bike riding tours south africa

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• South Africa

Mountains to Sea at the southern tip of Africa.

South africa bike tours.

Adventure through South Africa, a country as diverse in landscape as it is in culture. Vibrant urban cities, dramatic mountain ranges, stunning seaside cliffs, and abundant bushveld cover the country.

The Republic of South Africa doesn’t only boast giraffe, lion, hyena, and hippo (though you’ll likely see those while on safari), it also is home to Table Mountain, one of the oldest mountains in the world! And your exploration doesn’t end with wildlife and landscapes, you can also visit wineries along Route 62, a scenic road stretching the eastern and western Cape and known for its many wine regions.

What are you waiting for? Take a ride on the wild side and visit the southern most country on the continent of Africa!

Learn more:

• South Africa bike tour reviews

South African Safari & Bike Adventure: Kruger, Blyde River, and More

COUNTRY: South Africa

Guided from EUR € 2590

Guided: Apr 21; May 12; Aug 11; Sep 1; Oct 6, 20, 2024

Description: This unforgettable journey combines cycling and a safari experience to lead you through South Africa's diverse landscapes! You'll have the chance to interact with both the diverse culture and South African Wildlife! Beginning in Gauteng, you will cycle…

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Top 20 Bike Rides and Cycling Routes in South Africa

South Africa

Cycling in South Africa

Cycling in South Africa is one of the most enjoyable ways to explore more of this part of Africa. So you can find your perfect South Africa bike ride, we’ve reviewed our full collection of cycling routes in the region to deliver the best. Just click on each route to see a full breakdown of detailed information including elevation profiles and surface analyses, and browse real tips and photos uploaded by other members of the komoot community.

Plan. Save. Navigate. Your best adventures await.

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View of Houtbay – View of Nordhoek Beach loop from Wittebome

Misty cliffs – beach at misty cliffs loop from kalk bay.

Let us show you the way with the komoot mobile app

View of houtbay – view of nordhoek beach loop from an michele, view of houtbay – view of nordhoek beach loop from cape town station, view of houtbay – view of nordhoek beach loop from the glen, nice pizza restaurant loop from muldersdrift, nice pizza restaurant loop from lammermoor, ford & rope bridge crossing – balance coffee roastery loop from tellenbosch, tafelberg seilbahn – table mountain viewpoint loop from gardens, table mountain viewpoint – tafelberg seilbahn loop from newlands.

Our Tour recommendations are based on thousands of activities completed by other people on komoot.

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Find the perfect Tour

Explore the most popular tours in south africa, discover the most popular attractions in south africa.

Didn’t find what you were looking for? Check out more Cycling Routes throughout South Africa below and find the perfect Tour in your destination.

• Drakensberg
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Explore more : Browse the best Cycling Routes in other regions.

• Côte d'Ivoire

Welcome to Cape Cycle Tours

Uniquely South African guided cycling tours

Ready to ride?

Check out our tours

A journey of taste

Beautiful scenery, africa's amazing animals.

Looking for additional training or just eager for some cycling in the sunshine?

Whether you’re a roadie or a mountain biker, we have cycling tours to suit your needs.

We even offer your non-cyclist travelling companions custom tours that run in conjunction with our cycling tours.

Our uniquely South African guided cycling tours, training, and race camps cater for serious and recreational road and mountain bikers. Our trips specialise in a region of our country we know to be one of the best and most scenic places to ride.

What to expect from our tours:

• Guides with local knowledge who know the routes well and ride them regularly
• Highly-skilled guides with a range of expertise including, first aid and mechanical skills
• As much value for money off the bike as on it
• Specially designed routes that ensure you experience the best an area has to offer
• An opportunity to experience the hospitality and tourist attractions of the Overberg and Western Cape
• A healthy breakfast and an early start , so that we get most of our riding done before the heat of the day
• Dinners at specially selected restaurants , a great way to end a day of riding
• A dedicated backup vehicle to keep us safe and to provide drinks, food, and spares as needed
• Afternoons to relax , explore the area, or to try one of the extra activities (check out our Extra Activities ) once the day’s cycling is done
• Accommodation in accredited guest houses and B&Bs ( Tourism Grading Council )
• Laundry facilities at all the overnight stops

Browse our various tour options to find one that suits you or contact us for help to design a personalised tour that suits your pocket, and the type of riding you’d like to do and places you want to see.

SCHEDULED TRIPS

We have many tried and tested options. take a looked at the variety of tours we offer., bespoke trips, contact us now to plan a customised trip for you and your friends or family, what our clients say.

Our cycling trip with Craig and Leo was the perfect way to experience beautiful Cape scenery and foodie culture. Craig was an engaging and informative guide who told us all about the region and gave us a local’s perspective on South Africa. The ride logistics were organized and safe. The post-ride evening plans were always relaxing and unique. We would definitely book with Cape Cycle Tours again.

The 6-day cycling tour was the highlight of our holiday, it was perfectly organized, good company and beautiful scenery. You, Hazel and Tony took such good care of us!! Nothing but good memories!

“Besides being a bloody good cyclist, Craig has a character to match. Cyclists are generally a lovely bunch.  In my short life, I have met very few guys that make you feel like a long lost relative in the first 2 minutes. Craig is one of them.”

• South Africa

South Africa Mountain Bike Tour

Western Cape and Winelands of the Rainbow Nation

Our Levels range from 1-4. Learn more .

Tour Highlights

• Cycle picturesque Chapman’s Peak Drive, considered the most beautiful road in South Africa
• Spend the afternoon tasting South Africa’s top wines with a local winemaker
• Ride some of the best MTB trails in Africa, including single tracks that sparked a countrywide mountain biking movement
• Visit a local township and taste traditional vetkoek  frybread prepared by a beloved community member
• Reconnect with nature on a ride through Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, discovering unique South African flora and fauna like king protea flowers, ge msbok , and soaring eagles

Braaivleis (barbecued meat), biltong jerkey, pap (a type of polenta), and mieliebrood (cornbread with a South African spin)

Local Savanna cider, award-winning South African wines including Cabernet and Syrah, and especially the indigenous varietal Pinotage

As featured in:

Welcome to the Rainbow Nation

Your guides will meet you at the Cape Town waterfront early this morning. After a bike fitting and safety briefing we set out for our first ride toward Jonkershoek, a nature reserve occupying a dramatic valley near the major wine destination of Stellenbosch. Some say that South African mountain biking was born right here, since the trails in this preserve launched the sport’s popularity. We’ll enjoy a post-ride lunch at our favorite little cyclist café. A short transfer or hilly extra ride brings us to Clouds Estate—our hotel and working wine farm surrounded by the dramatic Simonsberg and Drakenstein mountains. A special treat awaits our arrival: one of our favorite winemakers, Johan, will lead us through an introductory tasting of South Africa’s most celebrated wines. Tonight we dine among the vines at a family-owned estate recognized as one of the best in the Cape Winelands. Chef Caroline Coetzee’s food is complemented by local artwork on display in her restaurant—an all-around showcase of South African talent.

Meals : Lunch / Dinner Destination : Jonkershoek, Helshoogte Accomplished : 16 miles / 26 km, elevation gain: 1,788 feet / 545 meters Longer Option: 24 miles / 40 km, elevation gain: 2,870 feet / 875 meters Accommodation : Clouds Estate

Cycling Stellenbosch

Today we ride to Boschendal Wine Estate on bike trails beloved by local cyclists and pros alike—they’ve even hosted South Africa’s Cape Epic mountain bike race. But don’t be intimidated, today’s ride lends itself to cyclists of all levels: choose to rack up miles in the saddle or take it easy and treat yourself to an extra glass of wine (or wyn in Afrikaans), if you prefer. Either way, explore the country’s complicated history as we pedal on single tracks through the vineyards, passing pristine manors juxtaposed with humble agricultural villages. In the werf , or farmyard, we’ll have an al fresco lunch at a local woman’s home where we’ll try traditional roosterbood . This evening we’ll head into the historic town of Stellenbosch—one of the country’s first Dutch settlements and a treasure trove of colonial architecture—for a stroll through its oak tree-lined streets and dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.

Meals : Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations : Helshoogte, Kylemore, Boschendal, Stellenbosch Accomplished: 21 miles / 34 km, elevation gain: 1,391 feet / 424 meters Optional Extra: 26 miles / 43 km, elevation gain: 2,070 feet / 631 meters Accommodation : Clouds Estate

Local is “Lekker”

This morning, our transfer brings us to the trails of Bottelary Hills Conservancy: an immaculately maintained network of mountain biking routes connecting nearly 40 local vineyards. Great pains were taken to preserve the native flora, including fruit orchards, lilies, and fynbos (a type of vegetation unique to South Africa). Our ride rewards us with views all the way to Table Mountain, and we’ll stop for a Pinotage-paired picnic lunch at Jordan Winery. Spend the rest of the evening at an informal South African settlement, getting to know the local personalities during a walking tour. After, we’re invited to dinner with the locals as they share their food, stories, music, and traditions with us over the course of an unforgettable evening.

Meals : Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations : Bottelary Hills, Stellenbosch Accomplished: 16 miles / 26 km, elevation gain: 1,738 feet / 530 meters Longer Option: 36 miles / 45 km, elevation gain: 3,284 feet / 1,001 meters Accommodation : Jordan Winery

Wine to Waves

As we pedal out of Stellenbosch this morning, we may cross paths with the South African pheasants called tarentaal as they scurry noisily through the vines or eagles manning their posts, protecting the vineyards from predators. Early European settlers realized the appeal of these peaceful foothills and their exquisite terroir, and the countryside remains some of the most coveted real estate on the continent. Just ask golfer Ernie Els, who scooped up a Western Cape winery where we’ll have lunch paired with estate wines. This afternoon, check into our final hotel: the luxurious Tintswalo Atlantic, located at the base of Table Mountain National Park. Dine at the hotel restaurant and soak up the sea views, or head into Hout Bay for dinner on your own.

Meals : Breakfast / Lunch Destinations : Raithby, Hout Bay Accomplished : 19 miles / 32 km, elevation gain: 1,430 feet / 436 meters Accommodation : Tintswalo Atlantic

Chapman’s Peak and Kalk Bay

Enjoy a laid-back morning before hopping on the bike for a final day of cycling. The road to Chapman’s Peak is considered the country’s most beautiful byway, so our ride over the peninsula includes plenty of photo stops. Our destination today is the quaint fishing village of Kalk Bay, its harbor of vocal sea lions basking in the warm sun and local fishermen selling this morning’s fresh catch. A lunch of fresh seafood is only fitting! Choose to take it easy for the rest of the afternoon—maybe checking out the colorful beach cottages—or keep on riding back to Tintswalo. For our final night, it’s sundowners and dinner on the deck as we toast to our wonderful week together.

Meals : Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations :  Chapman’s Peak, Kalk Bay Accomplished : 21 miles / 34 km, elevation gain: 1,919 feet / 585 meters Longer Option: 29 miles / 47 km, elevation gain: 3,483 feet / 1,062 meters Accommodation : Tintswalo Atlantic

Spend your final morning in South Africa as you wish, whether you prefer to sleep in late or take a short hike to get your endorphins for the day. Before our guides bid you farewell, transfer with them to Cape Town International Airport or right into the city for those adding additional days to their trip.

Meals: Breakfast Destinations: Kalk Bay

DuVine itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications.

Arrival Details

Departure details, travelers take note.

Familiarity with mountain biking is essential for this tour, as the majority of all riding takes place on dirt roads and single tracks.

Dates + Availability

Any scheduled tour can be made private. Your group, your dates. Go Private

A Single Supplement is applied to secure a private room for solo travelers.  Learn more .

• Dates Price Special Events  
• Nov 17 – 22 $6,395 Book Now
• Dec 1 – 6 $6,395 Book Now

See our cancellation policy

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Accommodations

• Thoughtfully selected accommodations that reveal the true character of the region
• Luggage transfers
• Daily breakfasts, all lunches, nutritious snacks, and après velo cocktails
• 4 gourmet dinners at our favorite local restaurants and renowned culinary establishments
• Carefully selected local wine, beer, or spirits with every meal
• Wine tastings and activities as outlined in the tour itinerary
• Entrance fees to historic sites, museums, parks, and all other exclusive events
• Gratuities for baggage, porters, and hotel service
• Top-of-the-line bicycle selection
• Bike helmet
• Complimentary DuVine gear including a custom cycling jersey, DuVine t-shirt, water bottle, and drawstring bag
• GPS in most destinations
• Expert bilingual guides with extensive local knowledge
• Support vehicle that follows the day’s route, distributes refreshments, and offers lifts
• Pick-up and drop-off before and after your tour from predetermined meeting points
• Daily bike maintenance to ensure optimal performance
• Dinner on one free night
• Gratuities for DuVine guides
• Travel Protection

See our FAQs page for answers to common questions.

