Cederberg Mountain to Ocean Gravel Adventure
Exploring the Cederberg mountains on a gravel cycle is a truly unforgettable and challenging experience. It offers a unique and engaging way to discover the beauty of this place that isn’t possible by car.
This tour will take you gravel riding in the Cederberg, a mountainous area 3 hours northwest of Cape Town.
Covering a 350 km long route, we take you deep into the heart of the mountains, passing through epic landscapes and conquering stunning mountain passes. Along the way, you will have the opportunity to meet friendly locals, swim in crystal-clear mountain streams, relish the local cuisine and indulge in world-class, award-winning wines.
The weather during our tour will be moderate to warm, making it perfect for outdoor activities. Our daily rides will cover distances between 60 and 80 km, with elevations ranging from 600 to 1200 meters. We will ride on quiet tarmac roads, gravel paths, and jeep tracks, offering you a diverse and exhilarating riding experience.
We love looking after you! We understand the importance of a seamless and worry-free experience. That's why we take immense pride in offering you an exceptional journey that leaves you with nothing but great memories. Our fully supported tours include transport for your luggage and refreshments during the rides. With a support vehicle in tow, we are ready to handle any unforeseen events, from mechanical issues to tired legs.
We are passionate about good food. Our meals are carefully crafted to fuel your body and keep your energy levels high on even the longest bike rides. You can expect nothing less than the best of authentic South African cuisine - from hearty breakfasts to refreshing picnic lunches and mouth-watering traditional braai dinners.
We will end our tour at the famous West Coast National Park, renowned for its lagoon with turquoise water and magnificent and diverse flora and fauna.
Would you like to ride a SCOTT gravel or mountain bike, with or without assistance? Choose from the versatile fleet of rental bikes!
This trip is for fit riders who enjoy long distances in the saddle, for the nature lover and explorer who enjoys spending time in remote areas of beauty.
Highlights
- Iconic mountain passes
- Exquisite rock formations and bushman paintings
- Swimming in a turquoise lagoon
- Enjoying the brilliant starry night sky
NON-RIDING ACTIVITIES
- Wine tasting
- Swimming
- Hiking
- Bird watching
TRIP SUMMARY
- 8 days / 7 nights
- Cederberg and West Coast National Park, South Africa
Dates
Price per person
Group Size: 12 people
Included Services
- Accommodation for 7 nights (Good quality chalets & cottages)
- Transfer from Cape Town to Citrusdal
- Transfer from West Coast back to Cape Town
- 5 days of guided gravel riding (350 km in total)
- All meals, from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 8
- Support vehicle
- Trailside repairs
- Transfer of bicycles and luggage
- Drinks and snacks en route daily
- English and German-speaking local female tour guides (10 years guiding experience, qualified first aiders and internationally certified MTB coaches)
Excluded Services
- Flights to/from Cape Town
- Drinks (we will have an honesty bar stocked with local beers, wines and soft drinks.)
- Rental bikes
- Rental helmet
- Bike parts
- Tips
- Cancellation costs and travel insurance
Additional bookable services
- Full suspension e-mountain bike
- Analogue MTB
- Gravel Bike
- Gravel E-bike
- Single room supplement
Our travel partner Globetrotter is happy to help with the booking of additional nights, flights, rental cars or other services.
Please note that you will be contacting our partner company Globetrotter Travel Service AG when continuing with this booking enquiry.
Program
Embark on the adventure of a lifetime to one of the best cycling destinations in Africa.
We will transport you and your bikes from Cape Town to Woolfkop Nature Reserve, which is located just 5km from Citrusdal at the base of the Cederberg mountain range. It is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. To kick off our adventure, we'll enjoy a welcome dinner to introduce ourselves and discuss the exciting days ahead.
Leaving Citrusdal, the Ou Kaapse Pad takes us out on the eastern bank of the Olifant’s river. The ride will be easy and flat for a time, winding between the green orchards of the citrus farms that dominate the economy in this area. We will pause for a picnic lunch and get the chance to freshen up in the crystal-clear stream before continuing our ride to Clanwilliam. At our guesthouse, we will conclude our day with drinks and dinner.
- 60 km, 750 m elevation
After a hearty breakfast, our ride will take us into the heart of the Cederberg mountainscape, renowned for its unique rock formations and the abundance of fynbos floral species. Our journey will lead us to Algeria, where we'll pause at the riverbanks for a well-deserved lunch picnic. Following our break, we'll ascend the spectacular Uitkyk Pass, offering us breathtaking views of the valley from its summit. Once we reach the top, our cell phone signals will fade out, and we'll be free from any digital distractions for the next few days to enjoy nature's splendour and tranquillity.
After the pass, we'll ride down through several settlements and a wine farm. We will have a traditional South African braai and campfire to end off our second day of riding.
