Extended Itinerary - London to Istanbul 43 weeks

The Route described here can be followed on detailed maps such as:
Michelin 953 (North & West), Michelin 954 (North & East) and
Michelin 955 (South & Central)
Click Map for larger view
More photographs to be added by way of illustration shortly

Whilst the emphasis of this Overview is necessarily on the places visited the flavour of Africa is really gained from the entire overland experience.

This involves the driving itself - through villages ( and more often than not exchanging waves with the inhabitants!) & the ever changing landscapes as well as daily routines of finding bread and food in the markets, filling up with water , washing clothes, asking directions, taking strolls, drinking in the local bar and so on.

Every day is an opportunity to encounter aspects of Africa - even an unexpected tyre change is an opportunity to exchange pleasantries with passing villagers.

The trip runs at a measured pace; some days there is no travelling but in view of the distances involved there are bound to be some long day stretches.

As many camping areas in West & Central Africa tend to be in poor shape we rely on bush camping much of the time.

The route can be followed with a general map of Africa (Bartholomew’s or Collins) although Michelin nos. 953, 954 & 955 provide far more detail.

Normally we would expect to visit the vast majority of the places mentioned but this is subject to change according to local conditions.

We meet at Dover. From there the tour will take 3 -5 days to travel through France and Spain to Algeciras. From there we will organise a ferry across to the African Continent and if time permits spend some hours in Gibraltar.

We stock up with food and drink (duty free) at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta before crossing the land border into Morocco.

Morocco

via Tetouan - Chefchaouen - Ouazzane - Souk-du-Rharb - Rabat - Meknes - Volublis - Fes - Azroun - Midelt - Er-Rachidia - Todra - Ouarzazate - Marrakesch - Essaouira - Agadir - Laayoune - Dakhla - border

General

French & Arabic speaking although English widely understood in the main centres. The currency is the Moroccan dirham divided into centimes. Islamic culture is reflected everywhere from Mosques, Minarets and Marabouts (tombs of holy men) to the strict segregation of the sexes in public life. Nevertheless, Moroccans are used to tourists - but that doesn't mean that one should be unaware of the risk of causing gratuitous offence through inappropriate dress or behaviour.

Morocco is the ideal starting point for the traveller to Africa. It is welcoming, colourful and stimulating. The shopping is different and fascinating - open-air markets are piled high with rugs, chased brass & copper, woodwork, leatherwork, ceramics and Berber jewellery. As across Africa, bargaining is a way of life . Thus your most useful ally is patience!

The hamman - highly sociable hot-water baths is an experience definitely recommended as are the scrub-downs which will certainly get rid of any ingrained dirt (would that we had these later in the trip)!
Moroccan cuisine is well-flavoured without being over-fiery - try harira, m'choui and couscous with spicy lamb tajine. 'Moroccan whisky , that is, sweet mint tea, is the Moroccan drink of choice, but alcohol is fairly freely available.

Morocco’s geography manages to combine sand, sea and snow. To the north, the mountains separate it from its neighbour, Algeria and the southern coast stretches to the edge of the Western Sahara.
It is a bird-watcher's paradise, the already varied & colourful indigenous bird population being augmented by north/south migration.

Route

We call at the delightful hill town of Chefchaoun and proceed to the administrative capital Rabat where we have to spend a few days obtaining visas for countries further down the line; we use that time to familiarise ourselves with this new cultural landscape and to explore the older parts of the city without the harassment which is sometimes a feature of the more tourist-orientated places.

We pass through fertile plains growing olives, vines and citrus fruits to Meknes - developed in 17th century by the despotic Sultan Ismail. This Imperial City had several buildings of note but particularly impressive are the gateways set into its high walls, including the monumental Bab el-Mansour. From there we visit the site of the largest and best preserved Roman ruins in Morocco. Volubilis dates largely from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD and is well-known for its stunning mosaics, somehow more meaningful when seen in situ like this than in a Museum.

On to the oldest of the walled imperial cities, Fès with its an air of somewhat faded grandeur. The medina of Fès el-Bali is one of the largest and most complex medieval cities in the world. The network of narrow streets contain schools, mosques, ordinary houses & palaces as well as shops and rather noxious dye-pits and tanneries - there is every chance that we would get lost in the labyrinthine alleys without a guide.

