Compass Expeditions Motorcycle Tours and Rentals

Motorcycle Tours of South America, Australia, Asia and Major Expeditions - Road of Bones

Follow Us On:
Call +61 3 9747 2379
  • Home
  • Tours
    • South America
    • North America
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • Classic Rides
    • Off the Beaten Track
    • Major Expeditions
    • Go Your Own Way
    • Special Events
  • Go Your Own Way
    • Australian Bike Rental
    • South American Bike Rental
    • Self Guided Tours
    • Trip Extensions
      • Australia
      • Europe
      • South America
      • Africa
      • Asia
  • More
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
    • Frequent Rider Program
    • It Pays To Have Friends – The Compass Expeditions Referral Program
    • FAQ
    • Ride Grade System
    • Payment Options
    • Travel Insurance
    • Terms and Conditions
      • Compass Expeditions Release and Waiver of Liability
      • Compass Expeditions Excess Reduction Policy (ERP) Summery
  • Free Promotional DVD
    • The Compass Expeditions 2020 Tour Catalogue
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
    • Compass Expeditions Merchandise
    • Books and DVDs
    • Tech and Communications
    • Camping Gear
    • Motorcycle Parts and Equipment
      • BMW R1250 GS Parts
      • BMW F850 Parts
      • BMW R1200 GS – Liquid Cooled Parts
      • BMW R1200 GS 2005-2012 Oil Head Parts
      • BMW F800 GS Parts
      • BMW F700 GS Parts
      • BMW F650 GS Parts
      • BMW R1200 RT Parts
      • Suzuki DR650 Parts
      • Harley Davidson Parts
    • Motorcycle Tyres
    • Workshop Equipment
    • Other items
  • Blog
  • Cape Town to Victoria Falls With Charley Boorman
  • Cape Town to Victoria Falls With Charley Boorman
  • Cape Town to Victoria Falls With Charley Boorman
  • Cape Town to Victoria Falls With Charley Boorman
  • Cape Town to Victoria Falls With Charley Boorman
  • Cape Town to Victoria Falls With Charley Boorman
  • Cape Town to Victoria Falls With Charley Boorman
  • Cape Town to Victoria Falls With Charley Boorman
  • Cape Town to Victoria Falls With Charley Boorman
  • Cape Town to Victoria Falls With Charley Boorman

Duration: 18 Days / 17 Nights

Charley Boorman’s Africa Adventure Ride

Cape Town to Victoria Falls: Eighteen days of pure motorcycling adventure: 5000 kilometres, through 4 countries

South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe

Riding with Charley Boorman is a once in a lifetime experience and offers participants a unique insight to a world far removed from most of us. From Cape Town to Victoria falls this epic ride includes the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa's Winelands, Cederberg Mountains, Wildflowers of Namaqualand, Fish River Canyon, Ai-Ais Hot Springs, Dunes of Namibia, Namibia's Skeleton Coast, Etosha National Park, the Himba & Herero Tribes, Chobe River cruise, Okavango and Kwando Rivers, Game Drives, the mighty Zambezi at Victoria Falls, and that's just the start. Add the exceptional accommodation including staying at the legendary Victoria Falls hotel, evenings hearing the inside "Long Way" stories with mate Ewan McGregor then it adds up for and incredible unique ride experience through Africa

Yes its seems every man and his dog is offering the Cape Town to Vic Falls ride these days but the following points should be considered when choosing who to ride with;

* An FGASA trained field guide to enhance your experience, (after all your in Africa, might as well know about what you looking at)
* Recent model, low km, BMW GS model bikes.
* A qualified paramedic along with a comprehensive, professional medical kit (just in case).
* 2 support vehicles with mechanical support, luggage and passenger carrying capacity.
* Outstanding 5 star accommodation and fine dining, EVERY night of the tour.
* Long list of inclusions such as game safaris, sundown cruises and wildlife encounters.
* Experiencing a stay at the wonderful Victoria Falls Hotel.