Stumpjumper Expert

Manufacturer: Specialized

Type: Mountain

Included in trip price

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Arien Coppock

Kandice Venter

Tom Coppock

Jaco Venter

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Bicycle Touring In South Africa: Everything You Need To Know

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The country of South Africa is a beautiful and interesting, yet under-appreciated, location for bicycle tours of any length. While the nation is currently struggling with issues of racism, finance and a lack of technological infrastructure, South Africa is arguably one of the best locations in the world for both guided and self-supported bicycle tours of various lengths.

Whether you’re looking for a 1-2 week guided bike tour where your food, lodging, and transportation is all taken care of for you so that you can simply sit back and enjoy the ride… or you want to travel on your own, create your own cycle touring route and experience some of the lesser known regions of the country, South Africa might just be the bike riding destination you’ve been dreaming about!

I’ve just recently completed my own bicycle touring adventure in South Africa… and it was (for the most part) amazing! I spent two weeks in South Africa’s Garden Route area as a participant in a high-end guided bike tour with a company called African Bikers , and then I conducted two-and-a-half more months of solo travel across the country (and it’s neighboring countries of Lesotho and Swaziland ) on a self-supported bicycle tour of my own making.

I learned a lot during my three months of travel in South Africa, so I’d like to take this time to share with you some of the things I learned and answer some of the most common questions I’ve received about bicycle touring in Africa’s southern-most nation.

Questions such as:

• Is South Africa as dangerous as everyone says it is?
• Will I encounter wild animals while cycling across the country? If so, what kind?
• What are the road conditions like?
• Which areas of South Africa are worth seeing most?
• Do I need a mountain bike or off-road capable touring bicycle tour travel in South Africa?
• What should I pack for a self-supported bicycle tour in South Africa?
• Where can I purchase bicycle touring panniers, racks, handlebar bags and more in South Africa?
• What does a typical day of bicycle touring in South Africa look like?
• What kind of food/restaurants can I expect to encounter while in the country?
• Is it difficult to find enough water to drink?
• What accommodations are available to bicycle travelers in South Africa?
• Is it safe to camp in South Africa?
• How much does it cost to go bicycle touring in South Africa?
• Can I ride my bicycle inside Kruger National Park?
• Should I conduct a guided or self-supported bicycle tour in South Africa?
• What kinds of guided bicycle tours are available in the country?
• And a whole lot more!

If, after all of this, you have a question about cycling in South Africa that I have not answered here, you can ask me your question in the comments section at the very bottom of this page and I will get back to you with an answer just as soon as I possibly can.

Is South Africa As Dangerous As Everyone Says It Is?

Before I answer this question, I need to say something very important.

My parents raised me to never judge another individual – not by the color of their skin, the country they were born in, the amount of money they have, their religion, their political beliefs, the clothes they wear, the foods they eat or anything else. I grew up in a very diverse part of the world where it is normal to interact with people of different nationalities, backgrounds and languages on a daily basis. I have friends from all over the world that look, act and believe differently from the from the way I look, act and believe… and that’s okay! I like the diversity.

It is because of my understanding, non-judgmental upbringing that I found my time in South Africa to be both strange and depressing. While what I’m about to say may sound harsh and even racist at times, it is important for you to understand that I DO NOT FEEL THIS WAY myself. Instead, I am simply sharing some of the views that people in South Africa expressed to me during my three-month-long bicycle tour across the country. I wish South Africa (and the world as a whole) were not this way. I wish that some of the people in South Africa had not told me these things, but this is the way I experienced the country and the people in it while I was there.

With that being said… no, South Africa is not nearly as dangerous as it is made out to be. During my three months in the country, I never once felt threatened or in danger.

I think South Africa is described as being a dangerous place, not because it is as dangerous as it is made out to be, but mainly because of the racism that is so prevalent throughout the country.

If you’re a white person and you’re afraid of black people (as I know many white people (sadly) are), South Africa will appear to be a very scary place. The population of South Africa is largely black with a small white minority.

In many of the cities I visited throughout South Africa, I was often times the only white person around. I would sometimes go for days on end without seeing another white individual (whether that be a local or a tourist).

While many of the white people in South Africa are afraid of the black population, the different classes of black people also seem to harbor some fear (or resentment, perhaps?) toward one another. On top of all this, many of the black people fear and mistrust the white people. It’s a crazy, weird and wicked circle of fear, hatred, misunderstanding, injustice and, of course, plain and simple racism.

Do I think South Africa will be a kinder, friendlier, safer and less racist country at some point in the future? Yes, I think so! However, I don’t think it will be happening any time soon. In two or three generations, I can see South Africa becoming a totally different (and far better) place. But for the time being, the racist undercurrents that are so prevalent throughout the country make it a strange (and some would say, scary) place to be.

With that said, I found most of the people I met in South Africa to be incredibly friendly.

While the occasional individual would approach me with a stern look on his or her face (they usually looked like they were scared of me and were waiting to see what I was going to do – was I going to be friendly or hostile?), as soon as I smiled or lifted my hand and gave them a polite wave, their demeanor would instantly change. They’d smile, wave in return and usually offer a friendly “Hello!” On occasion, a short conversation would then follow.

While I liked most of the people I met in South Africa, there were plenty of people who approached me on the street and in restaurants where I was eating and asked me for food or money. This bothered me. It is important to note, however, that I never felt threatened by these individuals (in the way I might if I thought I were going to be robbed, attacked or murdered). Instead, I mainly just felt annoyed – especially after multiple people would hit me up for food/money in a short period of time. Not once, however, did I ever feel scared or unsafe.

Besides the racism and the frequent beggars on the streets, another reason South Africa seems like such a dangerous place is because security is taken so seriously throughout the country. Almost every property in South Africa is surrounded by a barbed wire fence. In the cities, many houses sit behind large metal gates. Alarm systems are popular and there are security guards everywhere.

After seeing more of South Africa during the last three months than most South Africans will likely ever see themselves, I don’t think a lot of this security stuff is really needed. I could be totally wrong (and I very well might be), but I think that security has become such a big business in South Africa that national fear is generated almost on purpose in order to keep the security industry alive.

There are thousands of people in South Africa working in the security world at the moment. If the country were to suddenly become a safe place to live, all those people currently working as security guards, alarm installers, gate operators, police officers and more would instantly be out of a job. While crime does indeed take place in South Africa (and just about everywhere else in the world for that matter), I think a lot of the fear that people in South Africa have is perpetuated in some sense by the security industry in order to keep all those jobs alive.

While I said earlier that I never felt scared or threatened during my time in South Africa, I did feel like I was being watched more often than I like to be… and this did make me a little nervous at times. More than anything, however, it simply added to my annoyance with the country.

For example, almost every time I went to use an ATM machine, there would be a security guard standing nearby. When I entered a supermarket, there would be a guard at the door, watching to see what I was carrying into the store… and what I was carrying out. At some of the hotels and guesthouses I stayed at during my bicycle tour across the country, I would have to ring a bell in order to call to the employee on watch so that he or she could let me in or out of the large metal security gate that surrounded the property. All these things added up over time, not necessarily to a feeling of being scared for my safety, but instead, building to point of severe annoyance.

For example, I was annoyed to have to depend on another person just to come and go from my guesthouse. I was annoyed that the security guard at the door to the supermarket thought I might be stealing something from the store when I was actually spending my hard earned money there. And I was annoyed to see how much money was being spent on people, resources and infrastructure in the name of safety. The heightened sense of security throughout the country didn’t scare me or make me feel any safer. It simply annoyed me!

Now that I’ve said all this, it should be noted that bad things do happen in South Africa. Crime is supposedly high in both the cities and the countryside… and murders do take place more frequently in South Africa than in many other countries. On my solo bike tour across the country, I rode past two separate crime scenes where it appeared as though someone had been killed and their body had been dumped in a ditch (or wild area) on the side of the road. I’m not exactly sure that’s what happened, but it sure did look that way.

Crime is high in South Africa (several locals told me) due largely to the fact that there is such a huge difference in lifestyle between the wealthy and the poor. While the black population far outweighs that of the whites, white people in South Africa own most of the country’s land, buildings, businesses and more. And when it comes to political power, the white population takes the cake. In many cities, large, expensive homes are located in close proximity to hundreds of people living in tin and scrap wood houses with no running water and few basic amenities. And if that weren’t enough, many white individuals, guesthouses, businesses and more have black individuals working for them – often times for very little (and seemingly criminal amounts of) money.

It should be noted that not all the black people in South Africa are poor. There are plenty of wealthy black people… and there are thousands of poor white people as well.

Overall, I found the people in South Africa to be just like people almost everywhere else in the world. No matter what their financial status, skin color, or personal beliefs, I found the individuals I met in South Africa to be friendly, caring, and loving to their friends, family and strangers alike. Most of the people I met were nice, normal people who simply want something better for themselves and their family.

If I had to rate the apparent level of danger in South Africa on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the least dangerous and 10 being the most, I would rate South Africa somewhere around an 8 or 9. The actual danger in South Africa, however, I would rate much lower. Probably around a 3 or 4.

If I had to rate the level of annoyance caused by the security industry in South Africa and people asking for handouts all the time, I would rate the country as a 7 or an 8. While South Africa may not be as dangerous as it is often times portrayed, I found it to be an annoying place to live, work and travel.

Will I Encounter Wild Animals (Such As Hyenas, Lions & Rhinos) While Cycling Across South Africa?

It is a common misunderstanding amongst individuals that have never traveled in Africa before that there are wild animals (lions, tigers, hyenas, elephants, rhinoceros and more) roaming around in the towns and villages. The truth, however, is that the large, dangerous animals you associate with African travel are kept in large national or regional parks by large barbed wire and electrified gates and fences. In other-words, the wild animals are locked up in giant cages and you don’t need to worry about a lion attacking you as you ride your bike across the country.

That said, you will likely encounter a few wild animals on your travels in South Africa.

Baboons are common and they can be dangerous. They usually roam in packs of eight or more and are typically more afraid of you than you are of them. However, baboons are large, wild animals and in some areas of the country (around Cape Town for example), the baboons have learned to equate people with food. Therefore, it is important not to feed or approach any baboons you see on the road.

Besides baboons, you’ll be sure to see a great number of antelope. There are dozens of different types of antelope in South Africa. Some of these antelope species (such as the springbok, for example) are quite large, while other species (such as the impala) are much smaller. Like the baboons you will encounter in the country, the antelope you see in South Africa will likely be more afraid of you than you are of them. Antelope tend to roam in groups of six or more and are capable of jumping over, or climbing through, many of the wire fences that are found throughout the country. Antelope are not innately dangerous, but like so many wild animals, should not be fed or approached.

Snakes of various kinds can be found throughout South Africa, but an encounter with a snake of any kind is rare on most of the country’s paved roads. During my three-months of bicycle touring in South Africa, I saw three snakes and only one of these was poisonous – an African Cobra. You shouldn’t worry about snake encounters in South Africa, but you should be aware of your surroundings at all times and be especially cautious when traveling off road or walking through deep brush.

Wildebeest are another common animal you may run across during your bicycle tour in South Africa. Wildebeest are actually a kind of antelope, despite their obvious differences in appearance. Wildebeest are large, awkward animals that are usually found in small groups of six or more and can run very fast. Like other animals in South Africa, wildebeest will usually keep their distance from you and should never be fed.

Finally, you will be sure to see several types of small monkeys and birds in South Africa. The small, grey Vervet monkey is common and extremely fast. And if you are interested in birds, then South Africa is a paradise! During my short 3-month bike tour in the country, I saw more than 100 bird species that I had never seen before. None of these birds were dangerous or threatening in any way. Instead, both the monkeys and the birds I encountered were a delight to see during my day to day activities.

If you are afraid of a run-in with a dangerous animal in South Africa, don’t be! There is very little to be afraid of. The large, dangerous animals are fenced in and kept away from the public by large fences surrounding the game parks that are scatted across the country.

If, however, you’d like to ride your bike alongside elephants, giraffes, antelope or other African animals, there are ways to do it. While cycling in many of South Africa’s game parks is not allowed, there are some parks and reserves that allow bicycles. And in some areas of the country, bicycles can be ridden inside the parks when you are being escorted through with an experienced (and usually armed) professional guide .

What Are The Road Conditions Like In South Africa? Are The Roads Dangerous For Cycling?

The roads in South Africa are surprisingly excellent. In most of the country, the roads are remarkably well maintained, with little traffic and wide shoulders.

The road conditions obviously vary throughout the country, but on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I would rate South Africa’s paved roads an 8 out of 10.

While it is possible to ride across the entire country on paved, asphalt roads, some cyclists might wish to seek out dirt or gravel roads for their bicycle touring adventures. While these types of roads are less commonly traveled on, they are plentiful.

Most cyclists, however, will be pleased with the roads in South Africa and delighted to learn that the traffic is not nearly as bad as the locals make it out to be.

If you are planning an extensive cross-country bike tour in South Africa, you should come prepared to cycle in a number of different conditions – from hectic city streets with lots of traffic and no shoulders whatsoever, to empty country roads with shoulder’s so wide you could drive a truck down them.

Do I Need A Mountain Bike Or Off-Road Capable Touring Bicycle To Cycle In South Africa?

No, you do not need a mountain bike or off-road capable touring bike to conduct a bicycle tour in South Africa. Most of the main roads in South Africa are paved and are perfect for road, hybrid or touring bicycles of any kind.