Leaving Fes, we travel up hill through Azrou turning off at Midelt toward Er-Rachidia and then Tinerhir. The ascent to Todra and the Gorge is as spectacular as the Gorge is dramatic - it is some 300m high but only 10m wide at its narrowest point. We explore the surrounding terrain by foot with plenty of time to relax in a bedouin tent where we enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal.

We also stop off at Dades Gorge - similar spectacular scenery. Fossils, including ammonites are sold on the road-side.

From Ouarzazate we go on to the very photogenic Kasbah of Ait Benhadden where parts of Lawrence of Arabia and The Sheltering Sky were filmed and then head east again over the switchback Tizi -n-Tichka pass to Marrakesch - the lively former capital justly famed for its markets and festivals. Its heart is the Place Djemaa el-Fna, a huge square in the old city. Rows of open-air food stalls are set up here lit by lamp-light. Jugglers, storytellers, snake charmers and conjurers take over the rest of the space. Although there is a camp site here, we like to take rooms in a town centre hotel - or possibly sleep on the roof - to soak up the atmosphere.
Exploring the narrow souks is a favourite pastime, as is resisting the blandishments of the ever-present carpet-salesmen!

To the Atlantic coast at Essaouira, a charming older-type fishing port (and a bit of a hippie hang out) where great seafood is on the menu - as is wind-surfing if that's your bag! By contrast Agadir is a nondescript touristy sort of place so we don't linger.

South to Laayoune and the long haul to Dakhla which is located just north of the Tropic of Cancer on a sandy peninsula - many ships have foundered on the seaward side and their wrecked carcasses remain stranded. Here we wait for the twice weekly convoy that takes us the 360 kms through the still-disputed territory of Western Sahara to Mauretania.

via Nouadihbou - Nouakchott - Boutilimit - Aleg - Sangraffa - Kiffa - Kouroudjel - Kankossa

General

Hassaniya Arabic & French speaking.
The currency is the ouguiya (um)
A stricter Muslim country than Morocco hence it is officially "dry".

Mauritania isn't known as a tourist destination being poor and mostly desert. It is a harsh environment of shifting sand, dunes and rocky plateaux. The climate is dry all year round; rainfall is infrequent and sparse.

Although it is this very desolation that keeps mainstream tourism away, travellers learn to love Mauritania for the way it somehow fulfils romantic images of desert spaces - towns half blanketed in sand, nomads in colourful tents, lunar-like landscapes.

Another problem that society faces is the underlying ethnic conflict between 'white' and 'black' moors and black Africans - the latter often descended from haratin - freed slaves. Only officially banned 20 years ago, it is suspected that slavery persists in Mauretania to this day.

Route

Located on the eastern side of a peninsula is Nouadihbou whose economy is based on a flourishing fishing industry and iron ore brought in from the interior by way of the longest freight trains in the world. We follow the 'Atlantic Route' through to West Africa - believe it or not this is the main Trans-Africa highway and it is from here we start to venture into real desert conditions. The route south depends on whether we have to pass through the Parc National du Banc d'Arquin or around it but either way, there is a section where we follow the narrow coastal strip - this means driving along the beach itself with dunes on one side and the Atlantic on the other - not a great place to break down as there's little leeway if the tide comes in! The Parc is home to millions of aquatic birds and October- January is a good time to see them nesting - although a boat is needed to get to the nesting sites.

The overnight camp on the shore is memorable - dolphins can be seen out at sea and lobsters are brought to us by local fishermen. It can be unexpectedly windy - after all there is nothing between us and the American land-mass! It is this wind that keeps the inland dunes on the move and why it would be difficult to find a way through the ever-changing hinterland.

Arriving in Nouakchott, we replenish water supplies, have the truck spray-washed for salt residues and hit the only internet facilities in the country!

