South Africa to Kenya: Equator Enduro Expedition

The sun rises over the rainbow nation: we land at OR Tambo Airport at 07:00 and meet the team over breakfast. From there it is on to Cape Town, arriving around 11:00, then by bus to camp. After collecting the customs papers we check documents and motorcycles. Rather than a five-star hotel, this South Africa to Kenya motorcycle tour starts down to earth: beer, grilled crocodile and a tent next to the bike outside Cape Town.

At the Cape of Good Hope, after sunrise, comes the opening shot of this Equator motorcycle expedition. Kilometre zero, 9:00 am: straight across southern Africa. Near Somerset West we stop briefly at Joe's Safari Camp, before Chapman's Peak Drive and the relaxed Garden Route follow. In Mossel Bay we refuel ourselves - breakfast and dinner are the only meals for the coming weeks. Before sunset we reach George and close the day with a South African sundowner.

For the first time we pack up the tents and ride on. Along the Garden Route, conversation carries through the visor all day - this is life, unfiltered. After around 500 kilometres of tar and gravel we reach that night's camp on this Africa motorcycle expedition. Time to rest, since tomorrow brings a new day of adventure in South Africa and the longest stage of the first week.

Sunrise: strike camp and stop for breakfast 60 kilometres on in Hofmeyr, filling tanks and pannier bags. Today's stage of around 650 kilometres is one of the toughest of the first week. Highways through KwaZulu-Natal bring this South Africa to Kenya motorcycle tour, after around 250 kilometres, to the border of the Kingdom of Lesotho, where the mountain section of the expedition begins.

Early in the morning we climb the famous Sani Pass, the highest point of this Trans-Africa expedition. Over hot coffee we enjoy the cold morning on the plateau, then start the enduros. We descend over 1,000 metres of altitude down Lesotho's most photographed pass. At the foot of the Drakensberg we cross back into South Africa and stand on the Battlefields of the former Zulu kingdom, where this Africa motorcycle expedition meets history.

Morning ritual: a quick look at the map, start the engines, then the first coffee. On the road again - over South Africa's country roads we ride the enduros into the mountainous Kingdom of Eswatini. On tar almost the whole way, we reach Hlane Royal National Park. It is home to the country's largest herds of lions, elephants, rhinos and giraffes, and a wildlife highlight of this Equator motorcycle expedition.

The last day of the old year begins relaxed: packing up calmly, a leisurely breakfast, then 220 kilometres through Eswatini's forests before the rest of the route to Hazyview. In the afternoon we reach our lodge near Kruger Park and fill every tank. A quiet stage day on this Africa motorcycle expedition, before the north calls.

The new day starts with a hangover breakfast, coffee and a hair-of-the-dog beer. Gently start the engine and ease into the day along green roads through forests with a tropical feel. After more than 3,000 kilometres we have crossed Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Now this South Africa to Kenya motorcycle tour covers its last kilometres to the Zimbabwe border.

Welcome to Zimbabwe! Once the enduros and support vehicles have cleared customs, we head toward Masvingo on the main route. About 40 kilometres in, we stop at Great Zimbabwe and explore a piece of African history. From there we continue north-northwest, and after a day full of culture and kilometres on this Equator motorcycle expedition, we turn in for the night.

Sunrise over Africa marks the start of a new touring day. Pack up the tents, a sip of coffee, a biscuit, and onto the travel enduro - on- and offroad heading north-northwest. We stop at Hwange National Park, where, depending on timing and group dynamics, we go on safari. Enduro travel is unusual in Zimbabwe, fixed routes barely known: this Africa motorcycle expedition brings plenty of surprises, on- and offroad alike.

Our morning ritual begins with the sunrise: coffee, bike check, briefing on the stage, then off. At 128 metres above the gorge we cross the Victoria Falls Bridge, built in England in 1903. Cecil Rhodes had the structure shipped and railed here as a milestone for his 'Cape to Cairo' plan. Over the Zambezi, this South Africa to Kenya motorcycle tour continues north.

Young Zambia, founded in 1964, has one of Africa's highest HIV rates and, with around 740,000 AIDS orphans, one of the continent's largest orphan populations. Alongside Bantu languages, English is spoken, which helps us through peoples such as the Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni and Bisa. We do not follow Cecil Rhodes' old line, but leave our own on this Equator motorcycle expedition.

With the first rays of sun we cover the last kilometres northeast through Zambia to the crossing into Malawi. The only break in the day's ride is the wait at the border post, which we use for breakfast, refuelling, brushing teeth and postcards. With a bit of luck our turn comes quickly, and this Africa motorcycle expedition rolls on north.

We enjoy sunrise over Lake Malawi with a cup of coffee. The route follows the western shore of the roughly 30,000 km² lake. As usual we take the Tanzania border 'pole pole' - slowly, in Swahili. While the paperwork is processed, we sample the snacks at the Songwe border river. That is how this South Africa to Kenya motorcycle tour links two countries in a single day.

Breakfast with coffee freshly brewed straight from the plantation - if not now, when? We need that coffee boost for Tanzania's endless distances. We cross the country toward Arusha; along the way lies the Ngorongoro Crater, which we can visit by arrangement. Another big day on this Equator motorcycle expedition, not far now from the finish below the equator.

As the sun rises behind Kilimanjaro, we fire up the machines - rock and roll, the last stretch of adventure begins. Across the open country to Mount Longido: fuel, food, throttle. Next stop is the Kenyan border. After crossing we reach Nairobi, where this South Africa to Kenya motorcycle tour winds down with a Tusker beer and nyama choma, before heading home the next day.