Lake Tanganyika 
the worlds longest lake

• The Longest Lake in the World - 676 km (420 mi)
• The 2nd deepest in the world - 1,470m (4,820 ft)
• 18% of the World’s fresh Water
• A shoreline measuring 1,828km (1,136 mi)

The idea of kayaking this enormous lake had grown from when Richard Ashcroft aka 'Dickie' and I were kayaking in and around Maun, Botswana early 2011. I was about to leave for a stint in Guinea, West Africa and Dickie was off to the Northern Hemisphere for a months leave.

The Team was made up of the following; Dickie, Chris, Howard, Frankie and myself.

Dickie and I paddled for a very small and rather unheard of charity in Namibia called Dolam Childrens Home, Windhoek.

I had just finished my circumnavigation of Lake Malawi in mid December 2011 and after spending an enjoyable christmas and new year in the uk I load two kayaks on the roof of my Golf and started the 1,980km drive north. It actually only took me 2nights to get to Lake Tanganyika and was very enjoyable with little instances bar one when a 20,000 liter (empty) JoJo tank unfastened itself from the truck I was stuck behind. Luckily i noticed its wobble just before it fell and so was ready for the bounce. It was like playing rugby, when a ball hits the ground you can never be quite sure which way it'll go. I slowed down and headed into the middle of the road as the massive tank hit the asphalt. I didn't have long as a little column of South African registered Land Cruisers were heading fast my way. Luckily the JoJo cleared half the road in one bounce and was off into the bushes and gone. Again really lucky there were no people anywhere nearby. I quickly overtook the lorry intending to flag him down but, I being in a golf and so low to the ground with the kayaks on the roof there was no way he'd see me waving. I decided to tear off down the road and find a safe place to pull him off. After just a few corners a Zambian road block came into view so I pulled off and told the Police what had happened. The driver was pretty thankful when I told him as he said he may have been fined my the his company for 'losing' the tanks! Probably the most dangerous moment of the LAKE TANGANYIKA EXPEDITION!


On the 10th of February 2012 five of us set off from the southern tip of this magical lake.

Occasionally we would find a little bit of civilization along this most amazing lake and this is how we updated our blog to keep our fans up to date. A lot of credit to Dickie for typing most of this with myself just annoying him with edits. 


Stage 1 Bloggy jobby. - 194km done. 555km left to smash!

10/2 – The trip began with a bang after the Leimba ferry arrived at 2:30am, requiring the 4 Tanzanian based members to paddle out in the dark in order to board her. Unfortunately for us the process of getting on board wasn’t as straight forward as we intended, after waiting for every man and his dog to off load and on load a huge variety of cargo, we finally managed to commandeer the ferries crane. By which time due to the darkness and commotion the kayaks had already drifted away from the ferry resulting in Dickie having to step up to the plate in true heroic form and dive into the water in order to catch the rapidly departing kayaks.

We eventually loaded and set sail south. The rest of the trip was a blur, after such an adrenaline fueled beginning we decided to open our first bottle of whisky in order to watch the sun rising and continued in the same manner in order to watch the sun setting. Team captain Chris Horsfall, after realizing what type of a team he was leading also opted to overcome his fear of heights by leaping off the top deck of the Liemba. Actions which endeared us to the rest of our ship mates.


11/2 – Eventually arriving in Mpulungu to be greeted by Josh. A sight for very sore eyes after spending 28hrs on the Liemba. Josh was in high spirits after spending the previous night in one of Mpulungu’s finest and few guest houses, which also doubled as a brothel. Fortunately the management had insisted in writing on each room card that patrons would be charged extra for leaving the sheets bloody.

After unloading the kayaks and organizing kit we began our paddle at 12:15. Getting off to a great start we managed to paddle 28km due to calm water. Unfortunately the southern part of the lake has many more pebble beaches as opposed to sand resulting in a rough nights sleep. Despite this we were exhausted so after a meal of beans and rice cooked on gas we were all out for the count.

12/2 – Distance covered 26km. Some stunning shoreline was encountered and a huge variety of bird life was spotted, as well as some Blue Sykes and Red Colobus monky’s. Stopped for lunch in a small village and had chips mayai (Tanzanian national dish, a chip omelette) washed down with warm beers.

