African Motorcycle Diaries
Series 1
Duration: 6 x 30'
Play Trailer Play Screener Contact SalesAdventure motorcyclist, Spencer Conway, takes his life in his hands as he embarks on a remarkable and completely unsupported journey through the world’s most treacherous terrains.
This series follows the remarkable journey of adventure motorcyclist, Spencer Conway, as he circumnavigates Africa unsupported through 34 countries, covering a staggering 55,345 km.
This monumental undertaking tested Spencer’s physical endurance, challenged his determination and commitment and ultimately put his life at risk.
Without a support vehicle or team, Spencer’s low budget, light-weight approach meant he was forced to sleep rough, eat when and what he could when the opportunity arose and navigate by only a rough map and local knowledge.
Besides numerous bureaucratic hassles, extreme conditions and a near fatal shooting, Spencer overcomes the difficulties and experiences the beauty of Africa: from deserts to jungle, and savannahs.
This series records his remarkable journey, capturing the essence of the freewheeling adventurer and intimate moments of euphoria, exhaustion and fear.
Episode 1: UK to Kenya
Leaving his home town of Biddenden, Kent with a big send off from family, friends and supportive motorcyclists, Spencer crosses the English Channel to France.
He quickly rides through France to Marseille and catches the ferry to Tunisia where he starts his African Adventure.
Just spending one night in Tunisia he reaches the Libyan border where he met by 2 guides to escort him directly across the country to Egypt. After arriving in Egypt he makes his way to Cairo to arrange visa’s for Sudan. After experiencing some low-budget accommodation in Cairo he skips the pyramid tour and heads off to Luxor.
In Luxor he meets up with Diesel Films crew to film a commercial for a laser eye treatment company. After finding a suitable Nubian village as a location, the commercial is filmed and Spencer continues his journey to Aswan, where he takes the overnight ferry to Wadi Halfa in Sudan.
Once in the Sudan Spencer crosses the sub Sahara region to Ethiopia. As he journeys towards the Kenyan border, there are more and more reports of attacks on tourist in northern Kenya. At the border crossing he is advised to travel through this area in convoy. Spencer sets off in convoy but due to tyre punchers he get detached from the convoy. Travelling alone, he is targeted by 3 gunmen who shoot 3 rounds at him - hitting the bike. Spencer rides off until the rear wheel collapses and takes refuge in a small village. In a state of shock and the bike immobile Spencer is rescued by his friend Carl who commandeers a pick-up truck to take him and the bike to Nairobi for bike repairs … and time to contemplate whether he will continue with the journey.
Episode 2: Kenya to Malawi
Based in Karen Camp, Nairobi, Kenya Spencer decides to continue his journey after his near fatal shooting in Northern Kenya. He gets his bike repaired by a local engineering Rick, who reveals an extraordinary vintage car and motorcycle collection. Before he leaves Nairobi he visits the 2nd largest slum in Africa, Cabira with one of its residence Alvin.
Back on the road he is joined by Australian Jim and cameraman Shaun. They film part of the trip from Nairobi to Arusha in Tanzania. Arriving in Arusha they decide to visit the Ngorongoro Crater Nature Reserve. Leaving the bike in Arusha they make the 4 hour trip in Jim’s 4x4. After a night camping on the craters edge, they leave early and descend into the crater revealing the extraordinary collection of wild animals including, elephant, hippo’s, hyena’s, wilder beast and giraffes.
After a day in the crater they head back to Arusha where Jim announces he has to return to Nairobi to attend his own wedding the next day while Shaun stays on to film with the Maasai people of this region.
After Shaun returns to the UK and Spencer continues on his journey passing Mount Kilimanjaro and onto to the Malawi border. Entering Malawi, Spencer rides through a nature reserve and is overwhelmed by its beauty.