When Nouakchott was created in 1960, the site was many days walk from the desert, but is now entirely surrounded by the Sahara, with sand piling up against walls and fences like snow drifts.
We follow the sealed road out of town but just when we're getting used to a smooth ride we hit the broken tar and the road deteriorates - and will only improve spasmodically for the rest of the journey. There are many alternative routes more or less across country between Nouakchott and the border of Mali at Kankossa and which is used depends on local conditions. Sometimes it may be the tracks to Kiffa and Ayoun d'Atrous to the border at Kobenni . Whichever, the tracks are indistinct, food is scarce but good water is reasonably available from artesian wells.

via Nioro* Diema - Didjeni *- Bamako - Fama - Segou - San - Djenne - Mopti - Bankass - Koro (border) * the route is variable - it might be Kayes - Bafoulabe - Kita - Bamako (travelling north of Mopti to Timbuctoo & Gao is not considered safe at present)

General

French speaking again but the main African language is Bamana.
The currency is the central african franc (the cfa ). Until the advent of the euro , this was linked to the french franc which is interchangeable between countries also in the cfa system.

Still a Muslim society but a noticeable integration of Arab and black races and culture. One realises that women have been absent from the scene - wonderful to see those big black mamas bossing everybody in the markets!

Most tourism is fly-in so although local people are used to westerners they tend to be at the wealthy end. However impecunious we think we are, we are fabulously wealthy by local standards - Mali is after all one of the poorest countries in the world.

Mali's major geographical feature is the Niger River, which loops up to the edge of the Sahara and back to the Atlantic. In the upper southern region the rivers join to form a rich inland delta and agriculture depends upon regular flooding. But northern Mali is rapidly being swallowed up by the desert, its rapid desertification due to on-going droughts, over-grazing, topsoil erosion, harsh winds, and the scavenging of trees for firewood.

Musicians such as singer Salif Keita, guitarist Ali Farke Toure and griot chanteuse Ami Koita have brought the attention of the west to Maliain music. This is part of a broader 'Afropop' scene which is merely a term to cover the immense and rich variety of contemporary African music.

Route

Locally, they say that all tracks lead to Bamako - how true - we follow rough & sandy pistes from Kayes to Kita or possibly via Nioro & Didijeni , all of which ultimately lead onto corrugated dirt tracks into Bamako.

via Tiou- Ouahigouya - Tougan - Dedougou- Bobo-Dioulasso - Banfora - Niangoloko (border)

General

French speaking - the local language is More, spoken by the Mossi people, whose Kingdom once extended all over the region.

The currency is the cfa.

Formerly known as Upper Volta because of the three Volta rivers that flow through it discharging into the Volta Lake in neighbouring Ghana. The waters attract black fly so that this country is now notorious for its high incidence of river blindness (fortunately for us not something that affects the casual traveller).

Most of Burkina is bush and scrub with the beginnings of that so-characteristic-of- Africa red laterite soil. To the north the vegetation thins out to sandy dunes as it approaches the Sahara but the south, opens up into forests and sugar cane fields.

December - February are the coolest months and the harmattan winds keep the skies hazy.

Route
Unless we need to go there, we skirt the capital Ouagoudougou (pronounced Wah-gah-dou-gou), known internationally for its the annual Film Festival. We cut south through minor roads and several unremarkable towns whilst appreciating how the landscape turns greener by the mile. The legendary 'upside down' tree, the Baobab, (so-called because the branches look more like roots) is commonplace in this region. Many specimens are thought to be over 2000 years old. Another common sight is the Sausage Tree whose huge pods can weigh up to 3 kilos.
Near Satiri we take pirogues & a picnic out on the Mare aux Hippopotames - close encounters with hippos! Local food is usually a fish, chicken or peanut based spicy stew - wash it down with the universal non-alcoholic drink loosely called 'ginger beer' - which may or may not blow your brains with the amount of ginger!

We call in on Bobo-Dioulasso, a laid-back, friendly town: tree-lined and shaded streets, sidewalk cafes and thriving market places. A great place for picking up mud cloth, carvings, masks and all sorts of interesting bits and pieces.

In this relaxed atmosphere we can learn a game of the universal game of Mankala - similar to backgammon, this is a major pastime all over the continent and to be able to play it is an effective way to get to socialise with local peoples.

The Bobo tribes people are known for their 'butterfly' masks and if we are lucky we will see something of the Fete des Masques which takes place seven times a year.

