2023 we bought two brand-new Honda CRF300 Rally, aiming to ride with them from Berlin to Cape Town. We didn’t make it. Here’s an honest review of the bikes.
Maun, Botswana – Windhoek, Namibia – Cape Town, South Africa. Our Honda CRF300 Rally bikes are not up to the task – for the last kilometers of this trip, we switch to a new mode of transport.
Windhoek, Namibia – Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe – Maun, Botswana. So. Many. Animals! Botswana’s wildlife really sets it apart from all other countries we’ve been to.
Ondjiva, Angola – Windhoek, Namibia. Namibia is weird and wonderful – but our trip comes to a sudden halt: one of our Honda CRF300 Rallys has an engine failure.
Pointe-Noire, Congo – Ondjiva, Angola. Mountains, beaches, gravel and good food: Angola has everything a motorcycle traveler can wish for.
Ntam, Congo – Pointe-Noire, Congo. In Congo, our motorcycles continue to misbehave.
Idenau, Cameroon – Ntam, Congo. Crooks, corruption, sputtering engines and beautiful landscapes: Cameroon throws a lot at us.
Akraké, Benin – James Town, Nigeria. Traveling through Nigeria is an intense experience. We hurry eastwards.
Dahomey, Benin – Akraké, Benin. It’s only a quick visit to Benin, but an enjoyable one.
Dzodze, Ghana – Dahomey, Benin. We’re in Togo for a short time only and battle bureaucracy – but that’s not the fault of the Togolese.
Grand-Bassam, Ivory Coast – Dzodze, Ghana. Ghana is the second English-speaking country of our trip – and maybe the most Christian of them all.
Nzérékoré, Guinea – Grand-Bassam, Ivory Coast. Perfect tarmac and some astonishing sights: Ivory Coast is quite different from Guinea.
Fongolembi, Senegal – Nzérékoré, Guinea. Guinea is beautiful but provides us with a few unforeseen challenges.
Sabi, The Gambia – Fongolembi, Senegal. A constitutional crisis looms in Senegal, changing our plans slightly.
Toubakouta, Senegal – Sabi, The Gambia. A small country with a big river and beautiful nature. We like it.
Saint-Louis, Senegal – Toubakouta, Senegal. Not more of the same: Having left the Sahara behind, Senegal feels different from the countries we’ve been to on this trip so far.
Bir Gandouz, Morocco – Saint-Louis, Senegal. Mauritania is one of the world’s least visited countries, so we didn’t really know what to expect – besides sand. And there is plenty of sand indeed. It’s still the Sahara, after all.
Tafraout, Morocco – Bir Gandouz, Morocco. As we make our way south, the landscape changes completely: We enter the Sahara.
Genova, Italy – Tafraout, Morocco. A looong ferry ride lies behind us. We start to explore Morocco – and are impressed by its beauty.
Berlin, Germany – Genova, Italy. After months of planning, we’re officially on our way.