Kino Yves: Everything You Need to Know About His Tricycle Journey

If you are an avid traveler, you must have encountered Kino Yves, a French YouTuber. He’s not your regular YouTuber, and his content speaks volumes about his unique approach to traveling. For that reason, I’ve been hooked on his stories since I picked them up in his travel escapades in Egpyt.

Here’s the thing: Today’s Travel YouTube stories are about fancy, flashy, luxury travel. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, not everyone can relate to it. To be brutally honest, they have a celebrity touch that makes them feel unattainable to most viewers.

But Kino Yves has changed that. He’s made travel seem easy, visiting Europe and Africa—with a three-wheel electric tricycle or ‘Trike.’ Yes, you’ve read that right. He’s been all over Europe and Africa riding his electric tricycle.

It might sound simple, but this traveling legend traveled through Europe, got into Africa, and rode his way from his home country, France, through Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Syria, Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq, and Jordan. He got into Africa through Jordan and rode through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, Zambia, and Botswana. He is currently in Namibia.

Read Also: Kenya to South Africa by Road (Nairobi to Capetown): Everything You Need to Know

What’s Kino Yves Idea Behind the Tricycle Journey

I have watched all of Kino Yves’s content on YouTube so far. Whenever anyone stops him somewhere in the brush and asks him about traveling for more than two years on a slow tricycle, his answer is always simple – the journey is slow and meaningful, allowing him to experience different cultures while learning through the experiences. Simply put, it’s a Geography, History, and Culture PHD through physical experience.

As a bonus, Kino Yves connects more deeply with each destination, fully immersing himself in each location, interacting with the people, eating their food, and learning their language rather than just passing by.

If you are looking for a reason to travel and haven’t found the motivation to begin, I’d advise you to subscribe to his channel and learn. He’s simplified traveling to a basic electric tricycle, camping gear, and action cameras to document his experiences and interactions.

He rarely stays in luxury hotels and occasionally spends nights in $10 rooms or camp in the wild in his tent. His tricycle is nothing fancy—if anything, he’s always exposed to extreme weather (rain and sand storms) and forced to momentarily stop his journey and take cover.

Challenges and Rewards of Tricycle Travel

I’ve been an avid cyclist for the last three years and discovered that cycling gives you a more hands-on experience with places you travel to. You get to notice very small but amazing details you wouldn’t have noticed in the comfort of a car or hovering through an aircraft.

In more than two years of tricycle travel, Kino Yevs has experienced both the good and bad sides of traveling with a three-wheeled electrical tricycle. I’ll start with the advantages:

He’s used the road less traveled, and his tricycle allows him to see and experience things you’d never know driving inside a car. Kino Yves has found himself in isolated remote villages that have given him access to hidden gems that most tourists never get to see or visit.

His slow journey also gives him the chance to interact with locals on a physical level and for a much longer time. He’s not on a tourist package, meaning he relies on the help of the natives to get everything he needs, including food, water, clothing, and ideas of places to sleep.

Since his journey is slow, he also gets the chance to get an in-depth feel for the different cultures he encounters, learning their languages, mannerisms, and way of life—a hallmark of travel content.

You’ll quickly notice that Kino Yves’s content is not choreographed; his interactions are 100% authentic. There are moments he takes time to eat with the locals, buy their crafts, and spend time knowing their cultures, or when things turn worse, and he gets scammed over food prices, is confronted with bad people or law enforcement officials– his content is filled with moments of genuine connections.

On the other hand, solo traveling on a tricycle can have its downsides. For starters, not all locals are happy to see tourists—for that reason, tours and travel companies don’t take their visitors to specific regions, even though they might be filled with hidden gems worth exploring.

Kino Yves has been robbed, asked for bribes, and spent some time in a Police Cell. He’s also been confronted hundreds of times for filming. Worst of all, the French YouTuber has sometimes been forced to sleep in the wild (Tanzania). In Botswana, Yves was almost attacked by an elephant while riding on the highway.

His tricycle is electric, and in some remote rural locations, he’s had difficulties getting power to change its batteries or repair worn-out parts for the trip.

