11 Day Garden Route to Baviaanskloof Wild Ride Guided Motorcycle Tour in South Africa
Epic Motorcycle Adventure in South Africa
This listing has one of the 10 most popular offers available in South Africa
Discover the beauty of South Africa via roads less traveled during this epic motorcycle adventure tour. This journey takes you from the Cape Winelands through the semi-desert of the Karoo to Baviaanskloof and returns to Cape Town along the Garden Route. Almost 85% of the route is on remote gravel roads and mountain passes. You will pass through 6 large nature reserves including The Baviaanskloof 'World Heritage Reserve' and all nights are spent in beautiful guesthouses, lodges, and hotels.
Key information
- Terrain: 85% remote gravel roads and mountain passes
- Bike: personal or rental bike (KTM690 Enduro R motorcycle)
- Mileage: 2200 kilometers / 1367 miles
- Daily rides: 180 - 400 kilometers / 112 - 249 miles
- Riding gear: Not included
- Meals: all breakfasts
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Starts and ends in Cape Town
- 9 riding days on varying terrain and changing landscapes
- 10 nights' stay at beautiful guest houses or lodges at the end of each day
- Boschluyskloof and Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve (World Heritage Reserve)
- Rooiberg Private nature Reserve and Die Hel (Gankaskloof Wilderness Valley)
- Swartberg Mountain Pass (rated as South Africa's no.1 gravel mountain pass)
- Southern most tip of Africa
- Cango Caves (underground tour of these magnificent limestone caves)
Skill level
- Intermediate
Accommodation
Throughout this motorcycling journey, you will stay at three or four-star rated guesthouses, lodges, or hotels, all verified and tested by WildWood Motorcycle Tours:
- Wild Olive Guest House (Cape Town) on nights 1 & 10
- Boaschluyskloof Lodge (Karoo) on night 2
- Acacia Cottage (Prince Albert) on night 3
- Zandvlakte Guest Farm (Baviaanskloof) on nights 4 & 5
- Knysna Mamor House (Knysna) on night 6
- Rooiberg Lodge ( Rooiberg Nature Reserve) on night 7
- A Hill Top (Swellendam) on night 8
- Arniston Hotel & Spa (Arniston) on night 9
Program
Day 1: Arrival and tour briefing in Cape Town
- Meet at the guesthouse
- Complete paperwork
- Tour briefing
Day 2: Cape Town - Boschluyskloof (400 kilometers / 249 miles)
- Ride through Cape Winelands and Karoo to Boschluyskloof Private Nature Reserve
- Mix of asphalt and gravel roads
Day 3: Seweweekspoort Gorge - Prince Albert (180 kilometers / 112 miles)
- Ride to Prince Albert via Seweweekspoort Gorge and Swartberg Mountain Pass
- Gravel mountain and remote backroads
- Cango Cave visit on route
Day 4: Swartberg Pass - Baviaanskloof (290 kilometers / 180 miles)
- Ride to the start of Baviaanskloof via Swartberg Pass and Meiringspoort Gorge
- Stunning asphalt and gravel passes and backroads.
Day 5: Baviaanskloof Reserve
- Explore Baviaanskloof Reserve on a long off-road loop
Day 6: Knysna (280 kilometers / 174 miles)
- Beautiful gravel and asphalt passes to Knysna, the Capital of the Garden Route tourist region
- Including the stunning Prince Edward gravel pass into Knysna
Day 7: 7 Passes - Rooiberg Nature Reserve
- Famous 7 Passes gravel route to the city of George and then more remote gravel roads at the foot of the Langeberg Mountains on route to Rooiberg Nature Reserve.
Day 8: 270 kilometers / 168 miles
- Beautiful remote gravel mountain and farm roads on route to the picturesque village of Swellendam.
Day 9: Arniston Hotel & Spa (230 kilometers / 143 miles)
- Head to the east coast to the quaint fishing village of Arniston
- Easy scenic gravel roads and a novel ferry crossing of the Breede River
- Visit the southernmost tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas
Day 10: Return to Cape Town (265 kilometers / 165 miles)
- Stunning coastal roads and resort villages on route back to Cape Town
- Including the spectacular Clarence Drive
- Return rental motorcycle
- Final dinner at a local Cape Town restaurant.