There are several interesting places around Bobo and Banfora - to the south east is La Mare aux Poissons Sacres de Dufora - sacred fish pools set in a crevice below the cliffs where chickens are sacrificed to the resident catfish!
Rather more off-the-beaten-track is Cascades de Kafiguela - a series of waterfalls right in the bush. To the west is the said-to-be-safe bathing area at Lac Guinuette in the green of the Kou forest and then another favourite, Lac Tengrela, the place to go for hippo and bird -watching as well as enjoying a drink at the local buvette

via Ouangolodougou - Ferkessedougou - Korhogo - Boundiali - Odienne - Touba - Man - Daloa - Yamoussoukro - Abidjan - Grand Basam - Aboisso - Elubo (border)

General

French speaking + Dyula and Baoule.
The currency is the cfa.

Côte d'Ivoire is bordered on the south by the Atlantic Ocean is notable for an inland lagoon that starts at the Ghanaian border stretching some 300km along the coast. Except for the western hill country around Man, inland Côte d'Ivoire is mostly flat and deforestation a problem.

These zones are reflected in the climate - humid and tropical along the coast and dry in the north. From November to March it is hot and dry but, as in Burkina Faso, from early December to February, the harmattan winds blow sand south from the Sahara, reducing visibility in the northern regions.

Generally, there is a better infrastructure than we have seen further north.

Though the country has two of the largest Catholic cathedrals in the world, only a small minority of people are Christian (and most of those are Protestant)! The majority practise traditional religions involving ancestral worship. Juju priests tell fortunes and dispense gris gris (charms that ward off evils).

The art of Côte d'Ivoire is renowned. It is distinct to each ethnic group ; three tribal groups stand out - the Baoulé, the Dan (or Yacouba) and the Senoufo . All are known for their wooden carvings especially masks, and dance is also a very important element.

Route

We enter the country in the north at Ouangolodougou but pretty soon veer off west toward Korhogo and Bouandiali. We travel on a circuitous route taking in the villages around Korhogo, the centre of Senoufo culture, where can be found beautiful baskets, musical instruments and woven cloth. Also the chance to try out the local palm wine (banqui) or millet beer (pimente).

Interesting caves near Ferantella and on to Touba and the Circuit du Zaala to the town of Man, where we arrange to witness some of the traditional dances including the 'Dance of the Masks' and Yacouba stilt dancing.

At nearby Mount Tonkoui are pretty Cascades and a liana (vines) bridge spanning the river.

We can also hike up the steep, tooth-shaped mountain Le Dent de Man - said to be the guardian angel of the region.

We sweep back east to Yamoussoukro , the birthplace of the former President Houphouët-Boigny who spent untold millions on this pseudo-city in the forest. It became the capital in 1983, but Abidjan is still where it all happens! The centrepiece is the Basilique de Notre Dame de la Paix, an almost exact replica of St Peter's in Rome. Good views from the Cupola.

We can also catch the crocodile feeding at the Presidential Palace!

We are getting into pineapple country here - a just-right Ivorian pineapple is certainly a different taste sensation to that of the sorry specimens we are used to! Fried plantains are a street snack favourite along with the ubiquitous brochette.

On southward through the rainforest to Abidjan, located on the Ebrie lagoon - a water taxi is a good way to get to its lesser-known corners. Treichville is the area for nightlife and the music scene. However, we usually stay up the coast near the old colonial capital, Grand Bassam, picturesquely set among coconut palms. Beware those falling coconuts! And swimming can be dangerous here on account of tidal rips.

via Elubo - Axim - - Dixcove - Takoradi - Elmina - Kumasi -Nkawkaw - Accra - Denu (border)

General

Formerly known as the Gold Coast, this is our first English-speaking country! A bewildering number of local languages but the main one is Akan. The word akwaaba is one you will quickly recognise - it means welcome!
Two main tribal groups are the Ashanti and the Fante.

The currency is the cedi. Ghana has opened up its currency and foreign exchange can now be freely traded.
Ghana has a hot and dry north and a hot and humid south.

Most of the country is made up of wooded hill ranges, wide valleys and low-lying coastal plains. A large chunk was swallowed by Lake Volta in the 1960's, when the Volta River was dammed and the lake swelled to become one of the largest in Africa.

Following Tony Blair's recent visit, Ghana was described in newspaper article as "scenic, inexpensive, hassle free, deeply religious, a little eccentric and courteous". That's about right!

One could go on to say that what it lacks in the wildlife of its East African counterparts, Ghana makes up in history and humanity. It deserves to be on the tourist agenda - but luckily for us it isn't - yet!

