Into Africa
The Ultimate African Adventure... April 30 - June 3
Ellie Crossing - Botswana
Botswana Sunset
Victoria Falls - Zambia
East Africa
Dining on Zanzibar
Traffic Jam in Kenya
Gorilla Safari - Rwanda
Kilimanjaro
Giraffe in the Serengeti
Gnus and Flamingos - The Serengeti
Treed Lion - The Serengeti
Zebra Watering Hold - The Serengeti
The Doctor's Ad
Chapmans Peak Drive, Cape Peninsula, South Africa
Chapmans Peak Drive, Cape Peninsula, South Africa
Tour Schedule 2013
| Dates | 2013 Adventures | Length | Price (USD) | Co-rider | Using Own Bike | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30 - Jun 3 | Into Africa (Cape Town to Nairobi) | 35 | $27,750 | $19,500 | $23,750 | Cape Town to Nairobi |
| Jun 8 - Jul 12 | Into Africa (Nairobi to Cape Town) | 35 | $27,750 | $19,500 | $23,750 | Nairobi to Cape Town |
Tour Schedule 2014
| Date | 2014 Adventures | Days | Price (USD) | Co-rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30 - Jun 3 | Into Africa | 35 | $27,750 | $19,500 |
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At a Glance
At a Glance
Your Into Africa Adventure
View Into Africa in a larger map
The Into Africa Adventure is the most unique and all-encompassing African experience ever offered by any motorcycle tour company. Spend 35-days riding 9,500 kilometers (5,900-miles) through seven Southern African countries - from the southernmost point on the African Continent to the Equator, enjoying premium level accommodations, meals, attractions, and support services the entire way. This Super Tour begins in Cape Town, South Africa – one of the world’s most beautiful cities, and ends in Nairobi, Kenya (in 2013, one of these tours begins in Nairobi and ends in Cape Town, with exactly the same itinerary, but in reverse order)
A collection of world-class, once-in-a-lifetime African experiences has been incorporated into this amazing journey:
- A gorilla safari in Uganda, enabling you to experience mountain gorillas up close
- Two nights in the Serengeti, including a 4x4 safari
- Two nights on the “spice island” of Zanzibar, in the Indian Ocean
- Two nights in Botswana's Chobe National Park, including a game drive by 4x4
- An overnight stay at Victoria Falls, including a tour of the Falls
- Wildlife cruise on the Chobe River, teeming with elephant, hippo, giraffe, and numerous other wildlife species
- Two nights on the shores of Lake Malawi (Africa’s third largest lake, and the eighth largest lake in the world)
- South Africa’s Swartberg Mountains, including the Swartberg Pass
- Two nights on Cape Town's Waterfront, with a day of riding the Cape Peninsula – one of the world’s top motorcycling destinations
- Crossing of the Equator in Uganda, and again in Kenya before ending the Adventure in Nairobi
- Riders must be experienced and comfortable riding in a variety of road and traffic conditions, but it is not necessary to have experience riding on unpaved surfaces. This trip uses the best roads available and avoids roads requiring technical skill. Riding on gravel is very limited.
This premium-level Adventure is especially suitable for experienced two-up riders. A comfortable support vehicle will be available for non-riding companions (or "sometimes" riding companions) as well as a trailer for transporting luggage and a spare motorcycle.
The Route
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Additional Information
Tour price includes rental of BMW F650GS with unlimited mileage. For other models, an upgrade charge applies, as noted below:
Additional charge of $1,100 for BMW F800GS
Additional charge of $1,500 for a BMW R1200GS
Additional charge of $2,400 for a BMW R1200GS Adventure
Additional charge of $450 for panniers (F650GS, F800GS, R1200GS)
Additional charge of $745 for panniers (R1200GS Adventure)
Additional charge of $240 for top box
Tour includes all breakfasts, 30 dinners and some lunches.
Single room supplement - $3,500
Tour price includes all park entry fees, ferry fees, and activities described in the daily itinerary.
