July 6-15, 2023
Bike Zambia consists of 325+ miles and aims to make positive change in the world. Participants ride from the nation's capital, Lusaka, to Victoria Falls in Livingstone to fundraise for World Bicycle Relief programs in Zambia. This ride is for all abilities, and beginners are welcome. However, to truly enjoy yourself, you should have either a moderate to high level of cycling experience and/or physical fitness.

Landlocked in Southern Africa, Zambia is a nation known for its picturesque rivers, lakes and waterfalls - most notably of which is the 108m deep Victoria Falls, the world's largest waterfall and aptly known by locals as "The Smoke that Thunders". Enourmous lakes, rich wetlands and breath-taking African sunsets all contribute to the country's scenic splendour. In addition to its natural wonders, Zambia offers a taste of its diverse tribal and cultural heritage through its craftwork, music, dance and traditional ceremonies. 

WBR will continue to evaluate the COVID 19 situation to always be make the most ethical decisions for our riders, the team, and people of Zambia. We are confident that Bike Zambia will take place in 2023, however this has been a dynamic and changing situation over the past 2 years, so we thank you in advance for your understanding as we navigate these new waters.

RIDE DETAILS AND SAFETY

Below is an outline of the route we will be taking through Zambia. 

As we get closer to the ride, WBR will be able to finalize field visits and potential bicycle distributions which may result in slight alternations of the the ride. 

You MUST arrive in Lusaka no later than July 7th to participate in Bike Zambia. 

Tentative Itinerary July 6-15

Day 1: Arrive in Lusaka and transfer to lodge on outside of city in bush camp that features zebra and impala.  Bike setup and orientation. Get ready for an exciting week ahead! 

Day 2:  Visit to World Bicycle Relief HQs in Lusaka to build Buffalo Bicycles and distribute to beneficiaries. 

Day 3:  Lusaka—Mazabuka: mix of road and dirt.  Conquer the Munali Hills, travel past farms and sugar plantations.  

Day 4: Mazabuka—Monze. Challenging day through rural Africa, winding through countless villages, passing donkey carts, and meeting children along the way. 

Day 5: Monze—Choma.  Pass by villages, market sellers, dairy and cattle farms.  

Day 6: Day off cycling TBD 

Day 7: Choma—Lake Kariba.  Pedal to the beautiful Lake Kariba with amazing scenery.  

Day 8: Choma—Kalomo. Experience the rural areas off-road, passing countless small villages untouched by tourism. 

Day 9: Kalomo— Livingstone. Our last day in the saddle ending at Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world.  

Day 10: Wake up in the beautiful Zambezi valley. You are free to continue your adventure, or head home from here!

COVID-19 INFORMATION

World Bicycle Relief and our partner, Thorn Tree Safaris, will always put the health and safety of our riders first. During these unprecedented times, we are implementing and enhancing our safety practices and procedures to help protect you against Coronavirus (and other illnesses). More information around COVID 19 and our policies will be in our Welcoming Packet that you will receive once you have registered for Bike Zambia.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN CONSIDERING BIKE ZAMBIA:

Experience level. This ride is for all abilities, and beginners are welcome. However, to truly enjoy yourself, you should have either a moderate to high level of cycling experience and/or physical fitness. The days in the saddle are long, ranging from 70-120km on a mixture of tar and dirt roads, with pot holes and sand to navigate. Getting on a bicycle and training prior to Bike Zambia will only increase your enjoyment as you cycle through this fabulous country.

Flexible attitude. Having a flexible attitude towards the day to day logistics is vital. We do have a set schedule, but this can and does change with or without notice! At no time will your safety be in jeopardy and an amazing time is guaranteed. 

Experience traveling and camping. You will be doing both! There are plenty of resources online regarding education around Zambia and traveling in Africa that will help paint the picture of what Zambia is like.

Most evenings are camping in campsites that have all the normal amenities like showers and restrooms (please note, there is no guarantee that the showers will be warm, but they will always be refreshing!) Accommodation can be shared (if you are traveling with a partner/friend) or single occupancy can be requested at a small additional charge.

Thorn Tree Safaris will make every attempt to ensure that everyone is happy and comfortable where they are sleeping!

Please feel free to contact Sean Edington at sedington@worldbicyclerelief.org with any questions or concerns!

Secure Your Spot for Bike Zambia!

This registration fee is non-transferable and non-refundable. This fee includes your registration as well as trip and fundraising support, a WBR t-shirt and other goods! In addition to the registration fee, you will also need to raise additional funds to secure your place on Bike Zambia, explained below.

Costs and Deadlines

Registration is $250 plus a fundraising minimum of $4000, that must be raised in full by June 1st, 2023. This is non refundable.

The $4000 fundraising commitment is broken into two parts:

$2000: Touring costs per rider. We aim to have Bike Zambia be a transformative opportunity for every rider. The tour is supported by a local Zambian owned outfitter, helping to generate local jobs. Tourism is responsible for 7.2% of GDP in Zambia and Covid 19 has decimated the industry along with vital jobs and income for workers. This one way that we can help to revitalize this cruical part of the Zambian economy. 

$2000: This is the minimum amount that will go directly towards WBR: the more you are able to raise, the greater our impact!

Photos by RJ Pena