Route

We enter the country in the north and head south to the Atlantic Coast.

The atmospheric coastal towns are enlivened by the fleets of colourfully painted fishing canoes surfing into harbour, Fante fishermen at the helm. At Elmina we visit St Georges Castle - now a World Heritage site - and Fort St Jago , two of many forts of Potuguese, Dutch and British origin which sprang up during the 17th century, when European powers were competing for a piece of the e slave trade action. Many of these old buildings retain disturbing vestiges of slavery in the way of manacles and chains attached to the walls.

At Jukwa , the Kakum Forest Reserve is home to several endangered species including the forest elephant. A highlight is the walk on the aerial walkway suspended by a network of ropes & cables some twelve stories (40m) above the ground . Tree-top platforms give a monkey-eye view of the hidden leafy world of the forest canopy. The night walks are deservedly popular.

Inland toward Kumasi by way of Obuasi where just possibly we may be able to talk our way into a tour of the surface gold mines and smelting.

Kumasi was the centre of the Ashanti Kingdom and is another place that has a tremendously lively not to say raucous market spreading all over the centre of the town - the original town was razed by the British in one of the Ashanti wars but there are fascinating Museums & Palaces which shed light on Ashanti history.

Local crafts draw on a rich cultural history; several craft villages are within easy reach of Kumasi including Bonwire - famous for the production of kente cloth - Ahwia - wood-carvers - Ntsono - adinkra cloth and Kurofuforium - brass casting.

After working up a sweat after a day or two in the town we are glad to drop in at the serene crater lake of Bosumtwi , reportedly bilharzia -free. The local fishermen use coconut shells to skull their tiny craft along the water.

We travel further towards Accra on the coast where we find excellent beach resorts famous for their seafood (prawns with rice & red chilies for £2; lobster & chips for £3 - can't be bad). This is a good place to learn some traditional drumming rhythms at one of the excellent drumming schools. Huge mangoes are piled high alongside more exotic items such as smoked cane rat. Live land-snails destined for the pot are knotted together with baler twine (to stop them disappearing altogether)!

Finally, if time permits before leaving Ghana, we travel north of Akosombo Dam into the eastern rainforest near Hohoe and the Wli Falls, home to thousands of fruit bats as well as a 70m cascade of water.

via Denu - Lome - Kpalime - Notse - Tohoun - border

General

The main African languages here are Ewe, Kabye & Mina - but French remains the lingua franca.

Togo is a geographical curiosity in that it has a coastline only 56 kms wide but the country is 540 kms long! Even so, it manages to contain a variety of landscape with coastal palm groves, mountainous centre and northern savannah.

Currency is again the cfa.

It is dry over the winter months and the dusty, dry harmattan wind blows from the north in December/January.
Culturally, the main ethnic groups are opposites. For example, the Ewé consider the birth of twins a great blessing and makes offerings to figurines thought to embody the twin spirit - other groups consider the birth of twins to be a grave misfortune. Similarly, in the south the Ewé eat cat and consider anyone who eats dog a barbarian, while in the north the Kabyé eat dog but not cat!

Route

Kpalime is in beautiful hill country producing coffee and cocoa. Kente cloth is a good buy at its market. Those who like climbing may like to tackle the nearby 1000m Pic d'Agou for a fantastic view of the surrounding countryside.
It doesn't take long to reach Lome from here. Small the country may be but its capital makes up for it in liveliness. The Gran Marche is a huge indoor market , the 2nd and 3rd floors of which are piled high with wax-cloth sold by the pagna (2 metre length) by the famed Nana Benz (women traders who have done so well they are said to all drive a Mercedes Benz). The Passage des Arts is the place for curios and souvenirs. At the Village Artisanat , wood-carvers and other artists work whilst we watch.

Knock-down price (duty free) branded spirits are sold everywhere as are roasted peanuts and hot dough-balls.
At nearby Akodessewa is the Marche des Feticheurs (fetish market) where may be found gris gris and all sorts of bizarre ingredients of traditional medicine.

Readily accessed by a shared pirogue is Togoville, located on the northern shore of Lake Togo. This is the centre of the Voodoo cult in Togo. In essence, Voodoo is a belief that sees an interconnectedness of the human and spirit worlds - leading to the worship of the spirit in all things. It is widely practiced here and in neighbouring Benin.

