Kenya and Tanzania Loop Motorcycle Tour

Drive towards the south from Nairobi and cross the border with Tanzania. Here, drive a tough route to the deserted Lake Natron. This lake is used for the opening scene of the "Out of Africa" movie. A beautiful route then takes you to the foot of the highest mountain in Africa, the Kilimanjaro. Drive along the north side to the border with Kenya. Then, return to Kenya for beautifully varied routes towards Nairobi. Drive from the deserted "plains" full of wildlife to the mountainous areas north of Nairobi. This is a wonderfully varied trip that gives you an overview of both Kenya and Tanzania.

Key information

Terrain: a mix of asphalt and off-road
Bike: rental bike (Kibo 250 cc)
Mileage: 1813 kilometers / 1126 miles
Daily rides: 90 - 255 kilometers / 55 - 158 miles
Riding gear: not included - mandatory: helmet, an armored motorcycle jacket, gloves, good quality armored motorcycle trousers or pants with loose knee-armor, and sturdy, high (mountain) boots
Meals: breakfasts

Highlights

Starts and ends in Nairobi
Daily distances are not very long
There is enough time for village visits and photo opportunity stops en route
Ride on asphalted main roads and follow a variety of narrow routes off the beaten track
The motorcycles are light and maneuverable enduro bikes
15 nights accommodation

Skill level

Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

Styles

15 riding days in English

The organizer also speaks: Dutch, German

Group size: 6-10 participants

Airport transfer included: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Accommodation

During this tour, you stay in comfortable hotels or resorts. For two nights, you'll stay in a tented camp. Towels and bedding are included in the price. You will be staying at the following locations:

Day 1 Nairobi
Day 2: Kajiado (simple guesthouse)
Days 3 and 4: Lake Natron (tented camp)
Day 5: Ol Molog (simple accommodation)
Day 6: Oloitokitok
Days 7 and 8: Jipe Lake (small camp on the shore of the beautiful lake)
Day 9: Sagala (lodge with a swimming pool and nice houses)
Day 10: Wote (simple accommodation)
Days 11 and 12: Castle Forest (a place with a beautiful view over the mountain)
Day 13: Navaisha Lake (a beautiful location on the shore of the lake)
Day 14 and 15: Nairobi

Program

Day 1: Home - Arrival at Nairobi

Karibu, welcome! You will be picked up from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, named after Kenya's first president after independence. You'll immediately experience the hectic city life of Nairobi, full of traffic, high-rise buildings, and many people. About five million people live in this city, increasing to 10 million inhabitants if the suburbs are included.

The city is named after the Nairobi River and is located at an altitude of 1,800 meters, which makes the temperature very pleasant and even quite cool at night in the summer months. The city was officially founded in 1899 with the arrival of the railways. Today's program depends on the time you arrive.

Located along the Nairobi River, the name Nairobi comes from the Maasai people and means "cool waters". You'll find it busy, chaotic, unsafe (it is also called Nairobbery) and dirty or you'll find Nairobi unique, authentic, vibrant, and special. Of course, crime occurs here, but in which city is there not?

In Nairobi you will find markets everywhere. They often sell everything from clothing to fruit and from souvenirs to moped parts. A nice market to visit is the Maasai market. Here, the local residents mainly sell products that they have made themselves. So, if you're looking for a unique souvenir, this is definitely the place to look. At a Maasai market, you can taste the original culture of undiscovered Kenya!

Day 2: Nairobi - Kajiado (118 kilometers/73 miles)

The first day on the motorcycle through Kenya. You'll drive out of the busy city along the Nairobi National Park. So close and almost nowadays in the city, you will find a park full of elephants and giraffes. Follow a narrow paved road to avoid the main road. Drive past small villages and because you'll drive not far from Masaai Mara Park, you can also encounter wild animals. The last part to Kajiado, drive on the main road. Overnight is in a simple guesthouse.

Day 3: Kajiado - Lake Natron (210 kilometers/130 miles)

Follow the main road across the border to Tanzania, although the border crossing may still take some time. After lunch in the small village of Longido, turn off and drive a particularly challenging route to Lake Natron. Here and there are still animals walking around. Lake Natron has become known for its use in the film "Out of Africa". Spend the night here in a tented camp.

Day 4: Lake Natron

You can use this stay day to drive around the lake. You can also take a walk with a local Masaai tribe on and near the lake. Due to its high alkaline content, the lake attracts large colonies of birds and flamingos.