The Route: Every Country Kino Yves Has Travelled in His Tricycle

So far, Kino Yves has been to 27 countries (Europe and Africa) riding his electric tricycle. The list keeps changing, but as of September 2024, Kino Yves rode his bike through 25 countries in more than two years. The following is every country he has visited;

France

Kino Yves is a French YouTuber who started his tricycle travel adventures in northern France. His first Vlog in the YouTube series was about touring historic World War One monuments in France. He traversed through France’s wine territory, experienced storm camping, and toured the mountain ranges of Jura. This was his first encounter with the realities of bike travel.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, he rode through the 2,400-meter-high Furka pass, experienced harsh fog and rain in Eerie Gotthard, and got his first official bike breakdown in Lugano.

Italy

In Italy, Yves had highs and lows that started in Verona. He also had some not-so-good experiences in Venice. He toured Bergame, where he had the chance to experience authentic Italian food.

Slovenia

He toured the Predel Fort in Slovenia, climbed the 2,000-meter Mangart Saddle, hiked around Lake Krn, rode through Vrsic Pass, and had a wild experience camping with bears in Bled and Bohinj Lake.

Croatia

In Croatia, he explored Petrova Gora, rode in Slunj, and had an interesting time in Aerodom Zeljava. He concluded his visit by spending a night in a cemetery to avoid landmines.

Bosnia

Bosia started on a low note when he had a crash riding his tricycle. He experienced a cultural moment in the Balkans by drinking Rakia. He toured Jajce, roasted lamb in Travnik, and experienced Basca’s restaurant scene.

Serbia

In Serbia, he was welcomed by the hospitality of the countryside village; he toured Sopocani and Studenica Monastery and stayed in one of the country’s most interesting hotels.

Kosovo

In Kosove, he had his first experience with cross-country travel. He had a slight hiccup getting entry into the country and had to return to Serbia. He toured the Peja cheese market and experienced first-hand Albanian hospitality.

North Macedonia

He had a brief visit to North Macedonia but some memorable experiences, including enjoying a meal at a gas station.

Bulgaria

Yves arrived in Bulgaria in the fall and enjoyed some Bulgarian cultural cuisine in the mountains. He also checked out Plovdiv. He experienced his first electric tricycle issues in Bulgaria when he began having e-bike engine issues.

Turkey

On his first day in Turkey (Kirklareli), his eBike broke down, so he had to take a Taxi to Istanbul. He also experienced Turkish hospitality while riding on the highways and tasted the best food in the Sogut area. He toured Eskisehir, Afyonkarahisar, Anatolia, and Antalya.

Yugoslavia

Yves had some interesting experiences in Yugoslavia, including spending a night in an abandoned building, visiting a secret underground airport, and checking out the Bobsleigh track (1984 Winter Olympic Games).

Lebanon

In Lebanon, he toured Tripoli, took a walking tour of Souq, and enjoyed some Lebanese hospitality in Bsharri. He also rode through Beqaa Valley, Baalbek, and Bedouin.

Syria

Kino Yves rode in Syria and visited Damascus, Maaloula, Homs, Aleppo, and Krak des Chevaliers.

Iraqi Kurdistan

The French YouTuber had an exciting time in Iraqi Kurdistan, where he interacted with the amazing people of Kurdistan. He toured Erbil, Bazaar of Erbil, and Slemani, where he sampled the street food.

Iraq

In Iraq, he experienced his first adverse weather—sand storms in Baghdad. He also visited Kadhimiya Shrine during Ramadhan Iftar, Najaf, Nasiriyah, Basra Old Town, and Mosul. At the end of the tour, he gave a personal account of his experience as a solo traveler. Check out that video.

Jordan

Jordan would be the last point in Europe preparing his entry into Africa. He visited Amman, Bedouins, the desert, Dana, and Aqaba.

Egypt

Egypt marked Kino Yves’s first entry into Africa. He traveled through Dahab, Sharm El Shiekh, Giza, Cairo, Aswan, Alexandria, and Luxor and encountered the Police.

Sudan

In Sudan, he had varied experiences interacting with the locals. He also rode through the Sahara desert, Dafur, and Wad Madani.

