The Route 2009

In January, in the gentle mist of the African dawn, a group of intrepid and strong-willed men and women will begin a journey of both body and soul as they pedal their way through an epic adventure like no other.

Welcome to the 7th annual Tour d'Afrique, an 11,900 km (7,438 mile) bicycle race/expedition across the world's most exotic and alluring continent.

The Cairo to Cape Town route will challenge you physically and mentally like no other - and reward you as you have never been rewarded before, with scenes of unsurpassed splendor and an incomparable feeling of accomplishment.

The mandate is threefold: first, to create an athletic event for both amateurs and professionals; second, to foster international goodwill; and third, raise funds for environmental protection and promote bicycles use in Africa.

Tour d'Afrique starts at the magnificent Pyramids on the outskirts of one of the worlds most popular and ancient cities, Cairo. It is the perfect beginning for the longest, hardest cycling race and it gets better. In Egypt you will cycle along the shores of the Red Sea, cross the rugged mountains of central Egypt, mingle with the ghosts in the temple of Karnak in Luxor, and cycle along the magnificent coast of the Nile into Aswan.

From Egypt you will travel by boat down Lake Nasser into Sudan, one of the most remote and least visited countries in the world. Cycling with the Nile River as your companion, you will pass through villages that have not changed in hundreds of years and experience the hospitality of a people who have lived by the Nile for thousands of years. The section ends in the legendary and historic city of Khartoum, a city that sits at the confluence of both the Blue and White Nile rivers. The "Pharaoh's Delight" is for those who want to feel the desert wind on their face and experience the romance of biking along one of the great rivers of the world through the lands of the Pharaohs, the Nubians and the Cush. You will feel as if you were the first person to come upon these forgotten lands. And on bicycle, that’s pretty much the truth.

From the city of Khartoum to the border of Ethiopia, you will pass through the “bread basket” of the Sudan. The countryside gradually changes as you cycle towards Ethiopia and you will also witness the transformation from the Arabic Muslim world of northern Africa to the more tribal and traditional nature of the Horn of Africa.

Once in Ethiopia, the ride of your life begins. Ethiopia contains some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world. This section will challenge your body more than any other section due to the high altitude riding. However, there are many interesting stops throughout Ethiopia such as Lake Tana where you can visit ancient monasteries and visit the Blue Nile Falls.

From a cycling standpoint, the highlight of this section will be the Blue Nile Gorge, an 1800-meter precipitous descent and ascent over a crumbling road that will test the mettle of cyclists of any calibre. Once you have conquered the Blue Nile Gorge, the beautiful rolling hills of central Ethiopia will whiz by as you cycle along a newly paved road into the capital city of Addis Ababa. The descent from the surrounding hills of Addis into the downtown core will be an experience you will not soon forget.

South of Addis Ababa, the terrain changes yet again to flatter countryside interspersed with beautiful lakes. Lake Langano is set against the Arsi Mountains and is an ideal stop for the riders to camp and take a much-deserved dip. You will also be riding through Shashemene, the unofficial capital of the Ethiopian Rastafarian community. In Yabello, you can visit the wildlife sanctuary where you might catch a glimpse at some of Africa 's rarest birds such as the Prince Ruspoli Turaco.

Crossing from Ethiopia into Kenya begins the “meltdown” portion of this section because the roads in northern Kenya consist of an unpaved lava rock expanse that redefines the word bumpy. This road runs through a hot flat rock desert and then the paved highway begins and you start the ascent around majestic Mount Kenya.

You will cycle through some spectacular scenery, as well as crossing the equator, and undergo some of the most drastic elevation changes as you cycle towards the halfway point of the Tour d'Afrique; Nairobi. The “Meltdown” has the most diverse changes in scenery and riding conditions: desert, mountains, and savannah. Cycling the “Meltdown” in its entirety will be an impressive accomplishment for any cyclist.

If your vision of Africa is the same as what you see on Discovery or the National Geographic Channel, then this is the section of the Tour d'Afrique for you. One day south of Nairobi, you will arrive at the border of Tanzania and immediately spot the unmistakable Mount Kilimanjaro and its smaller sibling, Mount Meru. The city of Arusha in Tanzania is small but vibrant and is growing fast; it is also the gateway to the Serengeti National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro.