Already by this stage it appears the bush telegraph had started to kick in, upon arriving in the village we were approached by a chap on a motorbike who said he was the Tanzanian Immigration official, he had already heard of 4 mad mazungu’s and1 Tanzania who were attempting to reach Bujumburu on ‘boats without engines’!

With great pleasure and welcoming smile he collected our passports and scooted off on his bike, returning after half an hour with all the necessary stamps stamped….if only all border crossing were the same!

Slept in a wonderful bay but sadly on large pebbles again leading to an uncomfortable nights sleep.


13/2 – Distance paddled – 25km. Good start to the day. Stopped for lunch on an incredible rock perch at the base of a huge cliff face. The visibility in the water was unimaginable. Managed to spear a few fish with the spear guns which we cooked with rice. The afternoon was a tough one as storm clouds rolled in making paddling a battle, 2 strokes forward one back. Shoulder muscles burning.

We have been greeted by all we pass with cheers and smiles, turning to amazement when we explain to fishermen from very isolated villages where we are heading. Scenery is Jurassic, huge mountains descend at steep angles into the water. Snorkeling in such crystal clear water gives one a true understanding of just how deep the lake is due to being able to see the bases of the mountains disappearing into the murky blue depths.


14/2 – Distance paddled 30km. Best day so far. Whisky finished, have started drinking Konyagi (strong Tanzanian cane spirit – effects are the same). Great morning followed by a blustery afternoon which seems to be a recurring problem. Spent lunch at a splendid beach lagoon, azure waters, granite boulders protruding from the water like post modern sculptures. The scenery is very mediterranean.

Spent our first night camping on a sandy beach resulting in a much needed good nights sleep. As soon as we arrive our tents are put up, dinner cooked and eaten with relish. Getting carbohydrates on board is paramount. Have started going to bed very early as each man is ready for kip.



15/2 – Distance paddled 40km – A very special day. In order to make the most of the good weather before the water becomes choppy in the afternoons we decided to start paddling at 4:30am. Wasn’t so hard as we went to bed at 8! After a quick coffee we started paddling on calm waters and had covered 10km by the time the sun peaked over the hills, a beautiful sunrise made all the effort of getting up so early worth while. We approached a small village just as it’s inhabitants were waking, the smell of cooking fires, crow of cockerels and coughs of children all complemented perfectly by the colours of the sky and water. Stopped for sweet tea and chappaties (like a pancake).

Lots of people came down to the water to greet the team, it was also a great change for us just before we departing, for one of the locals to emerge with a camera of his own and requested if he could take a picture of us in order for the village to remember this morning. Its not often 4 hagged looking white guys turn up on your beach at 6 in the morning on kayaks.

Another memorable spot for lunch, more spear fishing and rock jumping. Photographs were very special especially those taken using Josh’s underwater camera. Also spotted our first Tanganyika Water Cobra. The number of Otters we have seen has also been remarkable. Howard managed to view one hunting whilst they have often popped up near the kayaks and swam along side for short periods.

Followed this by a reasonable afternoon distance wise. However all were aware that if we paddled hard the following day we would arrive at Lakeshore lodge for a nice meal and proper bed but more significantly this meant a day of rest.



16/2 – Distance paddled – 42km – a truly tough day for all. With the knowledge that completion of the first leg was only 42km away we set off to a good start at 8am and had completed 20km+ by 12 o’clock. After stopping for loo stop, nuts and biltong all were in high spirits in light of the distance we had just covered. However whilst taking a short break a strong northerly wind picked up causing some impressive waves.

We decided to sit it out for a while and do some spear fishing and rock jumping. As time went on all realized that in order to cover another 20km in day light we had to make haste. Eventually we decided to push on and hope for the best. This was fine until we actually got into the thick of the rough water, as I write this now I can assure you all participants had to put their heads down and dig deep (except for Josh who seems to have mutated into a kayaking shire horse).

