Kingdoms of Africa

We leave in the morning and head for the Swaziland border, which is an easy crossing. As we head higher up, the arid lands make way for greener pastures. We pass many typical Swazi thatched huts and receive beaming smiles from locals that we encounter.

We spend the morning making our way to Middleveld's rocky mountains. After almost 20 miles of uneven track, we take the main road to the town Piggs Peak, which marks the gateway to the logging regions. A sandy track leads us to the Bulembu border crossing, at 1,200 m altitude.

An easy going leg today on beautiful tarmacked roads for most of the way. The road gradually gains altitude and we have lunch in an extraordinary 1,600 m altitude garden. We head back into the fir tree forests and admire one of the region's many waterfalls.

Today, we tackle the famous Panorama Route, along the edge of Blyde River Canyon, enjoying breathtaking views of the plain to the east. We reach Lowveld, the vast plain belonging to Kruger National Park.

We park up our bikes and focus on the wildlife and having a rest. A Jeep picks us up at dawn and takes us to the Manyeleti private game reserve. We set off for safari in the afternoon to try to get a closer look at some African big cats. We return to the lodge just as night falls.

We set off early in the morning and head to the "Great Escarpment", separating central South Africa's high plateaus and the coastal regions to the east. Our bikes are the only hum that can be heard on the steep, uneven tracks of Mariepskop, one of the highest peaks dominating Kruger's plain at almost 2,000 m altitude.

This leg is going to take us into the Swazi mountains on impressive tarmacked roads and some wild tracks. We have lunch next to Maguga Dam, the greatest engineering feat for this small kingdom.

We cross the border and return to South Africa in the morning, where we cruise all day on smooth roads. We reach the Zulu Empire’s fertile highlands, which were violently disputed in the 19th century with many clashes between Boer farmers, British soldiers and Zulu warriors.

This morning our route takes us straight across the plateau for around 25 miles, when the landscape suddenly takes on the appearance of the Wild West, opening out towards the Tugela River 1,000 m below. We cross the river on an ancient, narrow bridge and fork off onto a track winding between rocky hills.

After almost 20 miles, the tarmac roads give way to tracks that wind through the heart of the undulating, green Midlands. We stop for lunch in Himeville, a pleasant village, before heading to our comfortable guest house in the middle of the countryside, where we stay for two nights.

Today, we tackle the legendary Sani Pass, gateway to Lesotho, the "Rainbow Kingdom". After around 10 miles of tarmac, the fantastic track becomes steeper and more uneven as we near the pass. We’re really tested for the last few miles before arriving at the border crossing, at more than 2,800 m altitude.

This is our last leg on the motorbikes. We ride all morning across the Midlands, between a beautiful desert track and perfect tarmacked road. In Howick, we visit the Nelson Mandela Capture Site and visitor centre. After 15 days in South Africa, we are starting to gain a better understanding of this multifaceted country.

Depending on your flight schedule, you may have enough time to enjoy a few hours on the beach. You are transferred to the international airport in time for your flight.