KARIMS TRANS-AFRICA TRIP REPORT


photos here=
https://www.instagram.com/vintagetenere/?hl=en

(a few photos copied below, cannot fix orientation...)


TRIP AND DATE
Route: UK to South Africa
Timeframe: 2024/2025

DURATION, DISTANCE, COST etc.
• Duration: 6 months
• Distance: 22,100 km
• Cost: €8,000
• Fuel Consumed 1039 liters
• Piston Cycles 56,500,000
• Punctures 2

COUNTRIES TRAVERSED (17)
Spain, Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Cabinda, DRC, Angola, Namibia, South Africa

BIKE DETAILS
Model: Yamaha XT600 Tenere 1984 (34L)

MODIFICATIONS
• New engine build by David Lambeth (faultless throughout the trip)
• Hyperpro rear shock (strong and reliable)
• Luggage racks
• Oil temperature gauge

STRENGTHS
• Simple, reliable, robust design
• No fuel injection, no electronics
• Classic vintage styling and engine sound
• Excellent power delivery off-road

WEAKNESSES
• Side stand mount (strengthened during the trip)
• Kick Start mount (known weak point)
• Casing vulnerable to damage

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED
• Chain came off due to rope caught in rear wheel (resulted in casing damage and oil leak)
• Oil cooler and tachometer drive removed
• One broken rear spoke
• Lithium battery replaced
• Kick Start Mount broke

BEST EQUIPMENT
• iPhone 13 Mini
• Quadlock wireless iPhone mount with damper
• Garmin Montana 750 GPS
• USB-powered air compressor
• Motoz Rallz rear tyre (lasted the whole trip)
• Chain and sprockets (lasted the whole trip)
• GPD PocketPC Mini Laptop
• LS2 helmet
• Leatherman Wave multitool
• Heliox Ultralight Camp Chair

POOR EQUIPMENT
• Thermarest sleeping mat (4 punctures)
• Automatic chain oiler (damaged by jet wash)
• Coleman fuel stove (major leaks)
• Bike power accessory module (failed after 6 weeks)
• Multiple small electrical items failed – even “rugged” ones

BIGGEST HEADACHES
• Visa planning and acquisition
• 10-day wait to cross Nigeria–Cameroon border
• Empty fuel stations in Guinea, Angola, and Congo
• Losing a bag with spare parts and shoes from the bike
• Jacket damaged after getting jammed in the rear wheel
• Frequently losing small items despite care

BIGGEST SURPRISES
• New jungle road in Congo
• Positivity of Nigerian people
• Intense heat in Nigeria (41°C)
• Unexpected wildlife in Namibia

FAVOURITE PLACES
• Desert crossing: Algeria/Mauritania
• Angola
• Namibia
• Mountain crossing: Nigeria to Cameroon

LEAST FAVOURITE PLACES
• Conakry (Guinea)
• Yaoundé (Cameroon)
• DRC
• Any place with open roadside sewers

BORDER EXPERIENCES
• Best: Namibia / South Africa
• Worst: Angola / DRC

NEXT TRIP IDEAS
• Southern Algeria
• Trans Morocco Trail

BEST THINGS ABOUT THE TRIP
• A truly authentic motorcycle adventure
• Genuine kindness from strangers
• Camaraderie and support from fellow adventurers (met in-person and online)
• Encouraging messages from home
• No major illness, accidents, or unfixable mechanical issues
• Immense satisfaction from making progress and crossing borders
• Plenty of time for personal reflection while riding

WORST THINGS ABOUT THE TRIP
• The cost, stress, and effort of visa applications
• Getting deeply stuck on the Mauritanian shoreline with rising tides
• Supermarket guards repeatedly asking to move the bike
• Engine casing damage on an Ivorian beach
• Struggling to sleep in hot climates with tents sealed against mosquitos
• Scam fees at the Diama border
• Eviction from a Namibian campsite for no clear reason
• Witnessing severe poverty, human suffering, and animal cruelty
• Being constantly asked for money by police and civilians
• Eating healthily was difficult
• Being seen as an “object” in some places
• High risk of accidents with harsh legal consequences

WHAT I’D DO BETTER NEXT TIME
• Install a small, hidden dashcam for accident documentation
• Invest in hot-weather riding gear
• Spotlights for occasional night driving
• Carry more emergency cash for breakdowns, illness, and remote area needs
• Visit countries bypassed: Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea

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__________________
www.instagram.com/vintagetenere/

Hi Karim,
Well done! Inspirational and helpful post!

I am not on Instagram or Facebook and have some questions because I'm planning a similar solo trip (ex-Dublin, via TMT Morocco and then Nouakchott-Choum) this winter 2025-6 on my CRF250L with an ultra-light approach to packing (e.g. possibly no cooking).

- You mentioned delays getting visas: Where did you get each visa for Guinea, Cote Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, DRC, Angola. Is there a city from where one can secure multiples? Any suggestions?
(I appreciate there are some other posts about West Africa visas but you've excluded Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone and Liberia and I'd like to understand your thinking.)

- Was 8 months too fast? Or could it be done quicker and still have some quality of life?
- Equatorial West Africa appears to be "not for the feint-hearted". Online I see few stories and youtubes of overlanders actually enjoying Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, etc. Was there much respite from the borders and roads?

Apart from iOverland and HUBB what Facebook groups are useful for overlanders in West Africa?
Regards, Ruairi

West Africa Travellers facebook group is the best

to make the trip a success concern your self with=

(1) not having any accidents with people or vehicles. (its damn dangerous out there, some people just walk into the road in front of you due to stupidity)

(2) dont breakdown. machine must be good/tested/reliable/perfect as possible
breakdown in remote areas with no parts available is really shit.

(3) dont get sick. it an end your trip if bad.

cheers
Karim

__________________
www.instagram.com/vintagetenere/