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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 Little Karoo and then onto the East Coast to Port Elizabeth before heading back to Cape Town along the Garden Route.
This tour in mainly on-road, with some easy gravel road riding in the Little Karoo and into “De Hel”.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Cape of Good Hope with Chapman’s Peak Drive
- Ride into “De Hel”
- Ostrich Farm in Oudtshoorn
- Addo Elephant Park
- Private Game Reserve near Graaff-Reinet
- Southernmost Point of Africa Cape L’Algulhas
- Coastal Road between Betty’s Bay and Gordon’s Bay
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, picking 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, and take you out for a dinner to one of Cape Town’s trendy restaurants.
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 get the first opportunity to ride on gravel roads (unpaved roads). Alternatively we can 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 - Barrydale - Groenfontain - Swartbergpass - Prince Albert
ca. 220 miles
Taking it easy. We’ll be leaving again at 9am after breakfast and be travelling via Bonnievale to Swellendam. From there, we’ll travel over the Tradouws Pass to Barrydale where we’ll once again be travelling on the Route 62, a quick stop for lunch, and then off to Ladismith, and over the Huisriver Pass to Calitzdorp. We turn left, to leave the R62 and continue on gravel roads through Kruisriver and Matjesrivier to the Swartberg Pass. At the pass’ summit (at around 1568m) we’ll be taking a good break, to enjoy the views.
From here it is just a short ride to get to Prince Albert, our destination for the night. We’ll be staying at the Swartberg Hotel.
You can opt for a guided historical / architectural walk through the town that takes you past beautifully preserved Cape Dutch, Karoo and Victorian buildings. Of these, 19, including Dennehof, are National Monuments. Other activities include a ‘koppie’ trail with almost 100 listed plants, fossil hunting and a visit to the delightful Fransie Pienaar Museum.
The town is known for its sun-ripened fresh and dried fruit, especially figs and apricots. Karoo lamb, olives, olive oil and homemade cheeses are local delicacies. Needless to say, dinner will be a culinary delight!
DAY 5/14
Prince Albert - "De Hell" - Prince Albert
ca. 100 miles
It’s hell. Today is certain to be one of the tour’s highlights. After breakfast we’ll head back up to the Swartberg Pass at around 10am. We’ll be taking a right and be heading off down Gamkaskloof to a place better known as the Hell. This is one of the most isolated areas in South Africa.
This is also the place, where your off-road riding skills come in handy, for some of the road to “De Hell” you need to be standing on your pegs, so please make sure that your thighs muscles are in good order.
Should you not feel confident riding on this road, you can always opt to go down to “De Hell” in our support vehicle, this is certainly recommended for passengers travelling with you.
After a good lunch, some rest in the valley, and possibly a swim in one of the rock pools, we’ll head back to Prince Albert, for another night at the Swartberg Hotel.
DAY 6/14
Prince Albert - Meiringspoort - Oudtshoorn
ca. 100 miles
Feathers and eggs. Today we’ll be travelling to South Africa’s ostrich farming capital, Oudtshoorn.
This will be a sightseeing day. We recommend taking in a visit to an ostrich farm and if you’re under 80 kg’s, interested parties could even trade in their motorcycles and try their hand at riding a feathered friend.
You are also able to visit the Cango Caves as an added option. These are ancient underground caves with breathtaking rock formations called stalagmites and stalactites. We’ll be staying in hospitable Oudtshoorn for the evening.
We can arrange for interested parties to visit a crocodile or even cheetah farm! Simply ask!
DAY 7/14
Oudtshoorn - Outeniqua Pass - George - Knysna - Oudtshoorn
ca. 160 miles
Pearl in the oyster. Today we’ll be heading off to the coastal town of Knysna, well known for its seafood and especially for its oysters.
We’ll be lunching at the Knysna Waterfront, taking in the views of the Lagoon. Although currently not in service due to repairs, interested parties can take a ride in the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, a steam train running between George and Knysna. In the afternoon, we’ll be travelling back to Oudtshoorn, riding along the coast past Sedgefield and Wilderness. Once again, we stay at the same guesthouse in Oudtshoorn, but take you out for a dinner to town.
DAY 8/14
Oudtshoorn - Knysna - Tsitsikamma Park - Addo Elephant Park
ca. 250 miles
Coming over the Outeniqua Mountains for the 2nd time, we’ll be passing through George and Knysna and then hit the Knysna Forest.
You can expect to see Outeniqua yellowwood trees draped with Old Man’s Beard lichen – an imposing and impressive sight. We’ll be taking a look at a particularly big, old specimen at Diepwalle forest station: the ‘King Edward VII’ tree. It was so named in 1924 on a visit by the Empire Parliamentary Association. The tree is an estimated 600 years old, is 39m high and the bole’s circumference is 6m.
