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Francis is a biker always venturing out on the road to uncover new routes with as much passion as he has telling stories. He is an enthusiast and knows our itineraries like the back of his hand.
On the agenda
Great roads and breathtaking landscapes in a country with a multi-cultural society - to be done at least once in a lifetime.
Your Motorcycle Tour in South Africa
12 stages - 1,215 miles
1/12 • Arrive in Cape Town
You are met at the airport and taken to your hotel in Cape Town’s city centre. You can spend some time exploring this mythical, dynamic and cosmopolitan city. Nestled in the hollow of a sheltered bay, the city is dominated by the majestic Table Mountain, which is accessible by cable car. You’ll also meet your tour leader today.
2/12 • Cape Town – Hermanus
We hop on our Royal Enfield motorcycles and leave Cape Town behind us to head along the coast towards the southeast. The coastal road, which is in perfect condition, offers wonderful views of False Bay’s opal-blue waters. We stop for lunch at Betty’s Bay, where a colony of penguins have taken up residence. Just over 30 miles further on, we reach Hermanus.
93 miles
3/12 • Hermanus – Barrydale
We leave in the morning and after the first few miles off road, we get on to good smooth tracks as we head for Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of the African continent. We can feel the salty sea breeze against our faces and the chef at the local restaurant delights us with the catch of the day. In the afternoon, the track takes us up north towards the Langeberg range.
149 miles
4/12 • Barrydale – Volmoed
We climb to Tradouw Pass, which opens up onto Klein Karoo, the gateway to the Great Karoo, a desert that covers practically one third of the country. For a few miles, we ride on the famous Route 62. After a coffee at Ronnie’s Sex Shop, we’re soon back on our favourite sort of terrain: the track! The changing mountainscape flashes past in the horizon just like in a Western film.
149 miles
5/12 • Volmoed – Knysna
This morning, we set off due south towards the ocean, on a beautiful track winding through the region’s vast ostrich farms. At Outeniqua Pass, we experience beautiful, wild nature, especially if the baboons are on patrol! The last few miles on the Garden Route along the coast takes us to Knysna Lagoon, where its first European settlers logged the surrounding forest.
93 miles
6/12 • Knysna – Oudtshoorn
Today, we have a change of scenery in the arid Western Cape province, as we ride through the depths of the forest all morning! The dense vegetation with many centuries-old trees and the sounds of the forest are a stark contrast with the first legs of our tour. We slowly but surely get back to Little Karoo’s vast stretches and finally reach Oudtshoorn, self-proclaimed “Ostrich Capital of the World”.
124 miles
7/12 • Oudtshoorn
We leave in the morning to explore Cango Caves at the foot of the Swartberg mountain range. Then, we fork off on to a little-used track, which leads us straight to Meiringspoort Gorges, a pass to the north towards the “Great Karoo”. The landscape is now more arid and the temperature goes up a notch.
137 miles
8/12 • Oudtshoorn – Matjiesfontein
We take a lovely track along the mountains to Calitzdorp, a small town known for its port wine production. We get back on Route 62 for around 20 miles before entering the splendid Seweweekspoort Canyon. The increasingly deserted landscapes are magnificent on the approach to our destination! We stop at Matjiesfontein for the night.
143 miles
9/12 • Matjiesfontein – Montagu
This morning, we ride for about an hour on Highway 1, the longest road in South Africa connecting Cape Town and Johannesburg, before heading off south towards Anysberg’s mysterious vast lands. A deserted track takes us to Ouberg Pass and we arrive at our stopover for the day, a wildlife reserve nestled in the hollow of a lost valley. After a dip in the pool, we jump in a jeep in search of wild animals.
90 miles
10/12 • Montagu – Franschhoek
After around 20 miles of tracks, we go through Montagu, a town known for its hot water springs. We then continue south towards Breede River Valley, a sure sign that we’ve entered the wine region. We enjoy a countryside picnic before heading for the magnificent Franschhoek Pass. Wine tasting and fine food here we come!
112 miles
11/12 • Franschhoek – Cape Town
Today is our last day on the bikes so we’re going to explore the wild Cape Peninsula. The splendid coastal road then crosses a national park swept by sea breezes, where the wild flora and fauna thrive all the way to the mythical Cape of Good Hope! We return to Cape Town via the fantastic Chapman’s Peak Drive, a road carved out of the cliff face.
124 miles
12/12 • Cape Town international airport
Depending on your flight schedule, you may have the time to enjoy Cape Town’s charms for a few more hours. You are transferred to the international airport in time for your flight.
Available extensions
Safari in Kruger National Park / 3 days
Three days of walking safari with a ranger, with the option of adding an additional 4x4 safari. Dinners and overnight stays at lodge. Domestic flights to Hoedspruit or Johannesburg are included.
Price
From 0,00 € / rider
The price includes
The price does not include
Important
MAKE SURE TO HAVE:
International motorcycle license if necessary
Motorcycle Driving License
Currently valid passport for the Motorcycle Trip
Valid Visa, if required
Reviews on this trip
4.5/5 · 4 review
Loved the trip, loved South Africa.…
Loved the trip, loved South Africa. The only negative was that it was just a...
Since 2006, Vintage Rides has been the specialist in characterful motorcycle travel.
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