Mountain bike
Suitable for Sport and Elite level riders
7 Day Tour: 5 days riding, 2 days transfer
An extended version of the Baviaanskloof Tour, this route goes through some of the most rugged and remote areas of our South Africa, it really is a privilege to be able to ride a route that links scenery such as this.
Day 1: Arrive/Transfer and Bike Build
Other than driving, a flight to Port Elizabeth airport where we’ll collect you is an option to get to the start of this tour too.
Day 2: Kondomo to Vanterrebert Caves – 115km (3150m altitude gain)
We do most of our riding today in the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, a really unique and special place. Take your time today this is one of those places where it doesn’t help to be in a hurry. One of the most challenging days of the tour but fortunately one of the most scenic too.
Day 3: Venterrebert Caves to Uniondale – 81km (1200m altitude gain)
Our last day in the Baviaanskloof, and a good day to get a feeling for the Karoo. We head up and over the Nuwekloof Pass onto the Karoo plateau before finally descending the last 5km on tar to Uniondale.
Day 4: Uniondale to Knysna – 86km (1700m altitude gain)
Another fantastically scenic day as we move from the dry Karoo-veld, towards the coast and the lush forests of the Garden Route. Once in the forest keep an eye out for the elusive Knysna Lourie (oh, and the odd elephant) said to inhabit these forests.
Day 5: Knysna to Herold – 108km (2780m altitude gain)
We manage to stay away from the bustle of the Garden Route and say goodbye to Knysna as we head out of town on the bike path alongside the historic lagoon. Once we’ve climbed out of the Knysna basin (via Phantom Pass) we join up with the old seven passes road that takes us on a mix of tar and dirt via the back country and some stunning old steel bridges all the way into George. The day ends with a climb up the historic Montagu Pass, built over a period of 3 years and opened in 1848 this is the oldest unaltered pass still in use today.
Day 6: Herold to Prince Albert – 130km (2700m altitude gain)
After crossing the N9 we make our way through the scenic Paardepoort Pass past the Kammanassie dam, and Dysselsdorp. It’s only from the tar road at Schoemanshoek (65km) that the serious climbing for the day begins. Topping out at 1600m the Swartberg Pass is one of the few places in the country where you are able to find snow for a couple of days during the winter months. We descend for close on a 1000m into our final destination of Prince Albert.
Day 7: Transfer to Cape Town