Africa’s great elephants once roamed free in the mountains and forests of the Southern Cape. Many of their trails still remain, converted into ox wagon routes over many years, and later into roads.

Dryland Ride invites you and your family to follow in the footsteps of giants that still echo through the mists of time. Ideal for beginners, the ancient routes once provided equally easy passage for these lumbering behemoths of old as they followed the gentle contour paths of the Cape Fold Mountains and crashed through the dense indigenous forest lining the Garden Route coast.

Dryland Ride is a joint venture offering uniquely blended adventures, featuring MTB stage racing and 4×4 touring. It teams the talents of Dryland Events, SA’s leading MTB and cross-country running stage race organiser, with those of Bhejane 4X4 Adventures, which guides families on unforgettable self-drive 4X4 experiences in the region.
Between them, they have over 30 years’ experience in logistical support and planning to give you and your families the ride of a lifetime.

The accommodation for this trip entails a combination of guest houses, lodges and luxury camping.

Day 1: The tour starts in the appealing little town of Wildernis which makes part of the coastal stretch of the Garden Route. We meet up at the Wilderness Hotel at around 14h00 where you will be met by your host and bike guide and check into the hotel. At around 16h00 the group meets up in the foyer whereafter the legs and bikes will be tested on a short route with a strawberry- and champagne stop before everyone heads back to the hotel for dinner.

For those driving to Wildernis, the vehicles will be left at the hotel until our return on the last day. Those flying in will be met at the George airport and be transported to the hotel.

Day 3: Today we enjoy the beauty of the Great Karoo along the northern base of the Swartberg Mountain and cut back into the Little Karoo through Meiringspoort. Lunch will be enjoyed at the Meiringspoort waterfall and those brave enough can enjoy a swim. Day’s 3 overnight experience will be determined by the weather. We will either enjoy a night of luxury camping at an exclusive and private campsite on the slopes of the Outeniqua Mountains or in quaint cottages on one of the farms in Herold. Before dinner a wine tasting around the campfire will be presented by a local wine maker.

Day 5: After the last breakfast of the tour is enjoyed at the hotel, we sadly say our goodbyes and hope to meet up again at the next Dryland Ride tour. Transfers to George airport will be available.

Please Note: 

When entering: All flights into George should be in the morning and all flights from George should be in the afternoon. We only provide one transfer time per day.

Day 2: After breakfast, the group will be transferred into the hills to ride some single track on private land. Homtini Pass, a short section of Gouna Pass and Kom-se-Pad are also on today’s cycle menu with lunch at the very quaint and popular Totties Farm Kitchen on the Reedendal road. The last section of cycling will take us deep into the Knysna Forest to Diepwalle Forestry Station,  our campsite for the night with its individual tented decks underneath a canopy of trees.

Day 4: After a big breakfast, descending the Montagu Pass will be on the cycle menu, amongst one or two other routes. A picnic lunch will be enjoyed on route and the Dryland Ride crew will prepare a culinary feast as only they can do. After descending the beautiful pass, the group will be transferred back to Oudtshoorn for another night in the Queen’s Hotel.

Tour Dates: 

12-16 September 2017

14-18 November 2017