A non-refundable deposit of $1,500 per person is required. Full payment is due 120 days prior to departure.
Arrival in Cape Town. Airport transfer, motorcycle handover, kickoff meeting and our first dinner together! Accommodations at the luxury V&A Hotel and dinner at a first class restaurant on the Waterfront. Riders arriving early can visit Table Mountain, take a city tour, or enjoy the cafes, restaurants and shopping that the waterfront has to offer.
Cape Town to Cape L'Agulhas (~280 km, 175 miles). Ride the beautiful coastal route through Gordon's Bay, Betty's Bay and Hermanus to Cape L'Agulhas. After a gourmet dinner, enjoy the ocean view from your private balcony.
Highlights: Visit the southernmost point on the African Continent, where the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean meet.
Cape L'Agulhas to Prince Albert (~400 km, 250 miles). Ride South Africa's famous wine route, enjoy beautiful mountain sweepers, and enter the Swartberg Mountains.
Highlights: Tradouws Pass, Swartberg Pass (or Meeringspoort Pass for riders preferring to avoid gravel), South Africa's wine route, The Klein Karoo (semi-arid desert), Oudtshoorn (the ostrich capital of he world).
Prince Albert to Kimberley (~655 km, 405 miles). Ride through the Great Karoo to "The Diamond City" of Kimberley. A long riding day, but done on well-maintained, high speed roads.
Highlights: Meeringspoort Pass, The Great Karoo, historical battlefields from the Boer Wars, beautiful landscapes and small farming towns.
Free Day in Kimberley. Relax in town, or enjoy the local museums, monuments, and memorials.
Highlights: Big Hole, Kimberley Mine Museum, local historical attractions (Second Boer War), local riding, fine dining at the Kimberley Club.
Kimberley to Gabarone, Botswana (~ 510 km, 315 miles). Follow the route of Cecil Rhode's great northern railroad which runs from Cape Town through Kimberley to Vryburg, Mafiking and on to Victoria Falls.
Highlights: The agricultural and beef producing heartland of South Africa - "the Texas of South Africa" , historical towns from Second Boer War. See flamingos at the Kamfers Dam, where up to 20,000 breeding flamingos are sometimes seen.
Gabarone to Francistown (~ 625 km, 385 miles). Ride good two-lane paved highways through rural Botswana.
Highlights: Very rural areas, many picturesque native villages within sight of the highway, possible elephant sightings and other wildlife on the highway. Photo opportunity at Tropic of Capricorn.
Francistown to Kasane (~ 305 km, 190 miles). Ride good two-lane paved highways through rural Botswana
Highlights: Very rural areas, many picturesque native villages within sight of the highway, wildlife on highway, including elephant, giraffe, ostrich.
Free Day in Kasane. Highlights: Game drive in Chobe National Park, River cruise on Chobe River, dining under the stars at Chobe Safari Lodge.
Kasane to Livingstone ( ~ 75 km, 45 miles). Take a ferry across Zambesi river and enter Zambia.
Highlights: Border crossing into Zambia (first "third world" border crossing), Victoria Falls
Livingstone to Lusaka ( ~ 490 km, 305 miles). Ride to Zambia's capital and largest city, located in the center of the country.
Highlights: Mazabuka - "The Sweetest Place in Africa" - named because of the extensive sugar cane farming and the large Illovo Cane Sugar Processing Plant. A visit to Lusaka's many markets, a fine hotel set amidst tropical gardens in the center of the city.
Lusaka to Chipata ( ~ 570 km, 350 miles). Ride to Chipata, a small and dusty crossroads near the Malawi border. First opportunity during the trip to refuel from the support vehicle, as the distance between fuel stations exceeds the range of the motorcycles.
Highlights: Some interesting native villages along the way. Twisty roads with lush, green landscape. In Chipata, visit the Central Mosque - probably the prettiest building in Chipata.
