South Africa: The Wild Escape

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.

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”.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.