Notorious Roads: Marsabit to Moyale

East Africa: There is one road that is as notorious as the Nigeria to Cameroon route.

Photo: Mikes Global Adventure - Marsabit to Moyale 

Certainly this road strikes more fear and uncertainty due to the infrequent threat of bandits, the wet season and the dusty dry season. Plus, if heading North, the anxious feeling of another border crossing.

Welcome to the Marsabit to Moyale road in Northern Kenya.

An overlander’s rite of passage: Marsabit to Moyale - Morgan Safari (Nov 2013)

We had heard the horror stories, we had seen photos, but nothing could have prepared us for the treacherous journey into Kenya along one of the most famous roads in Africa - Bristol to Cape Town 

 The ride was very challenging and interesting as it took us through a series of ups and downs, frustrations and amazements. This stretch of 260 km gravel presented to us – rocks (many!), sandy patches, desolate desert scenes, even green valleys with trees, camels, donkeys, a jackal, bushbaby, mud and even some rain -  Crossing Africa 

Marsabit to Moyale was one of the most beautiful drives we have ever experienced. The road? Not as bad as we thought.
— Aussie Overlanders (@AussieOverland) July 24, 2014

Notorious Overland Routes: Nigeria to Cameroon

As overlanders, we generally love the challenge of tough routes.

BigSky Adventures

We love finding alternative ways around political conflict zones and sometimes even those unnerving border crossings.  As overland travelers, we will always find a way.  Sometimes though, there is only one way...

Welcome to the notorious Ekang, Nigeria to Mamfe, Cameroon road...

A few quotes to set the scene:

18 hours after crossing the border in Cameroon we eventually reached the town of Kumba - David Priddis

Reports from other overland travelers said that it was bad, very bad - Tale of Two Travelers

Too describe it as a road is misleading. It is a track hacked through the jungle by locals and others desperate to pass - Adventurous Spirits

Gosh, we are dirty...

Planning for your Trans-Africa overland adventure often focuses on the largest aspects of the trip, namely, the vehicle, the route options, the equipment, and so the list goes on.  Sometimes the attention to the daily detail is missed in the planning and you only start to realize it when you start your trip...

Take for example the daily roads majority of us prefer to travel on:  unpaved gravel and sand roads.  Fun to drive but they have a fundamental flaw - dust.