Episode 3: Mozambique to Namibia
Spencer makes good time riding through Mozambique and experiencing their low-budget accommodation. He crosses the border into the small country Swaziland and then onto South Africa. As this is the least challenging leg of the journey he hastily rides across the Karoo Desert to Cape Town the halfway point of his epic journey.
Leaving Cape Town Spencer starts his return journey. After a night in Springbok he enters Namibia and catches up with his friend Carl who hitches a lift on the back of the bike. They stop at the spectacular Bryce Canyon and then on see the unusual Baobab Forest
Spencer starts to get an infection in his foot, so makes his way to Windhoek, the capitol, for treatment and to acquire visas for Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo. Leaving Windhoek they make their way to the notorious skeleton coast and come across a huge seal colony. Leaving the Skeleton Coast they head inland to the border crossing with Angola, spending their last night in Namibia sheltering from the rain in a toilet.
Episode 4: Angola to Congo
After a robbery at the border crossing with Namibia, where his camera and credit cards were stolen Spencer starts this episode in Luanda the capital of Angola. Having purchased a new camera he leaves Luanda with his friend Carl riding pillion and makes his way to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Because of road conditions progress is slow and Spencer is forced to spend a night in a police station. Back on the bike, road conditions get worse and Spencer falls off a number of times. After losing his way and nearly running out of fuel he enters a village for fuel but is not welcome by the military. Leaving the village discreetly, he continues his struggle through the worse road he’s ever encountered. Exhausted and overwhelmed he decides to do away with his motorcycle panniers and gives them to the locals. With a lighter load, he makes it to the border with DRC and continues to the notorious capital Kinshasa. With a short break in the capital he crosses the mighty Congo River to Brazzaville the capital of Congo. Celebrating his birthday, by sleeping on a table tormented by mosquitoes and cockroaches, Spencer leaves Brazzaville and heads to the border of Gabon. His spirits rise, the road conditions improve and he reflects on what an amazing trip he is having in the middle of the Congo jungle.
Episode 5: Gabon to Guinea
Entering Gabon, Spencer is not impressed by the scenery and makes rapid progress to the border with Cameroon. On entering Cameroon he is immediately taken by the spectacular scenery and spends some time exploring waterfalls and crater lakes. After some difficult roads he enters Nigeria, where he unexpectedly a celebrity and is quickly taken under the wing of ‘Charlie Boy’ a TV, Radio personally. After a series of press engagements and motorbike convoys, he continues his journey into the small countries of Benin, Togo, Ghana and then Burkina Faso, where he fulfils a childhood dream staying in Ouagadougou. Moving onto to Mali, he stays in some interesting accommodation and then continues onto Guinea where he feels all other motorists are trying to kill him. After getting over his paranoid state, he enjoys the roads through the isolated Guinea jungle as he makes his to Senegal.
Episode 6: Senegal to UK
Arriving in Senegal, Spencer encounters problems with his bike and heads to Dakar for repairs. With the bike repaired, visas obtained for the next countries and after a misunderstanding with the some of the locals, he heads up the coast to Mauritania. Entering the sparsely populated and arid conditions of Mauritania Spencer make provision for extra fuel and water. After hours of riding through a constant sand storm he finally reached the sleepy border with Western Sahara. Conditions don’t change much and he pushes on through the desert to Morocco. As he starts to reach the end of his journey he contemplates why he took on this journey and if he has changed. After riding through the spectacular scenery he edges closed to the ferry from Tangers to Tarafa, Spain.
On arrival in Spain the reality of return home is not a joyful one. From the excitement of riding into the unknown for 9 months Europe seems overcrowded and difficult to endure. He enters France and finally reveals the epiphany he has had on the least leg of the journey … and is promptly bitten by a bee. Being allergic to bee stings, he injects himself with a pigpen. With a swollen foot he arrives in England wearing a motorcycle boot and one flip-flop.
After a night in a poly tunnel in the Kent countryside, he finally rides into to his home village to be welcome by family, friends and fellow bikers to celebrate his safe return and incredible journey.