Join us for what promises to be an amazing ride!


Download an info kit

Dates & Prices



At a Glance

Tour Highlights

  • Riding with world-renowned motorcycle adventurer, Charley Boorman.
  • FGASA Field Guide – Billy Ward.
  • Cape Town & Cape Peninsula
  • Cape of Good Hope
  • The Winelands
  • Cederberg Mountains
  • Wildflowers of Namaqualand
  • Fish River Canyon and Ai-Ais Hot Springs
  • Dunes of Namibia
  • Namibia’s Skeleton Coast
  • Vingerklip
  • Etosha National Park
  • The incomparable wildlife
  • The Himba & Herero Tribes Women
  • Victoria Falls Hotel
  • Sunset cruise on the Chobe River
  • Kavango and Kwando Rivers
  • The mighty Zambezi River, and Victoria Falls “The Smoke That Thunders” at the iconic Victoria Falls.
 

Included

  • Airport Transfers
  • Motorcycle rental – Late model, low mileage, BMWF850 GS, F850 GSA R1250 GS or R1250 GSA.
  • Two support vehicles with passenger carrying ability, trailer, spare bike, spare parts and Mechanic.
  • Breakfast everyday
  • Dinner every evening
  • 17 nights of luxury accommodation in excellent small hotels, remote African wildlife lodges & the 5-star Victoria Falls Hotel.
  • Services of ride leaders (Charley Boorman and Billy Ward) and support vehicle driver (mechanic).
  • Qualified FGASA Field Guide.
  • Services of a qualified paramedic equipped with a comprehensive, professional medical kit.
  • Pre-departure material and route maps
  • Garmin GPS with pre-loaded waypoints for tour
  • Access to satellite phone, pay per minute
  • Charley Boorman / Compass Expeditions tour shirt
  • Okavango River Cruise – Rundu
  • Popa Falls cruise – Divundu
  • Wildlife Safari Cruise – Chobe River
  • Game Drive – Etosha

Not Included

  • International flights
  • Visas (if required)
  • Pre Tour Accommodation (We recommend that you arrive in Cape Town no later than the 31st August)
  • Post Tour Accommodation
  • Fuel
  • Tolls
  • Lunches
  • Personal items
  • Personal travel insurance
  • Tips and gratuities

Upgrades

All accommodation is twin or double share, if you would like a single room there will be a single supplement: EUR 1,330.00
Limited Single Supplement places available.

Our motorcycles are insured and have a damage excess of US$ 1500, this amount will be held via way of a bond on your credit card for the duration of the tour.

Get a Travel Insurance Quote

Itinerary

 

