Hold onto your handlebars because we’ve got the ultimate feel good cycling trip. Maun 200 Plus is four days of fun and adventurous riding, raising funds for charity.
Over 210 kilometres you’ll explore the ancient elephant paths that have shaped the Botswana landscape for centuries, covering acacia woodlands, wandering riverbanks, mopane forests and beautiful savannah grasslands. Along the way you’ll encounter spectacular wildlife and endless African horizons, all with the feelgood knowledge that you’re raising funds for Elephants For Africa and Lorato House Rescue Centre.
You’ll be joined on your journey by professional cycling guides who’ve cycled these areas for years and will take you to places few tyres have dared to tread. Together you’ll discover the secrets that pave these elephant pathways and see the plethora of wildlife that also journey along them.
Each day will involve around 70 kilometres of riding with something new to discover around every turn. Get ready for the Maun 200 Plus – this is going to be fun!
Here’s what to expect…
DAY 1
THAMO TELELE
The adventure begins at Thamo Telele just outside the safari town of Maun where you’ll settle in and get to grips with the details of the upcoming ride.
A 2 hour cycle around the reserve and along the river will get you acquainted with your new surroundings – all 250 hectares of them. You’ll see plenty of wildlife and extraordinary birdlife along the way, and you’ll finish the journey with sundowners along with those who’ve arrived a little later – a toast to the adventure ahead is surely in order.
DAY 2
MENO A KWENA
A chorus of birdsong and the aroma of coffee will soften the early start this morning. Bags will be whisked onwards to camp, leaving the intrepid cyclists to indulge in breakfast and then begin the cycle along the Thamalakane River. You’ll venture onwards, crossing the river with bikes aloft until you come to the headwaters of the Boteti River.
The journey continues along trails and towards the Samedupi Pan area where lunch and a rest will give a much needed energy boost. The bikes will also get a bit of a breather, being transported to Motopi (Moreomaoto village). At the village, it’s time to saddle up once again to cycle the last 20 kilometre stretch to Meno a Kwena camp for the night.
What a sight for sore saddles this camp is. Perched high on a rocky clifftop above the Boteti River, guests here can soothe tired legs in the pool, watching the comings and goings of the wildlife below. Late afternoon brings with it the opportunity to enjoy a Bushman experience, followed by sundowners and dinner, before retiring to your tent overlooking the water below.
DAY 3
MOBILE CAMP
An early breakfast will rev everyone up for the ride ahead, starting in good time to beat the heat of the day. Jeep paths will lead you along the path of the Boteti River. The Boteti is a significant water source for many animals and there’s a good chance of seeing lone bull elephants seeking shade beneath the trees.
As you wind your way through this level terrain of acacia savannah you’ll reach the mobile camp set up for the night at Rock Pool.
A paddle of waterbirds, from egrets to spoonbills will wade nearby as you wash away the day’s dust and sweat in the shower before sitting down to sundowners and dinner.
Comfortable dome tents beckon tonight, but first there are stories to be told around the crackling firepit as stars spangle in the skies above.
DAY 4
MAUN
Birds will bustle as the sun sweeps across the African landscape this morning and you’ll put foot to peddle straight after breakfast. Jeep tracks and single trails will guide you along the river path all the way back to Maun.
Triumphant, you’ll reach Thamo Telele in time for a farewell lunch. If you can’t quite bear for the journey to end, there’s the option to extend the adventure with an additional night at Thamo Telele, enabling you to spend some time with the resident giraffe before leaving the next day.
This might sound like the most fun you can have on two wheels, but it gets better! At least 33% of your entry fee will go directly to Elephants For Africa and Lorato House Rescue Centre.
Along the route you’ll undoubtedly see elephants aplenty, and Elephants For Africa is a charity committed to protecting them through research and education with a specific focus on human-wildlife coexistence. They work towards human-wildlife coexistence, deliver data to local decision makers and run education programmes aimed at developing conservation leaders of the future and empowering local communities.
Lorato House Rescue Centre meanwhile, is a local orphanage supported by Thamo Telele. This is an emergency rescue centre for orphans and vulnerable children with socio-economic needs backgrounds that leave them needing a place of safety and protection from birth to 5 years, or 10 years for those with disabilities.
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to get in the saddle and make a difference.
