Described by the media as “one of the most interesting travel projects of the last decade” and “a unique expedition on a global scale”, the bicycle relay retracing the footsteps of Kazimierz Nowak across Africa captivated audiences worldwide. More than ten years have passed since that expedition – time enough to feel the call of new horizons. And so, the journey continues. This time, to another continent, yet once again as a relay: to write the Bicycle Diaries.
From 2009 to 2012, inspired by the remarkable journey of Kazimierz Nowak – a Polish traveler who, in the 1930s, crossed Africa from north to south and back again alone, by bicycle, on foot, by boat, on horseback and even by camel-we followed his trail over more than 33 000 kilometers. Over 150 participants from Poland and abroad joined the Nowak Africa relay. Along the route, we installed commemorative plaques, met the last living witnesses of his expedition, and saw Łukasz Wierzbicki’s book Kazik’s Africa [Afryka Kazika] introduced into schools, quickly becoming a favorite among young readers.
Following the African adventure, we teamed up with the Bike Jamboree collective to organize three major bicycle relays in the years that followed: Bike Jamboree 2015 – from Gdańsk to Japan for the World Scout Jamboree; Bike Jamboree 2017–2019 – a round the world journey; and JednoŚladami Andersa 2022–2023 – tracing the path of General Władysław Anders’ army.
These expeditions mark a beautiful and complete chapter – but in truth, the journey never truly ends.
In 2025, our wheels turn once again, this time towards South America. The new relay, titled Bicycle Diaries, will be inaugurated in September during the Kazimierz Nowak Travelers’ Meeting in Boruszyn, Poland – the very place where Nowak lived before departing for Africa. The first stage will lead us into Patagonia. In the months that follow, the expedition will unfold from the southernmost tip of the continent to its northernmost point.
How will we travel? Without haste, with attentiveness and curiosity for the world around us. For us, the essence lies not in the destination but in the journey itself.
The expedition will span approximately 18 months, divided into some 20 stages. Each stage, lasting around three weeks, will cover an estimated 1 000 kilometers. We will travel primarily by bicycle, though also on foot and by water when necessary. We will engage with people, take notes, record interviews, capture photographs and video, and explore local archives. All of this with the aim of sharing stories with those who cannot join us – stories of people, places, and the emotions encountered along the way.
To tell the story of the world.
Ahead lie the Andes, the Patagonian steppe, tropical forests, the paradise beaches of Ecuador – and, above all, an extraordinary shared adventure.