To tent or be tentless
 

Hi there, I'm planning to ride from the UK down to Cape Town on my trusty DR650. Some years ago I hired a Transalp in Buenos Aires and rode it down to Ushuaia and back, with no tent or camping gear, I had no issues finding acommodation no matter how remote I got. Then in 2018 i rode 3 months through USA, this time with tent and gear. It is so easy and inexpensive to find accommodation anywhwere in the USA, and I camped just a few times. In 2019 I rode from UK to Ulaanbaataar with the tent and camping gear and again only used it once in the sands of Mongolia, and even then I could have stayed somewhere. With a bad back issue I hope to avoid camping, it really isn't good for it. I also prefer not to carry the gear. My question is - I'm thinking of leaving my tent and camping gear behind for Africa, do you think this is a wise move? I've found no matter where I go, I always find somewhere to sleep, but I haven't toured through Africa before. Grateful for advice and opinions.

I think it's a reasonable move. I only bring my camping gear if I am going on a specific camping trip (usually a weekender).

This may not exactly apply to Africa, but I've found that in other parts of the world, if camping is an attractive option, then there will probably be a camping supplies store nearby (or a big-box store with a camping section), where I can pick up a cheap tent and mat to use for a few days.

Hell, the hostels in New Zealand often have a gear-dump section where you can pick up the tents and sleeping bags left behind by other travellers for free!

I often found overland traveller campsites/ truck stops in Africa the most pleasant environments to stay at as well as the most cost effective. Also excellent for bike security and avoiding unwanted attention. My tent was imperative in order to be able to stay in these sort of places.

Thanks fellas! I guess there are pros and cons for both options!

Always worth checking when people are opining on public forums if they actually have first hand experience in the region.

https://www.ukgser.com/community/thr...-congo.302402/

This thread will give you some idea, there’s also a previous one for West Africa.
Itchy boots is doing that trip at the moment and she doesn’t take camping gear.

bier

My last trip round Europe was done without camping, but if the weather had been better I'd have looked for campsites to save money. Going further afield to more remote places I'd expect to need a tent sometimes. Yes it's a hassle packing and unpacking all your gear but as you say there are pros and cons - like carrying tools would you rather have it and not need it, or need it and not have it?