In contrast to Ivory Coast & Ghana, the beach is protected by a reef at low tide so we can enjoy safe swimming at our camp site.

We travel inland to Tohoun with the aim of crossing into Benin.

via Aplahou - Abomey - Adjohoun - Aliada - Ganvie - Cotonou - Porto Novo - Ketou or Idiroko (borders)

General

Same language & currency situation as Togo.

Another long and thin country although somewhat bigger than Togo. The climate is much the same but the country divides into more natural regions: - the coastal area; a plateau zone, la terre de barre; wooded savannah; hills in the northwest ( which contain the water reservoir for Benin and Niger); and the fertile river flood plains in the northeast.

This country has had the third-highest number of coups in Africa but currently has a democratically elected government.

Benin - until 1975 known as Dahomey - has a rich cultural background. It has always had a certain mystique deriving partly from the its Amazonian (elite female) fighting force maintained by the Kings of Dahomey. But the aspect of its culture that has attracted most interest is Voodoo, an animistic religion still widely practiced. Voodoo was exported to Haiti in the 19th century through the slave trade (not for nothing was this once known as The Slave Coast). The practice is still strong and fetish shrines can be seen around the countryside.

Route

We cross from Togo at Touhoun and our first call of note is Abomey once the capital of the Fon Empire. The Fon kings added to the Palace over many centuries so by the 19th century it was massive with a court of over 10,000 people. Unfortunately only a small part of the original remains standing. The Kings used art to enhance their status and so forbade artists to work outside the Palace which consequently became famous for its metalwork and Applique tapestries. The Artisans Centre has a good choice of modern applique wall-hangings and sculptures - but bargain hard.

In the south, we find the fishing village of Ganvie in among coconut plantations - we have to take a pirogue or share a motor boat to reach it as it is built entirely on stilts in the middle of Lake Nakoue. Great photo opportunities as all aspects off life are represented on the water - the village has all the facilities one would expect of a community on terra firma - bars, post office, hairdresser and clinic all of which can only be reached by boat.
The unofficial capital Cotonou is another lively spot. If you're fond of heaving huge markets, take a petit taxi to the Grand Marche de Dan Topka, - it sells everything you can think of including fetishes and cheap Johnny Walker Black Label! The Centre de l'Artisanat has lots of interesting artifacts.

One of the especially nice things about Cotonou is the number of street stalls that set up in the evenings lit by oil lamps and candles giving the otherwise humdrum place a romantic air. The beach is somewhat less romantic being polluted and with dangerous currents.

Along the coast to the west is the port of Ouidah, the Voodoo centre of Benin. It was from here that Voodoo was shipped to America and of particular interest are the Musee d'histoire and the Musee des Arts & Culture , which exhibit bizarre voodoo artefacts, and material relating to the slave trade era as well as some fascinating old photographs.

Finally, to Porto Novo, the nominal capital where the colonial buildings have definitely seen better days. There are stilted villages in the lagoon within reach of here as an alternative to visiting Ganvie.
The place of crossing into Nigeria depends on local factors but is probably at Ketou.

via Meko or Idiroko - Abeookuta - Ibadan - Oshogbo - Ilorin -Abuja - Kaduna - Kano/Jos - Bauchi - Biu - Mubi (border)

General

English-speaking. There are over 250 ethnic groups here and the country has a perpetual problem in resolving ethnic differences and trying to impose national unity.

Hausa (in the north), Yoruba (in the west) and Ibo (in the east) predominate and the situation has not been helped with the adoption in the Muslim north of sharia law.

Currency is the naira - this is strictly controlled which encourages an unofficial parallel economy. The largest denomination banknote is worth less than $1 so carrying naira around is a bit tricky!

As Nigerian cities tend to be sprawling, congested, polluted and chaotic we avoid them as far as possible! But the smaller towns across the country are pleasant to visit and full of good-humoured and helpful people. There still remain a surprising number of Reserves and National Parks.

There are countless numbers of small religious sects often combining Christianity with animism - that is, worship of ancestral spirits which protect the land and ensure tribal well-being. Many of the sacrificial rituals and juju ceremonies that use animal skulls, bones and dried insects are a way of contacting these spirits to ensure good fortune.

