Kapp to Cape: Never Look Back

Race to the End of the Earth

  • Imprint: Summersdale
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 320
  • Price: £14.99
  • Publication date: 9 February 2017
  • ISBN: 9781849539678

About the book

Steve and I clutched hands – his right in my left – and then we simultaneously pushed down with our feet. Cogs clicked, wheels turned, and we were on our way. We left Nordkapp within minutes. Cape Town was only 18,000 kilometres away.

Deciding to break away from his comfortable lifestyle in London, Reza and his friend Steven set off from the most northerly point on mainland Europe to cycle the 11,000 miles to the other end of the planet, completely unsupported.

Their expedition becomes a race against the clock, as they attempt to complete the trip in a world record of just 100 days. Battling punishing terrain and primitive roads, harsh and debilitating climates, malaria, food poisoning and heat stroke, their thrilling journey brings them face to face with some of the world’s most stunning, memorable and volatile regions.

This is the intensely personal story of one man’s mission to create a more positive, purposeful life, and the compelling account of the epic journey he took to get there.

About the author

Reza Pakravan is a traveller, adventurer and film-maker. He holds the Guinness World Record for crossing the Sahara desert by bicycle: his preferred mode of transport. He has also cycled the Annapurna Circuit, the length of the planet from Norway to South Africa, and through the Amazon rainforest along the Trans-Amazonian Highway. In 2012, he was listed amongst the world’s top 20 most seasoned travellers by Men’s Fitness magazine. Reza is a patron of NGO SEED Madagascar and has received a prestigious Lloyd’s Charity Award for his work building schools and fundraising for Malagasy children.

Charlie Carroll is the author of The Friendship Highway (Summersdale, 2014), No Fixed Abode (Summersdale, 2013) and On the Edge (Monday Books, 2010). He has written for The Guardian, The Big Issue and the Daily Mail, been featured in National Geographic, The Telegraph and The Times, has discussed his work on BBC Radio 5Live and various local radio stations, and has appeared at a number of literary festivals across the UK. 

Read more

Reviews

'A moment of self-realisation among the commuters on London Bridge triggers a selfless and enduring determination in Reza Pakravan, a city financier, to live his own life in a way that makes a positive difference to others. Kapp to Cape is the story of an epic journey of self-discovery, self-discipline and triumph against all the odds. It reveals the best of the human spirit and reminds us, yet again, that a life well-lived is never about the destination: it’s about the ride. '

Deborah Bull, CBE, dancer, writer and broadcaster

‘An absolute page-turner about Reza’s courageous world-record bid. The inner journey is every bit as fascinating as the outer as he candidly shares his doubts, struggles, challenges and triumphs while navigating some of the world’s most cyclist-unfriendly regions and roads. Recommended!’

Roz Savage, world-record ocean rower and author of Rowing the Atlantic

‘I am literally lost for words at the scale of this heroic achievement. To the benefit of his readers, Reza isn’t.’

Tim Moore, author of Gironimo!, You Are Awful (But I Like You) and French Revolutions

‘It took me over a year to cycle to South Africa. Reza managed it in just 100 days – that is extraordinary.’

Alastair Humphreys, adventurer, author and motivational speaker

'A thrilling and beautiful book. The journey that Reza undertakes – both physically and mentally – is astonishing.'

Ed Stafford, explorer

‘A brilliantly candid, funny and thought-provoking escape to the wild. Through Reza’s unique cultural lens we are taken on the adventure of a lifetime, and left reflecting on our own sense of purpose and adventure.’

Mark Beaumont, author of The Man Who Cycled the World