If, however, you wish to conduct a mountain bike tour, or you plan to spend any time traveling on dirt or gravel side roads, then a road or traditional touring bicycle probably won’t cut it… and a mountain bike or a touring bicycle equipped with wide, 26 inch tires would be ideal.

What Should I Pack For A Self-Supported Bicycle Tour In South Africa?

What you decide to carry on your bicycle tour through South Africa is going to depend on how you choose to travel (guided vs. self-supported), the type of touring you wish to conduct (road touring vs. off-road touring), the time of year you choose to travel (summer vs. winter) and a number of other factors.

While there is no one ideal packing list for a bike tour in South Africa, here is a complete list of everything I was carrying with me during my bicycle tour in South Africa. Be warned, however, that I was traveling in the autumn and carrying far more electronic items on my bike that I would ever recommend.

Bicycle Touring Basics

• Co-Motion Pangea Co-Pilot Touring Bicycle
• Shimano SPD Pedals (2)
• Axiom Journey Rear Rack
• Arkel AC Lowrider Front Rack
• Ortlieb Sport-Packer Plus Panniers – Front (2)
• Ortlieb Bike-Packer Plus Panniers – Rear (2)
• Ortlieb Ultimate5 Plus Handlebar Bag & Mount
• Fenders (Front & Back) (Unknown Brand)
• Water bottles (3)
• Water bottle cages (3)
• Blackburn Mars 4.0 Rear Bicycle Light
• Avenir Keyed Cable Lock & Key (no longer in production)
• 20? Bungee Cord (used to hold my tripod onto my rear rack)

Bicycle Tools

• Axiom EnforceAir Pro Road Bike Pump
• S&S Coupler/Pedal Wrench
• Small Adjustable Wrench
• Spare Rack Screws (6)
• Patch Kit & Tire Levers (2)
• Spare Tubes (2)

Camping Gear

• MSR Hubba 1-Man Tent & Plastic Ground Cloth
• North Face Cat’s Meow Sleeping Bag
• Exped DownMat 7 Sleeping Mat (I don’t recommend this mat. I’m looking for a new one to recommend. Suggestions?)
• Petzl Headlamp (used around camp and doubles as my bike’s front light)

Cooking Equipment

Because I’m traveling without a camp stove, I either have to eat cold picnic style meals or go out to eat somewhere in order to get a warm meal in me. My kitchen consists of only three small items.

If you want to cook your own food, you’ll need to carry a small camp stove , fuel canister, and fuel.

• Giro Xen Bike Helmet
• Fox Racing Short-Sleeved MTB Jersey
• Cycling Shorts (I use for walking around in and for riding my bicycle)
• T-Shirts (3)
• Marmot Rain Jacket
• Patagonia Fleece Jacket
• Baseball hat
• Shimano SH-MT43L SPD Shoes
• Nike Running/Walking Shoes
• Socks (5) (For both cycling and walking)
• Underwear (3)
• Sunglasses & Case

Electronics

Your typical bicycle traveler isn’t going to carry this many electronics. The only reason I have this much stuff is because I am working while I am traveling. I have to run the website here at BicycleTouringPro.com and that involves taking photos, shooting video, storing all the data I’ve collected, and editing everything on my computer. I do not recommend that everyone carry this much stuff.

• 13? MacBook Pro Laptop Computer & Power Cord
• 13? Padded Laptop Case
• Voltaic Fuse Solar Battery Charger
• Travel Smart All-in-One Power Adapter with Built in USB Port
• Canon T2i Digital SLR Camera
• SLR Camera Soft Case
• Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
• Canon LP-E8 Batteries (4)
• Canon LP-E8 Battery Charger & Solar Charger Adapter
• SanDisk Extreme 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Memory Card (6)
• 72mm lens polarizer
• 52mm UV lens filter
• Flashpoint LCD Foldaway Viewfinder
• GoPro HD Video Camera
• GoPro Handlebar Seatpost Mount
• GoPro Helmet Mount
• GoPro Tripod Mount
• Pedco UltraClamp Camera Mount
• 32 GB iPod Touch & USB charging cable
• iPod Touch Slim Case
• Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 1 TB FireWire 800 USB 2.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive for Mac
• Western Digital My Passport for Mac 1 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive
• Apple earphones
• 6? USB 2.0 to USB Mini-B Cable (used to charge my GoPro video camera)
• Sony VCT-60AV Tripod & Case

• Toiletry Bag
• Shaving Cream
• Nail Clippers
• Face Wash (3)
• Toilet paper roll
• Travel Laundry Soap Packets (3)
• Travel Mirror

Miscellaneous Items

• Small Backpack (used to carry things with me when I am walking around off the bicycle)
• Cash & Coins
• Credit Cards (2)
• Debit Cards (3)

Where Can I Purchase Bicycle Touring Panniers, Racks, Handlebar Bags & More In South Africa?

If you live in South Africa (or are traveling in the country) and want to find a local store that sells bicycle touring panniers, racks, handlebar bags or anything touring related… good luck! These items are extremely uncommon in South Africa and are almost impossible to find.

If you are looking for camping gear (such as tents, sleeping bags and sleeping mats), that can usually be found in South Africa’s larger cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. These items will be difficult (or impossible) to find in many of the country’s smaller towns.

If you are looking for bicycle touring equipment, the best place to look is online at www.cycletouring.co.za .

This website, which is based out of Lady Grey, South Africa, stocks some of the best bicycle touring equipment- Ortlieb and Arkel panniers, Old Man Mountain racks, and a whole lot more! You can go to Lady Grey to pick up the items you need… or you can have the gear you purchase shipped directly to your home.

What Does A Typical Day Of Bicycle Touring In South Africa Look Like?

One day of bicycle touring in South Africa will vary greatly depending on the type of tour you wish to conduct (guided vs. self-supported) and the region of the country in which you are traveling.

For a detailed example of what a typical day on a guided bicycle tour is like, I suggest you read my lengthy review of the African Bikers Garden Route Mountain Bike Tour .

For an example of what a typical day of self-supported bicycle touring in the South African Karoo is like, see this link .

What Kind Of Food/Restaurants Can I Expect To Encounter?

Meat is king in South Africa. Chicken and french fries (or “chips” as the South Africans call them) are probably two of the most common foods. There are KFC fast food restaurants in almost every South African town and other chicken and french fry restaurants will usually be found in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Steak, sausages and eggs are also extremely popular.

If you are vegetarian, vegan or simply not a big meat-eater, however, there’s no need to worry. Fruits and vegetables are easy to find in cities of even the smallest size, although packaged foods and carbonated drinks are extremely popular.

When it comes to eating out, there are a number of common restaurant chains.

• KFC – Chicken and french fries fast food
• Nando’s – Chicken
• Spur – Steak and grill sit down restaurant
• Wimpy – American sit down style restaurant
• Debonaire’s – Pizza

If you want to cook your own food, large supermarkets are common and smaller corner markets are even easier to find. If you are looking for a supermarket, look for the following names:

• Pick N’ Pay

Is It Difficult To Find Enough Water To Drink?

Finding fresh, clean water to drink can be difficult in some areas of South Africa. While drinking from the tap is generally not recommended, many locals will drink the water even if it is discolored and full of obvious mineral or foreign contaminants. Luckily, bottled water is plentiful in most cities. In smaller cities and villages, however, bottled water can occasionally be difficult to find.

While even the smallest roadside stands will have Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta and other Coca-Cola brand products for sale, bottled water is not nearly as common.

During my bicycle tour across South Africa, I commonly encountered stores where nothing but soda or alcohol were being sold. Water, juice or anything even remotely healthy was not on offer. Be ready for this! I am not normally a soda drinker, but I had to go for a few days in South Africa by surviving on nothing but Sprite and Coca-Cola. My whole body was shaking due to the caffeine high, but at least I didn’t die of dehydration.

During my bicycle tour across the South African Karoo (a large desert region in north-western South African), I spent several days surviving by pulling water of out small wells. I would simply spot a windmill in the distance, ride my bike as close to the well as I could get, and then walk the rest of the way over on foot – while carrying two or three water bottles in my hands. These desert wells weren’t always functioning (some of them were broken or filled with stale water and dead animals), but many of them were flowing as they should and I used the water from these structures to fill up my bottles, wash my face and sometimes even ring out my dirty clothes.

What Accommodations Are Available To Bicycle Travelers In South Africa?

There are really only two main types of accommodation in South Africa – guesthouses and hotels.

Guesthouse are by far the most common type of lodging.

The guesthouses in South Africa vary dramatically in both size and scope. In some parts of the country, the guest houses you find will be similar to a bed and breakfast, whereas in other parts of the country, the guest houses you come across will be similar to inexpensive hotels. In much of South Africa, the guesthouses are private homes which have been converted for the partial or exclusive use of guest accommodation. In almost all cases, the owner of the guesthouse lives in an entirely separate area within the property and has one or more staff members on hand to help with the lodging business.

You can find guesthouses in every city in South Africa. However, knocking on the door and asking for a place to sleep for the night is not a common approach. Most guesthouses are surrounded by a metal, barbed wire, or electrified fence… and there isn’t always someone on hand to welcome you to the property. Instead, you are going to need to call these guesthouses for accommodation in advance. This means that you should probably be traveling with a phone of some type. I did not have a phone during my time in South Africa, and this made it very difficult for me to secure lodging in some areas of the country.

South African guesthouses are common, but they are not necessarily cheap. Expect to pay anywhere from 350 – 850 Rand or more for a single night of lodging in most guesthouses! If breakfast or dinner is included (which is common), the price can be even higher.

If you want to decrease the cost of your lodging, ask for a room without meals. This can reduce your nightly cost by as much as 100 Rand or more. Another great way to reduce your nightly costs is to ask for a discounted rate if you plan to stay in the guesthouse for more than one night. Almost all the guesthouses I stayed at were quick to give me a discount when I told them I wished to stay for two or more nights.

If guesthouses aren’t your thing, there are hotels in some areas of the country… but they are definitely not everywhere!

While hotels may not be as charming or as personal as the many South African guesthouses that are littered across the country, the price of most hotels is slightly below that of the guesthouses. I usually paid between 250 and 400 Rand to rent a room in a hotel for a single night. If I had been sharing the room with another individual, we could have split that cost in half and dramatically reduced out lodging expenses.

Once again, many of the hotels come with breakfast included. If you want to reduce the cost of your stay, be sure to ask for a room without meals.

Is It Safe To Camp In South Africa? If So, Where Should I Camp?

Campgrounds are scarce in South Africa… but camping is a great way to experience the country.

The safest way to camp when bicycle touring in South Africa is to find a local farm and ask someone working the property whether it would be okay for you to camp there for the night. Be careful when approaching farmers and remote farm houses, because crime is a major concern in South Africa and people might become frightened if they see you on their property or approaching them on foot.

During my time in South Africa, I did not ask for even a single place to camp. Instead, I stealth camped for approximately one whole month while I was in the country. When I found a place to camp for the night, I would roll my bicycle off the road, push my cycle touring vehicle out of sight and set up my camp in an area where I would not be disturbed for the evening.

In many parts of the world, stealth or wild camping is easy to do and extremely safe, but South Africa is not one of the locations.

I do not recommend stealth camping to anyone… unless you are a seasoned stealth camper who has camped in this fashion in several different countries all around the world.

Stealth camping in South Africa usually requires jumping a barbed wire fence (with a fully-loaded touring bicycle), camping illegally on someone else’s property, and then getting out of there in the morning before you are discovered. This is not for beginners or the faint of heart… and I do not recommend it for most people. If you are caught camping or even standing on someone else’s property in South Africa, you could find yourself in a very serious (and potentially, life-threatening) situation.

Read this for more information on stealth camping and how to do it successfully.

How Much Does It Cost To Bike Tour In South Africa?

It’s hard to say exactly how much a bicycle tour in South Africa might cost you.

If you plan to conduct a guided bicycle tour (which has a set cost), then figuring out the cost of your trip to South Africa will be relatively easy. Just add the cost of the bike tour to the cost of airfare to South Africa and add a couple hundred extra dollars for additional expenses and you will easily be able to determine the estimated cost of the tour.

But if you are planning to do a self-supported bicycle tour, coming up with an estimated budget is going to be a little more difficult.

During my 2-month self-supported bicycle tour across South Africa, I kept detailed records of my spending and found that I spent just over $2,300 USD during those two months.

• Month 1 Spending Report – $705.13 USD
• Month 2 Spending Report – $1, 615.20 USD

As you can see, the difference between my first month in South Africa and my second month is quite significant. This is due largely to the fact that I spent most of my first month in South Africa camping for free… and most of my second month in the country in hotels and guesthouses.

The cost of your bicycle tour will vary greatly depending on where you choose to sleep each night, the types and amounts foods you eat, and what you spend on entertainment, souvenirs, etc.

Can I Ride My Bicycle In Kruger National Park?

No! You can’t ride your bicycle inside Kruger National Park (or most of South Africa’s wild animal parks).