Chipata to Senga Bay, Malawi ( ~ 265 km, 165 miles).
Highlights: Border crossing into Malawi. Some slightly twisty riding but scenic with many photo opportunities of small African villages along the way. Enjoy the beach at Lake Malawi - the country's top tourist attraction. The lake is landlocked by three African countries (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) and is the third largest lake in Africa (and the eighth largest in the world).
Senga Bay Free Day
Highlights: Local riding or relax on the beach
Senga Bay to Mzuzu ( ~ 465 km, 290 miles). Very pleasant riding past many small towns. Later in the day, great twisty roads with spectacular views of the lake.
Highlights: Lovely riding with views of tea, rubber and coffee plantations.
Mzuzu to Mbeya ( ~ 465 km, 290 miles). More lovely riding, many small towns, some twisties, and altitudes of up to 7,000 feet.
Highlights: Border crossing into Tanzania. Opportunity to take a short tour of coffee plantations.
Mbeya to Iringa ( ~ 465 km, 290 miles). Another easy day of riding, with passage through small villages and towns.
Highlights: More small towns, numerous roadside markets with stalls selling wide variety of merchandise. Visit to historical stone age ruins at Isimila.
Iringa to Dar es Salaam ( ~ 505 km, 315 miles). Ride to Tanzania's largest and wealthiest city, located on a massive natural harbor on the Indian Ocean. Some stunning twisty sections today as we ride through forested areas and rural villages. Chaotic city traffic entering Dar es Salaam.
Highlights: Ride through Mikumi National Park. Enjoy your luxury hotel on the waterfront, with great views of the Indian Ocean.
Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar (Ferry). Highlights: Two-hour "passenger only" ferry to Zanzibar, Stone Town (the most popular area on the island)
Free Day on Zanzibar - "The Spice Island". Highlights: Sun, sand and sumptuous seafood dishes. Nightly performances of Taarab Music -a combination of African, Arabic and Indian influences that was first played in the 1820's at the Sultan's palace. Cultural tour of Stone Town - visiting the Sultan's Palace, the House of Wonders, The Old Dispensary Cultural Centrex, the Old Slave Market, the Old Dhow harbor. Take an evening stroll around Stone Town Take the famous Spice Tour. Visit the Jozani Forest Nature Reserve, the last red colobus monkey sanctuary in the world. Take a dhow cruise or a dolphin cruise.
Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam (Ferry) - an easy day with the only obligation to take the ferry back to Dar e Salaam.
Highlights: International restaurants, with an emphasis on Tanzanian barbecue style options, lively music, variety of museums and cultural interests.
Dar es Salaam to Moshi ( ~ 460 km, 285 miles). Enjoy a pleasant, enjoyable stay near the border with Kenya in preparation for the highlights of the Adventure in the Serengeti and the gorilla safaris in Uganda.
Highlights: After leaving the city, much of the days riding will be in rural farming areas. Several hours riding directly toward Mount Kilimanjaro (almost 20,000 feet in height), with spectacular views and photo opportunities along the way.
Moshi to Karatu ( ~ 360 km, 225 miles). Prepare for a short riding day, but with stunning scenery, especially once we are beyond Arusha. Ride through huge open plains and towering mountains in the background.
Highlights: Beautiful scenery, colorful local Masaai people along the way. Also a good possibility of seeing elephant and giraffe from the road.
Karatu to the Serengeti. Transportation to our lodge in the Serengeti by game viewing vehicle.
Highlights: Game viewing in the Serengeti
Free day in the Serengeti. Our Serengeti guides will pick us up from the hotel after breakfast and take us in the Serengeti National park past the Ngorongoro crater. The drive to the hotel inside the park will take most of the day. We'll stop for lunch in the park and enjoy world-class game viewing in one of Africa's most famous national parks.
Return to Bougainvillea Lodge by game viewing vehicle
Highlights: Mix it up - a little more game viewing followed by a relaxing evening by the lovely lake.