Nigeria has a reputation for crime and corruption but the overwhelming impression we leave with is the masses of energy and entrepreneurism looking for an outlet.

Route

We avoid Lagos and only touch on the fringes of Ibadan before heading north to Oshogbo where many of Nigeria's most famous artists live so that it has become the main centre of Nigerian art. Oshogbo is also famous for its Sacred Forest, an area in the forest that holds massive sculptures and monumental shrine complexes dedicated to different Yoruba gods, notably the river goddess of Oshun. Many of these shrines are falling into disrepair and are being reclaimed by the forest but since the 1950s, work has been ongoing to bring the shrines back to life.

A favourite overnight spot is at the centre for the performing arts, and where we are usually treated to a veritable concert of African JuJu music & dance.

Nowadays we have to make for the administrative capital Abuja to obtain visas. We go due east to Calabar Port for Cameroun visas.

We drive on through the surrounding bush and exit Nigeria at Mfum.

via Ajasso - Mount Cameroun - Limbe - Yaounde

General

There are over 130 ethnic groups in the country speaking dozens of languages and just to confuse you; Cameroun is also French and English speaking due to a complicated colonial past! The two zones are quite distinct but the French part is dominant politically and culturally.

Bamileke, Fulani and Bamoun are the main ethnic groups.

The currency is the West African franc (still the cfa but a different variety which means that although the notes are interchangeable with the central african franc, the coins are not).

Route

We cross near Mfum/Ajasso and rive for a few days through thick forest to Buea on the base of Mount Cameroun. It’s the highest mountain in west Africa and rises straight from the coast through tropical rainforest to a bare summit which is cold and windy and occasionally covered with snow. It erupts occasionally, in 1999 lava reached within 200 metres from the ocean. You can climb the mountain from Buea at around 1000m where guides and necessary porters can be hired. Debuncha at its southwest corner is the second wettest place in the world.

After visiting Douala Port and Yaounde the modern architectural capital we cross to Gabon.

via Bitam - Libreville - Lambarene - Nyanga

General

French speaking.
The currency is the cfa.

Gabon is on the Atlantic coast right on the equator. There are extensive rainforests covering most of the country. It has had steady contact with Europe since the Portuguese fist arrived in the 15 century and is much richer than most other countries in the region

Route

Leaving Yaounde, we cross into Gabon and the capital city of Libreville. Gabon is famous for it's populations of lowland gorilla, though most people prefer to see the mountain gorillas in East Africa. From the capital there are several excursions you can take into surrounding nature reserves and Africa's largest bush meat market. Leaving Libreville, we pass through Lambarene, home to the famous Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Nobel peace prize winner for founding the Lambarene Leprosy Hospital and his work with the downtrodden locals.

via Dolisie - Point Noir Port

General

French speaking, Kongo, Lingala.
The currency is the cfa.

The Congo is named after the Kongo Kingdom which extended over the whole region and tried to have diplomatic relation with Europe in the 15th century. They were refused by the Portuguese. It was a turning point in history, things might have been so different for Africa if they had had diplomatic missions in Europe instead of been carved up and exploited as colonies.

Route

We enter The Republic of Congo. Driving through bamboo forest tunnels we make our way back to the coast reaching Point Noire. Here you can visit the Jane Goodall Chimp sanctuary, or relax on the beach.
Cabinda (Angola)
We enter Cabinda the oil rich exclave of Angola with the Congo to the East and the Atlantic to the west; where you can watch the flames burning off from the offshore oil rigs.

via Muanda - Boma - Matadi Port

General

French speaking, Kongo, Lingala
The currency is the Congolese franc.

The Congo River (for a time known as Zaire River) is one of the longes and biggest rivers in the world - 4,700 km long and a massive amount of water flowing through its channels, more than all the rivers of Europe combined.

