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Tour Summery
Introducing you to some of the most beautiful landscapes that South Africa has to offer. We’ll travel along the infamous Route 62 through the Small Karoo, via Uniondale and Grahamstown to the Wild Coast and then along the East Coast to Durban. From Durban we head into Zululand and into the heart of the Drakensberg Mountain range before reaching the Kruger National Park riding though Pongola and Swaziland and finally arriving in Johannesburg after 14 days and 2600 miles.
This tour is ideally suited to the on-road enthusiast and the ideal route to take the BMW R1200RT to the max.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Cape of Good Hope
- Western Cape Mountain Passes
- Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape
- Wildcoast also stopping at Qunu, Nelson Mandela’s birth place
- Drakensberg Mountains 2x overnighting just outside of Bergville
- 2 nights in Hazyview, incl. of game drive into Kruger Park
incl, 4 star hotels/guesthouses/lodges, meals, BMW F750GS, luggage transport
DAY 1/14
City Tour Cape Town
ca. 0 miles
Welcome. Almost all international flights arrive in Cape Town before midday. Our tour guide will meet you at the airport and taxi you directly to your hotel where you can freshen-up and perhaps have a light bite to eat. In the afternoon we’ll deliver a tour briefing and finalise formalities. Here you’ll find out more about the route you’ll be travelling, have the chance to meet others on the tour. We’ve planned a tour of one of the world’s most beautiful cities for early evening. We’ll be pulling out all stops on your first night and be taking you out to a local restaurant certain to tantalise your taste buds.
We’ll try to arrange for a local personality to accompany us for the evening to fill us in on local history, geography and answer any other questions that you might have pertaining to Cape Town.
DAY 2/14
Cape Town - Cape Point - Cape Town
ca. 90 miles
Easing you into it. We’ll be leaving the hotel around 9am after breakfast, pick up the bikes and head in the general direction of False Bay. We’ll then ride via Fish Hoek and Simon’s Town to Cape Point. We’ll be making a quick stop at Simon’s Town to take a look at the penguins on the Boulders Beach. The Cape Peninsula National Park is but a hop-skip-and-a-jump away from the beach. We’ll have a snack at Cape Point, also known as the Cape of Good Hope, before heading back to the city via Scarborough, Kommetjie und Noordhoek.
We’ll be driving along the world famous Chapman’s Peak Drive, which has re-opened on December 20th 2003. Here you’ll be afforded breathtaking sea-views and plenty of photo opportunities.
We’ll be arriving back at the hotel late afternoon.
DAY 3/14
Cape Town - Bain's Kloof Pass - Montagu
ca. 220 miles
Getting on with it. We’ll be leaving Cape Town at 9am after breakfast and heading off to picturesque Paarl. Shortly after Paarl, the roads start to get interesting.
We’ll be crossing the Bain’s Kloof Pass and travelling on via Wolseley to Tulbagh. We’ll be lunching at one of Tulbagh’s nice coffee shops.
In the afternoon we’ll continue our ride up the Michel’s Pass to Ceres, and on to Touwsrivier. We now take the tarred road via the beautiful Koo Valley. Late afternoon we’ll arrive in Montagu, to spend the evening in a lovely Guesthouse.
The resident chef will treat us for a scrumptious dinner.
DAY 4/14
Montagu - Oudtshoorn
ca. 220 miles
We break camp again at around 9am to travel the Route 62. We’ll pass Ronnie’s Sex Shop and Ladismith to continue over the Huisriver Pass to Calitzdorp, lauded in South Africa for its Ports, Sherries and Fortified Wines.
Oudtshoorn is known as the Ostrich Capital of South Africa and our accommodation venue is just outside the city in the midst of this Ostrich farming community.
We highly recommend, trying an Ostrich fillet, whilst you are there.
DAY 5/14
Oudtshoorn – Jeffery’s Bay
ca. 200 miles
For those interested in riding up Swartberg Pass, there will be an option for a pre-breakfast ride to visit this stunning Mountain Pass.
Today’s route to our final destination is very scenic.
Leaving the Klein Karoo passing by Hops fields and heading down the Outeniqua Pass to George, feeling the climate change as you worm your way towards the eastern shore lines.
Destined for the Eastern Cape, we ride through Knysna & Plettenberg Bay, arguably some of the Western Capes most popular coastal towns and finally onto Jeffery’s Bay.