If you want to enter Kruger National Park, you need to either rent a car and drive yourself into the Park… or you need to pay to be a part of a guided tour within the Park.

If you try to get into Kruger National Park on your bicycle, you will be turned away. There are dangerous animals (such as lions, hippos, rhinos, hyenas and more) inside the Park… and you would be incredibly susceptible to attack if you were to ride through the area on your bicycle.

Even people driving through the park in a vehicle will get in big trouble if they try and exit their vehicles (even for just a moment) inside the Park. So don’t try entering the Park on your bike!

Guided driving tours of Kruger National Park are diverse, easy to find (both online and near the Park entrances) and can range in price from just $90 USD per day to as much as $4,000 USD or more for a multi-day adventure. The cost of your travels inside Kruger will depend largely on how long you plan to be inside the Park, the type of accommodations you wish to stay in (camping vs. nice lodges, etc), and the food or drink you ingest while you are there.

I participated in a full-day safari drive inside Kruger National Park… and I was happy with just that one day in the Park. However, I would have loved to have spent more time in the Park if I had been able to afford it and had been feeling better at the time (I was suffering with food poisoning at the time).

Click here to see my photos from my safari tour inside Kruger National Park .

Should I Conduct A Guided Or Self-Guided Bike Tour?

There are a number of different ways to enjoy a trip by bike in the country of South Africa. You can participate in a guided bicycle tour (where the route is planned out for you in advance and your lodging, meals and more are all taken care of for your by an established bicycle touring company)… or you can choose to conduct a self-supported bicycle tour (which requires you to travel alone (without a professional guide) and carry all the food, clothing, tools and more you will need to survive on your bicycle for days, weeks or months at a time).

If you don’t enjoy the planning process or you simply don’t have the time to conduct extensive research on which roads to travel on, which areas to see, or which places are safest, then participating in a guided bicycle tour is probably the best way to go.

If safety is a concern (or you simply don’t want to travel on your own), a guided bicycle tour with a group or even an individual guide is probably a good idea.

While guided bike tours do tend to cost more than self-supported bicycle tours, they do have a number of benefits – the time you will save, the added safety, the friends you will make, etc.

Self-supported bicycle touring has some benefits as well though! Traveling on your own is less expensive, allows you to see the real South Africa (places they might not take you on a guided bicycle tour), and gives you the independence to go where you want, cycle as far as you want, and do pretty much anything you want each day.

I was fortunate enough to be able to conduct both a guided bike tour and a self-supported bicycle tour while I was in South Africa. While I enjoyed both experience, I can honestly say that my guided bicycle tour with African Bikers was the absolute best thing I did while I was in the country. The tour was amazingly well-run, the bike I was provided with for the tour was fantastic, the tour leaders were wonderful, the people on the tour with me were incredibly friendly, and the cycling each day was superb.

My self-supported bicycle touring experiences in South Africa weren’t nearly as good, but they were still quite enjoyable. I loved the cycling in South Africa. That is probably the best thing about the country when it comes to bicycle touring – it has some amazing roads and trails that are perfectly designed for short or long-distance bicycle adventures. I had a number of wonderful nights camped out under the stars and I met a lot of really nice people during my travels. I felt safe the entire time, but I was very frequently annoyed. I was annoyed with people constantly asking me for money. I was annoyed with the super slow (and often, non-existent) Internet access. And I was annoyed with the overblown security, racist conversations, and lack of education that I experienced in the people while I was there.

If this is your first time traveling in Africa, I think South Africa is a great place to start. Whether you decide to conduct a guided or self-guided bicycle tour in the country, you’re sure to find something about the place that you enjoy… and probably some things that you dislike as well.

Additional Notes & Comments About Bicycle Touring In South Africa

My favorite thing about South Africa was the cycling each day. I loved my time on the road there. Whether I was cycling as part of the guided bike tour with African Bikers or bicycle touring across the country on my own, I loved my time on the bike. When I look back on my experiences in South Africa 10 years from now, I will remember a few of the people I met and many of the negative experiences I had while I was there, but more than anything I will recall just how great it was to wake up each day and pedal on beautifully paved roads with wide shoulders and little traffic, while spotting monkeys and antelope and birds running and leaping and flying all around me, before calling it a night and camping under a sky filled with stars.

If I were to conduct my bicycle tour in South Africa all over again, I would only make two small changes.

First of all, I would have only stayed there for about two months, instead of three. Three months was too long to be in the country by myself, without Internet or access to the outside world. I was ready to call it quits and go home after just two months.

Secondly, I think I would have enjoyed my self-supported bicycle tour a whole lot more if I had traveled with another person. Even though most people in South Africa speak English, I found it difficult to converse with the locals at times – due in part, I think, to differences in culture, education, etc. While I did meet a few people in South Africa that I connected with, those individuals were few and far between.

My final piece of advice to you is this: If you are thinking about participating in a bicycle tour of any kind in South Africa… don’t let fear (of animals, people, or anything else) stand in your way! Go there… do it… and have a blast! South Africa is a beautiful, friendly, and relatively safe country with some of the best bicycle touring roads I have ever experienced. Be prepared for a memorable, life-altering adventure… and be sure to send me a postcard from your travels!

If you have any additional questions, comments or concerns about bicycle touring in South Africa, leave a message below and I’ll get back to you just as soon as I possibly can.

Darren Alff

My goal as the "Bicycle Touring Pro" is to give you the confidence and inspiration you need to travel by bicycle anywhere in the world. I'm here to help you plan, prepare for, and execute your first bike tour and remove all the guesswork, wasted time and frustration that plagues so many first-time bicycle travelers.

23 thoughts on “ Bicycle Touring In South Africa: Everything You Need To Know ”

I enjoyed reading your article very much – a really interesting perspective of a country I would love to visit.

The comment is specifically about the Exped 7. I have the Exped 9 which I recently used on a tour in Europe. As an older rider I can say it gave me the most comfortable night’s sleep I have ever had on a mattress – the first where my hip does not hit the ground. I am surprised about your negative experience with the Exped given that my experience is so different. Why do you not like the Exped?

Alex, you are right. The Exped is a wonderful sleeping pad… when it is working. But if you read my review of the mat right here, you will see what my major problem with it is: http://bicycletouringpro.com/review-exped-downmat-7-pump-sleeping-mat/ The problem is that the mat pops after being used for a long time… and then it is worthless after that! Read the review for further details.

Hello Darren, I had the good fortune to travel extensively in South Africa both before and after apartheid. I also traveled in Namibia, Botswana, Rhodesia, Swaziland and Lesotho. I found your article to be very insightful and informative. I agree with you wholeheartedly that the hype about the dangers of South Africa is greatly overrated. I heard similar stories of the dangers when I first traveled there in 1970. Just as in the United States, there are some areas to avoid most of which are common sense. As you pointed out, your smile was your best weapon. I hope to someday bicycle tour in South Africa. To replace your sleeping pad, I can highly recommend the Nemo Cosmo Air Sleeping Pad. Good bargains can be found at campsaver.com Thanks for all that you do to support bicycle touring. Don A. Holshuh

I enjoyed your report would like to go to Africa would you take your on Own bike or hire one over there??????

Alexander, if you are planning a self-supported bicycle tour, then I would definitely take your own bicycle. Finding bicycles and/or bicycle touring gear of any quality in South Africa is not easy! But if you are going to participate in a guided bicycle tour, like the African Bikers tour that I did, then you might be fine using one of the bicycles that they provide.

Darren I think your article is a bad reflection on a wonderful country. The security situation is a serious problem here and is definitely not blown out of proportion just to generate jobs in the security sector. Plain and simple – if you don’t have security your business and property will be broken into over and over again. You are trying to look at South Africa through first world eyes instead of realising that it is almost a third world country.

Education, poverty and unemployment is a problem so obviously you will get beggars. We are busy with a bicycle tour of Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia and believe me if you think you had a hard time with beggars and internet problems in South Africa then there is no place for you in Africa.

As I have said to you before, you are the type of person that should stick to “civilization” . There are thousands of campsites in and around SA, nearly every town has one. Also camping equipment is readily available in most towns. The water coming out of the taps is perfectly fine to drink excepting some rural areas.

I am really disappointed that you have portrayed SA as a backwater with good roads. It is way more than that. If you expect to find Europe or The States in Africa then you will be dissatisfied, but if you expect to find a jewel in Africa ten South Africa is the place to visit.

Thanks for your comments Penny.

Thanks, Penny. Let me know if you write up your ride. I’m trying to plan a trip, and can use the input.

LOGAN, 26 inch mountain bike tires are going to be the easiest to find in South Africa. You’ll probably only be able 700c wheels/tires/tubes in the bigger cities (Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg).

Thanks for the write up. Im a South African planning an extensive tour through the country soon and your review of roads and experiences regarding safety for bike touring is encouraging.

I was a little annoyed with your judgements, but I suppose it takes more than three months to really get a feel for the heartbeat of a country and its people, especially one with such a complicated political history and situation. So I’ll let that slide. Being a local, I don’t think those little issues would bother me as much, and that’s even more encouraging for me.

I agree that finding dedicated touring equipment and bikes are a headache. The MTB craze has taken over the market completely. Thank you for the link to the website of the guys in Lady Grey. I’ll definitely give them some business in the near future.

All in all, great article and lovely photo’s. Thank you.

Regards, Jannes Kruger

Thank you for the information. Can you tell me whether there are roads (coastal highways, for example) that cyclists are not allowed onto? I have read that it is illegal to bike on highways in SA.

Hi Katherine,

Yes, there are certain roads that you can not cycle on in just about every country in the world. Usually large freeways, interstates and some highways can not be cycled on. However, most smaller highways can be ridden on as long as there is no sign saying that cyclists are not allowed. For example, when I was in South Africa, I spent several days cycling along the 1 between Cape Town and Beaufort West. It was a big highway road with loads of semi-truck traffic, but the shoulder was massive and I had no problems cycling there. The police passed me on multiple occasions and didn’t pay any attention to me.

The main rule is, if there is a sign saying cyclists are not allowed… then you have to find another way to go. Otherwise, you can probably cycle there. Just be careful!

Hi Darren Interesting read I must say, i do however agree with Penny Kemert. Unless you have not lived in SA yourself you won’t understand, but I get your point of view as a foreigner. I would be interesting know what route you did throughout the country, any chance you could share that with us somehow? SA has a huge diversity of climates.

I’d like to fly into J’Berg, then ride from there to a school I’ve connected with, called Botshabelo. It’s in Magliesberg, about 75 km from J’Berg. Any advice on choosing a route from the US, other than Google Maps? Royce Christensen

I have spent a lot of time in South Africa, but I don’t live there myself or know every road. So if it were me, I’d probably just plan a route that took me across smaller side-streets. There are so many ways you could do it. You just have to pick one… and go for it!

Really interesting read. What milage were you doing each day?

I think I was doing about 50-80 miles per day in South Africa – sometimes more, sometimes less. But I’d say closer to about 50-60 miles on most days.

Its always interesting to see one’s own country through the eyes of a visitor. As an indigenous South African I have travelled extensively by car, motorbike, hitch-hiking (in my youth)and on foot through some of the most scenic and rugged parts of our country and neighbouring Southern African states. Next year I am planning a 2 month semi-supported 2000 km (my wife !) cycle meander through the Karoo, Eastern Cape, Lesotho and central KZN. Your tips and equipment suggestions will come in very handy. I expect to be able to source all the gear through local SA cycling and outdoor gear shops many of which have good online platforms.

Having also travelled, hiked and motorbiked extensively in Europe, UK, South America, Australia and the Far East I still think we have some of the best outdoor and camping gear ( local and international brands) outfitters, of necessity, in the world and at very affordable prices, especially for visitors spending US$, UK Pounds or Euros.

Pity that you struggled to have good comms while in SA because 95% of the country has excellent GSM coverage and extensive 3G (and free or cheap Wi-fi networks) in all cities, along most main roads and in most of the larger towns and surprisingly even in some really isolated areas. I would suggest that any visitor bring their ‘smart’ phone along and buy a local SIM card. Cross border mobile data roaming is always expensive.

One thing you did not mention are emergency medical facilities and travel insurance. Private and public medical facilities in our major cities and larger towns are world class. Obviously in rural and isolated areas emergency medical response times and services might be slow and limited. For this reason access to the emergency mobile networks via 911 or 10111 is essential. Travel insurance coupled to airline tickets bought with credit cards is generally very affordable. I agree with your observation about not cycling alone over long distances or in isolated areas in SA. No matter where in the world one cycles or travels it is much safer and more fun sharing the experience with a companion and of seeing and experiencing new places and cultures.

Important word of warning : even on main roads with wide verges make sure you are aware of vehicle traffic around you. South African drivers generally drive faster than speed limits allow, especially on paved and main roads, and often ignore the ‘1,5 metre’ rule when passing cyclists — make sure you as a cyclist are very visible by wearing bright ‘dayglo’ clothing at all times and try to avoid cycling at night or in low visibility conditions!

