Green Hills of Africa

South of Nairobi, you'll spot the unmistakable Mount Kilimanjaro and its smaller sibling, Mount Meru, en route to Tanzania. From there, it’s a day’s pedal to the rapidly growing and vibrant city of Arusha. As the gateway to such famous attractions as Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha is East Africa’s safari capital. Here riders are given 3 days off, affording them the opportunities to experience wild Africa at its most spectacular. Heading south from Arusha, the red-cloaked Masai tribesmen will be your constant companions as you spin along roads with relatively little traffic, surrounding by endless green hills and red earth. At Babati you begin several challenging days of ascents and descents – sometimes on rougher gravel and sandy roads, that can be muddy in places if the rainy season has arrived.

South of Mbeya riders enter Malawi which sits astride and rises away from the huge expanse of Lake Malawi, Africa’s third largest lake, home to many breeds of aquarium fish. Leaving Lake Malawi, you climb up the escarpment into the central plateau en route to the provincial capital of Mzuzu. Don’t be surprised to find yourself pedaling alongside some of Malawi’s many cycling farmers, as they transport chickens, grain, and just about anything between their villages and the nearest market. After a night at the sleepy town of Kasungu, you arrive in the capital city, Lilongwe, which marks a rest day and the end of this section.

Highlights

• Views of Kilimanjaro
• Wildlife Safari to Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater
• Red blanketed Masai tribesmen
• Lake Malawi