Day 1: Your Cape Town airport transfer will take you directly to our joining hotel. We will get straight down to our “meet and greet” and tour briefing. In the afternoon Billy Ward will conduct a GPS familiarisation session and later it is off to collect the motorcycles. A ride back to the hotel just to get to know the bikes and then a welcome dinner.
Day 2: Leaving Cape Town’s famous Waterfront we ride along the coast to take in some of the key attractions, like Chapman’s Peak Drive and the Cape of Good Hope. We’ll then head north into the renowned wine region visiting Franschhoek.
Day 3: Today we will ride the superb gravel tracks through the Cederberg Mountains and then a hard/soft option for the Wuppertal loop. Both options are stunning. We finish the day in Clanwilliam, a nice little town with a bit of wild west character about it.
Day 4: We start this morning with an a long winding paved road, simply stunning. We will have some route options before meeting up again at remote Papkuilsfontain, we reach our destination of Springbok after a day of stunning back country riding.
Day 5: Today we cross the border into Namibia. Everything changes in Namibia as the temperatures increase and the landscape changes dramatically. After the border we visit wonderful Ais Ais then check-in at the superb Canyon Lodge before riding out to Fish River Canyon.
Day 6: Be prepared for some sandy sections today. We ride the stark beauty of the Namib Desert before stopping at the remote and welcoming Germanic village of Helmeringhausen overnight.
Day 7 & 8: It's a short ride today to one of the jewels in Namibia's crown, Sossusvlei. We arrive afternoon to experience the amazing Mirage Hotel its pool and spa set in the middle of the desert. We'll have a free day to rest up or enjoy the activities available at the hotel, enjoy organized quad tours into the veld or visit one of the highlights of Namibia the gigantic sand dunes around Sossusvlei.
Day 9: Although the distance doesn't appear too great, it's a full day to get to the Atlantic coast - the skeleton coast. We will ride close to the dunes of the Namib Naukluft National Park and the Tropic of Capricorn sign is a must stop! We will overnight at the Germanic city of Swakopmund.
Day 10: Today we follow the infamous skeleton coast with the fresh cool mist hanging in the morning air. Our destination is one of the most dramatic rock formations in Namibia, a 35 m high pillar of rock, the Vingerklip or Finger Stone in a valley called Ugab Terraces.
Day 11 & 12: Two nights will be spent at Etosha National Park, Etosha is teeming with wildlife and is one of the best places to spot the highly endangered black rhino. We will arrive early for awesome game drive.
Day 13: Traveling north-east, the scenery becomes more and more 'African'. Tonight we’ll stay at Rundu, you may get the chance to view crocodiles and hippo up close!
Day 14: A late start today as we only have a very short ride to Divundu. Riding parallel to the Okavango River we can see Angola in the distance. There will be two ride options today - along the gravel next to the busy life that surrounds the river or just parallel on the asphalt.
Day 15: We travel through Bwabwata National Park today, so keep a look out for more wildlife, especially elephants.
Day 16: Today we cross into Botswana and stay in the famous Chobe National Park where it’s literally just teeming with wildlife.
Day 17: Heading north now we enter into Victoria Falls – a magical part of Zimbabwe – where we finish our trip at ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ – the falls themselves! Our hotel, the legendary Victoria Falls Hotel, is the just a few minutes walk away from the actual falls and the famous Bungee Jump over the great Zambezi river. The town of Victoria Falls sits on the border with Livingstone in Zambia and is a fabulous place to hang out for a couple of days. There are so many activities you could do, we’d recommend you plan a day or two here before flying home – you won't regret it.
Day 18: Spend some time in Victoria Falls or fly home, the choice is yours.

Ride Details

Ride Profile


 

For more information on our Ride Grade system please CLICK HERE

20% of this ride is on pavement; some sections of pavement can be potholed, twisty and narrow.
80% of this ride will be on dirt. Most dirt is hard packed, although there are sections that can have loose gravel, be rutted and be somewhat challenging if you are an off road novice. Some sections consist of sand especially Namibia.
    Some off-road experience is essential for this tour, we highly recommend that if you do not ride off-road regularly that an Off Road Skills course would be of benefit to develop or polish your bike handling skills before this tour.
    On the more difficult sections pillions can travel in the support vehicle, space permitting.
    Please see "Info Kit" for a more thorough route description.

    Tour Start/End

    Tour Start: Cape Town, South Africa
    Tour End: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

    Climate

    We ride in the cooler / drier months with daytime temperatures ranging from mid 20’s Celsius / Mid 70’s Fahrenheit in South Africa to low 30’s Celsius / high 80’s Fahrenheit further north. It will be very cold in the evening, especially in the deserts of Namibia dropping to as low as 5 Celsius / 40 Fahrenheit. Very little rain should be expected although some rain should be experienced in South Africa.

