Photographer Jonathan Tillett and Anne-Sophie Christensen spent 10 weeks in early 2011 cycling 2,500km across Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
With Sierra Leone and Liberia opening up recently, the route provides an interesting variation on the more usual passage via Mali. Here’s a quick snapshot of their experiences on the trip.
1. Give us a rundown of the route.
Dakar, Senegal is an obvious place to start. It’s a major hub for flights and Senegal is an easy introduction to a tough travel region. It has good food, accommodation and tourist infrastructure.
Our route took us south to The Gambia, another easy country (and English-speaking to boot) for some relaxation and side trips up the Gambia river, then into the stunning Casamance region of Senegal.
River deltas are easily crossed with the bikes in pirogues (a small, flat-bottomed boat) and vast deserted beaches make for awesome riding.