I know nothing

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Nickel512

Puppy
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Location
Minnesota USA
Bike
Suzuki DL 650 V-Strom
I’m a 57yo from Minnesota USA, outside my door is 6feet of snow and -20c. I am planning a solo trip to Sa-Moz-Mal-Zam-Bot-Sa. I’m a veteran of riding solo from my Home in StPaul thru Mx thru numerous Central American countries to Costa Rica and back in about 30 days. I have also ridden/ raced off road for decades (and was a big Albie fan)Here is my general plan and then several questions as I’m doing this all from an iPad and google maps. I know only what I read.
1) Fly into JHB n rent from Yamaha Adventure XT bike rentals their tenere XT660 for about $2700 with panniers.
2) Depart towards Kruger and wander a bit west of there, then into Moz, Maputo then make my way up the coast visiting various beach towns til Vilankulos then heading northwest up thru Tete corridor and into Malawi.
3) Visit various beach towns til Nkhata bay then head west towards Zambia entering around Kalonge the make my way to Lusaka. Then down near Lake Kariba and down to Kansane.
4) Kansane down to Nata west to Matopi to Maun to Ghanzi then swing east to JHB, somewhere around 120hrs seat time an 8k kms.
?s
a) assuming I follow all the usual safety measures(no night driving, all gear all time, avoid suspicious areas and people) is this a relatively safe idea solo? I’m bothered by heat more than cold what about September (19’) as travel month? 30 or so days to do trip?
b) what is with not being able to ride bikes thru National Parks. Kansane to Nata shows a main roadway thru huge green areas on google map and a post I read a guy drove his bike thru the parks are so huge going around would add days and in some areas the only rout is thru a park/reserve. Is there a man standing there letting cars in bikes no?
c) I would like to drop at a few of the big name reserves (Kruger, Chobe) and park my bike and be shuttled in for a 2-3day safari, my problem is I don’t expect to be able to keep a schedule there for can a call the day of or before to try and last minute get a seat on a safari or is that unlikely. I will be a guy who knows nothing trying to get around on what many believe is a very adventurous continent yet according to my Loney Planet I’ll need a reservation for everything in the bush??
d) should I be learning some languages? There seems to be so many, everyone in Mexico n Central Am spoke one!
Any general advice is very much welcomed, knowledge is inversely porpotional to anxiety
Oh n what does Lekkar mean, I know I could look it up but this is more fun
Nick
 
Top