Eventually the waves subsided and we finally reached the point in the distance we had all been aiming for, only to be greeted by another distant tip of land mass for us all to chase. We eventually pulled into Lakeshore at 7:40pm, completely buggered. The first cold Killi went down like a homesick mole whilst the last whisky went down at 3:30am, prompting Howard to go out looking for baby crocs.


17/2 – Rest Day.

18/2 – Will leave Lakeshore early doors and try to get a good few km under the belt before lunch. We still have roughly another 555km to go. All are feeling strong and ready for the challenge, our only concern is that we must reach Bujumburu and return south to Kigoma in order to catch the ferry on its return journey to Zambia…..meaning we have 18 days of paddling to do it in otherwise it’s a long walk home!

I will try to put another post up in Mahale, by which time we will hopefully have seen the chimps!

Please don’t forget to sponsor! Thank you to all those who already have.



Stage 2 Blog - Just over half way and feeling it!

18th – Distance Covered – 36km.

After a sumptuous breakfast and riotous evening the team set off at around 9:30am. We made good progress and stopped for a well earned lunch on a delightful little beach, consisting of pasta and a creamy sauce topped with a sprinkling of sand. 31km had been covered already however lunch was at 3. Once again it felt like our bodies were screaming for carb’s.

Howard the Hammer had decided to take the scenic route hence didn’t have lunch with the rest of the team. Initially this caused a little bit of concern as we felt we had left him a wee bit behind, despite this we decided to head to the previously discussed RV camp site 5km further north in order to wait. You can imagine our delight when Howard arrived half an hour after us looking as though he had just arrived on the bus without a care in the world. Not surprising as he had dinned on tinned smoke muscles.

19th – Distance Covered – 36km.

Set out very early. All are aware that in order for the post completion return trips home to go as planed we must be in Bujumbura by the 3rd . The pressure of getting good paddling days in is on. Fortunately for Josh and I we have much lighter and more streamlined kayaks whilst Chris and Howard are using doubles (the front compartments used for storage). As a result in rough weather their kayak’s are highly susceptible to being knocked around, resulting in an understandable reluctance to cross large open bays where the paddlers in question can at times be several km’s from the nearest shore.

This particular morning was a fine example. Josh and I decided to risk crossing a large bay, our goal being the opposite shoreline which was 35km away. The crossing was particularly tough for me simply because of the boredom. Several hours of paddling without land to look at, people to talk to or music to listen to, (Josh had already become bored of my nattering) leaves one stuck for things to think about.

Josh and I eventually made the opposite side by 12:30, where upon arguably over 40 small children crowded around our kayaks in order to stare at these strange looking arrivals. In the meantime due to the larger kayaks having to detour they arrived several hours later and had added over 10kms more to their total for the day. A good illustration of just how large this lake is.

By this stage we decided to have a team meeting and after drinking some Double – Punch (locally produced clear spirit which literally melts your insides) we decided that the group should split. Mainly due to the fact the United Nations required Howard to do some ecological survey work, whilst J & I also wanted to make up enough time to see the chimpanzee’s in Mahale.


20th – Distance Covered by J & I – 65km (at time of writing progress of Howard/Chris unknown, my apologies).

A day of days, one I will never forget. In order to stick to our schedule and see the chimps Josh and I had to arrive at Greystoke camp in Mahale National Park in two nights time, meaning we had to cover over 120km in 2 days, no easy task. I myself was very nervous not only due to the distance we had to cover but also the conditions we could face in the covering. J & I eventually set off at 7 am. Our point to aim for was a tiny spit of land too far to see, lying 67km across an open bay. We arrived and got out of our kayaks for the first time at 6:15pm….11hrs and 15mins after we started!

I cant describe how unpleasant this day was, particularly when we realized that we no longer had in our possession a vessel into which we could pee (as we were well over 20km from the nearest shoreline), as a result it was decided we would pee into my coffee cup as it could contain a larger volume. In total, we peed into the cup 11 times, resulting in a rather malty flavour to the following morning’s coffee. Both of us were ABSOLUTELY exhausted on arrival at the previously mentioned spit of land. Neither felt like eating but we had to in order to face the following day. We were rewarded though with one of the most stunning sunsets we’d ever seen.

