An off the cuff motorcycle journey through Southern Africa
Ever since watching Ewan Mcgregor and Charlie Boorman in Long Way Round, I’d always dreamed of having a similar adventure. In late 2013, I was staying in Cape Town after finishing a 31 day overland trip from Nairobi to Johannesburg and was planning on flying to Los Angeles to buy a motorcycle and ride south to Patagonia. This plan was based on being able to stay with one of my friends in California whilst I set myself up for a long distance journey, however due to a variety of reasons I wasn’t able to pull it off.
I also was keen to stay in Africa, because I had the opportunity to travel to Swaziland and find my cousin Diana, whom my mother had lost contact with about 4 years earlier. Long story short, I had an African cousin I’d never met and was keen to find her so I could ensure she was fine health wise and financially. Given the incredible time I had enjoyed in Africa and the opportunity to help my mum, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and commit to a motorcycle journey through South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.
Over the coming weeks I’ll add to this story but for now here are my favourite images from my travels.
Nelson Mandela Tribute Concert - Cape Town Stadium, December 11th 2013.
Exploring Cape Town on an Africa Twin with my mate Rudi.
Officially a YBR125 owner. Not bad for $1800 AUD.
Exploring the back roads of Wellington (about 40mins from Cape Town).
My 125 surrounded by some serious adventure machines at Tankwa Padstal.
Heading deep into the Cederbergs.
Our first night in the Cederbergs, Rudi took the crew to explore some rock art sites in nearby caves.
Back from the Cederbergs and with my number plate sorted from the local roads authority office in Wellington.
Perfect gift for a bloke about to do 10,000kms of touring through South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.
On the road to Cape Agulhas.
Cape Agulhus, the southernmost point of the African continent.
From Cape Agulhas I took the scenic route to Oudtshoorn via the Malgas Pontoon Ferry, Barrydale and Ladismith. A distance of approx. 340km’s.
Cango caves outside Oudtshoorn were awesome.
Riding the Swartberg Pass before making my way to Rocky Road Backpackers in Plettenburg Bay.
Setting up camp with Rudi (centre in photo) and his mates at Rocky Road Backpackers just near Nature’s Valley on the Garden Route. Had a fantastic few days here.
Going surfing ZA style.
New Years trance party on a private property up in the hills behind Wilderness.
Knysna Elephant Park.
A small community at the start of the R339 (Prince Alfred Pass) to Uniondale.
Was told I had to ride the Prince Alfred Pass from Knysna and stay at Angie’s G Spot along the way. Harold the bloke who runs it, cooked me a curry, rolled me a couple of joints and we talked shit long into the evening.
Enjoying the opportunity to cool down along the Bavianskloof
Met a couple of blokes on the Bavianskloof and ended up camping with them.
Geelkrans campground at the end of our ride through the Bavianskloof.
A short 60km ride in the morning to the famous Jeffrey’s Bay which reminded me a lot of Torquay.
A typical community housing project as seen from the N2 highway near Port Elizabeth.
Almost melted on the ride from Port Elizabeth up to Addo.
Fun canoe adventure with @crisscross_adventures in Addo.
Watching the lightning storm from Daggaboer Farm Stall on the N10.
Made it to Mountain Zebra National Park in one piece. The guards were kind enough to keep my motorbike at the entrance and the ranger drove me into camp.
An evening game drive in Mountain Zebra National Park.
Mountain Zebra National Park.
High above Mountain Zebra National Park.
On the R61 heading west towards Graaff-Reinet
Valley of Desolation - Graaf-Reinet
After leaving Graaf-Rienet it was a 230km ride down the R75 to Addo where I’d made a promise to stay with the bloke from Orange Elephant Backpackers who was a mad keen motorcyclist.
Amakhala Private Game Reserve.
The 125 in sherpa mode, taken in the township of Paterson, Eastern Cape.
ANC propaganda was in full swing as the general elections were not far away.
In the Transkei trying to find my way to Bulungula Lodge.
Going paddling on my first day in the Transkie.
Bulungula Lodge - This place was heaven on earth.
Hiking to Coffee Bay with Peter & Bernard from the Netherlands. These lads had just finished some medical training in Johannesburg.
Heaven on earth.
The lads were kind enough to help this local Xhosa woman and her child cross the river.
After leaving the Transkei, I was back on the N2 motorway and made my way to Mthatha where I got the Yamaha serviced.
On the road towards the Sani Pass.
Lesotho
The iconic Sani Pass winds its way up into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
Welcome to Lesotho. The entrance fee was 30 rand ($3 Australian dollars). The bloke didn’t even check my vehicle or papers.