The good news for participants of this section is that there will be three days off to take in some of these sites. Heading south from Arusha, you will cycle along roads where you have to watch out for not only cars, but also zebras, giraffes, and maybe even elephants. You will cycle close to many famous national parks including the fabulous Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Taragire, and Ruaha. The tribesmen of the Masai will be your constant companions along the road and eventually you will cycle through the small capital city of Dodoma and then through some of the most unique, verdant, memorable and least traveled parts of Tanzania as you finish off in the pleasant town of Iringa. The “Snows” section might not be the most difficult, but guaranteed, it will be one of the most memorable.

This section of the tour highlights the small country of Malawi, a luscious country that sits beside the huge expanse of Lake Malawi and is surrounded by beautiful mountains. Once you set out from Iringa, it will still take a few days to get to Malawi, but the cycle through southern Tanzania will definitely be worth it. You will cycle through undulating verdant hills that are teeming with banana and tea plantations. The scenery will be breath taking, the small towns lively, and the people incredibly friendly.

After three days, you will hit the border of Malawi and enter one of the friendliest countries on the Tour. Over the next week, you will cycle along Lake Malawi and spend a day off in Chitimba, a town near Livingstonia, which commands one of the most spectacular views of the Lake. Eventually, we take the road into the mountains and set off for the capital city of Lilongwe.

Several days of riding in the beautiful mountains of Malawi will take you through small villages as well as bustling towns such as Mzuzu, Jenda and Kuzungu. Along the way, you will definitely have the opportunity to sample some of the Malawi Gin for which this section is named. This section ends in the lively capital of Lilongwe.

This section starts in the capital city of Malawi but quickly takes you into Zambia, a country named after the fabled Zambezi River. Right now, Zambia is a country that has huge wilderness parks and very little tourism. But that won't last long. If your ideal trip is one with few tourists, fantastic scenery, friendly people and lots of cycling, then the "Zone" can't be beat.

Your first days of cycling will take you along the Great East Road through some fabulous scenery. Eventually you will cycle through the Lower Zambezi National Park, a park that is increasingly becoming renowned for its natural splendour and wildlife. A day off awaits you in the bustling and vibrant capital city of Zambia, Lusaka. But this isn't the end yet.

Several more days of cycling through incredible scenery will take you to the end of the “Zone” and to the town of Livingstone and the natural wonder of Victoria Falls. Not only can you see the Falls, but you can enjoy bungee jumping, white water rafting, and many other activities arranged by the campsite. The people, the adventure and natural wonders await you in the "Zone."

One of the natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls starts the “The Elephant Highway”. A quick jaunt through the incredible scenery along the Zambezi River will take you to the border of Botswana and the next week will be some of the longest cycling the tour with 6 centuries (100 miles) in seven days of riding. This is a pure road riding section, and a true test of endurance.

Fortunately, you will be riding through some of the most impressive wildlife habitats on the planet. Botswana is home to some one hundred and ten thousand elephants that roam through the Kalahari and Chobe National Park. Don’t be surprised if you see an elephant from time to time. Once you reach the small, but rapidly growing town of Maun, you have a day off and you can take a visit to the Okavanga Delta.

The cycling continues along the edge of the famed Kalahari until we reach the border of Namibia, a country that few have heard of, much less visited. Namibia is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and you will cycle through some of it until you reach the capital city of Windhoek, a modern, cosmopolitan city that lies in the middle of the country. The open spaces, modern cities, and long distances make the “Elephant Highway” one of the most unique sections of the tour.

Starting from Windhoek, you will cycle south and skirt the edge of the impressive dune seas of the Namibian desert. In southern Namibia, you will cycle near the hidden treasure of Fish River Canyon; one of the deepest canyons in the world. From there you continue until you reach the border of South Africa, and the final country in the Tour d’Afrique. The excitement builds everyday, as you join those doing the whole tour in the emotional conclusion to their long journey.

No other country in the world matches South Africa for infamy and now, with the specter of apartheid gone, almost no other country can match it's beauty and wealth. Cycling along the western coast will take you through the stunning scenery of Namaqualand and through the picturesque valleys and peaks of the Cederberg.

Before you know it, the end of the Tour d'Afrique will arrive and you will be standing at the base of the majestic Table Mountain in Cape Town, one of the most visible breath taking and beautiful cities in the entire world. After cycling the “Diamond Coast”, you will not want to miss the party at the end.