Finally camping ‘rough’ is fun but it is common courtesy and advisable anywhere in the world to ask permission of the private land owner or local authority or even tribal chief, who in most cases will be very ‘chuffed'(thrilled) to welcome a bicycling visitor onto his property, and will probably insist on you staying in his home, on the front lawn or in a shed. As stated elsewhere by other folk there are municipal and private campsites in most towns with generally basic, but clean, and secure facilities — much more affordable than guesthouses or hotels. Backpacker lodges are common in all cities and many larger towns.

Cyclists planning to tour SA should do do extensive ‘desktop’ internet research in planning routes and accommodation options. Platforms like Tripadvisor most often give well balanced and first hand reportage of accommodation, activities, routes and other useful local tips which can save time, money and help avoid potentially dangerous or frustrating situations.

I look forward to again exploring my own country next year under ‘pedal power’. Safe travelling to all cyclists around the world!

If you run by a good link on routes and trip planning please pass it on.

Darren, we are contemplating a bike tour in SA, and very much welcome your comments. It’s unfortunate that after you take the time and effort to describe in detail your experience while touring, that readers complain they are “annoyed” by your candor. Please keep it coming!

Darren, thanks for the write up. I too felt the restriction of no or minimal internet access in Cuba. Amazing how accustomed we have become to having it.

I was planning to go to South America or Australia in February. What is the best time of year to travel in South Africa?

I was there during the winter (their winter) and it was great. It did get cold at night sometimes (it even snowed on me at one point), but otherwise it was wonderful.

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5 great bicycle tours in South Africa. Searching for a bicycle tour in South Africa? Below you will find 5 curated bicycle tours taking place in South Africa with 55 reviews. Our bicycle tours are supplied by 4 hand-picked travel operators in South Africa. With tour prices ranging from 38 USD to 3,390 USD and tour durations varying from 1 day and to 12 days, there is plenty to choose from.

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5 Bicycle tours with 55 Reviews

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Cycling the Drakensberg & Kruger

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• Tour Type Small Group Tour
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• Age Range 16-95 yrs
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Cycling the Cape & Winelands

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South Africa Cycling Adventure

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• Age Range 18-99 yrs
• Sep 01 Only 10 seats left
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Cycling & Wine Tasting in the Winelands

• Tour Type Private Tour
• Activities Bicycle tours & Wine tasting tours Bicycle tours , Wine tasting tours , Natural landmarks sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites 'data-more-tripid='15392'>+2 more
• Accommodation No Accommodation
• Age Range 5-79 yrs
• Operated in Dutch, English, French, German

City cycle tour

• Free cancellation
• Activities City sightseeing & Bicycle tours
• Operated in English, German, Dutch

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• At 16 Apr 2017

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We plan and ride exciting bike tours in Southern Africa, typically from 6-14 nights riding. All tours are bespoke to your requirements, or you can choose from some of our popular routes ridden in the past. We do not publish a schedule of dates as we only run tours on request.

We offer tours on Aventure bikes, Royal Enfields or Enduro bikes.

Royal Enfield Tours are typically around the Western Cape where the distances are shorter. Enduro bike tours are also typically around a week and run out of a base in the Eastern Cape with daily outrides.

Adventure bike tours are typically 10-14 days, which enable us to cover large parts of the country or neighbouring countries. These tours can be bareback, where we carry all our own luggage, or portered, where a support vehicle will transport all luggage. Costs are obviously higher for this luxury.

Indicative tour costs do not include airfares to South africa, nor bike rental. Bikes are provide by third party rentals companies with whom we generally have a realtionship and are comfortable with their bikes being on our tours. Most bike types (BMW, Africa Twin, KTM) are available to rent in South Africa.

Tour costs include acommodation, food and some alcohol! More details can be found in our T&C’s.

Please contact us to discuss your tour options. Ideally 6-8 bikers work best, but we can accomodate a few more if riders are reasonably experienced.

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This trip is a unique combination of bike adventure, safari, and cultural appreciation of a complex country that richly deserves our attention, understanding, and affection. Highly recommend! Our family of 2 parents and 2 adult children had the trip of a lifetime: biking through breathtaking African scenery and local villages, coming face to face with some of the most majestic animals on the planet, and enjoying time with our lively, informative, and excellent guides who have deep roots in the provinces we visited: Limpopo and Mpumalanga. It is unusual to find a guided bike ride in these places - many roads are unpaved or hard to access - but the guides’ resources and knowledge of the area makes this special trip possible. Lizélle is the tour director, and she has created an amazing itinerary that allows guests to experience the warm hospitality of private game reserves, delicious home-cooked meals on the “braai,” and unique personal encounters Read More (e.g., we toured her family’s avocado and macadamia farms), all while being a first-rate cyclist herself. She bikes all the rides with the group, and she can change a flat tire in record time. Lizélle’s right-hand is Wendel, a delightful and extremely knowledgeable naturalist and environmentalist who also serves as van driver, chef, storyteller, troubleshooter, and historian. Wendel can expound on everything from the mating habits of hippos and giraffes, to the traits of countless birds, insects, and plants, to the history, politics, and race relations of South Africa, with appreciation for all of its complexities. Together, these two were not only engaging and fun, but also meticulous and attentive in their preparation and delivery of a high-quality experience for their guests. We loved it!

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Bike & Safari South Africa’s Garden Route to Cape Town

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The Big Guide to Bikepacking & Touring in East Africa

As intimidating as it may sound to the uninitiated, bikepacking in Africa can be an incredible experience. As a planning resource for those seeking adventure in the Motherland, here is our full guide to bikepacking and touring east Africa. Complete with travel tips and Logan’s full kit list as used on the Trans-Uganda bikepacking expedition…

Back in 2013 we took a big bike trip from Cape Town, South Africa to Tanzania. You’d think that a single big African cycling excursion would be enough for one lifetime. And for some folks, I’m sure it would be. For others, the allure of Africa is irresistible. To quote an elderly British woman who we met in our travels in Uganda, “There’s something about Africa that just gets in your blood.” For her, this feeling has kept her on the continent for over 50 years. For us, it meant a return for a second trip to the motherland after only a 1 ½ year absence… and we’ll likely go back in the not too distant future.

Back in 2013 we took a big bike trip from Cape Town, South Africa to Tanzania. You’d think that a single big African cycling excursion would be enough for one lifetime. And for some folks, I’m sure it would be. For others, the allure of Africa is irresistible. To quote an elderly British woman who we met in our travels in Uganda, “There’s something about Africa that just gets in your blood.” For her, this feeling has kept her on the continent for over 50 years. For us, it meant a return for a second trip to the motherland after only a 1 ½ year absence… and we’ll likely go back in the not too distant future. Why did we go back? That’s a question we’ve been asked many times and by many people, including friends, family, fellow bikepackers, and many of the local people we’ve met along the way. It’s a fair question, I suppose. Traveling by bicycle in Africa is a challenge. Over 25 percent of its landmass is covered in desert, while the jungles and rift valleys of equatorial East Africa can be exquisitely hot and humid. There are dangerous animals, scary viruses and parasites, and, unfortunately, regions and people who experience seemingly ceaseless conflict. Many Africans suffer from extreme poverty and hunger, often the result of political “mismanagement” of their country’s capital. Pedaling there can be, and often is, difficult, exhausting, and sometimes even sad. So, what’s the draw? The short answer is, that despite all of its baggage, the Africa we’ve experienced can also be sublimely beautiful, joyful, and bursting with life like nowhere else we’ve ever been. It is full of wild places, wonderful people, and can be a great place for off-road bike exploration which yields experiences comparable to nothing else on the planet.

Folks have often asked how we’ve planned our multiple excursions into the African continent. To answer such inquiries, and serve as a compliment to several routes on the site, including our own Trans-Uganda, here is our guide. Naturally, it starts with the bike and gear (a full gear list as used on our last trip), scattered with tips for planning a similar trip. Then find ‘Where to Go’ with several routes we recommend, and ‘Travel Basics’, a section with insight regarding immunizations, visas, and other logistical hurdles. As always, we welcome other tips and insight in the comments section to help evolve this resource over time. The Best Bike for Africa? The most popular question we get involves the choosing a bicycle for such an expedition. To get even more granular, we’ll go straight to tire size. If there’s anywhere you should consider sticking to the old-school standards, it’s much of Africa. 26” tires are the ruling party there and it’s often difficult to source even 700c tubes or spare tires in much of the eastern part of the continent — aside from scattered cities, and South Africa where 29ers are prevalent and 27.5″ tires are even catching on. With that said, I’ve traveled, all told, for over six months in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, Lesotho, Malawi, and Rwanda on 29+ (29×3″) tires. Ultimately, 29+ is a great bikepacking platform. The added floatation for sandy stretches, the extra circumference and volume for cushion (especially when run tubeless), and the additional traction make it the benchmark for off-road exploration. However because this is certainly beyond old-school, there is a risk versus reward factor with this decision. As such, you’ll find a substantial amount of kit dedicated to tire repair in the Tools and Spares list further down the page. It is worth noting that if you do choose to use plus tires, using 35mm rims allows the ability to substitute a standard 700c tire in the event of a disaster — which may or may not be hard to source depending on your exact location; on my first trip to Africa I carried a spare light 29er tire, just in case (in hindsight this was pretty silly). To illustrate the most infallible choice — if I were to choose a tire and wheel for a never-ending circumnavigation of the continent, per se — it would be a bicycle with 26″ x 35mm rims using a 2.8″ wide tire. This would provide the added floatation and cushion of a plus-size tire bike and access to plenty of spares should the need arise. The 35mm rims would comfortably fit 2.0 or 2.2″ tires that might be found en route. On the same token, Africa is a good place to go suspension free… so another case for higher volume tires.

Regarding the actual bike, theoretically, any bike will do. But if there’s ever a time to put a lot of thought into your rig, it’s parts, and required tools, it’s when planning a trip to Africa. The typical local bicycles found in much of Africa are low-cost, steel-frame bikes imported from China that are basic in operation. Most have a one-speed drivetrain with a massive chain, a coaster brake, bolt on hubs, and standards that likely won’t match anything on a modern touring or bikepacking rig brought from Europe or the US. Consequently, the tools and spares available in most roadside shops fit these bikes — wrenches, screwdrivers, and such. It is far less likely to find specialized bike tools required for various bottom brackets, hubs, and cassettes. However, there are parts and tools to be found — although very few and far between — that can jive with old standards (think 100mm front, 135mm rear, and of course, 26in wheels/tires). Even so, it’s best to have a reliable bike with the appropriate parts and spares needed to serve you for the duration of your trip. For both of our trips I chose to bring the durable, [somewhat] standards-friendly bike, the comfortable, and venerable Surly ECR (or Epic Continent Rambler as I dubbed it). And as we were traveling two, on the last trip we outfitted Gin with the Salsa Deadwood. Both with similar standards, spare parts, and setups. In my opinion, a steel frame bike with a minimal bikepacking kit is absolutely ideal for touring in Africa. A steel frame is rugged and repairable in the event of a catastrophe. And, one of the beautiful things about bikepacking style bag setup — versus panniers — is that it doesn’t rely on racks… and that’s one less thing to worry about breaking. Not to mention the weigh savings and the fact that riding your bike will actually feel like you are riding a bike, instead of pedaling a tank. Lastly, we both ran Rohloff drivetrains on both trips in Africa. I don’t regret that choice a bit. The ever-present dirt and dust still required a regular chain cleanings, but without derailleurs we had less to worry about.

Tip #1: Stick to the standards.

While my bike of choice for other trips has recently translated to a hardtail with Boost spacing and other ‘new school’ standards, if there ever was a place to have a steel 135mm/100mm rigid and rugged bike, it’s Africa. Especially in a remote and rather isolated country such as Uganda. We’ve twice found ourselves in parts conundrums in Africa. Once in Zambia when Gin took a nice spill and bent her drive side crank. Luckily, the Zambians are an efficient and ingenious lot, and team of three was able to hammer it back from a banana shape to perfectly straight. The second was in Rwanda when my first generation Shutter Precision Dynamo lost a bearing. Had it not been for the mechanics at the Team Rwanda cycling center, our trip may have ended early or I’d have been riding a curiously skinny wheel and tire on the front of my ECR. There are essentially very few modern mountain bike parts in many East African countries, aside from South Africa. In addition, shipping anything to these countries is almost completely out of the question. Take Team Rwanda for instance, they get all their mountain bike and road bike parts by having the chief mechanic fly to the US and fly parts back in suitcases and bike boxes.

Tip #2: Combine efforts.

One of the great things about traveling as a couple is the ability to share gear carrying duties. I usually pack the heavier gear, such as the tent and tool/parts kit, and Gin takes the kitchen. This helps each of us save space to allow for a more full kit (and plenty of room for food) while maintaining a relatively svelte bikepacking style setup. In addition, using bikes with the same drivetrains and fittings helps minimize tools and spares.

