Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown

The legendary travel writer’s thrilling and dangerous account of his journey across Africa

A rattletrap bus, dugout canoe, cattle truck, armed convoy, ferry, and train. In the course of his epic and enlightening journey―an overland trek from Cairo to Cape Town―wittily observant and endearingly irascible Paul Theroux endures danger, delay, and dismaying circumstances. Gauging the state of affairs, he talks to Africans, aid workers, missionaries, and tourists. What results is an insightful meditation on the history, politics, and beauty of Africa and its people.

Theroux returns to the continent he knew as a young man, asking a hard question: After forty years of independence, foreign aid, and political turmoil, what has become of Africa?

An Unflinching Travelogue: Join Theroux as he travels by rattletrap bus, dugout canoe, and cattle truck, finding an Africa that is hungrier, poorer, and more corrupt than the one he left decades before. Post-Colonial Realities: Through candid conversations with Africans, aid workers, missionaries, and tourists, Theroux gauges the true state of affairs on a continent shaped by foreign help and political upheaval. The Real Safari: Discover the original meaning of safari―a journey, not a game drive. This is a trek through the hinterland, far from the tourist trail, where the real challenges are human, not animal. A Master's Voice: Witty, irascible, and deeply insightful, Paul Theroux's account is a masterclass in travel writing, offering a powerful meditation on the history, politics, and enduring beauty of Africa and its people.