Hannah and Greta Travel by Bicycle Across Africa

Explore new locations - Hannah and Greta ride bicycles across Africa.

Once upon a time, Hannah Schroeder faced so much discrimination that she stopped announcing her goal of cycling all the way to the tip of Africa. At first, she'd simply say she wanted to reach Portugal, shortly after she and her 19-year-old sister Greta departed from a room in Hesse with their bikes on a wet July day almost three years ago. "Everyone reacted so negatively when we said we were going to Africa! Everyone said, 'No, that's not possible.' But it was obvious: We'll keep going until we no longer wish to continue," she says.

Today, they've traveled more than 10,000 kilometers farther south. Using their bikes, as well as occasionally taking trains or hitchhiking, the two girls, now 23 and 22, are cycling along the coast of Africa, on their way to Cameroon. More than 110,000 people now follow them on Instagram, where they share their adventure almost daily, sometimes gleaming, sometimes frustrated, often covered in dust and sweat.

But it's not about setting a record. They pass by cyclists who surpass them, while the young women linger in countries for months, or, if their visas are expiring, hitch a ride in trucks. They pedaled across the Sahara in a sandstorm, through the jungle in the rain, dragged their bikes and bags through knee-deep mud and chest-high water, nearly drowned in a flood in Guinea, and were interrogated as potential terrorists by 30 men with guns and machetes in northern Ghana during a campfire at night.

"That was a moment when we were extremely frightened," says Hannah. "Yet it quickly became clear that we weren't terrorists, so we laughed with them about it and they wished us a good night and said we should sleep in their village the next time because it was safe. That was a really pleasant interaction, and they no longer feared who slept in the bush."

Hannah had contracted malaria thrice, while Greta stayed unscathed. During an interview with the German Press Agency in Nigeria's capital Abuja, Greta was ill with stomach flu. Hotels are rare occurrences; more often, the two women camp in fields, ruins, or unfinished structures. If they're in a village, they might sleep in barns or the rear rooms of shops, or are invited to stay at locals' homes.

"We don't even lock up our bikes," says Greta. "We sleep with our belongings outside, whether we're in a village or out in the wilderness." "We've never had anything stolen, and we've been on the road for three years now," explains Hannah.

The idea to visit Africa was inspired by the accounts of their father, who had driven there in his car when he was young. The decision to use bikes came later because it was a cheaper way to travel and meet as many people as possible. Now, they're intimately familiar with every screw on their Schwinn frames named Nulli and Priesemut.

The two frequently run into other cyclists during their journey. "There are many in Morocco, but many only travel as far as Senegal. I estimate there are about 50 cycling from Senegal to South Africa as we speak," notes Hannah. Besides them, there are only two other solo female cyclists on this route, they believe. The cyclists communicate through a WhatsApp group. The German Cycling Association (ADFC) doesn't consider this a priority. "The ADFC is not advising long-distance cycling trips for environmental reasons," says a spokesperson.

Concerns about sustainability have troubled them lately. "The past few months have been filled with doubts like never before. This is primarily due to the fact that we can no longer meet our own expectations and principles," they wrote on Instagram. There, they not only post stunning images of their trip but also the trying moments: for instance, the physical strain, along with the lack of privacy, as they stand out everywhere and are surrounded by people 24/7. The girls want to ride not only through the landscapes - their journey is a give and take.

"The main problem is that we don't have the energy anymore. This means we can't interact with people as much as we'd like, and then we need more time for ourselves, but we don't have it," says Greta. "We're making an effort to listen and learn, not to ride blindly through the country: We want to experience and absorb every situation, even if it's hard. If that ends, as it does now, if we don't have the energy for it anymore, then we don't want to continue traveling anymore," Hannah adds.

So, the duo has decided to pause their journey. They'll leave their bikes in Cameroon and fly from Douala to Germany in June. They plan to pick up their bikes again once the rainy season ends in October.

"The countries we're approaching now are the most unpredictable on our trip. Our bikes are becoming increasingly damaged, and we're just repairing them. This is so emotionally draining," says Hannah. "I believe if we return home, regain comfort in our own beds, recharge our friendships, and then come back, we can relish the journey once more and cycle the way we desire."