Lake Manyara to Nairobi. Highlights: Good high-speed road back to Nairobi (but beware of animals on the road). Enjoy some great views of Mt. Meru (one of Africa's most beautiful volcanoes, and a sacred mountain to both Hindus and Buddhists) along the way.
Nairobi to Eldoret. Highlights: Views of the Africa's Great Rift Valley, crossing the Equator
Eldoret to Kampala, Uganda. Highlights: Border crossing into Uganda, crossing the Jinja Dam (source of the Nile River, which flows all the way to the Mediterranean), dinner in the 5th highest rotating restaurant in Africa.
Kampala to Bunyonyi. Highlights: Second crossing of the Equator, back into the Southern Hemisphere. Breathtaking views of Lake Bunyonyi from the lodge.
Free Day for Gorilla Tracking. Highlights: Gorilla tracking! Tracking the gorillas through Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is an unforgettable, magical experience. Have good hiking shoes and be prepared to locate the gorillas, then spend an hour photographing them. If you wish, porters will be available to carry your belongings on the trek.
Bunyonyi to Kampala.
Highlights: Third crossing of the Equator, back into the Northern Hemisphere.
Kampala to Kisumu. Highlights: Last time to cross the Equator. Look forward to 5-Star luxury on the shores of Lake Victoria.Kisumu to Nairobi. Highlights: Last night and celebration dinner in style at a 5-Star Hotel.
Departure from Nairobi. Breakfast and airport transfer.Model | Specifications |
|---|---|
 BMW F650GS | Seat Height: 820 mm / 790 mm Seat Height: 32.3 inches / 31.1 inches Dry Weight: 171 kg / 377 lb Fuel Capacity: 16 Liters / 4.2 Gallons Displacement: 798 cc Damage Deposit: Africa (except South Africa and Swaziland): $3,000 South Africa and Swaziland: $1,500 Alaska/Canada: $2,500 Argentina: $3,500 Chile: $2,500 Europe (except Spain and Portugal): $2,500 New Zealand: $1,500 Spain and Portugal: $3,000 |
Model | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Seat Height: 880 mm / 850 mm Seat Height: 34.65 inches / 33.46 inches Dry Weight: 178 kg / 392 lb Fuel Capacity: 16 Liters / 4.3 Gallons Displacement: 798 cc Damage Deposit: Africa (except South Africa and Swaziland): $3,500 South Africa and Swaziland: $1,750 Alaska/Canada: $2,500 Argentina: $4,000 Chile: $2,500 Europe (except Spain and Portugal): $2,500 New Zealand: $1,500 Spain and Portugal: $3,000 |
Model | Specifications |
|---|---|
 BMW R1200GS | Seat Height: 870 mm / 850 mm Seat Height: 34.25 inches / 33.46 inches Dry Weight: 199 kg / 439 lb Fuel Capacity: 20 Liters / 5.3 Gallons Displacement: 1170 cc Damage Deposit: Africa (except South Africa and Swaziland): $3,500 South Africa and Swaziland: $1,750 Alaska/Canada: $2,500 Argentina: $4,500 Chile: $2,500 Europe (except Spain and Portugal): $2,500 New Zealand: $3,500 Spain and Portugal: $3,000 |
Model | Specifications |
|---|---|
 BMW R1200GS Adventure | Seat Height: 915 mm / 895 mm Seat Height: 36.02 inches / 35.24 inches Dry Weight: 223 kg / 492 lb Fuel Capacity: 33 Liters / 8.7 Gallons Displacement: 1170 cc Damage Deposit: Africa (except South Africa and Swaziland): $5,000 South Africa and Swaziland: $2,500 Alaska/Canada: $2,500 Argentina: $5,000 Chile: $2,500 |
The single supplement applies for riders who request single occupancy. It also applies for cases in which a rider wishes to share a room with another rider, but there are no riders available or willing to share a room.