About us

After a year long cycling journey through Africa, the diversity of the country that lies on the tip of the African continent, has become unforgettable for the two of us, Jens and Andreas After the rise of democracy in South Africa and our immigration to this country in 1993, we founded the company, AFRICAN BIKERS. Since then, we show our guests our new “home”, based in Cape Town first-hand.

We research all routes ourselves and we update them regularly considering the opinions of our tour guides and our guests. We guide the majority of the tours ourselves and make sure the quality of the routes and accommodation stays the same. Whenever there is time we travel around in southern Africa to look at new routes and destinations for our program.

The Team

Andreas Lappe

Co-founder of African Bikers
09.02.1959 born in Frankfurt/Germany
1979 Matric
studied film directing in Hamburg
worked as assistant director in theatre and in TV
advertising as producer
1990-91 journey by bicycle through Africa to Cape Town
1992 permanent residency in South Africa
1993 founding of African Bikers
Interests: cycling, running, music, languages and travel

Jens Deister

Co-founder of African Bikers
18.10.1967 born in Detmold/Germany
1988 Matric
1990-1991 cycle tour through Africa to Cape Town
1993 founding of African Bikers
Interests: travel, cycling, hiking, politics, history, geology, geography, politcs, economics

Doreen Schopferer

Manager of Cape Town office
born 19 October 1978 in Zschopau/Germany
1997 high school graduation
3 years job training for hotel managment
8 years working in hotel managment
October 2008 emigration to South Africa
with African Bikers Tours since 15.04.2010
consulting and coordination of the African Bikers Tours
Interests: cycling, reading, nature, travel

Mandy Otto

Manager of Cape Town office
born 16 December 1977 in Wolfen/Germany
1996 high school graduation
3 years job training for office clerk in Berlin
1.5 years study for diploma in management assistance
February 2008 emigration to South Africa
with African Bikers since 15.05.2006
consulting and coordination of African Bikers Tours
Interests: diving, cycling, hiking, reading, nature, travel

Shelagh Jonathan

born 25.4.1947 and lives in Cape Town
married with 2 children
has been working for African Bikers since 1996 as back-up driver & caterer
especially along the Garden Route…
Interests: cooking, church work, travel