    Accommodation

    • 17 nights of superior accommodation in luxury hotels and lodges.
    • Our accommodations range from small family run hotels through to 5 star hotels. 
    • A flexible attitude is needed as standards are not always what we are accustomed to.
    • All accommodation is on a twin share basis. If you are traveling alone we will pair you up with another solo traveler. However, if you prefer single accommodation a single supplement is available: EUR 1,330.00

    Meals

    • On every day of the tour we include breakfast: 17 Breakfasts
    • We include mentioned dinners in reliable restaurants we have used many times before: 17 Dinners

    Important Information

    • All riders must have a valid motorcycle license and at least two years riding experience.
    • It is a requirement that all clients have appropriate insurance for this type of expedition.
    • An experienced and qualified medic will be joining us and we always carry an extensive medical kit in case of injury’s, large or small.
    • We will be utilizing two support vehicles to carry all of our luggage, equipment and other gear as well as to accommodate pillion passengers who may wish to have some time off the bike.  This means that the bikes will be traveling light without the weight of any luggage to be worried about.
    • Billy “Biketruck” Ward, Charley’s Manager and good friend, who has recently qualified as an accredited FGASA Field / Bush guide will be on hand with all sorts of information and knowledge of the region and the wildlife that we will encounter along the way.
     
    Get a Travel Insurance Quote

    Bikes

    Our late model BMW GS bikes are well maintained and with low mileage. On tour with us will be a mechanic and our support vehicles have the capacity to carry a bike if required.

     

     

    BMW R1200GS
    • 1200cc Twin cylinder boxer engine
    • Seat height 90cm (35In) Approx.
    • Inner Leg Curve 195cm (78in) Approx
    • Heated Hand Grips
    • BMW style accessory power socket
    • Engine protection bars
    • Bash plate
    • Dual purpose tyres


     

     

    BMW F800GS
    • 800cc Parallel twin cylinder engine
    • Seat height 88cm (34In) Approx.
    • Inner Leg Curve 193cm (76in) Approx
    • Heated Hand Grips
    • BMW style accessory power socket
    • Engine protection bars
    • Bash plate
    • Dual purpose tyres 
     
    BMW F750GS
    • 853cc Parallel twin cylinder engine (de-tuned)
    • Seat height 81cm (32In) Approx.
    • Inner Leg Curve 183cm (72in) Approx
    • Heated Hand Grips
    • BMW style accessory power socket
    • Engine protection bars
    • Bash plate
    • Dual purpose tyres 
     
     
    BMW F850GS
    • 853cc Parallel twin cylinder engine 
    • Seat height 86 cm (33.8 In) Approx.
    • Inner Leg Curve 190cm (75in) Approx
    • Heated Hand Grips
    • BMW style accessory power socket
    • Engine protection bars
    • Bash plate
    • Dual purpose tyres
     
     
    BMW R1250 GS
    • 1254cc Parallel twin cylinder engine 
    • Seat height 85 cm (33.5 In) Approx.
    • Inner Leg Curve 187cm (73.5in) Approx
    • Heated Hand Grips
    • BMW style accessory power socket
    • Engine protection bars
    • Bash plate
    • Dual purpose tyres
     

    Trip Extensions


    TRIP EXTENSIONS – AFRICA

    Africa is such a fantastic destination for motorcycling but there is so much more on offer than fantastic roads and exceptional vistas.

    Use the form below to let us know how we can assist in extending or enhancing your African adventure.

    Contact us using the form below:













    Insurance


    TOUR AND EXPEDITION TRAVEL INSURANCE

    At Compass Expeditions we work hard to make sure that your motorcycle tour runs smoothly and safely. Your welfare is of primary concern to us and we know that we cannot control every situation on the road or while you are traveling.

    Accidents happen, luggage is lost and tour or flight cancellations can occur, so it is our policy that all participants of Compass Expeditions tours have an appropriate level of travel insurance to cover the unforeseen. This is not only compulsory when joining a Compass Expeditions motorcycle tour, but it makes sense.

