Exploring from Cape Town to Cairo: Witnessing Vertigo at Victoria Falls, Sunsets Amid Lions, and Swimming in the Nile
The Holy Grail of Adventure: Trampling Africa's Heart
Unleash your inner daredevil and march across the lion-infested plains, lush savannas, and arid deserts, mimicking the steps of legends who braved the intrepid journey from Cape Town to Cairo. This illustrious odyssey courted maniacs, dreamers, and those with insatiable wanderlust for centuries. Explore thecolorful history of this epic adventure, the madmen who accomplished it, the contemporary thrill-seekers, and the writers who immortalized it.
In the late 19th century, journalist-turned-colonialist Henry Morton Stanley and his fellow travelers in the Royal Geographical Society fantasized about an ironclad train robustly connecting the southernmost tip of Africa to its northern edge, allowing the exploitation of the continent's vast wealth. One man whose name asscarlet as his dreams was Cecil Rhodes who envisioned a "red line" staking English claim over the entirety of Africa more efficiently.
Fast forward a couple of centuries, and the exploits of Paul Theroux—and many others who dared to traverse the continent by motor vehicle—proved that the idea wasn't so far-fetched after all. Motorized transportation made maneuvering the African expanse a more feasible pursuit, but the dangers, hardships, and madness were far from eliminated. The journey has always been an irresistible magnet for the misguided, the persistent, and the legends-in-the-making.
In the spring of 2024, I, a common man with dreams as grand as Rhodes's and means as thin as Theroux's, embarked on my own three-month journey from Cape Town to Cairo. My ambition? Adventure. Escapism. A chance to understand myself in this wondrous world.
I've always been captivated by the tales of European travelers who wandered the globe during the "Golden Age of Travel," exploring unknown realms and returning with a world of stories. In my mind, these individuals were the epitome of glamour, living purposeful and historic lives that few others could claim. It was artists like Freya Stark, Wilfred Thesiger, and Peter Beard who ignited my fascination for travel as acquisition, exploration as experience, and encounters as enrichment.
As I prepared for my journey, I was unable to escape the influence of Peter Beard, whose life and art I explored for a recent book. Like him, I too found myself consumed by the tales of ancient adventurers and the ways they saw and navigated the world. In many ways, our modern approach to travel has been shaped by their experiences.
As I journeyed through Africa, I celebrated the adventures of the two female travelers who conquered the continent solo—one on motorcycle, the other on a bicycle—and shared their experiences on YouTube and TikTok. From the comfort of luxurious camps, 5-star hotels, and helicopters, I cheered them on, partaking in bone-dry biltong and refreshing gin and tonics. Although my journey didn't involve any noteworthy achievements, I reveled in the attire of explorers past, bedecked in linen suits and safari jackets.
Over the course of my journey, I encountered a myriad of incredible experiences: playing with pot-bellied meerkats in the Kalahari, witnessing 250 elephants at a watering hole in Botswana's Okavango Delta, sailing around Mozambique's exotic archipelagos, gazing at Victoria Falls in Zambia, and watching the setting sun embrace a pride of 25 lions in Tanzania.
In the three months leading up to my departure, I grappled with my budget and itinerary, no room for error in either. Divinely, I escaped the brink of financial ruin, thanks to alien intervention, shortly before the rent was due.
Throughout my momentous journey, I pondered the concept of the modern self and the difficulty of shedding the main-character narrative that binds us to our personal narratives, experiences, and historical context. As I traversed this vast continent, I searched for a way to transcend my narrative, seeking self-transformation, enlightenment, and perhaps a new way to understand myself in the world.
Returning to Tsavo National Park in Kenya, where I embarked on my African journey, I felt a peculiar sense of familiarity. Time and distance had created new dimensions in my narrative, and I embraced the changes, even as I added new chapters to my story. This little corner of Africa had become a fundamental part of my personal mythos.
Although my journey didn't win me the love of a princess or bring me fame and glory, it provided me with an enriching experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my days. And, of course, I have lions.
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Join the Explorers' ClubWhether you're a modern adventurer, a historical buff, or simply someone captivated by the spirit of exploration, here are some unmissable gems from Cape Town to Cairo:
- Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel and Cape Grace Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
- Babylonstoren and Sterrekopje Healing Farm, The Winelands, South Africa
- Natural Selection: Jack's Camp, North Island Okavango; Tawana, Tuludi, Botswana
- Zannier Hotels: Omaanda and Sonop, Namibia
- Time + Tide Chinzombo, Zambia
- Rovos Rail, Zimbabwe
- Kisawa Sanctuary, Mozambique
- Singita Grumeti and Finch Hattons, Tanzania
- Nour el Nil cruise, Sofitel Legend Old Cataract, Aswan, and Al Moudira, Luxor, Egypt
This adventure has been organized by F&P Travel for two gallant travelers, starting at £24,536.
This includes accommodations at Mount Nelson, Jack's Camp, Time + Tide Chinzombo, Singita Grumeti, and Finch Hattons on an all-inclusive basis, Al Moudira on a bed-and-breakfast basis, internal flights and transfers.
*Christopher Wallace is the author of 'Twentieth-Century Man: The Wild Life of Peter Beard', whose scrapbooks served as inspiration for the collages in this feature. *
Visit our archive documenting Wallace's own encounters with Beard here.
Christopher WallaceChristopher Wallace is a writer, photographer, and the author of 'Twentieth-Century Man: The Wild Life of Peter Beard'. Before going freelance, Wallace held positions as the U.S. Editor of Mr Porter and Executive Editor of Interview Magazine. His work has been featured in the New York Times, The Paris Review, and on Substack, among other publications. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Wallace possesses a passion for poetry, football, and making poor career decisions—none of which are our faults.
Embarking on this three-month journey from Cape Town to Cairo, I aim to immerse myself in diverse experiences for personal growth and self-discovery, much like the travelers of the past who embarked on epic adventures for exploration, education, and lifestyle enhancement. As I traverse Africa, I shall seek out accommodations that allow for immersive experiences, such as luxurious lodges and healing farms, to complement my quest for knowledge and self-development.
Upon returning from this transformative journey, I plan to share my experiences and insights with others, inspiring them to embrace their wanderlust and strive for adventure, education, and self-improvement in their own lives, just as I have been inspired by the tales of intrepid explorers who came before me.