Day 11: Departure
- Check out of guesthouse and proceed to the airport or next destination.
Riding information
The routes are a little tougher than your average adventure tour and some off-road riding experience for this one is recommended. But wow, the remote areas and mind-blowing vistas are great rewards for the tougher terrain. The fleet of rental KTM690 Enduro R motorcycles is perfectly suited to the chosen routes. The routes are not suitable for pillion riding but can be adjusted for groups wanting more sedate and pillion-friendly tracks.
Skill level required for this tour: Intermediate
- can ride for 3-4 hours
- average riding experience
- little assistance required
- comfortable with extreme curves and leans
- average experience with unsurfaced roads
- steep ascents and descents
Included excursions
Cango Caves Tour
On route to Prince Albert on day 3, you stop at Cango Caves near the town of Oudtshoorn for a short guided tour of the famous underground limestone caves.
Instructors
John Wood
Owner, John Wood is an experienced guide, avid adventurer, ex-motorcycle enduro racer, and keen mountain biker who takes pride in his encyclopedic knowledge of the roads less traveled, which he takes every opportunity to expand. John tries to lead every trip, whether it’s a day ride around the Cape Town Peninsula or a month in the African outback. In 2013 John left his corporate life to form WildWood Motorcycle Tours SA and share his passion for Africa and its people.
Location
This epic adventure motorcycle journey will take you to the Garden Route and Baviaanskloof World Heritage Reserve. Enjoy riding back roads and off-road tracks through coastal and mountain fynbos vegetation, indigenous forests, and Karoo semi-desert scrub. You'll visit the southern most tip of Africa, the world-renowned Cango Caves, stunning nature reserves and magnificent off-road mountain passes.
The Garden Route is not without reason known as the ‘jewel of South Africa’s tourist regions’ and Baviaanskloof (valley of baboons) is rated the ‘number 1 adventure motorcycle route in South Africa.
You Will Visit
- Swartberg Pass: Rated the no.1 off-road mountain pass in South Africa, it is a masterpiece of road building in the majestic Swartberg Mountain range linking the towns of Prince Albert and Oudtshoorn
- Baviaanskloof: The road linking west to east from the Eastern Cape highlands to the Coast at Jeffries Bay is rated South Africa’s no.1 adventure biking road
- Boschluyskloof Private Nature Reserve Lodge: Beautiful secluded chalets in this pristine fynbos wonderland
- Seweweekskloof: A epic ride into this stunning sandstone gorge with 23 river crossings
- Southernmost tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas: The end of the continent and meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans
- Side Entry: A lesser-known and challenging tributary of the Baviaanskloof. Rugged, remote and offering epic vistas
- Gamkaskloof: The final of 13 decents into Die Hel (The hell) valley
- Rooiberg Pass on route to Rooiberg Nature Reserve: Another awesome gravel mountain pass
- Canola fields of the Overberg region: a delight in ‘the spring’
- Swartberg Pass: Rated the no.1 off-road mountain pass in South Africa. It’s a masterpiece of road building in the majestic Swartberg Mountain range linking the towns of Prince Albert and Oudtshoorn
- Swellendam: South Africa’s oldest magisterial district and a beautiful farming town surrounded by the Grootvadersbos Nature Reserve
Food
Unless otherwise stated, the tour only includes daily breakfast, with all remaining meals in local restaurants at your own cost.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
What's included
- 10 nights bed and breakfast in 3/4 star lodges, guesthouses, or hotels
- 9 days of motorcycle rental (KTM 690 Enduro R / KTM500EXC )
- Upgrade to Yamaha T700 or BMW GS850 available)
- Rider guide (first aid trained)
- Satellite phone and Garmin InReach
- Cango Caves tour
What's not included
- Airport transfers
- All meals not specified
- All drinks and gratuities
- Refundable accident damage deposit on the motorcycle rental
- Riding kit and equipment
- Personal insurance
- Support vehicle and trailer option for groups of 4 or more riders
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Cape Town International Airport
11 km
Transfer not provided
Arrival by taxi
Both Uber and local taxis are abundantly available and safe from Cape Town International Airport at all times.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.