    We have sourced a number of companies that will provide you coverage in the event of an accident and/or other losses, depending on the policy selected and better still will give all Compass Expeditions customers a 10% discount off the advertised rates when purchasing through the our website, (this offer is not available over the phone). Compass Expeditions does not endorse, recommend or guarantee payment in the event of a claim from any of the insurers mentioned. We do know that they will offer a policy for clients riding a motorcycle OVER 250cc (including our bikes). This is a critical point to ensure when purchasing a policy. Compass Expeditions are offering this information as a service only to ensure all our clients are properly protected.
    seven-corners-logo

    Seven Corners:
    These policies cover clients located in the United States of America at time of purchase for travel outside of the United States on a Compass Expeditions Ride/Expedition. It works in conjunction with your US Health Care. Please click below to be directed to their website to obtain your quote.

    Travel Cover for Australians:
    This policy covers all our Australian clients when participating in a Compass Expeditions ride. Please click on the “Get a quote” button below  to be directed to our quote form. We will set up the quote for you and get back to you with options and prices for your travel insurance policy.

    button-get-a-quote


    Testimonials


     
    I can't believe it's all over. Really enjoyed our African adventure and the support from the Compass team. 
    Mick, Sarah and Billy made the holiday and worked hard to ensure everyone and their bikes were looked after and entertained.
    I can certainly recommend Compass to anyone with confidence.
     
    It has certainly wet my appetite for more bike adventures and hope to see you all again.

    Nigel, UK
     
     
     
    Thanks Mick and Sarah, Billy and Charley for having us on the Capetown to Vicfalls-Tour. 
    And last but not least thank you all at Compass Expeditions for arrange such a wonderful trip. I can only speak for me, but I think everyone in the Team would agree that we all had the trip of a lifetime.
     
    See you next year
     
    Markus, Switzerland
     
     
     
    We've now done two trips with Compass. The Capetown to Vic Falls with Charley Boorman and Billy Ward and the Peru trip last year. Both trips were fantastic and I thoroughly recommend these guys. We've traveled with both Mick and Jerry as tour leads and they were both top guys in terms of attitude and customer focus and safety.
    The trips are well planned, well structured , always a medic and mechanic with you. Communicat ions are also good in terms of daily briefings.
    We're going again with them on the Patagonia explorer in 2019.

    Paul & Jacqui, UK
     
     
    A fantastic trip very professionally run through fascinating terrain and countries. We enjoyed it tremendously.
     
    Geoff,  Australia
     



    Terms and Conditions

    Compass Expeditions

    Motorcycle Tours of South America, Australia, and Asia


    Head Office (Australia)

    Address:
    2/21 Glenville Drive,
    Melton,
    Victoria,
    3337,
    Australia

    Tours

    • South America
    • North America
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • Classic Rides
    • Off the Beaten Track
    • Major Expeditions
    • Special Events

    Rentals

    • Australian Bike Rental
    • South American Bike Rental

    About Us

    • Frequent Rider Program
    • Sponsorship

    More

    • FAQs
    • Terms & Conditions: International Tours
    • Terms & Conditions: Australian Tours
    • Travel Insurance
    • Payment Options
    • Our Ride Grade System
    • Home
    • Tours
    • Go Your Own Way
    • More
    • Free Promotional DVD
    • Contact Us
    • Shop
    • Blog

    © Compass Expeditions - All Rights ReservedPrivacy | Sitemap Developed by - WD3 Web Hosting

    Compass Expeditions 2022 tour dates coming soon

    Finally – The news you have all been waiting for.

    “It’s now with the greatest of pleasure that we can announce that, like the legendary Phoenix, Compass Expeditions has arisen from the ashes and will once again offer world renowned, unique, exciting motorcycle tours across the globe.” – Mick McDonald

    Read the full story here:  Like a Phoenix from the ashes….

    Out of concern for the safety of our riders and crew until the  COVID-19 situation is under control, we have no plans to run tours in 2021.

    However, stay tuned for our  2022 tour dates and details which will be released as soon as possible.

    Follow us on Facebook and sign up for our monthly newsletter (on the Home Page) to keep informed.