A Bikepacking Kit, fit for Africa Dialing in the perfect bikepacking kit requires a bit of foresight and clairvoyance into the place you’ll be traveling. Factors include the surfaces you’ll riding on, weather and temperatures, where and how often you’ll be camping, how long you intend on traveling, and of course, what types of parts, spares, supplies, and amenities will be available — or in the case of much of Africa, not available. This particular kit was created specifically for the Trans-Uganda expedition. Even though we’d cycled in east Africa just a few years back, it took a lot of thought to choose the right gear for the trip. And as with every gear kit I’ve assembled for previous trips, it was lighter, leaner, and generally more efficient than its predecessor. I will note that it’s a little heavy considering my self-imposed burden, camera gear and the requisite tangle of cords and related electronics that go along with it. But for the most part, this kit is relatively minimal and versatile. Here’s a detailed list of everything I carried, and why. Given that this was our second trip in east Africa I had the luxury of knowing what to expect. As such, there’s not much I’d change. Under each category you’ll find additional thoughts and tips related to it. Bikepacking Bags A long trip on foreign soil requires a luggage kit slightly above and beyond a sleek, ultralight race setup, especially when there’s photography equipment involved. I knew we’d be rained on; it’s inevitable in East Africa, so I wanted a couple of the bags to be completely waterproof. The waxed canvas DIY long flap saddlebag is generally weatherproof and I had it mounted up front with a Salsa Minimalist rack (now defunct). In the back I used the Porcelain Mr. Fusion Seat Pack , a waterproof and removable dry bag and accompanying harness. For a similar saddlebag available for purchase, make sure to check out the Large Fabio’s Chest Saddlebag by Ultraromance . Framebag Porcelain Rocket Orbiter Seat Pack Porcelain Rocket Mr. Fusion V2 Handlebar Bag DIY longflap saddlebag Top tube bag Bedrock Dakota Stem bag Revelate Mountain Feedbag Stem bag (lg) Porcelain Rocket DSLR SLinger Rear top tube bag Revelate Jerry Can Salsa Anything cage/bag For food and overflow Notes: This was a very solid kit. The large roll-top bag tends to feel a little heavy up front, especially when paired with a DSLR in the Porcelain Rocket DSLR Slinger. Unfortunately, Porcelain Rocket no longer makes the Orbiter frame pack, but they now offer the similar — and superior — 52Hz Waterproof Frame Pack . It’s worth noting that while the DSLR Slinger is a nice, convenient bag/location for a camera, anytime you store a camera on the handlebars, it take a beating from the perpetual bumps that dirt roads can dish out. Such a bag is great for avoiding a backpack; just be aware that you should have a long bike so your knees won’t be encumbered. Tip #3: Don’t wear a backpack, but bring one. This is the second big trip I’ve taken where I brought a packable backpack, or ‘stuff-pack’ as they are sometimes called. This one was the Hyperlite Stuff Pack; it packs up small and weighs nearly nothing. I found having it was invaluable when we needed to carry extra food and water. In addition, it serves as a good accessory to carry gear off the bike. Read more about this and other backpacks here .

Clothing In Africa you will get dusty, muddy, sopping wet, and there will be week-long stretches without the option for a shower. For such conditions, merino wool is key. It’s great for day after day riding and promises to remain odor-free. This clothing list was handpicked based on bugs, weather, and staying visible. On the bike: Riding Shorts NZO Dobies Anti-bacterial tshirt Icebreaker Tech T Merino Wool Anti-bacterial Undies Icebreaker Merino Wool boxer briefs Lightweight Wool Socks Surly Block 5” Socks Riding/travel Shoes Five Ten Guide Tennies Helmet Bell Supermoto Off the bike: Lightweight Pants Patagonia Quandary pants (lightweight, durable) Thin Travel Shirt Prana Ascension (lightweight travel shirt) Lightweight Merino Baselayer Surly Wool Raglan shirt (lightweight anti-microbial layer) Tshirt Cotton T Lightweight Socks Giro Merino Wool Camp shoes Crocs Towel DIY Linen towel Dryer Mesh bag for air drying Spare Undies Exofficio boxers Lightweight Rain Jacket Montbell Versalite Minimal Down Jacket Montbell Anorak Notes: I found this clothing kit to be nearly perfect. NZO shorts are bar-none for quality. Five Ten’s Guide Tennies are probably the best travel shoe out there. And the Surly merino socks held up through six weeks in Spain and two months in Africa. In addition, Icebreaker merino tech Ts are excellent, although don’t expect to get over four months out of one if that’s your only riding shirt. Had it been a shorter trip, I’d have ditched the Surly Raglan shirt. I only wore the latter twice. It’s a great travel shirt, but I could have made due with just the Montbell Anorak. For me, off the bike clothing in Africa means long sleeves and long pants, both for mosquitos and sun protection. The Patagonia Quandary pants along with a super lightweight long sleeve shirt (Prada Ascension) make a comfortable outfit, even when it’s hot. Tip #4: Linen makes a great towel. One great addition to this kit was the DIY towel that Gin came up with. She made one for each of us from a 2×2′ (0.6 meters sq) piece of linen; it weighs nothing, takes up very little space, and gets you almost all the way dry after a shower or wash off. Tip #5: Bring a bright color [wool] jersey; just not blue. Drivers in most of Africa are crazy. While most of our time in Uganda and Rwanda were off the main roads and on dirt tracks and footpaths, there will always be a couple stretches where there is traffic. So as with any other trip, wear brighter colors and lights to be seen. In addition, much of Africa can be hot and muggy. And there are often long stretches without a shower. Wool is king in these types of conditions. The natural antimicrobial properties of merino are a lifesaver. I often bring an Icebreaker Tech T Lite in orange or red. Don’t bring blue as it attracts tsetse flies, and there is nothing worse than fending off tsetses on a bike. Camping/Sleeping There are a lot of camping opportunities in East Africa. Whether in a village, on someone’s farm, or wild camping, we pitched our tent frequently. Regarding wild animals (see more below under Travel basics), there are obviously many places you don’t camp, but for the adventurous, there are often campsites in or on the edge of parks where tent camping is an option and there is a chance of experiencing animals up close and personal. There are all kinds of stories floating around about people’s camping experiences in remote locations in east Africa. One that stands out actually came from National Geographic about a lady solo camping near the Malawi-Tanzania border (a place near where we had cycled on our previous trip). As she was in her tent shortly after dusk, a lion stopped by, yawned, and laid down on the edge of her tent… on her arm. She was able to remain still and quiet, and eventually fell asleep. When she woke up the lion was gone. The closest we got to this was having a hyena walk through camp making horrifying noises. Either way, the wives’ tale is that most animals ignore people in tents. On a smaller scale, there are an infinite number of bizarre bugs in Africa, so having a netted shelter is a necessity. 3p Tent Big Agnes Fly Creek UL3 Summer-rated Sleeping Bag Enlightened Equipment Enigma 40° Sleeping Pad Thermarest NeoAir Lite Pillow Big Agnes inflatable Pillow Notes: I’ve grown quite attached to my Big Agnes Pillow. It’s been on every trip I’ve taken since 2012… pretty impressive. The Thermarest NeoAir is a great sleeping pad; I’ve since switched to the Sea to Summit UL Sleeping Mat though. A 40° sleeping bag is perfect for this type of trip too. Read why as well as a review of the EE Enigma here . Tip #6: Traveling two? Bring a tent for three. Most folks familiar with backpacking tents know that a two person tent isn’t really ideal for two people. We’ve opted for a 3p tent on most trips. Having space for gear is usually a good idea in many camping situations, especially those involving public spaces. Seven times out of 10 you’ll have an audience as you set up your tent, and as soon as you wake up, so it’s comforting having your valuables inside the tent, or at least tucked away in the vestibule. We’ve found the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 3 to have a nice blend of lightweight and spacious characteristics. It’s also held up through both of our big trips in Africa.

Kitchen, Food and Water Food types and availability differ from country to country, but restaurants and street vendors are generally inexpensive options and can often found near towns, cities, and sometimes in smaller villages. Even so, we found camp cooking to be a regular activity in east Africa. Pasta was a staple that could usually be found in small village shops. Otherwise, in larger towns there are often Chinese run shops with an odd assortment of things. Often it was up to our imagination, but cooking is a necessity. Fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful in East Africa. Cucumber and tomato salads are a refreshing option. Fresh pineapples are amazing too, albeit a little difficult to strap to the bike. Small stores carry cookies, candies, and groundnuts (peanuts). In Uganda, the Rolex, a fried omelette rolled in thick chapatti, was our go-to source of calories. Even in the most run-down tiny town someone will be cooking these on the side of the road. As for “eating out”, expect to eat a large portion of ground maize(pap or ugali) or green banana(matoke) with every meal. In most East African villages (or sometimes in between) you will often find a working hand-pump well, so access to water is not a big issue generally speaking. We always filter our water, as sanitation is an ongoing problem in this part of the world. We’ve heard a few horror stories about various amoeba and parasites that people have experienced while traveling there. This required a two-fold approach for water that wasn’t not crystal clear — first with the Sawyer Mini squeeze filter and then following with UV Steripen. If the water was clear we simply used the Steripen liberally. The Sawyer filters most bacteria and the Steripen zaps viruses. Here is our full camp kitchen. Pot Vargo Titanium 1.3L Titanium (good size for two people) Alchohol Stove Vargo Triad Windscreen Vargo folding windscreen Mug Snow Peak Titanium Bowls Two nested GSI plastic bowls Plate Snow Peak Titanium Fuel (alcohol) Storage REI plastic flask Cleaning GSI Compact Scraper Coffee MSR travel coffee filter Water bottles 3 Zefyl 1L bottles, 1 Klean Kanteen 22oz Filtration Steripen (USB rechargeable), Sawyer Mini squeeze filter and bag Additional Storage Platy 3L bladder Other Bic Lighter, cloth, flint, GSI S&P Notes: I was unimpressed with the Vargo Triad stove. It didn’t burn fuel nearly as well as the Trangia we brought on previous trips, and it doesn’t have a simmer option. For those reasons I have since gone back to the Trangia. The GSI Compact Scraper is clutch. And, REI flask bottles are a great way to stow fuel; although any plastic bottle will do in a pinch when using an alcohol burner. Tip #7: Look for purple fuel. So far, in every country we’ve visited in east Africa — South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania — it’s fairly easy to source reliable alcohol stove fuel. It usually comes in plastic bottles that resemble a small bottle of water, only the fuel is tinted purple (to warn people to avoid consumption). Surprisingly, we found it available in many stores, even in small villages. Tip #8: Plan for a lot of water capacity. Africa consists of many different microclimates and geographical conditions. As such, we found throughout our travels that water is generally unpredictable — from Cape Town all the way up to northern Uganda. But, there’s usually a well somewhere in or near every village. There are many NGOs that build these wells, and they are often dependable, but occasionally dry. Three liters has been a good baseline for carrying capacity, although in desert regions, such as the Karoo, we often carried 10 liters or more between two of us. I would typically recommend a carrying capacity of 5-8 per bike. I had three on my ECR ( two with this hack , and two with this one on a prior trip ) as well as a foldable 3-liter Platy bag that I could use in my lightweight packable backpack. Also consider Wolf Tooth’s B-RAD system . Tip #9: Water filtration X 2. Typically on less adventurous trips, I might carry just one type of filter. For our trips in Africa we’ve carried both a Steripen and a Sawyer. And often, we used both. There are lots of amoeba and bacteria, even in well water, so properly removing bacteria and viruses was a must for us. Tools, Spares, etc. As mentioned, don’t underestimate how hard it is to get bike parts in east Africa. Here’s our complete tool and spares list… Allen wrenches Park Tool (full set) Additional tools PDW 3wrencho, tool for crank bolt, Torx tools Chainbreaker removed from Crank Bros tool Bolts Assorted spare bolts Tire repair Patches, boots, 2 bottles Orange Seal, lever, needle/thread, super glue Brake pads 2 spare sets Cables 2 cables for Rohloff or brakes (stored in handlebar tube) Tubes 2 spare 29er tubes Spokes 1 of each in seat post tube Additional repair pipe clamp, several zip ties, electrical tape, Gorilla tape, super glue Tire Repair super glue, needle/thread Additional Spares Chain, Quicklinks, valve stem, bottle chain lube Tip #10: Think through required tools. Just as you shouldn’t underestimate how hard it is to get parts, think the same way about tools. We found ourselves in Zambia in need of a crank-puller. While this isn’t a tool I’d carry, it was nearly impossible to find. We got lucky. So make sure you think of your parts and what tools are required to make repairs or adjustments. Also see our Bikepacking Repair Kit post . Tip #11: Consider your drivetrain. On our last two trips in Africa we’ve chosen to run a Rohloff drivetrain, both for reliability and ease of maintenance. The Rohloff is generally bombproof so you don’t have to fret about extra derailleur hangers and such. In addition, keeping a chain clean is far easier with a single ring setup. Tip #12: As always, go tubeless. Our first time in Africa, we used standard tubes impregnated with a little Stan’s sealant. This didn’t cut it. There are thorns, Acacia, and tons of other things out there to threaten tires. A true tubeless setup is key. Here’s our guide to Traveling Tubeless .