21st – Distance Covered 54km

Incredible sunrise over very peaceful waters. Set off a little late due to pain, knocked back 3 Ibuprofen tablets each and I applied enough Deepheat spray for an entire rugby tem. Target today was a bed and dinner at Greystoke Camp in the Mahale National Park. We got off to a grand start but were unable to keep up a strong pace simply because of the sheer beauty of this area. The mountains are huge, green, full of life and we encountered some spectacular water falls coming off the tops. Visibility in the water was incredible.

We also encountered our first big crocs. Both were basking on a nearby beach hence we obviously had to approach for photographical purposes. As we did so two hippo’s breached the water 50m to our right….a sight I firmly hope we don’t replicate at a later stage.

We both continued on but began to get worried when the afternoon was ticking by. Regrettably we had an earlier malfunction with our GPS hence we were both relying on being able to spot the lodge on the shoreline, a task made much trickier when the sun has gone down and neither of us have ever been to the lodge or in this particular area. We decided to carry on despite both realizing that considering the number of crocs and hippo’s in this area kayaking in the dark with no moon looking for a place we had no idea about wasn’t wise.

Eventually after covering 50km, a distance we had been told would bring us to the lodge, nerves and morale were at breaking point, especially after the previous days exertion. With no phone number to call of my friends who are currently running the lodge (there is no signal) we were about to try and get ashore in the dark when we saw a distant speck of light which later turned out to be an Askari (guard) on the beach. This boosted spirits immensely so we pushed out another 5km.

By this time the distant torch light had disappeared so we shone our own torch, the relief we had when our flashes were met by others was overwhelming, especially as it was 8:50pm and we had set off at 9am that morning.

22nd – Distance Covered – 0 km

Josh and I have shared a beautiful room at the world famous Greystoke Camp. This morning aided by local trackers and a guide we explored the densely forested mountainside to find 5 chimpanzees, a truly remarkable occasion for us both. Dinner this evening and bed in prep for tomorrows continuation of the Lake Tanganyika Expedition 2012!

Josh and I now have 11 days in which we must cover at least 35km a day in order to catch the ferry on its return journey. Ibuprofen’s at the ready!


Stage 3 - Mahale to Kigoma.

23rd – Distance Covered – 31km +/-

We began the day with a sumptuous breakfast at Greystoke followed by a comprehensive repacking of the kayaks with clean and dry equipment. Once again the kindness shown by Mark and Kristen has been sterling, typified by Kristen sneaking a litre of J & B whisky into our kayaks!

Having said that it was difficult to leave as 2 nights in very comfortable beds complimented by delicious food left us feeling a little soft. However once we made it out of the park, with our bandana’s on and guns flexing the Chuck Norris within us awoke and we surprised ourselves by paddling a relatively good distance in short time (we left Greystoke at 11:30am).

Interestingly there is a notable rise in population as we continue north therefore isolated beaches are harder to find, whilst the lost world looking forestry we had become accustomed to during our Mahale stretch has been replaced by cultivated land and isolated mango tree’s.

We eventually settled for a scrubby patch of land next to a small village as the sun was swiftly receding at an equal rate to our energy levels. Upon arrival we realized we had landed in the village’s Male only washing area, hence the stares of bewilderment from the inhabitants were matched by our own when a multitude of buttocks and todgers appeared from amongst the reeds.

Difficult camp site as I had to spend a lot of time detailing our journey in my very broken Kiswahili (Josh apparently only spoke French this evening and managed to sit alone reading his book, team player)! Interestingly one of the older guys after I asked him how safe it would be to camp in this particular spot replied by stating that “I can see you have a big knife so you will be able to fight with any bad people if they come’!

24th – Distance Covered - 47km +/-

Due to previous days sluggish beginning we awoke by watching the sun bathe a very distant hillside in light, this particular hillside was the one we also needed to get to in order to keep on track. So we set off and didn’t stop until 3 in the afternoon. What has become apparent to us both by this stage not surprisingly is that our fitness levels have risen commendably (especially for me as Josh was already in good nick) so we are now able to put our heads down and hammer out a few km with greater ease.

