--- product_id: 3500004 title: "Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown" price: "VT8936" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/3500004-dark-star-safari-overland-from-cairo-to-capetown store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown **Price:** VT8936 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown - **How much does it cost?** VT8936 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/3500004-dark-star-safari-overland-from-cairo-to-capetown) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown [Theroux, Paul] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown Review: Hands Down, Theroux's Best "Travel" Book - By far, Theroux's best travel book. And they're all, at a minimum, extremely worth my time. What made this one exceptional was the timing of the read. I had held back on Dark Star Safari until 2018 after overdosing on other Theroux titles and feeling the need to sample other writers (many of them cited in Theroux's own works). His thesis - that Africa is doomed barring a miracle (sorry, Paul, that thought may be anathema) gains even more credence with me nearly two decades after Theroux journeyed from Cairo to Capetown, for this year has seen a spike in African strongmen rigging the game to stay in power and some economies struggling to diversify after the single-commodity free-falls of several years back. Local decision-making with roots in tribal governance, versus central government planning and concomitant shenanigans, seems to work best, the author suggests. And as an investor in a Sub-Saharan mutual fund, it's clear after reading this book that both Commerce Department analyses and investment come-ons remain woefully rose-colored. So Theroux, yet again, scores high marks for a very clear-eyed and sober approach to some very complex subject matter. Beyond the author's mastery of material (he has done plenty of homework and enjoys numerous contacts on the continent), Theroux's chops as an on-the-ground, sometimes in-your-face journalist, his disdain for "suffering fools gladly" and his ability to craft compelling mise-en-scene makes his work soar. The first 100 or so pages of Dark Star Safari are simply a delight to read, and as he moves down the spine of Africa his portraits of merchants, farmers, bureaucrats and fellow travelers prove deep and telling and sometimes just rollicking fun. Theroux has come light years from the work that made him famous, The Great Railway Bazaar, and what once amounted to caricatures in some cases are now real, live human beings that Theroux befriends and respects. (Having said that, "Bazaar" is still one of my favorite books.) Another great man of letters, Tom Wolfe, died this week. Reading his obituary, I realized for the first time that Theroux was one of the early proponents of The New Journalism that Wolfe helped found: painstaking attention to journalistic detail, no-holds-barred first-person narrative, and a unique, sometimes eye-popping way with the language that quickly drew lifelong fans. Here's hoping that Mr. Theroux, now pushing 80, isn't finished writing. Review: Well written and definately worth reading. - I liked the approach of the author and his bravery. Very interesting views on charitable work in Africa. Good questions asked regarding the way funding is utilesed for the NGO and its workers in stead of going into food, education and medicines for needy locals. Would be interesting if one could send someone on a similar route now (2025) and compare the situation now. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #136,718 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #14 in General Africa Travel Books #127 in Travelogues & Travel Essays #173 in Travel Writing Reference | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,689) | | Dimensions | 5.5 x 1.11 x 8.25 inches | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 0618446877 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0618446872 | | Item Weight | 1.1 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 496 pages | | Publication date | April 5, 2004 | | Publisher | Mariner Books | ## Images ![Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81w+6YP7ZQL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hands Down, Theroux's Best "Travel" Book *by N***X on May 16, 2018* By far, Theroux's best travel book. And they're all, at a minimum, extremely worth my time. What made this one exceptional was the timing of the read. I had held back on Dark Star Safari until 2018 after overdosing on other Theroux titles and feeling the need to sample other writers (many of them cited in Theroux's own works). His thesis - that Africa is doomed barring a miracle (sorry, Paul, that thought may be anathema) gains even more credence with me nearly two decades after Theroux journeyed from Cairo to Capetown, for this year has seen a spike in African strongmen rigging the game to stay in power and some economies struggling to diversify after the single-commodity free-falls of several years back. Local decision-making with roots in tribal governance, versus central government planning and concomitant shenanigans, seems to work best, the author suggests. And as an investor in a Sub-Saharan mutual fund, it's clear after reading this book that both Commerce Department analyses and investment come-ons remain woefully rose-colored. So Theroux, yet again, scores high marks for a very clear-eyed and sober approach to some very complex subject matter. Beyond the author's mastery of material (he has done plenty of homework and enjoys numerous contacts on the continent), Theroux's chops as an on-the-ground, sometimes in-your-face journalist, his disdain for "suffering fools gladly" and his ability to craft compelling mise-en-scene makes his work soar. The first 100 or so pages of Dark Star Safari are simply a delight to read, and as he moves down the spine of Africa his portraits of merchants, farmers, bureaucrats and fellow travelers prove deep and telling and sometimes just rollicking fun. Theroux has come light years from the work that made him famous, The Great Railway Bazaar, and what once amounted to caricatures in some cases are now real, live human beings that Theroux befriends and respects. (Having said that, "Bazaar" is still one of my favorite books.) Another great man of letters, Tom Wolfe, died this week. Reading his obituary, I realized for the first time that Theroux was one of the early proponents of The New Journalism that Wolfe helped found: painstaking attention to journalistic detail, no-holds-barred first-person narrative, and a unique, sometimes eye-popping way with the language that quickly drew lifelong fans. Here's hoping that Mr. Theroux, now pushing 80, isn't finished writing. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Well written and definately worth reading. *by K***R on January 19, 2025* I liked the approach of the author and his bravery. Very interesting views on charitable work in Africa. Good questions asked regarding the way funding is utilesed for the NGO and its workers in stead of going into food, education and medicines for needy locals. Would be interesting if one could send someone on a similar route now (2025) and compare the situation now. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book considering how little insight the author has *by J***N on May 24, 2003* This is a great book. But then I like all Theroux's travel books. His erudite but frank and often witty observations make his books fun to read. What makes this book special is that Theroux has done and writes about two things that relatively few people have done and almost no one has written about. He has traveled overland from Cairo to Cape Town and he has made visits to Uganda 40 years apart. My gripe about his lack of insight comes primarily from two passages. The first describes his contempt for the international aid workers who whiz past him in their air conditioned SUVs while he stands by the side of the road with his thumb out. As someone who has ridden in these air conditioned SUVs (Central and West Africa 1981-1985) and has also stood on the side of the road with his thumb out (Melilla to Dar 1972) I understand what Theroux doesn't. The aid workers don't spend their days whizzing around in air conditioned SUVs but work, often hard, for months on end under arduous conditions and the bug free a/c of the SUV may be the most comfortable environment they are in all day or even all week. He expects the aid workers to stop and pack their vehicle with the hordes of people they pass on the road who are desperate for a ride? That's too much to ask. Or does Theroux seriously think that as a muzungu out for a lark with a wad of money in his pocket relief workers should stop for him but not offer the same courtesy to the local people? The second passage that demonstrates Theroux's lack of insight is where he recounts his conversation with a U.S. embassy employee who listens to Theroux patiently but seems unimpressed and has NOT (can you imagine it) followed Theroux's instructions to arrange for him to give some lectures while he breezes through town. Does Theroux like to be perceived as arrogant? Besides all that, the book is fascinating for Theroux's observations about people, history, and places, especially because he visits some very out-of-the way places. Even more interesting to me were his comments about his sojourn in Malawi and Uganda in the 1960's and his recounting of the conversations he had during his recent trip with people he had known as a young man. I'd recommend this book to anyone familiar with and interested in Africa and to anyone interested in African development as well as to anyone who likes Paul Theroux's travel writing. I would not recommend this book to someone with little knowledge of Africa. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/3500004-dark-star-safari-overland-from-cairo-to-capetown](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/3500004-dark-star-safari-overland-from-cairo-to-capetown) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-04*