29 Jul 2025

Two adventurous cyclists from Zimbabwe, Thando Tshuma and her fiancé, Vusumuzi Mkandhla, have expressed their gratitude for the hospitality they encountered in Botswana.

Since arriving in the country, via the Kazungula border post last week, the duo said they were warmly welcomed in Francistown.

Embarking on an ambitious journey that spans nine African countries, the couple set off from Zimbabwe last month. Their adventure saw them navigating through Zambia before arriving in Botswana, to the Botswana Tourism Organisation embrace.

According to Tshuma, the kindness and hospitality with which they were received in Botswana, left a lasting impression.

Traveling at speed of 40km per hour, the couple covers approximately 70 kilometres daily, resting under the stars each night.

The shared their experience in ‘the city of all things precious, Francistown and what they expected as they journeyed to Gaborone.

While in Francistown, they immersed themselves in cultural activities and visited as many sites as they could manage.

From there, they will head to the meandering Trans Kalahari Highway en route to Namibia.

They will then proceed and end their adventure in Nigeria, a journey projected to last seven months. 

The couple’s mission extends beyond travel, as they aim to promote sustainable tourism and advocate for cycling for a sustainable ecosystem and preserve the beauty of Africa.

Tshuma explained that by embarking on this grand adventure, they hoped to showcase Africa’s breathtaking landscapes and cultural diversity.

Beyond cycling, Tshuma and Mkandhla are passionate about fostering cross-cultural exchanges and through social media, they plan to share the stories and products of the communities they encountered along the way, promoting the local treasures of each country.

Their vision also includes promoting an environmentally friendly Africa, one where people coexist harmoniously with nature.

Even though Tshuma is aware of human/wildlife conflict here in Botswana, especially in the Northern part of the country, they have not encountered that in their journey but she explained that they were recovering from malaria which they contracted during a previous attempt at this journey.

The duo is hopeful to complete the adventure without any setbacks, since this is their second attempt.

They said, as they continued with their journey, they took with them, and would share the story of a beautiful land rich in hospitality. ENDS