Route Planning (Western side)

The Cape to Cairo Road, sometimes called the Great North Road in sub-Saharan Africa, was an imperial dream envisioned by the British Empire. It linked all the British colonies and protectorates and traversed South Africa, the Rhodesia’s, Tanganyika, Kenya, the Sudan and into Egypt.

Although certain African countries are involved in civil war, it is possible to plan a “save” route on the western and eastern side of Africa. We do not have a departure date yet, but at the time we plan to leave, we will make sure the countries we will be crossing through, will be save at that time.

After a lot of reading and research the basic route from Cape to Cairo will take us through four gates.

• Musina,

We travelled the southern part of Africa extensively; consequently we will take the shortest route to Musina. Cape Town will be our starting point and we will travel to Bloemfontein, Johannesburg (touch base), and Musina. Here we enter Zimbabwe and travel to Masvingo, Harare, and to the Mana Pools National Park. Here we enter Zambia and travel to Luzaka. From Luzaka we travel to Chipata and cross the border to Malawi. To Lilongwe and travel on the western side of the lake to Mzuzu we cross the border to Tanzania and travel to Mbeya

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• Mbeya,

There are good explanations why I choose this gate. From here we travel to Iringa, Baobab Valley, and to Dar es Salaam. Travel to Sagera, Moshi and to Arusha. It is important that we now visit the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. From here we go to Namanga and go through the border to Kenya. Now we set of to Nairobi. From Nairobi we travel to Isiolo, Marsabit and to the next gate Moyale.

• Moyale,

To the west the Sudan and east Somali, the ongoing wars is not a save option, be save and use this gate. As you leave Moyale, you cross the border into Ethiopia. From here we travel to Shashemene, Mojo and to Addis Ababa. I understand that the road north to the Ethiopian border at Moyale is one of the loneliest and roughest between Cape Town and Cairo. It’s a hot, dusty track that can turn into an impassable mud bath during the rains. From Addis we travel to Bahir Dar and to Gondar. From Gondar we travel to Shehedi, Metema and then we cross the border to Sudan. We travel to Doka, Gadaref and over the Blue Nile to Khartoum. As we leave Khartoum we cross the White Nile as we travel to Dongola, cross the Nile river, Akasa and then the last gate Wadi Halfa.

• Wadi Halfa,

Getting out of Sudan into Egypt make this gate a must. The safest and quickest way to Aswan and into Egypt is the ferry. From Aswan we travel to Edlfu, Luxor, cross the Nile River, Beni Maza and the last stretch to Cairo.

The dreams of many are the reality of only a few