Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
you may have about a…bicycle adventure'. The topic went on to emphasise the scorching sun, the paucity of wa-
ter and the vast distances. 'If you try to ride your bike here,' I inferred, 'you will die.' What had I got myself into?
I was reassured by the fact that I would be riding as a part of an organised tour. The Tour d'Afrique (TDA;
www.tourdafrique.com ) is an 11,800km expedition from Cairo to Cape Town that is divided into eight legs. As a
member of a Lonely Planet relay team, I would ride the penultimate leg - the Elephant Hwy - from Victoria Falls
to Windhoek.
So, thankfully, I did not have to worry about pesky details like drinking water. Namibia and especially Bot-
swana are sparsely populated countries. Even on the country's major highways, we rode for hours at a time
without passing any sign of civilisation. In fact, we spent every second night at a bush camp, sleeping in the wil-
derness with no facilities except those provided by the TDA truck. Remember that this is the desert. Without a
support vehicle, cyclists should be prepared to carry or pull at least two days' worth of food and water.
The other aspect of the climate - the heat - was also not a major concern, since my trip took place in April. As
it turns out, autumn in Southern Africa offers conditions that are close to perfect for cycling. We would set out at
sunrise to take advantage of the cool morning air. I always needed a jacket to start, but that never lasted long; by
midday it would be hot. Of course, by midday the speedier riders had already reached our destination. As one of
the slower riders, I endured some hot afternoons, but the temperature rarely went above 30°C.
The sun is brutal, no doubt, and the application of sunscreen was a ritual that took place every morning and
every few hours on the road. Some cyclists wore a long-sleeved, lightweight base layer under their jersey to pro-
tect their arms from the sun. In any case, there was no escaping the 'biker's tan' showing off the line from the
chamois shorts.
So I could handle the heat and the limited water supply, but what about the distances? At 1576km, the Elephant
Hwy is one of the longest sections of the tour and it was certainly further than I had ever ridden my bike. The
good news is that the landscape is mostly flat and the roads are paved. The bad news is that it can be monotonous
when you are riding for six to eight hours a day. So how to prepare? Take care of your body: make sure you have
trained properly by logging many, many kilometres. Take care of your mind: bring an iPod.
Desolate landscapes aside, there's plenty to see along the Elephant Hwy. Yes, elephants . They are frequently
sighted along the main road north and west of Nata. I was thrilled when I cycled past a group of ellies congregat-
ing around a watering hole, and later when a big one created a roadblock ahead of me. I was not so thrilled when I
saw - or rather smelled - a carcass at the side of the road.
In case you're wondering, an elephant's top speed is 40km/h when alarmed or upset. Fortunately, they can't
sustain this speed for more than a few seconds. So, as long as you get a head start on your bike, you can probably
outride them.
There is other wildlife in the vicinity, although it can be difficult to spot from the road: keep your eyes peeled
for giraffes, warthogs, various antelopes, iguanas and plenty of birds.
That said, if wildlife watching is your game, you'll want to schedule some time out of the saddle. Park your
bike in Maun and take an excursion into the Okavango Delta. Spend a few nights at a lodge between Nata and
Maun so you can explore the Makgadikgadi Pans. Trade your bike for a boat in Kasane and cruise along the Zam-
bezi River. Cyclists are not permitted in the national parks, for good reason: nobody wants to be meals on wheels.
Author Mara Vorhees was one of 16 Lonely Planet riders to participate in the 2009 Tour d'Afrique. She rode
1546km of the Elephant Hwy.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search