Annabelle Golden and Alex Ohtea have made it into South Africa and are closer to reaching their final destination, Cape Town.
Image: Instagram
After more than 300 days on the road, cyclists Annabelle Golden and Alex Ohtea have officially arrived in South Africa as part of their extraordinary bikepacking expedition from Norway to Cape Town.
Golden, who has documented the adventure on TikTok, revealed that the couple crossed into South Africa on Saturday, July 11, although she only shared the update with followers on July 14.
The pair entered the country through the Northern Cape after completing the Namibian leg of their journey.
Sharing her excitement, Golden wrote: “First full day in SOUTH AFRICAAAA!!!! Can you believe it???? I can’t.”
In a video posted to TikTok, Golden and Ohtea are seen cycling through the vast, rugged landscapes of the Northern Cape as they continue towards their final destination, Cape Town.
However, the South African winter has brought fresh challenges.
Because the couple is travelling further south, they are contending with shorter daylight hours, later sunrises and strong headwinds, making each day’s ride increasingly demanding.
“Because we are heading south and because it’s winter, the days are getting shorter, and the sun is rising later, and it is all working against us. The diminishing daylight, coupled with a bit of headwind, meant we were in for a tough morning and a tough day, but we had to push through it because we have no time to waste,” Golden explained.
Despite the difficult conditions, the cyclists found time to enjoy a simple reward after reaching their first town in the Northern Cape, stopping for a meal of fish and chips before continuing their journey.
Although they have now reached South Africa, the adventure is far from over. The couple still have hundreds of kilometres to cycle before arriving in Cape Town, where this leg of their expedition will come to an end.
Golden’s ambitious journey began in 2024 as part of her long-term goal of cycling around the world.
A significant milestone came in January 2025, when she and Ohtea crossed from Spain into Africa.
Since then, they have travelled through Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia and now South Africa.
Golden’s passion for bikepacking dates back to 2018, shortly after completing her studies in Amsterdam.
Inspired by Ohtea, the pair embarked on their first cycling adventure together - a two-week winter tour through Austria, following sections of the EuroVelo 6 cycling route.
With Cape Town now in sight, the couple’s remarkable cross-continental journey is entering its final stretch, inspiring thousands of followers who have tracked their progress across Europe and Africa.