The Círculo Ecuestre hosted the Down To Africa conference this Thursday, a session organized in conjunction with the Youth Committee. The event brought together Álex Costa and Lucas Poch, two of the three members of the Barcelona-born project that transformed a personal dream into a business-oriented undertaking: a 90-day motorcycle journey across Africa, covering more than 23,000 kilometers and traversing nearly 20 countries. The event was presented by Santiago García-Mussons, member of the Economic Subcommittee of the Círculo Ecuestre's Youth Committee, who introduced the meeting with a video summary of the trip and led a discussion focused on the experience, logistics, and development of the project.
At the beginning of the discussion, Costa and Poch explained the origins of Down To Africa as a shared goal they had pursued since their youth. Lucas Poch recalled the influence of family trips to the continent and the imagery of the old Dakar Rally as the catalysts for their adventurous spirit: "That's where the spark ignited." For his part, Álex Costa linked the impetus to his volunteer experiences in African countries: “How wonderful it would be to connect these countries on a motorcycle.” Both agreed that the project, in addition to fulfilling a dream, ended up generating an unexpected inspirational effect in their community.
One of the key lessons, according to the speakers, was the decision to travel as a trio. On a long-distance journey, they explained, living together and constantly making decisions makes the group a determining factor: “Being three saved us from a lot of conflict,” they pointed out, highlighting the agility in resolving disagreements, the emotional balance, and the ability to compensate for low points.
On a professional level, both detailed how they managed their time to carry out a three-month project. Lucas Poch explained that he communicated his intention two years in advance and requested a leave of absence: “It’s never a good time, but either you do it now or you don’t end up doing it at all.” Álex Costa, for his part, shared that he decided to change career paths and become a freelancer, giving partners and collaborators ample notice to plan the trip.
During the financial segment, the speakers put figures to the reality of the trip: an approximate cost of €10,000 per person, with significant expenses including visas, motorcycle shipping, flights, technical equipment, and daily living costs. They emphasized the complexity of the documentation process and the importance of robust camping gear for handling extreme conditions. They also shared that daily expenses for the three of them were around €100, with gasoline being one of the main costs.
The session also addressed building the project from a branding and sponsorship perspective. With a small initial community, they explained that they started by relying on close contacts and previous collaborations, until they secured their most crucial sponsorship: Royal Enfield, which provided them with three motorcycles. They recounted that the negotiation began through LinkedIn with a marketing contact in London and was finalized with an approach based on trust and authenticity. Furthermore, they emphasized that they did not want to condition the trip on fixed content deliveries.
In the social aspect, Costa highlighted the collaboration with Adesti, a foundation linked to his family history, to which they donated part of the funds raised through sponsors. During the journey, they also visited Lamsa in Ghana, a welcoming project focused on football and the training of children in vulnerable situations, an experience they described as especially transformative due to the human impact of the trip.
Regarding the communication strategy, Down To Africa has grown steadily thanks to consistency, storytelling, and an organic approach to content. They also shared that the editing was shared among the three of them, without the content becoming the objective: "The goal was to enjoy the trip."
The conversation also included moments of crisis management, such as the engine failure in Ghana and other anecdotes from the journey, such as flat tires, extreme conditions, and encounters with local wildlife.
Regarding the future, Costa and Poch explained that there is no immediate plan, but there are open ideas: exploring new destinations, participating in rallies and continuing to develop projects linked to the world of adventure, always without forcing a monetization that could distort the spirit of the trip.