Transafrica West Route: Small Group Expedition to Cape Town

The route runs right across Spain by way of Málaga into Andalusia. We cross the wide plains of the Meseta and reach Algeciras, at the meeting point of Atlantic and Mediterranean. Here we get the vehicles and the paperwork ready for the ferry crossing to Africa.

After the crossing we drive through the green northwest, known as the country's vegetable garden, and reach Marrakesh. A full day is left for the old town, the souks and the tanneries. On the Djemaa el Fna we drift between street performers and spices and stock up for the stages further south.

From Ouarzazate we follow tracks and back roads deeper into southern Morocco, on the trail of the old Dakar pistes. Sand, heat and corrugations take turns. The night is spent in a kasbah in the middle of the desert sand, with a sky full of stars instead of Netflix.

We pass Tan-Tan and reach the most resource-rich part of the Western Sahara in the Guelmim Oued Noun region. For kilometre after kilometre there is nothing but the Atlantic on the left and the desert on the right. Checkpoints are handled with patience and the paperwork we prepared in advance.

The last stretch of the Western Sahara runs through a mix of sandy plains and rocky desert, on roads that run dead straight for kilometres. Between the border posts at Guerguerat lies a stretch of no man's land lined with mines. Full attention is required here before we reach Mauritanian soil.

Deep in the Sahara the track takes everything you have. Soft sand, dune fields and corrugations force constant choices of line, and anyone who gets stuck is dug out by the group. Along the coast lies the Banc d'Arguin National Park, where desert and ocean meet head on.

We enter Senegal at the Diama border post, well away from the notorious commotion at Rosso. The route leads to Saint Louis, a charming colonial town at the mouth of the Senegal River. We are now in the Sahel, the transition between the Sahara to the north and the dry savannah to the south.

In Dakar we arrange most of the remaining visas, and between offices and embassies there is time to service the vehicles. The city gave its name to what is probably the most legendary rally in the world: the Paris Dakar first set off in 1979 and had its final finish on the beach, not far from Lac Rose, where the salty water shimmers pink in the evening sun. There we raise our glasses to reaching this milestone.

We enter Guinea at a small border post, a country full of challenges, traditional villages and famously empty filling stations. Fuel has been scarce ever since the main fuel depot in Conakry blew up in December 2023. Red laterite tracks wind through green hills, and sudden downpours turn them into slippery work.

Depending on fuel availability we reach Kankan, with around 191,000 inhabitants the third largest city in Guinea and a busy hub of markets and mosques. The population is young, hospitable and ethnically diverse, with groups such as the Malinké, Peul and Soussou. In the villages women pound cassava, children wave and laugh, and over open fires steaming pots of rice and smoked fish make an aromatic welcome.

Passing Yamoussoukro, the expedition rolls through the interior, where the vast basilica appears unexpectedly among the palms. Depending on how the group is feeling we take surfaced link roads or more adventurous routes over sandy tracks and through mangrove forests that run like green veins through the humid lowlands.

Welcome to Ghana. We drive along the South Atlantic through authentic fishing villages. Old slave forts such as Cape Coast are reminders of a dark history, the people are warm, and English makes everyday life easier.

We fight our way towards Accra through what feels like endless roadworks. In 2025 this turned into a marathon day, a grinding stage that tests you physically and mentally. We spend the night in a simple, clean and lovingly run guesthouse near an industrial estate, unpromising from the outside but surprisingly good inside, and we build in a buffer day for maintenance. A workshop lies a stone's throw away and is the central point of contact for sourcing spare parts.

In Porto Novo, the capital of Benin, we pass the parliament building and shortly afterwards reach Cotonou, the buzzing economic centre where mopeds swarm through the streets in their thousands. Another legendary lodge is waiting there, right on the South Atlantic. At sunset we talk through the route ahead together and treat ourselves to a swim in the sea before Nigeria.

Once the teeming metropolis is behind us, the route runs through varied landscapes and fertile farmland. It feels as though there is a checkpoint every ten kilometres, where the guide produces the papers for the expedition vehicle and you show your passport, often accompanied by drawn out discussions to avoid paying any fees. We are prepared and keep the group close together.

In the morning the barrier lifts and we cross into authoritarian Cameroon. After about 20 kilometres we reach a village hut, recognisable as a border station only by its flag, which issues no entry stamps. Without a stamp we drive on and look for somewhere to spend the night.

On the way to Yaoundé we spend one more night in the open and use up the last supplies from the expedition kitchen. Once in Yaoundé, after days of dust, sweat and dirt, you treat yourself to a shower and a little recovery in a comfortable four-star hotel. An experienced local mechanic is already waiting here with spanner and hammer in hand to do what needs doing, and depending on the scale of the repairs we schedule a rest day.

Lowland gorillas still live in Odzala-Kokoua National Park, one of the oldest national parks in Africa. With two rangers we head upriver by boat and after about ten kilometres come across a small gorilla population. Back at camp we leave a donation after dinner. The Republic of the Congo ranks 153rd out of 193 on the Human Development Index, and our visit matters to the rangers because it generates badly needed income.

Kinshasa lies on the opposite bank of the Congo River. We cross by ferry. Formalities, crowds and traffic call for patience, and even the satellite connection is not always reliable here.

The final stretch of the DR Congo brings us to the Angolan border. The landscape slowly opens up and savannah replaces the dense forest. After the hard days in the jungle, everyone is looking forward to drier tracks and firmer ground.

On the coast we reach Luanda, the expensive and lively capital of Angola. Tower blocks stand next to markets, with the Atlantic glittering behind them. We stock up, change money and plan the long stages through the south of the country.

Near Lubango the route winds over the Serra da Leba with its famous hairpins, among the most spectacular mountain roads in southern Africa. After that it drops into drier country. We close in on the Namibian border and get the papers and the vehicles ready for the second to last change of country.

In Etosha National Park we go on a game drive through the diverse wildlife. The reserve covers around 22,000 square kilometres and is one of the most important wildlife areas in Africa. Elephants, zebras and antelope cross the tracks, and in the evening the salt pan glows in warm light.

We continue into the Namib Naukluft National Park, one of the most impressive desert regions in the world. Past the red dunes of Sossusvlei and vast granite formations we approach the Orange River, the border with South Africa. The contrast of red sand and blue sky is one of the most striking sections of the whole journey.

Heading south we cross the Swartberg region, known for its impressive mountain passes and the historic Swartberg Pass road. Twisting passes and red rock faces define the day. The nights are cool and the space is immense.

Finally we reach the southernmost point of the expedition: the Cape of Good Hope, a symbolic milestone and one of the best known sights in South Africa. Table Mountain towers over the city. Here is to completing one of the most demanding expeditions OVERCROSS has run in the past quarter of a century.