ZaZiBoNa

Zambia – Zimbabwe – Botswana – Namibia

Spring 2026

Who are we ?

Annika Horn – Swiss and South African, project manager and expedition producer, Annika grew up at the heart of adventure thanks to her father, explorer Mike Horn. Passionate about human connection, meaningful experiences and sharing stories that inspire action, Annika brings her creativity and energy to every expedition.

Dr. Magdalena Gruendl – A German doctor and global health researcher, Leni combines scientific rigour, a deep curiosity for the world and a love of human-powered travel. Her work has taken her across sub-Saharan Africa… as has her bicycle.

Wheel of Wonder was a six-week expedition. In spring 2026, Leni and I cycled 2,500 km from Lusaka, Zambia, to Windhoek, Namibia, crossing Zambia, Botswana and Namibia, and passing through wild national parks, vast deltas and desert tracks. This route was not only a physical challenge: it opened a window onto some of Southern Africa’s most iconic landscapes.

The reason behind our adventure

We rode for discovery — not to prove anything, but to fully experience the feeling of moving slowly through vast and unknown places. We were not extreme athletes.

We were two women in search of both an outer and inner journey, drawn to authentic encounters and raw landscapes that fascinated us.
Through this adventure, we also wanted to inspire others, especially women, to dare, to explore the unknown and to write their own stories of adventure.