DAY 6/14
Jeffery’s Bay - Cintsa
ca. 260 miles
Continuing along the Eastern Cape’s rugged shoreline, passing through many river mouth towns like Kenton on Sea, Port Alfred and East London.
After East London the route goes inland before we eventually make our way back to the coast.
Cintsa, a small coastal town, will be hosting us for the night.
DAY 7/14
Cintsa - Mthatha - Port St. John's
ca. 190 miles
As we continue along the Wild Coast, traveling through the Transkei, the route takes us past Qunu, Nelson Mandela’s place of birth. From there we’re just a mere 14km away from Mthatha, the main town in the region.
We’ll be spending the night on the Umngazi River Mouth, a stone’s throw from Port St John’s.
DAY 8/14
Umngazi River Mouth and Port St. John's
ca.70 miles
We’ll be spending a second night here in this heavenly part of the world where the Umngazi River meets the Indian Ocean. Those in need of a rest and relaxation are invited to enjoy the picturesque stretches of untouched beaches.
Die-hards who would rather not be on the beach but on a BMW are welcome to join for an outride to explore the area. Port St. John is 18 miles away from Umngazi and the area makes for good and scenic riding. The airport for interest’s sake lies on a plateau and offers some incredible views over Port St. John’s and the Indian Ocean.
DAY 9/14
Port St. John's – Mooi River
ca. 300 miles
Well rested, an early start awaits. We need to cover approximately 300miles today stretching from the Indian Ocean directly into the middle interior of Kwa Zulu Natal. We travel directly up onto the escarpment on a newly tarred road via Lusikisiki and Flagstaff. All the stereotypes of Africa hold true for this stretch of our journey where it’s daily fare to pick-up a chicken and a goat for dinner from the vendor on the street side.
We travel through Kokstad only to turn-off a little later onto the R56 direction Pietermaritzburg. The road winds its way lazily through the rolling hills of Kwa-Zulu Natal and greeting places such as Umzimkulu and Ixopo.
We make our way onto the R103 towards our final destination just outside Mooi River.
DAY 10/14
Mooi River – Pongola
ca. 260 miles
Our route for today is via Greytown, Dundee and Vryheid through the heartland of Kwa-Zulu Natal. In the afternoon we'll be arriving at our destination, a private game reserve in Pongola. The game reserve is situated on the Pongola River and the Jozini Dam.
This evening’s dinner will be served in a typical boma, accompanied by the sounds of the African Bush.
DAY 11/14
Pongola
The rest day in Pongola is reserved for Game drives and/or an afternoon boat cruise. In between the various activities one can just take in the views form the lodge’s deck or fill the time as you please.
DAY 12/14
Pongola – Piet Retief - Nelspruit – Hazyview
ca. 270 miles
Straight after breakfast we’ll be heading for Piet Retief. We’ll pass sugar cane plantations and making our way up the escarpment. From Piet Retief we’ll be riding through Amsterdam and Badplaas to Barberton for lunch.
After lunch we’ll be making our way to Nelspruit via the very curvy Hilltop Pass. Following the Western border of the Kruger National Park, we’ll now be heading North, passing White River before we get to Hazyview.
Our guesthouse for the next 2 nights is very close to the Kruger National Park.
DAY 13/14
Hazyview - Kruger National Park - Hazyview
ca. 0 miles or 125 miles
Today we’ll start with a game drive, the motorcycles have a rest day, we’ll be using the Landcruiser instead. The Kruger National Park has got the big 5, amongst many other animals. We’ll be spending the last night of tour in Hazview as well to relax, unwind and enjoy the countryside African style.
Should you be willing to skip your aftrenoon nap, you have got an opportunity to ride the Panorama route, passing Pilgrim’s Rest, God’s Window and the Blyde River Canyon.
DAY 14/14
Hazyview - Johannesburg
ca. 250 miles
Today forms the last leg of our journey and will therefore end in Egoli, which literally translates to ‘place of gold’. We will gladly provide interested parties with travel tips, hints or even a further tour programme of local sites on request. Johannesburg lies a stone’s throw away from Sun City, Southern Africa’s very own Las Vegas. Our tour will officially come to an end at the Johannesburg International Airport, for those guests that travel back today, the ultimate convenience.