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Trans Africa Coast to Coast Cycle expedition leader Abbi Naylor shares her top five highlights from the journey, giving us an insider's look into what makes this coast-to-coast cycle route so extraordinary.
This epic journey, spanning 3,000 kilometres and crossing four diverse countries, takes cyclists from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, offering breathtaking landscapes, thrilling wildlife encounters, and unforgettable experiences along the way. Whether you're an avid cyclist or simply an adventure enthusiast, Abbi's insights will inspire you to consider embarking on this once-in-a-lifetime journey yourself.
1. Cycling Coast to Coast
Cycling coast to coast across the width of Africa from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean is a very rare and special feeling. It feels like the kind of adventure that I have watched other explorers complete, it feels like a dream to have created a cycle route, and now, to have completed it along with 9 other coast to coast cycle test pilots is phenomenal. The last day of the cycle route was an emotional one, the route is not easy that day with some high elevation to reach the top of the Jozini plateau. At this point, you can see and smell the ocean. Nothing can beat the feeling of knowing that there is nothing to stop you from making it to the finish line of the Trans Africa Coast to Coast Cycle.
2. The Trans Africa Coast to Coast Cycle Route
The cycle route is phenomenal, spanning 3000 km and traversing 4 countries. Each day, the scenery changes: leaving the skeleton coast on day one, entering the sand dunes of the Kalahari, crossing Savannah and then the Okavango delta, before heading into the mountain of Eswatini, entering the game reserves of South Africa, and finishing at the Indian Ocean. The gravel riding is second to none; most days topped the best day of cycling in my lifetime, and I have ridden some miles!
3. Seeing Lots of Animals
Giraffes and zebra are common sights along some of the cycle route, we were also lucky to see elephants, antelopes, buffalo, monkeys, baboons and many beautiful birds as we cycled from coast to coast across the continent. The main highlight being that of two male white rhinos. After the longest day of cycling on the Trans Africa Coast to Coast Cycle Route (203km), we arrived at camp and were scooped by some safari trucks. These trucks took us to where some rhinos had been last spotted. As the sun went down, we were able to sit and watch two male white rhinos from about a 15-metre distance. It was a remarkable end to the day.
4. The food
Like all good expeditions, there are still some days when we had dehydrated expedition meals. However, for the majority of the time, the food was fantastic, fresh, hearty, and plentiful. Using local produce and locally sourced meat and game. A big highlight was the Malva pudding, a very delicious dessert similar to that of sticky toffee pudding, served with ice-cream or custard. The team ended up requesting it from the restaurants most evenings as it was enjoyed so much.
5. eSwatini
All of the 4 countries on this coast to coast cycle had their own highlights. However, Eswatini (formally known as Swaziland) was my favourite. The terrain is green and mountainous, the gravel cycling is at its best over these two days in the country. The people are also extremely friendly and polite, always smiling, wanting to chat and ask questions about what they thought was an unachievable journey. Most of the local people would have never left the tiny country of eSwatini, for them, what we had done was out of this world.
