Some stretches of road have become legends in the cycling community. The crossing of the Blue Nile Gorge in Ethiopia is one of those rides. It’s deep. It’s steep. And the high-altitude sun will sap your strength. Cycling across the Blue Nile Gorge with a fully-loaded touring bike will test your mettle. It’s not for sissies. So of course, we had to give it a go. We wanted to see the spectacular scenery, but also to test ourselves, and prove we could do it. Our legs and our lungs were pushed to the limit, but it was totally worth it to conquer the second-biggest canyon ride in the world.

Our cycling route brought us to the shores of Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest body of water. From the city of Bahir Dar on the southern tip of the lake, we set out by boat to explore the region’s rich wildlife, and discover the mysteries of two Ethiopian Orthodox monasteries. Along the way we saw hippos, Nile monitor lizards, African fish eagles, and 40 other species of tropical birds. Fishermen paddled by in reed boats whose designs haven’t changed for nearly 3,000 years. And with the help of a local guide, we learned how the remote, ancient churches are still at the heart of Ethiopian culture and religious life.

Everything about Sudan is much lower-key than Egypt. It’s quieter, less crowded, slower paced, and overall just more relaxing to cycle in Sudan. We reveled in the tranquility of the desert, and the soft-spoken hospitality of the Sudanese people we met. The biggest factor out on the road was the fierce desert wind, which cut our cycling speeds in half, and covered everything we own with sand. 

We spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2019 cycling through the land of the pharaohs. With stops in Abydos, Luxor and Aswan, we had the chance to visit some of ancient Egypt’s most renowned cultural sights, including intricately decorated temples and tombs.

Why tea? Because an invitation to tea is a great opportunity to reach across cultural gaps, and really start to get to know people. We’ve only been in Egypt a short time, but we’ve already had several wonderful, tea-based experiences. So, the advice holds. Always accept an invitation to tea.

We’re on our way! After considering several alternatives, we settled on the route that follows the Nile River on its western bank. It’s densely populated, so we rode through a steady chorus of friendly shouts of, “Hello, welcome to Egypt!” An early adventure involved a ferry ride from which our bikes narrowly escaped sliding into the Nile River. And between towns, the agricultural landscape of the river valley provided a lush, green backdrop to our journey.