Tips from the road: Africa

Sometimes is the anguish after several years living a routine that does not get you anywhere, or the crisis that follows the end of a long relationship or a catastrophic event so personal that pushes you to rethink your priorities in life.

There are many different reasons that can lead us to start a “no return ticket” and “no planning” around the World trip, but everyone who decided to follow that explorer draw towards the unknown has a common motivating element: we want to know the World in which we live and want to know more about the human kind. Ask any traveler and they will respond that people are one of the main attractions and interests that leave the best memories among all the experiences accumulated in the different Countries they visited.
Although we could do not know it when we started, our subconscious is drawn by the diversity of human beings, and the more cultures, races, tribes or religions we meet the more we happen to discover, that is what unites us. Our peculiarities and differences fade and blur to the point where, as human beings, we are all part of the same species and share the same destiny.
But before we begin to theorize where we should go as a specie we must know where we come from, and the answer to this question will be found in East Africa, the cradle of humanity.
Our project Around Gaia, that took us around the world, has already accumulated 54 countries during the last 4 years we have been on the road, and just in its final stage, before returning to Europe, we have approached to this corner of the planet where everything started and where everything we have seen so far on this trip seems to make sense.
In the in the next lines we will guide you through 8 destinations in Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia that we recommend not to miss on your next trip if, beside riding on some of the most amazing motorcycling routes, you also want to discover more about yourself. The story starts with Tanzania and Rwanda.

Lake Natron (Tanzania)

National parks like Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Kilimanjaro or Masai Mara may present some inconveniences if you are travelling by motorcycle. Their high cost access may exceed the limits of your budget, while the ban on motorcycles will force you to use an off-road vehicle through some sort of organized tour, with a massive influx of tourists that will take away much of the magic of the African savannah. Luckily Lake Natron is there for us. You can reach its acidic waters riding your own motorcycle through a gravel and petrified lava route. The only traffic you will encounter will be the Masai warriors with their sharp spears herding their cattle for water and grass. The trip can be done on an intense day from Arusha, but we recommend you do one or two stops to camp in some of the Masai villages along the way, always asking permission to their chief. Plenty of wildlife to be seen: although there is a slim chance of meeting lions along the route (they usually avoid any contact with the warriors), zebras, giraffes, wildebeests, flamingoes and even camels will keep you company at any moment. Eventually you will reach the edge of the volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai, and ride around it to get to the lake.

The Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe (Rwanda)

Rwanda is a small Country that is not only perfect to cross on a motorcycle with a mountainous geography and perfect climate, but also offers easy access to two of our very close relatives, chimpanzees and mountain gorillas. The first ones live in the treetops of Nyungwe forests, but it will certainly be the mountain gorillas the wild animal who will make you to see clearly that their feelings are not so different from yours.
The last individuals of this species live scattered among the mountains that sit among Congo, Uganda and Rwanda, but in the latter Country it will be easier to access their encounter. After a walk of 1 or 2 hours through leafy forests, the trackers will take you within a couple of meters from some of the gorilla families that live here.
First the guide will approach the leader (with his silver back) and using sounds from the language of this incredible animal will let him know that we come just to visit them without being a threat. As soon as the silver back understands that his family is not in danger everybody will return to their activities like eating, allow females to clean their coat from lice, take a nap on the ground, play with baby gorillas or even having some sex.

Zanzibar (Tanzania)

At some point your trip through East Africa needs a break. The intensity of exploring this Continent by motorcycle can leave you exhausted, and the solution is in Zánzibar. This coral island full of history hides some of the most beautiful beaches on Earth. There are two very different faces: the quiet west side to relax and eat some good fish, and the windy east side for the lovers of kite surfing.

Rift Valley (Ethiopia)

The Rift Valley is one of the biggest faults of the planet and, although you may not have known it until now, it´s the reason why you can read these lines today. When it rose it divided this region of the African continent into two very different areas, giving the East a drier climate that forced the local apes to leave the trees in search of more food. These then began to walk on two legs, leaving their hands free to create utensils and tools, eventually evolving into humans as we are today. The fault is enormous and it crosses several Countries, but we recommend visiting in a specific and easy to access place. A little more than 200 km North of Addis Ababa, on the route to Bahir Dar, the high plateau is suddenly cut by the huge crack. From that cliff, you can enjoy one of the best views this Continent can offer, with a glimpse of the Blue Nile at the bottom.

Gikongoro memorial (Rwanda)

Unfortunately, we think of Rwanda as a synonym of terror because of the bloody genocide that took place here just 20 years ago. In about 3 months almost one million people were killed. Still, we encourage you to visit and be amazed by the resilience and the ability to recover of the human being. Although anyone over the age of 20 has a survival story tied to his life, Rwanda today is a peaceful and hate-free country, with a united population committed to move forward together. Not only that, Rwanda wants to be an example in many other aspects. It is a country where hospitable people will receive you in the best possible way, trying to make every visitor leave with a great impression. It is also the cleanest and best organized Country in Africa, to the point of earning the nickname of “African Switzerland”. But after the tragedy suffered by its people, there is now a very important rule: it is forbidden to forget. From the capital to the smallest village and in between there are several memorials of the holocaust. The most touching is in Gikongoro where, on the top of one hill where there used to be a University now sits the resting place for thousands of bodies preserved in limestone powder: children, women and men who will mark you with the image of one of the greatest horrors of our history.