Gadgets Lastly, for reference, my list of electronics and gadgets. With mobile data on the rise in much of Africa, even in rural towns, there are plenty of options for connecting to the the outside world. Several mobile companies — these differ depending on country — offer pay as you go cards and some hotels have wifi (although it’s often terribly slow, depending on where you are). You are best to rely on mobile data. Photography Canon 6d, 135mm f/2, 24-70mm f/4, SD cards, charger, 2 spare batteries Entertainment Kindle, headphones for iPhone, pencils/sketchbook, binoculars Charging Sinewave Revolution/Dynamo, small Lime cache battery, cords Lights Black Diamond Revolt (USB), PDW blinkie light Navigation Small Garmin (recording), iPhone/Gaia GPS Other Buff, sunglasses Tip #13: Books/guides. If you are reader, and/or need to carry guidebooks, the Kindle makes a great travel companion. Lonely Planet guidebooks are somewhat helpful for information regarding travel logistics and most are available in eBook format (or on Apple iPhone). Tip #14: All you need is a phone. I am a complete convert to using my only my iphone for GPS navigation. Gaia GPS makes a great tool; and with the base maps downloaded in advance, the iPhone can be left in Airplane mode run on a single charge for up to a week. Here’s our guide for using a Smartphone as GPS . Another great resource, although sometimes outdated, is Tracks4Africa.

Where to go As mentioned, Africa has a wealth of options for dirt-road bikepacking, gravel adventures, and even single track footpath exploration; there are infinite possibilities as far as creating a great route. When we designed the Trans-Uganda, we looked for dirt roads and footpaths connecting villages; there was no shortage of either. For reference, here are few east Africa routes we have in our database: Trans-Uganda (1312mi/2111km, 40 days) This 1,312 mile epic loop delivers an unforgettable experience via a mix of singletrack trails, jeep tracks, and the most rugged dirt roads on the continent… all the while passing through the sights and landscapes that makes Uganda ‘The Pearl of Africa’. Congo Nile Trail, Rwanda (160mi/257km, 5 days) One of the best bikepacking routes in East Africa, Rwanda’s Congo Nile Trail traverses a scenic stitchwork of dirt roads, lakeside singletrack, and a rerouted pass through the forested Nyungwe National Park. This a bucket list ride for any bikepacker, and a great introduction to Africa for those yet to pedal in the motherland. Dragon’s Spine, South Africa (2500mi/4023km, 60 days) The Dragon’s Spine route passes 2500mi across South Africa connecting the Cape winelands to the expansive karoo, up to the “roof of Africa” in the Lesotho Highlands and down to the Limpopo River at the doorstep of the rest of this wild continent. Nyika National Park, Malawi (141mi/227km, 3 days) Accessed by just a single rough dirt road, Malawi’s largest national park is easily the most enchanting place in the country. Towering at over 2500m above sea level, the 3200 sq km park’s sublime grassland flashes with zebra, Roan antelope, eland, bush pig, 400 species of bird, and over 200 species of orchid. The perfect place to ride a bike! Warning. Not for the timid. Western Cape Passes, South Africa (473mi/761km, 9 days) A wonderful bikepacking route on mostly gravel and dirt roads weaving in and out of the Swartberg and Cape Fold ranges. This particular route climbs over and through more than 15 named passes and poorts. Inner Traverse, Lesotho (128mi/206km, 3 days) Albeit slightly fragmented (we’d like to go back and creat a fuller route in Lesotho), this is an incredible off-road route that dishes out quad-wrenching climbs, yields magical flowey tracks through hillside villages, and culminates with an epic descent down the legendary Sani Pass.

Travel Basics If you are planning to bikepack anywhere in Africa, be prepared for the inevitable comments and questions that well-meaning friends and family will ask. Are you crazy? Do you have a death wish? What about all the diseases you could catch? What about all of the lions? Aren’t you worried about getting kidnapped? Lots of people have skewed perceptions of Africa. Africa is the second largest continent on the planet, and it is an incredibly beautiful and amazing patchwork of geological, political, ethnic, social, and biological diversity. For a myriad of reasons too complex to tackle here, Africa, as a whole, is often seen as a dangerous place. Of course there are regions of the immense continent that are best avoided. Those locations change over time, so it is always wise to do a little homework regarding the current political and social situation in the areas where you plan to travel. The US Department of State’s website lists current travel advisories by country. Note: Take these warnings at your own logical discretion. In our opinion, they seem to have been a little sensationalized as of late. All of that being said, we have never felt threatened over the course of our travels in East Africa. On the contrary, we have experienced amazingly warm and friendly people who, given the opportunity, will go out of their way to make you feel at home. There may be some unwanted attention at times (Ok, maybe a lot of attention most of the time), but it’s all in the spirit of curiosity, and isn’t that why you are there as well? Members of the LGBTQ community should also be aware that in eastern Africa, particularly in Uganda, recent evangelical-led campaigns against homosexuality have resulted in a high level of homophobia sometimes resulting in violence. Consequently, discretion is vital.

Vaccinations and Immunizations We advise you to visit a travel clinic at least 4-6 weeks prior to your departure, so that you have ample to time to receive any vaccinations you may need. Many vaccinations require multiple doses for optimal effectiveness, and certain vaccinations should not be given at the same time as others. Also, it can take some time to develop post-inoculation immunity. If your travel plans don’t allow for such a visit, please refer to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for information related to traveler’s health. On the website, you can find suggested vaccinations by country. Armed with that information, contact the health department, clinics, or medical providers in your area to see who carries the specified vaccines. As a last ditch effort, it is possible to receive some vaccinations en-route to East Africa. However, keep in mind that a Yellow Fever certificate of vaccination becomes valid 10 days after the date of receiving the vaccination. Visit this site for a list of airport hubs offering Yellow Fever and other travel-related vaccinations. In general, make sure you’re up-to-date on all routine vaccinations. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis(DTP) vaccine, varicella vaccine (for those of you who’ve never had chickenpox), polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot. Note, the flu is endemic year-round in most of Africa. If you have health insurance (in the US) or live in a country with universal healthcare, you should be able to receive these vaccinations at no cost. Additionally, in the UK, typhoid, hep A, and cholera are usually available free of charge on the NHS. It’s smart to get vaccinated against Hepatitis A and typhoid as both can be contracted from contaminated food and water, something you can’t always control if you like to eat out. Hepatitis B Hepatitis B is also something to consider. Hep B can be contracted through sexual contact, contaminated needles, and blood products, so CDC recommends this vaccine if you might have sex with a new partner, get a tattoo or piercing, or have any medical procedures during the course of your travels. Rabies Rabies vaccinations are pretty pricey (at least in the US), but for cyclists, they may be worth the investment. Human rabies is almost always fatal and finding timely post-exposure treatment in off-the-beaten-path east Africa is far from a sure bet. Preventative vaccination can provide inoculated individuals who have been exposed to the virus with enough time to reach the help they need as well as shortening the period of time and number of injections they would need for treatment. Yellow fever Yellow fever is the only disease specified in the WHO’s International Health Regulations(IHR) for which countries may require proof of vaccination from travellers as a condition of entry. Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi all require proof of vaccination from those individuals arriving from countries with risk of transmission, even if that risk was limited to the time they spent in a country’s airport. To see the CDC’s list of countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, click here . *Remember to carry your Yellow Card, the documentation that provides proof of vaccination, with you. It may not always be requested by immigration officials, but if it is, you’ve got to have it. All of the vaccinations can be quite expensive. Take advantage of any free vaccinations you can receive. Hint to Americans… It may be worth planning an extended layover in a city or country where vaccines can be acquired at more reasonable rates. The websites listed actually have the prices for vaccines listed. For pricing in the US, call a local provider. http://www.travelhealth.ie/Prices/ – in Dublin http://www.citydoc.org.uk/travel-clinic-fees/ – in London http://traveldoctor.co.za/price-list-johannesburg/ – in Johannesburg Malaria Prevention is the best medicine. Avoid getting bitten by mosquitos. Wearing long pants tucked into socks and insect repellents that contain at least 20% DEET, max 50% is highly advisable. We like Ben’s Wipes and find that one wipe is large enough for two people. Consider treating clothing and gear, such as tents, with permethrin. Be aware of peak mosquito hours. The peak biting times for many mosquito species is dusk to dawn. However, Aedes aegypti, one of the mosquitoes that transmits yellow fever virus, feeds during the daytime. When staying indoors, opt for screened or air conditioned rooms. A strong fan can also help. Choosing the right anti-malarial depends upon the destination and the individual. In East Africa the species of malaria that is transmitted is chloroquine resistant. Atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone), doxycycline, or mefloquine (Lariam) are the recommended prophylaxes. Each medication has its own benefits and drawbacks. We have used Malarone without any problems, and our insurance has covered the cost.

Visas and Red Tape Visas are required from tourists of most nationalities in order to enter any of the East African countries. The visa situation can be a bit confusing, so it’s a good idea to check out each country’s embassy website for the most up-to-date information. If you are only planning to travel in a single country, apply for the visa online in advance of your arrival. If you plan on visiting Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda or any two of these countries, you should plan on obtaining an East African Tourist (EAT) Visa. Neither Tanzania nor Burundi participate in the EAT visa program at this time. The country that issues your visa must be your first port of entry. The Ugandan and Rwandan embassies each have links to their electronic visa applications. At this time, it appears that the electronic version must be used for entry into Rwanda. For Uganda, the EAT visa is the only visa that you can still apply for upon entry to the country, although it would be preferable to apply online in advance of arrival. If your first point of entry will be Kenya, you can obtain this visa upon arrival to the airport in either Nairobi or Mombasa. It may be helpful and speed the immigration process if you complete the downloadable application for Kenya’s standard tourist visa and bring it with you to the airport. The cost of the visa is $100 cash (if paying upon arrival), and it can be issued for 30,60, or 90 days, all with multiple entries. Be sure to request the 90 day, otherwise you will likely be issued a visa for 30 days. At Entebbe International Airport in Uganda, immigration may insist you provide a copy of an itinerary proving onward travel in East Africa. Strictly speaking, this is not a requirement of the East Africa Tourist Visa. However, you are advised to bring an itinerary (fabricated or even loosely accurate) with you. It is also helpful, and sometimes necessary, to show evidence that you will indeed be traveling to additional countries covered by the visa. A bus ticket, return flight ticket, or hotel reservation(s), which could be cancelled at a later date, are all good things to have on hand when dealing with immigration officials. Screenshots should work. Consider carrying a couple of extra passport sized photos with you just in case you need them, and REMEMBER to bring along your Yellow Book.

Getting cash ATMs are widely available in the largest towns throughout South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi. If you frequently travel internationally, look into getting a Charles Schwab account to save money on ATM withdrawal fees, which can add up quickly. At many ATMs, individuals can choose to receive either USD or local currency. We recommend getting USD from ATMs and exchanging them for local currency as needed. It is critical to have some local currency on hand in these countries. Small village stores will not accept US dollars or credit cards. US dollars can, however, be used in many hotels and are the required form of currency at many game parks. Another, perhaps safer, way of accessing cash is by using your phone. M-PESA, MTN Mobile Money, Tigo Cash, and Airtel Money are mobile financial services that turn their user’s mobile phones into mobile bank accounts. These services are linked to particular cell carriers. With a passport, travelers can register for a local cell provider SIM card. Depending on the country, different providers have a larger share of the marketplace. Choose a popular carrier, and you are bound to find a mobile money affiliate just about anywhere you might need one.

Wild Animals And last, but not least. One common concern about cycling in Africa is its wild animals. And yes there are many, both small and large. However, the animal that is most likely to cause problems for cyclists in East Africa is the mosquito, first runner-up tsetse flies, second, the baboon. Tsetse flies won’t be a nuisance everywhere — mostly around or in parks or game reserves — but when they come around, watch out. Their bite is painful and potentially dangerous. To ward off the flies, wear neutral-colored clothing. Tsetses are attracted to bright colors and very dark colors. Blue and black seem to be their favorites. As for big game — as mentioned in the Camping/Sleeping section above — they are mostly confined to reserves and parks. That doesn’t mean they are always fenced in, but most of the time risk is fairly predictable. However, on our trips we’ve had to stop to wait for elephants crossing a road, been visited by hyena in the night, chased around camp by a giant spider, and once we were told to “STOP!” because there were “too many lions” . And then there are plenty of stories, such as hyenas chewing on tires, cyclists being chased by elephants (which will usually outrun you and likely result in a fatal finale), and plenty of black mamba sightings. Even so, the chance of a run in with big game is unlikely unless you are in or near a game park or preserve, which often don’t allow cycling, although there are a few exceptions which we sought out for some stupid reason. We chose to take the risk in Nyika National Park , but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. The only [semi-dangerous] animal we regularly encountered otherwise was the baboon. Hint, a slingshot gesture will usually send them running. Or, carry a slingshot. Although, I once waved a stick at one and it proceeded to come toward me with teeth gnashing. All in all, use common sense and ask locals. They are usually very helpful… except in the case (photo below, right) where the family at this store, just before we entered Nyika National Park, gave us a song and dance about how were were going to die from elephants crushing us… Yep, they made a song and dance about it; gotta love Africa.

Have your own tips for bikepacking or bike touring in east Africa? Leave a comment below…

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South africa motorcycle tours, the rainbow nation.