Big smiles, warm hearts in Lesotho.
Maletsunyane Falls.
Back into South Africa
Amphitheatre Backpackers Lodge.
Royal Natal National Park.
About to ride from Royal Natal on the highway in pouring rain the whole way into Durban. Pretty sketchy ride that didn’t feel particularly safe.
St Lucia.
Taken from the bonnet of a Toyota Landcruiser in the main street of St Lucia.
Burnt out the clutch on the beaches of St Lucia so spent a couple of days in Richards Bay whilst the bike was repaired.
The R618 from St Lucia goes through the Hluhluwe– iMfolozi Park, so this elephant was just casually roaming on the side of the road.
Kids walking home from school in Nongoma.
Eswatini (Swaziland)
The Onverwacht Border Post to get into Swaziland. Cost me a cool 50 rand and again no checks of my motorcycle or bags.
Rural Swaziland.
Spent my first few days in Swaziland exploring the countryside.
As soon as I got to Swaziland, I messaged my mum and asked for everything she had on Diana (my cousin) as I intended to try and find her. I was fortunate enough that 3 days before I arrived the Swazi education department had published exam results, so finding her ended up being pretty easy.
A quick phone call to Diana’s high school and they confirmed Diana was indeed a student.
After a 3 hour ride from Mbabane, I met Diana at her local high school. This photo was taken on the road leading up to her home.
Diana (yellow shirt) with her family.
Diana’s grandmother thought I was there to take Diana away, but I quickly reassured her that wasn’t the case.
My uncle’s ID card that Diana’a grandmother had kept since my uncle’s passing about 7 years earlier.
Diana’s mother passed away a few years after her father (my uncle) which is when we lost contact.
I came back the next day with the Yami loaded up with school books, food, new shoes etc.
Diana with her grandfather.
My first puncture in Swaziland just after leaving the village on the second day. Diana’s grandfather came to the rescue in his trusty Hilux.
Getting the puncture fixed in the border post town of Lavumisa. The fix lasted only 20km’s.
A local farmer came to my rescue this time.
These lads sorted me out.
When I bought lunch, I would always buy a large curry then give the rest to the local kids out the front. A small gesture in the hope that Africa would continue to look after me.
Game drive time in Hlane National Park.
Mozambique
Maputo.
This was a big day on the bike. A lazy 500km ride from Maputo to Tofu Beach.
In 82 days on the bike, I had 12 encounters with Police. 6 of these were on the same day in Moz.
Tofu Beach.
Riding the 500kms from Tofu Beach to Maputo in 1 day wasn’t the smartest idea.
When I first got to Maputo, I went on a Tinder date with a lovely Dutch girl and we agreed to go on a trip to Maputo Special Reserve, so we rented a Ford Ranger and made it happen.
Had an awesome couple of days in the park before returning to Maputo and making my way back to Swaziland.
Back into Eswatini (Swaziland)
Back into South Africa
Kruger National Park.
A flooded Olifants River, Kruger National Park.
I met Mandy and Gus in St Lucia and they were kind enough to let me stay with them in Marloth Park for a few nights. They took me into the Kruger for 2 days and kept me well fed and watered.
Warthogs in the front yard of Mandy and Gus’s home in Marloth Park on the border with Kruger NP.
Blyde River Canyon.
Pointing north towards Zim.
Zimbabwe
Botswana
Namibia
South Africa
The Route
National Parks & Game Reserves Visited
South Africa -
Garden Route National Park
Mountain Zebra National Park
Addo National Park
Kruger National Park
Royal Natal
Augrabies Falls National Park
Eswatini -
Hlane National Park
Mbuluzi Game Reserve
Mozambique -
Maputo Special Reserve
Zimbabwe -
Matobo National Park
Hlane National Park
Victoria Falls National Park
Great Zimbabwe (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Botswana -
Chobe National Park
Nxai Pans National Park
Okavango Delta National Park
Tsodilo Hills (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Kgalagadi Transfontier Park
Namibia -
Etosha National Park
Dorob National Park
Namib-Naukluft National Park
August 2019
After finishing my 10 month contract at Brown Family Wine Group, I managed to take my mum over to Eswatini to meet Diana and her grandfather which was a really amazing couple of weeks. Unfortunately her grandfather (pictured) below passed away in April 2020. Diana is now studying at a university in Manzini. Hopefully once this whole Covid thing blows over I can arrange a trip in the future to see her again and potentially look to organise a British Passport for her as she’s entitled to one and may want to travel. However Eswatini is a lovely peaceful place and she’s surrounded by friends and family, so I’ll navigate that one in due course.