- 56 km, 1200 m elevation
On day 4, we will step back in time and visit some of the Cederberg’s remarkable examples of San and Khoi rock art and the Stadsaal Cave, a unique and special part of South African history. This cavernous dome has been carved out of the rock by thousands of years of wind erosion and other weather factors and were used for shelter in prehistoric times.
In the afternoon, we will visit Maalgat, a vast natural swimming pool with cliffs that are 6m and 13m high. Those who are daring enough can jump off the cliffs and take a refreshing dip in the pool.
We will stay in the beautiful cottages of Sanddrif Holiday Resort, situated on the picturesque farm of Dwarsrivier, home to the renowned Cederberg Wines. We will enjoy an unforgettable wine-tasting experience in their unique tasting room, savouring award-winning wine ranges in a comfortable, eye-catching environment.
Or you can enjoy a crafted natural beer made with the purest ingredients from the Cederberg Brewery.
- Optional ride: 30 km, 300 m elevation
Our next day of riding will take us deep into the Cederberg mountain range. This is a unique route that offers a chance to experience the raw and rugged beauty of the area. It's rare to come across other people or cars on this road, but we may encounter some donkeys and goats. We'll be passing through the small town of Wupperthal, which is famous for the Veldskoen shoe. After a lunch break and a quick rest, we'll continue on a long and scenic climb towards the Biedouw Valley. Our journey will end at Enjo Nature Farm, which is a secret spot located far off the main tourist tracks in the wild and unspoiled land of the Cederberg. We'll spend the rest of the day relaxing, swimming in the spring-fed dam, listening to the peaceful sounds of sheep and gazing at the stars.
- 74 km, 1200 m elevation
We will rest our legs on a scenic drive along the edge of the Langebaan Lagoon with the possibility of ostrich and eland sightings. We have a braai under the stars, and cheers to our new overnight destination.
We begin our day with a morning coffee, while savouring the beautiful view of the lagoon. After breakfast, we embark on a 60 km ride through the West Coast National Park, which includes both gravel and tarmac roads. Along the way, we will visit several bird hides. In the evening, we will return to enjoy sundowners while overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, followed by our farewell dinner.
- 60 km, 500 m elevation
We will enjoy our last breakfast together before we will make our way back to Cape Town, stopping at Blouberg Beach for a photo opportunity with the best views of Table Mountain.
Travel
By Plane
Cape Town International Airport
Accommodation
Good quality chalets and cottages.
A variety of double beds, twin sharing and single supplement.
Guides
Nikki Haywood
Nikki is a mountain bike enthusiast and the owner and founder of Trail Angels. She has inspired, encouraged and empowered hundreds of women to participate in MTB. She is fascinated by the psychological effects of MTB and how it boosts confidence and facilitates personal growth. Nikki has a Human Movement Science degree and has been teaching Pilates for the last 18 years. She is a qualified and BICP accredited MTB coach. She was born in Cape Town and knows the trails in and around Cape Town like the back of her hands. Nikki has been guiding club rides for the past eleven years. She has completed four Cape Epics, six Wines2Whales, three Sani2C, the Imana Wild Ride and has cycled 2000km across South Africa with a friend for three weeks through the bush, unsupported.
Lanuguages: English, Afrikaans, Dutch
Lena Ronge
Lena is a pediatrician originally from Germany and moved to Cape Town 10 years ago. She has been a member of the Trail Angels for the past five years. She is passionate about the benefits of mountain biking for general fitness and how it can positively impact mental wellbeing. She is a qualified and PMBIA accredited MTB coach and is one of our club ride leaders and a highly regarded skills coach. Lena loves technical riding and has competed in several XCO races. She has done three Wines2Whales events.
Languages spoken: German and English
Equipment
SCOTT Addict 30 Gravel, Model Year 2023
The Scott Addict Gravel 30 will get you wherever you’re going, no matter what the trail throws at you. More progressive, more control and more mounts mean this adventure-ready machine is your ticket to getting out there.
SCOTT Speedster Gravel 20, Model Year 2023
The SCOTT Speedster Gravel is your one stop shop for when the path gets less traveled. Comfortable geometry for all-day rides, room for big tires and fully internal cable routing make this a great option for those looking to take it off road!
SCOTT Solace Gravel eRIDE 20 and 30, Model Year 2022
Expand your horizons with the new Solace Gravel. From all day Alpine epics to Saturday morning time-crunched escapes the Solace Gravel is hugely versatile.
SCOTT Lumen eRIDE 900, Model Year 2023
An E-MTB with the weight of an MTB, only 16.3kg! Take the best Cross-Country/Trail platform to date, the Spark 900, top it off with 130mm of travel, add a completely silent and powerful electric assistance, yet keep its legendary lightweight DNA, and you are ready to ride any trail at Nino’s speed.
SCOTT Patron eRIDE, Model Year 2022
From flow to rougher trails, the Patron eRIDE is like a Swiss knife, able to bring you up the trail with efficiency and ride down with confidence. It has the biggest internal battery and the latest technologies. 160mm of travel front and rear.