Lunch was tuna out of a tin followed by a much needed swim and shampoo. We managed another few hours until eventually arriving at one of the few secluded spots we could find.

After dinner (rice and soya, no time to catch fish) we both went to bed with the sound of distant thunder in our ears. Fortunately for Josh his tent is of the highest quality (the least one would expect from a fancy Okavango Delta Canoe Guide) whilst mine, as we were to shortly learn was a little less splash proof. At 1am when the storm finally arrived and the wind and rain were lashing, I had no other option than to take Josh up on the previously discussed final resort of tucking myself into his tent. Despite being a little more Brokeback mountain than Bear Grylls we were lucky there were no local’s around to see us emerge the following morning.

25th – Distance Covered - 34km +/-

Despite the previous nights frivolities the mood was quickly subdued by the sight of the largest waves we had encountered so far. After sitting it out for a few hours and struggling to make a fire out of wet wood, we decided Kigoma wasn’t going to come to us. Once we were securely strapped into our kayaks and the wave pattern had been studied we launched ourselves into the foam. The next few hours were as frightening as paying to ride a poorly maintained roller coaster in a poorly maintained amusement park in a North of England seaside resort.

Having said that we managed to carry on and were delighted when the size of the waves became smaller and we had the possibility of untangling our life jackets in case they were required.

By the time we were ready to camp we had entered into a densly reed lined delta area. By this time as with previous days we were desperate to stop and set up camp but due to the terrain it looked like we would have to continue paddling for some time. Eventually we spotted two fisher men on dugout canoes emerging from the reed beds. Egged on by Josh I approached and simply asked, directly translated from Kiswahili to English ‘Good afternoon my brother, we want sleep, where?’

At this the most crossed eyed of the two grunted and pointed in two directions, unsure of which eye was working better, we replied by looking useless….a facial expression we have perfected and which fortunately in this instance instigated the desired effect, he turned round and let us follow him!

The next 3km were simply magical. We were navigated through reed bed after reed bed, dotted with both day and night lilies and saw a multitude of different water birds till we eventually went up a very narrow channel over which spiraling bamboo trees were entwined. We eventually arrived at a semi cultivated patch of dry ground wide enough to put up tents. Relieved and once again truly humbled by the kindness and hospitality shown by the vast majority of Tanzania’s we have encountered in the most rural of areas.



26th – Distance Covered – 50km +/-

After waking at dawn and making our way back through the labyrinth of reed beds we made it back out onto the lake proper and continued. In the distance we spied a hillside we believed to be Ujiji (Kigoma we knew was on the opposite side of the hill to Ujiji town – once again the GPS is suffering from brain flatulence) and commenced with a good rate of paddling.

Shortly afterwards my rudder cable broke requiring me to steer using paddle strokes only, perfectly fine if your enjoying yourself whilst meandering down a river but a pain in the backside of note when your 15km from shore and trying to cover a 31km bay of water. A quick attempt by Josh to fix on the water helped a little so I put my head down and thought of England, lots of swearing and huffing later we made it close to the banks of Ujiji. Once on dry land and able to get out of the kayak the cable was fixed in ten minutes, bastard!

By this time we decided to skirt around Ujiji and head straight for the welcoming sight of Kigoma and the knowledge we had completed ¾ of our adventure. Dinner was had in the towns finest hotel (Beef stroganoff, chips and a bottle of red wine), the manager was a bit concerned about my lack of foot wear but I have lost a brother to my only other shoe whilst I have an un-healing tropical ulcer which refuses to look pleasant on my left foot.

27th – Kigoma, Distance Covered 0km

Woke up early and visited the exact spot where Stanley greeted Livingstone which was actually very worth while. Now arrived back at the same fancy hotel for lunch, (we are staying in a little guest house 6km away). Will continue paddling tomorrow. Next stop of note Bujumbura the capital of Burundi and the end of our journey, if Gustave the croc doesn’t have a role to play.


Stage 4 - Kigoma to Bujumbura, The final chapter!



28th Kigoma – Distance Covered 12km.

