Tour of East Africa

[simon-mganga]

I'm planning a tour of East Africa in 2018. Starting from Nairobi in late June or early July (the beginning of the long dry season in most of E Africa), and travelling for 8-10 weeks in an anti-clockwise circuit of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. I think the ideal number of people for such a trip is three, so I am actively looking for two other who might be interested in joining me. Anyone out there interested?

[Annoying Twit]

I can't join you, but I make one comment on your trip: wow!

[Warin61]

I think the ideal number of people for such a trip is three

6 is ideal.
More than 6 and the probability of more than one breakdown at a time increases too much.
If someone has a medical problem - 2 can stay with them and 3 go off for help.

Good Luck with the trip.

[Heltor Chasca]

Jambo! Habari yako?

I am jealous. I spent some time darting in and out of Kenya. (Mombasa, Nairobi And Thika.) It’s a beautiful country full of wonderful people. Whoever goes with you will have a life time’s experience.

[amaferanga]

Why 3 or 6?

Do it solo. Then you'll interact with people way more.

(years of touring solo in Africa behind me. Too far behind me unfortunately )

[matt2matt2002]

I'm off to Ethiopia in Feb. Just 5 weeks.
Planning to ride from Addis Ababa to Lake Tana.

I toured Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with 3 others for 2 months.
Nice folk but the dynamics didn't work for me.
Too many negative issues. Where and when to stop. What and when to eat/ sleep.
Budgets, speeds, abilities.
Guess it can work for some folks.
I chose to do it for safty reasons but came back thinking I had been totally safe.
I guess having someone look after your bike while you shop is handy.

Good luck. Got your vacations?
I'm having Yellow fever done.

[amaferanga]

I'm off to Ethiopia in Feb. Just 5 weeks.
Planning to ride from Addis Ababa to Lake Tana.

Are you going through the Bale mountains and over the Sanetti plateau? If not, I'd highly recommend it.

Addis - Adama - Assela - Bekoji - Dinsho - Goba - Sanetti plateau then join the main-ish road again near Bitata.

Good chance of seeing lammergeier and maybe even Ethiopian wolf.

[gbnz]

I'm off to Ethiopia in Feb. Just 5 weeks.
Planning to ride from Addis Ababa to Lake Tana.

I toured Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with 3 others for 2 months.
Nice folk but the dynamics didn't work for me.
Too many negative issues. Where and when to stop. What and when to eat/ sleep.
Budgets, speeds, abilities.
Guess it can work for some folks.
I chose to do it for safty reasons but came back thinking I had been totally safe.
I guess having someone look after your bike while you shop is handy.
.

Have to admit I'm a light weight, not really able to contemplate cycling outside a "western" style country.

"But the dynamics didn't work for me" rings a bell. On being asked to cycle/ walk with keen cyclists/walkers from work, I always refrain, pretty much on the grounds that "I prefer to cycle/walk alone".

Popping over to France and cycling/walking across to the Alps or wherever, going where ever I go isn't an issue. Cycling/Walking for a day in the Lake District/Yorkshire Dales or the like with colleagues would be fairly disenchanting.

[Warin61]

Why 3 or 6?

I gave reasons for 6 rather than 3.
Travelling in a group gives you social interaction with similar people.

Do it solo. Then you'll interact with people way more.

Solo forces you to interact with locals - which is a good thing. The bad thing is ensuring safety, most of which is perceived safety. Depends on how comfortable you are living 'on the edge'.

[amaferanga]

These are very safe countries for solo travellers. Travelling solo isn't "living on the edge".

[matt2matt2002]

I'm off to Ethiopia in Feb. Just 5 weeks.
Planning to ride from Addis Ababa to Lake Tana.

Are you going through the Bale mountains and over the Sanetti plateau? If not, I'd highly recommend it.

Addis - Adama - Assela - Bekoji - Dinsho - Goba - Sanetti plateau then join the main-ish road again near Bitata.

Good chance of seeing lammergeier and maybe even Ethiopian wolf.

Many thanks.
I'll check out your route suggestions.
Plan as of now is just north from Addis Ababa to Lake Tana. And then maybe a trek.
But flexible and I'll certainly look at your idea.
When were you there?
Much hassle/ stone throwing?

[amaferanga]

Ah right. When I read your post first time I thought you'd said lake Turkana, that's why I was thinking you'd be heading south.

I've been to Ethiopia a couple of times - 2004 and 2008. 2004 was 10 weeks cycling round the northern loop (Bahar Dar - Gondar - Aksum - Lalibella - Desse - Addis), 2008 was just a few weeks doing that loop through the Bale mountains.

Stone throwing was quite bad in bits - sometimes quite scary, but mostly just a minor nuisance. The good folk massively outnumber the stone throwing kids though so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Think there's a lot more asphalt now - Blue Nile gorge in particular.

[AnyOtherName]

Awesome - will you blog?