South Africa Mountain Biking

Mountain Bike Tour South Africa from $4393 NZD
14 Days
  • 2019
  • Best time to travel: February / November
  • Availability Guide:
  • Current date selected
  • Plenty
  • Limited
  • Closed or too close to departure (Call Us for options)

Come to the Cape for a great escape — take to the slopes like an antelope! Great landscapes, plenty of sunshine, abudant wildlife and tough rocky trails await you.

Visit vibrant Cape Town, a city of contrasts. You’ll see iconic Table Mountain, wine lands, savannas, and wildlife by bike.

Visit the Cape of Good Hope, and ride through ancient forests on the stunning coastal Garden Route. Head to the wilderness and challenge yourself on private farm trails. Plus, a highlight for many: the Addo Elephant National Park.

Cape Town to Port Elizabeth

Cape Town
  • Mountain Biking
  • Grade
  • Group size for this tour is 8-15
  • USD240 single room surcharge
  • USD280 MTB bike hire (hardtail)
  • USD350 MTB bike hire (full suspension)
  • USD395 E-bike MTB hire
  • This tour is invoiced in USD
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jordan



South Africa Mountain Biking Fitness and Preparation
There aren't just elephants in this amazing place. There are also rhinos, lions, leopards, buffaloes and antelopes, and many others. The routes are mainly rocky shingle trails with some steep climbs and downhills. And after building your fitness and technical skills by day, relax in your lovely guesthouse, hotel or chalet.

Full Itinerary

DAY 1

Arrival Day: Cape Town

Biking/Elevation: none

Welcome to Cape Town, the most popular destination in Africa, and one of the most multicultural cities on Earth. From the airport you will be transferred to your 4 star hotel located in Sea Point. Later, a sightseeing tour will include the Castle of Good Hope, Parliament Gardens, Greenmarket Square and District Six. Also, the Malay quarter (Bo-Kaap), a colourful Muslim-influenced suburb.

Meals: None

DAY 2

Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve

Biking/Elevation: 22 km / 820m

In the back-up vehicle we travel along the Atlantic Ocean to Boulders penguin colony and on to the Cape of Good Hope. Besides blessbuck, bontebuck, kudu and ostriches, cheeky baboons also make their home here. A short hike takes us on a panoramic route from Cape Point down to the Cape of Good Hope. We travel back to the city along the stunning, rocky cliffs of the Atlantic coastline. Then we ride along the lower slopes of Table Mountain, around Lions Head to Signal Hill.

Meals: Breakfast

DAY 3

MTB trails in wine areas of Paarl

Biking/Elevation: 48 km / 900m

Today our ride starts in the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve, where the sandy and rocky path leads to two majestic granite summits. We’ll get a chance to climb one of them for as there are great views. Next we will visit the Rhebokskloof Wine Estate and ride through the farm on a single trail with a few technical switch backs. After a wine tasting, we’ll transfer to a charming guesthouse in Stellenbosch for two nights.

Meals: Breakfast

DAY 4

MTB Trails on the Hottentot Holland Mountains

Biking/Elevation: 27 km / 470 m

Starting off on a tarseal road, we then ride through the UNESCO nature reserve of Jonkershoek. On jeep tracks and single trails we'll pass endemic plant species accompanied by a mountainous backdrop. We'll return to our accommodation in the early afternoon so there is time to look around Stellenbosch town.

Meals: Breakfast

DAY 5

Trails on Oak Valley Wine Estate

Biking/Elevation: 29 km / 550 m

The owner of Oak Valley Wine Estate is a real MTB enthusiast and has created interesting trails on his property. With plenty of fast flowing single trail, rolling hills and some technically demanding fence crossings, it makes for an exciting day out. The reward afterwards is a lunch and wine tasting. Then we transfer to Riversdale and can spend the rest of the day relaxing by the pool at your charming and historical guest house.