The previous evening we met a jovial pair of Burundians in a hotel bar. Due to the organizational department of our expedition having no staff we were eager to reconfirm our previous assumptions that crossing into Burundi by kayak would be no problem. Sadly these two didn’t paint as positive a picture as we were hoping for. Hence the following morning we delayed our departure in order to visit the Burundian Consulate in Kigoma.

Considering our minor apprehensions about entering a country with a rather chequered recent history, the decaying state of the building in which the consulate was housed in did little to booster our confidence. However once we woke the consulate up and introduced ourselves using the remnants of our combined GCSE French they were most helpful and extinguished all concerns we had regarding visa’s and entering their country. Demonstrating the issues faced by many travelers in diverse regions on this continent, misapprehension and inaccurate negative publicity.

As a result we began the final stage of our expedition later than expected. Beginning to paddle after a much longed for rest is always difficult so we didn’t get far despite the conditions being wonderful. The sun shone and the wind disappeared making it very difficult to distinguish where exactly the sky started and the water began on the horizon.

Found a beautiful deserted beach and set up camp early in preparation for a serious following day.



29th – Distance Covered 40km +/-

A good night’s sleep on a sandy beach, the sand makes a big difference when sleeping on as opposed to pebble, especially when you’re using a yoga mat as a mattress. Scenic morning passing some very large landlocked fishing villages, especially as the majority of the fishing boats made an effort to get a closer look at us on their return to shore after a nights fishing for dagga (a small fish similar to white bait, fished for at night using a spot light to attract them into the night).

We also passed through the famous Gombe Stream National Park, the home of the celebrated Jane Goodall. The park scenery was very dramatic and much like Mahali in the sense that after becoming used to seeing some picturesque shoreline, one is immediately aware of how humble these previous areas are when compared to the glory of areas that have been protected as National Park.

The vegetation is dense with trees and creepers covering every square meter of hillside whilst monkey’s, baboons and birds are scattered throughout. The absence of any visible human touch further enhances the other worldly quality.

Sadly the weather turned foul in the afternoon and some big rollers and strong rain forced us to seek sanctuary. Unfortunately options were few so we pulled up on a beach belonging to a small village. Once again we were swamped by small children and adults in awe of the new arrivals. Despite the fact we were both shivering and the rain was horizontal it didn’t deter anyone from having a good stare. We eventually decided to seek shelter under a fish drying rack, despite offering decent shelter from the rain the fish juice that drips down onto your head leaves you smelling a wee funky!

We had planned to reach the border by evening so despite the waves refusing to diminish in size we pushed on once the rain had stopped and smashed a good two hours of paddling in very adverse conditions. We eventually made the border post and after a very precarious beach landing where we were both very nearly rolled we managed to find a place to sleep at a local village.


1st – Distance Covered 15km

A very unpleasant night’s sleep in a Roman Catholic mission on an extremely unforgiving concrete floor. After a brief stop at the Tanzanian border post where the staff were once again refreshingly helpful and hassle free, even letting us use their office as a place to eat our breakfast in!

We stamped out of Tanzania and went in search of the Burundian border post. When asked where this was the Tanzanian officials replied in a mocking tone that it was just down the beach underneath the large mango tree, not sure if this was an insider’s joke we wondered down the beach and sure enough crossed over an international border and found the poorest excuse for a border post. A bamboo hut complete with palm leaf roofing, very much inspired by the style of Robinson Crusoe.

Due never having to cater for the arrival of Europeans in need of visa’s at this particular border post we were told to paddle 14km further up the coastline to the main border post located in the town of Nyasa du Lac. On arrival in the town we decided to stay in the swankiest guest house which was very impressive, whilst the food was surprisingly good with an obviously strong Francophile influence (mayonnaise and chips).

A slow day but we eventually got the right stamps with ease. Due to being on the home straight we weren’t too concerned about only having paddled 15km.

2nd – Distance Covered – 50km +/-

A great day for paddling. We managed 36km before stopping for a leg stretch, by this stage in the expedition it is very noticeable how our fitness levels have increased. Also of note is our increased ability to ‘get in the zone’ whilst paddling. With no ipod and having discussed every topic of interest with Josh several times over, it’s very helpful to be able to explore one’s own thoughts at length in order to take your mind off the monotony of paddling. My thoughts have revolved mostly around the prospect of finishing paddling and my first pint of Guinness.

