My route

Here's my proposed route



My focuses for the route were to complete as much of the way by bicycle as possible, avoid war zones, avoid large mountain ranges, see some excellent sights along the way, and as many new and interesting countries as I could.

I take a ferry from Dover to Calais, cross Benelux to southern Germany, and then follow the Danube all the way to Belgrade.  I cycle through Serbia, Kosovo and North Macedonia, reaching Thessaloniki in Greece, without climbing too many mountains.  I then follow the Mediterranean coast of Turkey all the way to Antalya, passing through some beautiful spots along the way.

I fly from Antalya to Cairo, because going via the Middle East is not easily possible.  Syria is out because of the war, and I could have gone via Lebanon/Israel/Jordan, but this could have been awkward with passport stamps, it's quite out of the way, and I've just been to Jordan earlier this year.

From Cairo I follow the Nile to the Sudan border.  Sudan's civil war prevents travel there, which is a big chunk of my trip, but I've read stories of cyclists being emergency evacuated, so it isn't worth the risk.  I have to fly over Sudan, which means I have to go via Cairo again to Addis Ababa.  

From Ethiopia I'm travelling roughly southwards through as many interesting places as I have time for.  I hope to go westwards around Lake Victoria and see the gorillas in Uganda/DRC, but if this is not possible I may go via Nairobi instead and see the Serengeti and Maasai Mara.

I might go via Victoria Falls in Zambia, but this is quite out the way, so will depend on time.  My finish is in Olifants West Nature Reserve, next door to the Kruger Park, in South Africa, where the Black Mambas operate. 

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