Our South African motorcycle tours combine the very best routes, scenery, wildlife and accommodation, creating the ultimate adventure and showing off the ‘true South Africa’.

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Sea to Safari

8 day adventure bike tour of south africa.

This South African motorbike tour will take you over some of the best mountain passes in South Africa, venturing from sensational coastal roads,…

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Garden Route

8 day road-only motorcycle tour.

Our motorcycle tour of the Garden Route in South Africa is simply sublime in every way… The riding, the accommodation, the scenery, food,…

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Victoria Falls to Cape Town

18 day adventure motorcycle tour from victoria falls to cape town.

Wow. Just wow. If you’re a lover of serious adventure riding, this one is for you.   The trips starts at ‘The Smoke…

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Cape Town to Victoria Falls

14 day paved motorcycle tour from cape town - victoria falls.

Riding from Cape Town in South Africa, across Namibia and Botswana to finish at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe on the border of Zambia….

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What is the riding like on a motorcycle tour in South Africa?

South Africa is big-bike country and it’s easy to see why bikes like the BMW GS and KTM Adventures are such popular motorcycles in this country. Depending on which motorcycle tour you choose, you can expect everything from smooth & twisty coastal roads, pencil straight gravel tracks and rugged & rocky jeep trails. The riding in South Africa is what big adventure bike were made for and whether you’re a seasoned pro or relatively new to the adventure riding scene, there really is something for everyone!

When is the best time of year for a motorbike holiday in South Africa?

If you’re looking for the perfect riding temperatures we would recommend October & November or March & April… these are the months we choose to schedule our fixed departure motorcycle tours in South Africa.

December and January is mid-summer and it gets very warm, especially when you ride further inland where temperatures will easily reach 45c… dressed head to toe in full bike gear – this is far from ideal! These mid-summer months can also get extremely windy which is less than ideal.

If you prefer riding in slightly cooler temperatures, September (the start of spring and also a great time to see the wild flowers in bloom and great white sharks) & May (the start of winter and when the whales start arriving) also provide an excellent riding climate!

Winter in South Africa runs from June – August. The temperatures are lower and the chance of rain is higher, but it’s still beautiful at this time of year as the volume of the streams and waterfalls increase. There may not seem like ideal months for motorcycle touring in South Africa, but if you’re the kind of rider that doesn’t mind slightly harsher conditions, you’ll still have an incredible adventure! The big BMW’s have heated grips anyway!

5 reasons to ride in South Africa

1. adventure riding heaven.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again… South Africa is undoubtedly adventure motorcycle riding heaven. Whatever your level of experience, you’ll surely have an incredible riding adventure in South Africa. For the less experienced, a motorcycle tour along the Garden Route will leave you buzzing. For the more experienced, tackle Baviaanskloof and the rougher routes in the Cederberg and be blown away by the spectacular scenery and starry night skies. It’s all here and it’s just stunning. Adding to the experience is incredible accommodation, food, wine, wildlife, varying scenery and friendly local people. Need we say more? We love South Africa.

2. The Food & Wine

There is a massive food culture in South Africa and a motorcycle tour is a fantastic way to sample the culinary delights. You may actually be surprised by the array of different influences you will find here. As well as the traditional recipes of the indigenous population, the Dutch, French, German & British settlers all introduced their own culinary delights. When you add into the mix the delicious dishes brought along by the Malays & Indians from the East you will be hard pushed not to fall in love with the eclectic mix of now traditional meals on offer.

From braaibroodjies to biltong, boerewors to bobotie, the locals certainly know their cumin from their coriander. Our South African motorcycle tours are not only about the riding and we understand that food is always an important parts of everyones holiday and we aim to serve you an array of all the local dishes. We know that after a hard days riding there’s little better than to share a cold beer or glass of wine around an open fire while our local team cooks you a traditional meal over the hot coals.

The seafood is phenomenal, the braai (BBQ) is a way of life and the melktert is a must try (Cameraman Ian’s personal favourite, who can easily polish off in one sitting a tart that serves 8). South Africans take their cooking very seriously and love ‘shisanyama’. Shisanyama is a Zulu word which literally translates as “to burn meat’ and refers to the act of friends and family coming together to cook meat on an open fire… you’ll certainly get into the spirit of shisanyama on these South African motorcycle holidays!

The wine in South Africa is not only amazing, but it’s super cheap! And don’t worry – we keep the support vehicle fully stocked!

3. Incredible Wildlife

From giraffes to elephants, whales to penguins and ostrich to lions, you will be guaranteed to see an array of these beautiful animals on our South African motorcycle holidays. You can even spot ‘Big 5’ in numerous national parks and game reserves. Watch out for the roaming baboons and tortoises on the tracks too!

4. Stunning Scenery

The scenery on our South African motorcycle holidays is stunning. Not only is it beautiful but it changes dramatically from day to day. You will ride through a fantastic mix of rugged wilderness, scenic coastal roads, winding mountain passes and vast expanses of nothingness. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed on a single day of our South African rides

5. Yes, it's safe!

Unfortunately, South Africa has a reputation for being dangerous. But don’t let the statistics put you off. It’s true that South Africa does have a high crime rate, but those statistics are not generated from the locations where we take our motorcycle tours! The high crime areas are generally the townships and lower income communities, which we avoid.

Out in the sparsely populated countryside the locals could not be more friendly and welcoming. In the towns & cities, you simply need to be sensible, as you would anywhere else.

COVID-19 NOTIFICATION

For  all  tours cancelled by Ride Expeditions, riders can choose to receive a  100% refund  or to transfer all monies paid to any future tour.

Full details can be found in our  terms & conditions.

Ride Expeditions Ltd is a company committed to customer satisfaction and consumer financial protection. At no extra cost to you, and in accordance with ‘The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018’,  all passengers booking with Ride Expeditions Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit, and subsequently the balance of monies paid  as detailed in your booking confirmation form. The policy also includes repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Ride Expeditions Ltd. This insurance has been arranged by Towergate Travel through  Zurich Insurance PLC .

Book your next tour with confidence with Ride Expeditions.

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Road Finder Map

• Points Of Interest
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Find Motorcycle Routes

Get ideas for your next motorcycle adventure, browse our map and find a road or pass, find motorcycle accommodation, biker friendly campsites, backpackers, and more, find points of interest, farmstalls, monuments, restaurants, and more.

Featured Motorcycle Trip Routes

West Coast National Park Bike Trip – Day Trip

Swellendam Bike Trip – Day Trip

Karoo to Coast Bike Trip – 4 Day Trip

West Coast Bike Trip – Day Trip

L’Agulhas Bike Trip – Day Trip

Warmwaterberg Bike Trip – 3 Day Trip

Citrusdal Bike Trip – Day Trip

Hemel en Aarde Bike Trip – Day Trip

Malmesbury Bike Trip – Day Trip

Haaskraal Rd Bike Trip – Day Trip

Versveld Pass Bike Trip – Day Trip

Cape Point Bike Trip – Day Trip

Cederberg Bike Trip – 2 Day

Babylonstoren Rd Bike Trip – Day Trip

Jan Phillips Bergpas Bike Trip – Day Trip

Van Der Stel Pass Bike Trip – 2 Day Trip

Oudtshoorn Bike Trip – 4 Day Trip

Table Mountain Bike Trip – Day Trip

Bike trips & motorcycle route maps – gravel and tar route maps.

This website offer bike trips motorcycle route maps explored in South Africa. It is free to use for anyone looking for ideas while planning their next personal dual sport adventure motorcycle trip.

Most of the route maps are currently in the Cape Town and surrounding areas but new routes will be loaded regularly and other areas to follow soon.

All the motorcycle trip maps have been completed as private/personal motorcycle trips  (no commercial tour groups).

Each trip includes route maps, a ride report, videos, photos as well as accommodation suggestions for overnight ride trips.

VIEW ALL TRIPS

View all our completed adventure motorcycle trips.

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PLACES TO STAY

Find biker friendly accommodation for your trip

POINTS OF INTEREST

Farmstalls, monuments, restaurants, and more.

TRIP PREPARATION

Find motorcycle accessories and services to prepare for your trip

Self Guided Motorcycle Tours *Guided coming soon*

Latest Posts

Fossil Hills – McGregor

Fossil Hills – Accommodation McGregor   Situated just before the small town of McGregor, these tranquil farm cottages offer a variety of activities as well as rest for the soul. We had the... READ MORE

West Coast National Park Motorcycle Trip. This national park bike trip was completed to explore the West Coast National Park on the West Coast near Langebaan.  The trip is mostly tar but does... READ MORE

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Active adventure

10 great quad-biking spots in south africa.

Q Q uad bikes, or all-terrain vehicles, are a great mode of transport for doing sightseeing off the beaten track. They can take you further, faster than your feet can, and they can access places that ordinary road vehicles can’t. And they are super fun.  If you are interested in touring in a different and exciting way, these quad-biking adventures might be just the thing for you...

Clarens Xtreme

Situated near Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the Free State, the Clarens Xtreme quad-biking trails offer stunning views over the town of Clarens and the magical Maluti Mountains. Depending on your energy levels, you can choose between half-hour, one-hour or two-hour tours hosted by experienced guides that negotiate a variety of obstacles. Halfway through the ride, you will pause for drinks and your guide will share some historical information about the town. You also have the option to ride as a passenger on someone else’s bike if you don’t feel up for too much of a challenge.

All Out Adventures

Based in the northern Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal, All Out Adventures offers 15km trails over varied terrain. You will traverse ‘Montusi Gorge’, ‘Rocky Pass’ and the ‘Waterfall Challenge’. Don’t be nervous, though, there is a test track where everyone gets some training before they depart for their ride. The experience includes a lesson on riding safely off-road, followed by an outride on purpose-built mountain trails. The whole experience lasts 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the group.

Induna Adventures

One of the biggest quad-bike tour operators in the country, Hazyview’s Induna Adventures offers one, two, and four-hour rides along hand-cut trials through indigenous bush and blue-gum plantations, and past spectacular waterfall lookout points. Induna Adventures is in Mpumalanga province and is only a 20-minute drive from the Kruger National Park. Trails are guided by professional guides. Children can join the trip as passengers. Don’t forget about the Kiddie Quad Track at the Adventure Center.

K K agga Kamma

Kagga Kamma game farm is situated in the Swartruggens region of the  Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape, and its quad-bike trails offer you the chance to cover rugged terrain that would otherwise be inaccessible—allowing you a unique nature and game-viewing experience. One-to-two-hour tours are arranged on request. Regrettably, no children under the age of 16 are allowed.

M M elk ‘Bos’ 4x4

Situated on Ogieskraal farm just outside  Melkbosstrand  about 25km from Cape Town in the Western Cape, Melk ‘Bos’ 4x4 lives up to its name (‘bos’ is an Afrikaans slang word for mad). Here you can hire quad bikes and tackle several 4x4 tracks, or go for a ride on nearby dunes. Melk ‘Bos’ 4x4 also has camping facilities, children’s jumping castles, a pub, restaurant, archery and much more. Here, you can even book birthday parties, corporate events and year-end functions.

Nature Discovery

Nature Discovery’s quad-bike trails traverse nature reserves, state land and private properties. There is a two- to 2.5-hour trail for beginners; a 3.5-to four-hour trail for those who want a bit more of a challenge; and, for the serious quad-bike and nature enthusiast, a full-day tour or an all-inclusive two-day mountain expedition that involves about five hours of riding per day through the Western Cape’s famous  fynbos , taking in spectacular sea views. All tours are led by registered guides. This company boasts one of the largest fleets of Quads in South Africa and have multiple venues and a selection of trails to ensure you have a fun-filled adventure.

SA Forest Adventures

With SA Forest Adventures in the Western Cape, you have the opportunity to ride through the vineyards of the Hamilton Russell and Southern Right wineries, and the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Experience amazing mountain vistas and pause at a vantage point lookout with views over the seaside town of Hermanus. These quad biking tours are ideal for beginners. Together with an introduction to our spectacular environment, the quad bike tours are safe and easy, giving extra time to explore the special floriculture and mountain scenery.

S S egwati Quad Trails

The Segwati trails traverse some wild and rugged Witwatersberg mountain terrain with views over both the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and the Magaliesberg mountains. Segwati Quad Trails offers a unique game-viewing experience only a 40-minute drive from both Johannesburg and Pretoria in Gauteng. Rated as one of the best Safari Quad bike trails in the country, Segwati offers a Unique quad biking experience filled with adventure and unforgettable game viewing.

Soweto Outdoor Adventures

Soweto Outdoor Adventures will take you on a quad-biking trail through the dusty back roads of Soweto, Gauteng, along the famous Vilakazi Street (where both Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela lived) and past the iconic Orlando Towers. There are a variety of packages to suit all energy levels, time constraints and skill levels.

Downhill Adventures

Tackle Downhill Adventures’ 4x4 tracks on a quad bike, or go for a ride through the Western Cape’s Atlantis Dunes Reserve for a unique and scenic off-road soft-sand riding experience. Downhill Adventures also offers a full-day sandboarding and quad-biking combo package. 

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