Capetonians dreaming of a single road from the Mediterranean to the Mother City should know the Cairo–Cape Town highway remains a work in progress. The 10 228-kilometre corridor aims to link North and South Africa but faces security and construction bottlenecks that delay a continuous drive.
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For beginners or expert overlanding enthusiasts, the corridor could unlock a new era of long-distance African travel. A fully connected route would make multi-country road trips more practical, drawing 4×4 adventurers, campervan travellers and tour operators into a single north-to-south journey.
Freight and logistics experts say several stretches are complete and paved, yet conflict in Sudan and backlogs in Zambia and Tanzania have stalled full connectivity. The Trans-African Highway project sits inside a broader continental push to improve cross-border infrastructure and cut transport costs.
According to Freightnews, African Union officials warn that policy and implementation gaps slow the gains that new roads can bring.
‘This Report reminds us that too often, our implementation lags our ambition,’ said an AU commissioner at the launch of the 2025 integration report, highlighting infrastructure bottlenecks that affect projects like this one.
Online, excitement mixes with caution. Some questioned who would currently drive through Sudan, while others romanticised the idea of travelling‘through the Sahara, through the Savannah’ and even called for stronger safety measures from Egypt to Kenya to bring the dream closer to reality.
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One commenter pointed out that adventurer Walkabout Eddie is attempting the journey on foot, showing just how powerful the north-to-south vision has become for travellers across the continent.
Local benefits for Cape Town could include stronger overland trade links, new tourism routes and lower freight costs if the corridor reaches full completion.
Yet experts advise travellers and hauliers to check security and border conditions before planning long transcontinental trips.
Compiled by Angelica Rhoda
First published on Cape {town} etc
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Feature Image: Pexels
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