Westgate and take a day trip to the legendary Etosha pan to see the 'Big Five' – although the chances are somewhat lower outside of the dry season.

South Africa – the last country of our motorcycle expedition – offers a comparatively relaxed stage along the coast, past the Namaqua National Park, to the 'Rainbow City' of Cape Town. Upon arriving in Cape Town, we are greeted by Werner, who will clean the motorcycles and prepare them for the return trip to Europe. On our last evening, we still have time to visit Table Mountain and celebrate the conclusion of this adventurous expedition with our tour guide Jürgen in one of the legendary restaurants.