The exclusive Wagora bike ride through the Serengeti
The exclusive Wagora bike ride through the Serengeti
Image: Ross Couper

There’s an undeniable sense of security that comes with being on a safari vehicle. No matter how wild the terrain, sitting atop a lumbering Land Cruiser inevitably leads to a feeling of invincibility. In the Sabi Sand I’ve had leopard so close I could stroke them (I didn’t), and in Zambia an elephant extended its trunk for a sniff so close I needed to recoil (I did, slowly).

But what if you strip that all away? A walking safari certainly provides a complete immersion in the bush, putting all your senses on high alert and making you realise just where we humans truly are in the food chain.

Walking in northern Kruger, I’ll not soon forget the cough of an unhappy lioness who appeared over granite boulders not 30m from our path. Yet you don’t get very far on a walking safari, as you pick carefully though the bush hoping to avoid a cantankerous buffalo who woke up on the wrong side of the riverbed.

Somewhere in the middle of covering a bit of ground, and feeling the frisson of being vulnerable in the bush, is the cycling safari. And while few reserves encourage, or even allow, travellers to saddle up in big five country, two of SA’s most respected safari operators have created memorable two-wheeled safaris in far-flung corners of Africa.

Natural Selection has fast grown its portfolio of lodges to become one of the key players in Botswana’s luxury safari niche. And while their Okavango Delta lodges — what’s not to love about North Island Okavango, or Tawana? — are always worth a visit, the launch of two cycling safari expeditions offers adventurous and active travellers an entirely new wilderness experience.

And the choice is yours: desert, or delta?

If you choose desert you’ll spend the first day at Thamo Telele outside Maun, easing into the saddle by exploring the riverine landscapes near camp. The next day head south, tracing the Boteti River to overnight at Meno a Kwena, with glorious views out across the Makgadikgadi National Park. After a morning’s ride through riverine woodland a road transfer whisks riders to the Afro-chic bungalows at Planet Baobab; as famous for its cold beers as its icy swimming pool.

A ride through the untamed landscapes of Natural Selection’s cycling safaris is a fully escorted experience by wilderness guides
A ride through the untamed landscapes of Natural Selection’s cycling safaris is a fully escorted experience by wilderness guides
Image: Supplied

But the final day is the most memorable, winding along sandy tracks as you head ever closer to the moonscapes that define the Makgadikgadi salt pans. Following sinuous tracks carved by centuries of animal migration you’ll pedal all the way to Camp Kalahari, where a sunset drive and the chance to pedal these enigmatic pans awaits.

Or, head north, to a luxury mobile camp pitched in the wildlife-rich Moremi Game Reserve. Here it’s elephants who have trampled the tracks through the grasslands, and you’ll cycle through shady mopane forests, following a circular route to return to camp in time for sunset G&Ts. The next day trails traverse new landscapes to a camp pitched on the banks of the Khwai River; your base for another two days of the wildest cycling Botswana has to offer.

These are untamed landscapes, but Natural Selection’s cycling safaris are always fully escorted by experienced wilderness guides. How fit should you be? While the pace can be adjusted to suit the group, sandy tracks and long days — up to 70km — mean you’ll want to be reasonably fit to really enjoy this cycle safari.

Singita Sabora Tented Camp Meditation Deck
Singita Sabora Tented Camp Meditation Deck
Image: Supplied

If you’ve had enough for the day, a chase vehicle is always nearby to take care of tired legs or mechanical breakdowns. While most travellers choose to take their own bikes, Natural Selection offers bicycles for hire. Happily, e-Bikes can be accommodated, with charging points at each overnight stop.

While Natural Selection offers cycle safaris throughout the dry winter months (May to August), you only have one chance to saddle up for the exclusive Wagora bike ride through the Serengeti.

Running from October 27 until November 1, 2025, Wagora offers a unique opportunity to cycle through the Serengeti, all while supporting conservation work in the region. This five-day event, which draws cyclists from across the globe, supports the work of the Grumeti Fund, and honours the memory of ranger Kitaboka Wagora, who was killed by poachers in 2008.

Wagora offers a unique opportunity to cycle through the Serengeti while supporting conservation work in the region
Wagora offers a unique opportunity to cycle through the Serengeti while supporting conservation work in the region
Image: Ross Couper

Wagora’s passion for conservation is something shared by all the riders who fly in to cycle 150km through the Grumeti reserve, which hugs the western corridor of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. Expect to cycle alongside the vast herds of wildebeest migrating through the lush grassland ecosystem of East Africa, as well as the predators that follow in their wake.

If that’s not reason enough to saddle up, then Singita Sabora surely is.

The Wagora bike ride is based at Singita’s gorgeous Sabora tented camp, which offers nine stunning under-canvas suites pitched on the Serengeti grasslands.

Each suite takes its design cue from local traditions and textures, reinvented in a thoroughly modern aesthetic. But don’t lie in: riders set out for extended circular rides each morning, taking advantage of the morning cool.

After your kilometres are completed, a range of activities are on offer, from game drives to immersive experiences discovering the conservation work of scouts and rangers on the ground. 

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