Meals: Breakfast

DAY 6

Boosmansbos Wildness Region

Biking/Elevation: 24 km / 710m

Today we cycle on jeep tracks and single trails in the Boosmanbos Wilderness Region. The vegetation varies from rain forest with lovely streams to erica and succulent fields. We return to our guesthouse later in the day.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7

Bike trail on the Cape Epic route

Biking/Elevation: 54 km / 890 m

We start with a remote, challenging and rocky climb up Gysmanshoek Pass (770m), from where there are awesome views towards the Indian Ocean and the 2300m Swartberg mountain range. After a bumpy downhill ride the landscape will change, and upon reaching a farm road, you will pass through lush fynbos before rare indigenous succulent plants dominate the landscape. A very remote trail on a private farm will be a real challenge for bike tyres, given the abundance of acacia thorns. With some luck, you may see giraffe, waterbuck, kudu, red hartebeest, duiker and klipspringer. Overnight accommodation for the next two nights will be at a beautiful 4 star Game Lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8

Game Lodge: Rest day

Optional biking

You can spend the day just relaxing by the swimming pool or alternatively take a stroll around the area. The contrast between the green oasis and the surrounding dry Karoo steppe is intriguing.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 9

Bike trail through the Gamka Nature Reserve

Biking/Elevation: 50 km / 980 m

After breakfast head out towards the Rooiberg Pass. We enter the Gamka Nature Reserve and on the hilly gravel road you might spot Springbok Antelope along the way. Goat and sheep farms alternate with patches of untouched wilderness. The sky is crystal clear and mountains some 100 km afar can still be seen. Later a transfer takes us to our charming country hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 10

Langeberg Mountains

Biking/Elevation: 25 km / 680 m

Back again on the Cape Epic bike route, a quick transfer takes us to some farms at the foothills of the Langeberg Mountains. An easy climb on a remote jeep track leads to the Attakwas Pass, then it gets bumpy and rocky, often crossing streams on the way into the lowlands. After 25kms we join a farm road and from here we'll be transferred to civilization at our 4 star guest house. If time permits we can head to nearby Victoria Bay for a swim.

Meals: Breakfast

DAY 11

MTB trails along the Garden Route

Biking/Elevation: 57 km / 1450 m

An interesting ride on tarseal and gravel around the hilly Cape streets, then its interchanging forest and farmland, where the Knysna Loerie and fertile farms are found. We will also be looking towards the Outeniqua mountains. A highlight is the ascent of a 200-year-old trail which the Voortrekkers used to travel on and which was used in the Cape Epic route. At heights of 1000m there are great views of the Indian Ocean. After a fast-paced descent will we reach our stylish and renovated guesthouse.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 12

Single tracks in Knysna Forest

Biking/Elevation: 53 km / 870 m

A 1.5 hour transfer will transport us to an 800-year-old yellowwood tree. Then we're on our way to the Knysna wilderness on a historic lumberman’s road, descending to the Garden of Eden. After a rest we will cycle through the Harkerville wilderness on a specialized mountain bike trail. The previous existence of elephants is evident with the bent-over trees surrounding the area. Near here we can get good views of the Indian ocean. A 30-minute transfer will take us to the our Guesthouse which is just a 5-minute walk to the beach.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 13

Plettenberg Bay to Addo Elephant National Parks

No biking

A 3 hour drive takes us to Addo Elephant National Park (the 2nd largest park after Kruger National Park). During lunch you can wander to a nearby bird hide, a watering hole and the Elephant Interpretive Centre. Then a real highlight will be the safari in an open vehicle and with any luck we'll see elephants, ostriches, tortoises, warthogs, zebras, blesboks, kudus, black rhinos and even lions! Tonight we stay in chalets at a charming four star lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 14

Departure Day: Transfer to Port Elizabeth airport

No biking

Time to say goodbye. We'll transfer you to Port Elizabeth Airport where this adventurous and varied mountain bike tour comes to an end.

Meals: Breakfast

Tour Inclusions and Exclusions:

Tour Includes:

  • Accommodation: 13 nights in 3-4 star hotels, guesthouses and chalets with private bathrooms
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary (plus snacks)
  • English speaking tour guide
  • Support vehicle including transport for bikes
  • Entrance fees for sightseeing as listed in the itinerary

Tour Excludes:

  • International flights and airport taxes
  • Passport and travel visa requirements
  • Travel insurance
  • Bike hire
  • Personal expenses and drinks
  • Tips to guide and support crew

Tour Video

A mountain biking tour through any country is a great escape! This movie gives an insight into what to expect on a Global Adventure Guide mountain biking tour.