Route

We enter DR Congo crossing only 200 kilometres of the country and the mighty Congo River by a massive bridge overlooking Matadi Town; a sea port over 100km upriver from the ocean

via Noqui - Luanda - Lubango - Ondjiva

General

Portuguese speaking.
The currency is the kwanza

Portugal ruled Angola for 400 years and both countries share cultural aspects. Angola isn't known as a tourist destination, the people are similar to Brazilians in their love of life

Route

Angola only opened up to tourism in 2004, With the closure of the routes through Sudan, we started going this way through one of the largest and least visited countries in Africa.. The people are friendly and the views astounding. Driving along the red mud roads we reach the coast and the capital Luanda, its very Portuguese in its buildings and Brazilian in its beach attire with a line of beach bars and restaurants in the bay. We follow the coast passing lots of waterfalls on the way to Lubango town 2000 meters high on a plateau. It is home to the third of the great statues of Jesus; the others being in Rio and Lisbon.

via Oshikango - Etosha - Swakopmund - Fish River Canyon

General

English speaking, Afrikaans, German
The currency is the Namibian Dollar – interchangeable with South Africa Rand.

Namibia is favorite on the eco tourists list, wide open spaces, one the lowest density populated countries in the world. An old German colony and a very well run country. One of the most popular on route.
Whilst in Namibia the geographical features range from the wild and inaccessible shoreline of the Skeleton coast to huge, perfectly moulded sand dunes, deep canyons and the petrified forests and rock engravings of prehistoric Africa.

Route

Travelling south we enter Namibia at Oshikango. Always a highly anticipated highlight is Namibia's premier game park of Etosha. Centred around the shallow salty depression of Etosha Pan, the colours of the landscape are vivid, ranging from brilliant whites of the salt deposits to bright greens caused by algae growing in the wetter areas. The park has a unique series of waterholes with superb viewing vantages, which attract a continuous stream of different animals and birds. Each campsite has a floodlit water hole where you can watch rhino or even lion come to drink throughout the night.

Leaving the game park we spend the night at the pioneering Otjiotongwe Cheetah Conservation Farm where cheetah are rescued from farmland where they are in danger of being shot. It is possible to get very close to these magnificent cats and this is a rewarding experience for photographers.

We then travel through the mountainous and rugged area of Damaraland, home to the elusive desert elephant of which there are only 60 left. At the spectacular rock massif of Twyfelontein, engravings that date back to prehistoric Africa can be seen, and the Petrified Forest is scattered with fossilised tree trunks which were distributed over the area millions of years ago. Descending towards the coast the scenery changes from hot, arid desert to the windswept shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the bleak wilderness of the infamous.

We spend a few days in Swakopmund, an attractive coastal town with German influenced architecture. Here there is an abundance of exhilarating activities which range from microlighting and skydiving to riding quad bikes and sand boarding through the dunes. A seasonal highlight is fishing, from deep-sea game fishing for marlin and shark, to crayfish diving from the shoreline. Alternatively, you can relax on the beach, tour the Hansa brewery, visit the world's largest open cast uranium mine or indulge at a German patisserie or enjoy a beer at one of the town's 32 pubs.

From here we continue south and reach Namib-Naukkluft National Park. The northern area of the reserve is largely gravel plains where rain rarely falls. Here the unique welwitsia plant can be found, some of which are estimated to be 1500 years old, and which survive only on the moisture from dew. The central area of the Namib Desert is a red sea of sand and at Sossusvlei you can climb the world's highest sand dunes which rise over 300 metres. We camp at Sesriem on the edge of the dune fields from where a balloon ride can be taken to see the incredible views over part of the oldest desert on earth.

Travelling through Aus, we stop to see Namibia's population of feral horses, the only wild desert-living horses in the world which can go without water for up to five days. There is a mystery about where these highbred thoroughbreds came from, and one theory is that they were shipwrecked en route from Europe to Australia.

Travelling to the far south of the country we reach the spectacular Fish River canyon. This huge gorge is 160 kilometres long, 27 kilometres wide and up to 550 metres deep - it is a breathtaking sight and one bound to leave a lasting impression of Namibia and its incredible scenery.

via Orange River (border)- Cedarberg Mountains - Cape Wineland - Cape Town

General

English speaking + Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa
The currency is the rand.

The Orange River marks the border with South Africa and from here we enter West Cape Province and travel south through the flower region of Namaqualand and the Cedarberg Mountains. After visiting some of the Cape Wineland vineyards and sampling some of South Africa's finest wines, we reach the conclusion of our journey in Cape Town, the country's oldest city and possibly one of the most beautiful in the world. Here the atmosphere is relaxed and the options for sightseeing and travel through the rest of South Africa almost limitless.