Day 5: Lake Natron - Ol Molog (202 kilometers/125 miles)

Drive back to Longido via a different route. This route is slightly easier than the previous route. From Longido, drive a dirt road through the rolling countryside towards Kilimanjaro. You can already observe the mountain on the way. Ol Molog is also a small village with only simple accommodation.

Day 6: Ol Molog - Oloitokitok (90 kilometers/55 miles)

A short distance from Ol Molog is the road around Kilimanjaro. The road actually runs between the mountain and the border with Kenya. Ride this route all day long. At the end of the day, cross the border with Kenya again and it is a short distance to the Kenyan Oloitokitok.

Day 7: Oloitokitok - Jipe Lake (108 kilometers/67 miles)

From the Kenyan side, drive along the border with Tanzania. This is an abandoned area with hardly any settlements and the route is almost completely unpaved. You will encounter several stray animals and the occasional Masai tribe. Today's final goal is Lake Jipe, here is a small camp on the shore of the beautiful lake.

Day 8: Jipe Lake

It is a nice location to stay for a day. You can take a walk along the lake or take a motorbike ride in the area.

Day 9: Jipe Lake - Sagala (207 kilometers/128 miles)

After a short while, reach the highway Nairobi-Mombasa. An unpaved route takes you to an asphalted main road. After a few hours, turn into an unpaved route, these go through hilly plantations. You will be following this road for the rest of the afternoon.

Eventually, you'll also come across the major main road between Mombasa and Nairobi but after 20 kilometers, turn back into the bush and spend the night in Sagala Lodge with a swimming pool and nice houses. The five-kilometer long access road to the lodge is good practice for driving through loose sand.

Day 10: Sagala - Wote (244 kilometers/151 miles)

After many unpaved routes the last day, this is a day with mostly asphalt. To return to the north, follow the Mombasa-Nairobi main road for a large part. For the last 40 kilometers, follow a beautiful unpaved route through hilly terrain. Wote is a small village with simple accommodation.

Day 11: Wote - Castle Forest (255 kilometers/158 miles)

All day long, drive narrow, mostly paved roads. The landscape is becoming more and more mountainous and you will notice that the mountains are getting busier with small villages, compared to the flat land in the south where the Masaai live. Drive up to the foot of Mount Kenya, the highest mountain in Kenya, and stay in a place with a beautiful view over the mountain.

Day 12: Castle Forest

Take a day trip by motorbike in the area, visit small villages, and drive narrow dirt paths. You can also use the day to do trekking on Mount Kenya.

Day 13: Castle Forest - Navaisha Lake (211 kilometers/131 miles)

In the morning, follow a paved route to the south. After lunch in Thika, you'll hit an unpaved route that takes you to Lake Naivasha. Spend the night at a beautiful location on the shore of the lake.

Day 14: Naivasha Lake - Nairobi (168 kilometers/104 miles)

A short route takes you back to the busy capital today. You'll have the last part of the afternoon to do something in the city or to contemplate the beautiful journey on a terrace.

Day 15: Nairobi

Departure from Nairobi.

Day 16

Arrival home.

Level of difficulty

The altitude reached during this tour through Kenya and Tanzania isn’t really worth a mention. Daily distances are not very long. There is enough time for photo opportunity stops en route and for visits to villages.

Off-road

This tour suits all healthy motorcyclists. You'll ride on asphalted main roads and frequently follow a variety of narrow routes off-the-beaten-track. About a third of the route is on unpaved roads. However, these are hard-packed gravel roads, The unpaved roads are not difficult but an off-road training course is recommended. The motorcycles are light and maneuverable enduro bikes.

Bike info

For this tour you will ride a Kibo 250 cc motorcycle. The maximum deductible excess for damage to your own motorcycle is 500 EUR.

Beginner

can ride for two to three hours
minimal riding experience
assistance required
comfortable with curves and leans
basic experience with unsurfaced roads
short distance ascents and descents

Intermediate

can ride for three to four hours
average riding experience
little assistance required
comfortable with extreme curves and leans
average experience with unsurfaced roads
steep ascents and descents

Advanced

can ride for five to six hours
extensive riding experience
assistance on demand (if required)
experienced with riding a variety of motorcycles
comfortable with any terrain and weather conditions

What's not included

International flights
Airport taxes and fuel surcharges
Fuel for motorcycles
All other meals and drinks
Personal expenses
Travel and cancellation insurance
Cost of visa for Kenya (online)
Cost of visa for Tanzania (at the border)
Entrance fees and transportation costs for optional day trips in National Parks

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