Thereafter, we’ll be passing through Nature’s Valley and the Bloukrans Pass. From Kareedouw we’ll go down past the Langkloof Mountains. We’ll lunch in a typical farm stall, before heading off to a charming hotel near the Addo Elephant Park.
DAY 9/14
Addo Elephant Park
ca. 100 miles
There be elephants. We’ll be leaving early this morning to get to the Addo Elephant Park. Motorcycles will be left at the hotel as the park will be discovered by four-wheel drives. The park is home to more than 350 elephants, leopards, rhinoceros and Cape Buffaloes. The park also boasts a myriad other wildlife and at least 400 different bird varieties.
Your afternoon free time can be spent on an optional elephant back safari, a short motorbike ride to this missionary town of Enon or of course relaxing at the hotel. We spend the evening at the hotel.
DAY 10/14
Addo Elephant Park - Private Game Reserve Graaff-Reinet
ca. 160 miles
We’ll be leaving Addo Park today and making our way back into the Karoo to visit Graaff-Reinet – one of South Africa’s oldest towns. It was founded in 1786 and named in honour of Bouverneur Cornelis Jacob van der Graaf and his wife, Cornelia Reinet.
Before we reach the town, we’ll be breaking to spend the night in a Private Game Reserve, approximately 60km from Graaff Reinet. After a delicious high tea, we’ll take a safari through the property to see giraffes, antelope, rhinos and cheetah. The customary sundowners will be taken on a hilltop with glorious views.
We spend the evening in the Game Reserve’s luxurious lodge.
DAY 11/14
Private Game Reserve Graaff-Reinet - Knysna
ca. 280 miles
This is the first day of our return journey to Cape Town. From the Game Reserve we head out to Graaff-Reinet – often referred to as the Jewel of the Karoo. The town centre, comprising 200 buildings, was lovingly restored as is now considered a national monument.
We’ll be revving our engines once again and this time, along the N9, discovering forgotten cities like Aberdeen and Willowmore. Once we get past Willowmore, our road will be more interesting again, passing Uniondale and Avontuur, we are riding via the Prince Alfed’s Pass to the Indian Ocean. Our destination today is Knysna, where we’ll enjoy an evening meal together.
DAY 12/14
Rest day in Knysna
ca. 0 miles
Today we’re not going anywhere, because today is a day of rest and pure relaxation. Knysna is set on a Lagoon, whilst being bordered by the Outeniqua Mountains.
Renowned for it tranquil sea and beautiful Lagoon, Knysna has become an internationally sought after holiday resort. Knysna is also surrounded by many rivers and natural lakes and lagoons. This makes it a great spot for water sport enthusiasts. You can opt for hiking, dolphin and whale-watching, hang-gliding, paragliding, horse riding, mountain-biking, scenic drives, a boat trip on the Lagoon, day tours, ferry cruises, angling, boating and other water sports – simply ask and we will gladly provide further details.
DAY 13/14
Knysna - Mossel Bay - Malgas - Arniston
ca. 220 miles
Our next destination is Mossel Bay. Shortly thereafter, we’ll leave the N2 and travel to Riversdale. Just before we get to Swellendam, we turn left to cross the Breede River at Malgas on a legendary ferry. From there, we’ll travel on minor roads to Arniston, which is our final destination for the day.
Not far from the southern-most point of Africa, you can enjoy a lovely dinner at one of the towns fish restaurants. Arniston used to be a Fishermen’s village, many of the old fishermens cottages are still standing, some of them being utilised as self-catering units. We are staying at the Arniston Hotel for the night, right on the beach.
DAY 14/14
Arniston - Cape L'Algulhas - Hermanus - Cape Town
ca. 200 miles
This is our last day and we’ll be making our way back to Cape Town, but not before having seen Africa’s southern-most point, Cape Agullas. Thereafter, we’ll head onto one of the world’s most famous whale watching destinations, Hermanus.
From Hermanus we’ll be driving along the cost, travelling on one of the most beautiful roads in our country, past Betty’s Bay, on to Gordon’s Bay, and Somerset West and then to our final destination Cape Town
This is where you will return the motorcycles. We will then either transport you to the airport or to your hotel or guesthouse. Please remember to let us know whether you would like to stay an additional night/s in Cape Town and we will make the arrangements for you. This will need to be paid for by you.
ZAR72,500 inc. 13x accommodation at 3 and 4 star hotels/guesthouses,
BMW G 650GS/BMW F700GS, tour guide on motorcycle,
entrance fees and luggage transport*
meals: 13x breakfast, 13x dinner
*minimum 6 participants required to offer this service