Bicycle Africa
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Bicycle Africa |
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Unique Programs To Special Places For Memories Of A Lifetime!
Three common reason people have heard of Botswana and/or Namibia are the "click-languages" spoken by the indigenous hunter-gather and fisher-gather ethnic groups, the Okavango River eco-systems, other extensive natural beauty, and diamond. Bicycle Africa's programs explores some extent of all of these, except the diamonds -- which are often cloistered in restrictive zones. Our route partially circumnavigates the Okavango Delta. The delta is fed through the Okavango River by January and February rains in Angola. For the next six month the water floods into the center of southern Africa (about equal distance from the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean and the Cape of Good Hope) where they form the world largest inland delta and a unique eco-system. Equally unique is the cultural environment in the area. It is made up of Khoe-speaking Khosian, non-Khoe-speaking Khosian and derivatives from several parts of the Niger-Congo linguistic group. An historic monument to the areas cultural past is the large Tsodilo World Heritage Site, on the west side of the Okavango Delta. It is believed to be the work of proto-Khosian people. This rich mix of attribute has attracted the interest of material intensive, Western-style-tourism, developer. This has been facilitated, or exacerbated, by some newly paved roads. The paved road certain ease the way for bicycle travel, and bicycle travel facilitates wiggling around the expanding foot-prints of tourism infrastructure, allowing an appreciation the craft, initiative and quality of life of the local people.
Photo Essay: Botswana/Namibia: Okavango Cultural Sojourn
Schedule: May (see full
schedule and status)
Program Price (lodging, two meals/day, guide, museum fees and more): US$1990
(less than six people add $100) (airfare is not included). Average out of pocket expenses per program: $100
plus or minus $50.
Description: Day 1: Kasane. Check-in the hotel and do a little local sightseeing.
Day 2-8: Ride along the Caprivi Strip (Namibia) past Subia, Mafwe, Biyeyi and
Mbukushu villages and several nature reserves, learn about the
culture, flora and fauna. Day 9-16: Cycle the Okavango Delta. Visit small
towns, development projects, schools, and farms, and the
Tsodilo World Heritage Site. Day
17-18: Return to
gateway city and finish program.
Features: Small group, wonderful meetings with local people at schools,
development projects, social & environmental programs, visits to nature reserves,
and villages and breathtakingly beautiful back roads bicycling.
Starting / Ending Point: Kasane, Botswana / Maun, Botswana, using a common gateway airport/city like Johannesburg.
Please get the details on this before making your flight arrangements.
Skill Level: Suitable for fit Intermediate/Expert
Mileage Daily / Total Mileage: 45-100 km, 28-62 miles, starts with lower
mileage / 1100km, 680 miles.
Cycling Conditions: 80% paved, 20% dirt, some hills.
Accommodations: Small hotels, tourist lodges, village
housing/camping.
Van Support: None.
Meals Included: Two meals per day, generally breakfast and dinner (meat, chicken,
fish, corn, rice,
pasta)
Other Activities: Walking, boats and buses.
Bike: Mountain bike recommended. Bike Rental: Not
available.
Note: If you arrive a few days early, Kasane is a good point
from which to visit Victoria Falls (a World Heritage Site) (via Zambia or Zimbabwe,
a visa
maybe required) or doing a game drive into Chobe National Park (Botswana).
Unique Programs To Special Places For Memories Of A Lifetime!
Please
write if you have questions, suggestions and comments about our program or want to be
added to Bicycle Africa's mailing list. (Also let us know how you found this site.)
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