Finally pulled up on an isolated and reed flanked beach for our first night of camping in the Burundian bush. We were both pleased at the remarkable difference in the attitudes of the locals to our arrival. In a lot of Tanzania each inhabited place we had to rest at eventually entailed being surrounded by crowds of locals standing and staring. Something which when tired from paddling can become rather tiresome. However after arriving at this particular spot 5 men walked past, said hello and continued on their way without hesitation or enquiry. A very welcome change, especially as they didn’t return with the rest of their village.

3rd – Distance Covered – 44km +/-

Another great day of flat water. Paddled hard in the knowledge that we we’re now in easy reach of the finish line. There was temptation to push harder and make it to Bujumbura by evening, however we resisted the urge simply because we didn’t want to negotiate landing at the lakes largest area of human habitation worn out and close to dark. So after a comfortable days paddling and some interesting scenery, particularly with the mountains of the DRC in clear view on our left flank we again found another quite spot to stop for the night.

By this stage both of us had become fed up with the dwindling rations, not to mention its complete lack of diversity. Furthermore since the group splitting up Josh and I have had to cook on an open fire as we had no gas. Despite both of us being used to this due to our professions in the safari industry the effort of getting a good fire going using damp wood in order to cook tasteless carbohydrates causes one to become lazy and get by on our decent supply of energy bars and nuts.

4th – Distance Covered – 30km

The final day! After a quick coffee mixed with a decent amount of ash from the fire, we began the final paddle. For both this could not have come soon enough. At the beginning of this expedition Josh had said to me that the key to such an adventure is to get it over and done with as quickly as possible within reason. Despite there being times when you would like to take a few more days in the beginning in order to go slower and not push yourself as much, by the time you get to your 22nd day of paddling even the most enthusiastic of dawdlers is keen to get it over with.

What began as a pleasant farewell paddle to the finish line almost turned south when I was threatened by a large bull hippo. Much of the shoreline is covered here by thick reeds whilst the depth of the water is deceptive. Hence despite being almost a hundred metres from the shoreline and in an area of water I felt would have been too deep for hippo’s, I was alarmed when this chap surfaced too close for comfort and came at me with an impressive foamy bow wave in tow. A sight I certainly don’t want to see again.

Once my heart rate had reduced to the normal level the sight of Bujumbura in the distance and the stretch of land across the whole horizon to the north denoting the end was whole heartedly a sight for saw eyes. Sadly however the cleanliness of the water deteriorated radically as we approached the city. Something that is of course to be expected, however this doesn’t detract from how poignant it was when one considered the crystal clarity and cleanliness of the water we had passed through for the majority of the lake (both of us have been drinking lake water, unfiltered and un-boiled for the entirety of the trip without any upset tummies or episodes of the runs)!

Using binoculars to establish the whereabouts of our chosen completion point (Hotel du Lac) we stopped before landing for a swig of Josh’s Jura Whisky, a bottle that had remained unopened for the entirety of the trip in order to service us at this particular point.

Rather unexpectedly for us both the feeling of finishing wasn’t as celebratory as we were expecting. Despite there being some very tough days, frightening waves, hard decisions to make and hippo charges to endure we have had a wonderful experience together as a team and latterly as a pair. It was of course good to be out of the damn kayak which I personally felt like burning.

Subsequently after the adrenaline had worn off and aches began to wear away the significance of what we have both achieved made up for the initial lack of ecstasy at finishing.



Epilogue

At the time of committing myself to this trip I had kayaked just over 30km in my entire life and although we weren’t fully aware of what was in store for us we knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

The knowledge that Josh and I would be the first Brits to ever kayak the longest lake in the world, twinned with the charitable cause for which the expedition was dedicated, helped to spurn us on throughout and created the unshakable belief within us that we would complete the task regardless of obstacles.

This fact acknowledged after completion of our endeavor led both Josh and I to one conclusion we we’re both absolutely certain about….you can do or achieve anything, as long as your mind is determined beyond doubt to accomplish it.


RIP - Victory Amutenya