Ethiopia

Yves encountered calm African culture in Ethiopia. He tasted Ethiopian raw meat, experienced a dance culture, and rode through war-torn territory.

Kenya

Kenya was Kino Yves’s first entry into the heart of Africa and its people. It is also the first country where he spent much time throughout his travels from Europe. He rode through the Rift Valley and experienced Nairobi life before his tricycle broke down again. He rode his trike through Nairobi, Nakuru, Baringo, Kabarnet, Iten, Eldoret, and Endebes. 

Uganda

Kino Yves visited Uganda at the end of the year during Christmas and toured buzzing Kampala City. He had a brief but heartfelt encounter with a Sudanese young man (Gamer) whom he helped raise funds for.

Rwanda

Kino Yves toured Rwanda from Uganda and marveled at the beauty of Kigali and the fertile greenery of this side of Africa.

Tanzania

The French YouTuber started his tour of Tanzania by riding through the lion-infested countryside. He also rode through the Tsetse fly-infested region in a peculiar outfit that impressed the locals.

Burundi

Burundi doesn’t get much attention from travel YouTubers, but Yves rode through this country and briefly encountered one of the local law enforcement officers for filming in public.

Zambia

Kino Yves rode through Zambia, checking out the unique cultures and food. He chose Zambia to view the magnificent Victoria Falls through the highway. He also had a brief tour of Lusaka, the capital city.

Botswana

So, Kino Yves has had the best time in Botswana despite dealing with elephants on the highway. One elephant bull almost attacked him next to the road. Botswanans have shown Yves a lot of love, offering him food and water along the way. Many locals stopped him a long way to get pictures and give him tips on avoiding conflict with wildlife.

Namibia

Kino Yves has chosen to go to Namibia first, then to Cape Town. Namibia is mostly dry and desert land (Kalahari Desert), but for Yves, this means a lot of adventure and new territory to explore. Unfortunately, he lost one battery in Namibia, meaning his journey has slowed. There’s not much help in Namibia, but there’s a bike repair shop in Cape Town that could help.

South Africa

Kino Yves has finally gotten into South Africa. One of his most memorable moments was riding through the border and experiencing South African hospitality. He, together with another cyclist, “Kamran on Bike,” was offered three nights of free boarding on a luxury camp a few kilometers from the border. He still has a few stopovers before he gets to Cape Town – and the fact that he is down to one battery means he will get to his destination slower. Still, that means more content for us to watch!

Highlights from the Two-Year Tricycle Journey

It’s evident that Kino Yves’s journey wasn’t just about filming the places he visited—it was more about his personal experiences and the growth that came from them. Over his more than two-year journey, he has shared numerous memorable encounters with his audiences.

Human Connection

One of the most powerful aspects of Kino Yves’s journey was his experiences with the people he met on the road. His tricycle made him more approachable to the locals. You’ll realize that the locals often approached him, sometimes stopping him on the highway just to talk to him.

He’s made hundreds of friends, and throughout his videos, he has been invited into the locals’ homes and even been offered free meals and souvenirs in his interactions. His videos give a rare glimpse into the everyday lives of people worldwide.

Cultural Exchange

People are very different in their talk, mannerisms, and expectations. You will quickly understand this if you watch Kino Yves’ YouTube channel. He has learned how to make food and crafts, and he even speaks local dialects throughout his journey.

Environmental Awareness

Kino Yves did not have to travel by tricycle. He’s flown before, but he made a personal challenge to reduce his carbon footprint by traversing the world on an e-bike. His travel highlighted the need for eco-friendly practices.

What’s Next For Kino Yves

After more than two years of traveling on a tricycle, Kino Yves has become a voice for mindful and sustainable exploration. His iconic journey has broadened his perspective and inspired millions of worldwide viewers about travel.

Kino Yves plans to continue his travels. He has hinted through his vlogs that he plans to try out other types of sustainable traveling, like sailing or trekking through remote villages.

If you are just getting acquainted with his YouTube channel, I suggest you subscribe and begin his journey from the beginning.