20 Day Feast of Southern Africa: Guided Motorcycle Tour from Cape Town to Victoria Falls

Overview

Ride through South Africa’s beautiful Western Cape and Karoo into Namibia’s vast landscapes and on to the Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls.

Highlights

• 16 days of riding (four to six hours per day); four free days to rest
• Embark on a game drive safari and a Sossusvlei and Deadvlei tour
• Explore Cape Town, Winelands, Fold Mountains, and Great Karoo
• Discover Namibian landscapes, Sossusvlei, and Swakopmund
• Enjoy seeing the Okavango River and Delta, and their rich wildlife
• Ride along the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
• 19 nights accommodation
• Airport transfers included

Itinerary

1. Day 1: Cape Town to City Lodge V&A Waterfront

   Ride Down South will arrange for someone to meet you at Cape Town airport and take you to your hotel. Let them know your flight details if you would like them to organize this for you. They’ll have the bikes ready by early afternoon. You will be welcome to go and check them out and get a start on pre-packing if you’d like to

2. Day 2: Cape Town to Tulbagh (260 kilometers / 162 miles)

   Participants will meet at the bike parking area of the City Lodge V&A Hotel. After a pre-trip briefing, you’ll head out towards the False Bay coast. It'll be an easy and beautiful ride on good tar roads to help get you settled into the tour. You’ll explore the False Bay coast, enjoy some great coastal scenery, and later, see some spectacular mountain passes as you ride through the Cape Winelands to the overnight stop near Tulbagh.

3. Day 3: Tulbagh to Namaqualand (190 kilometers / 118 miles)

   After breakfast, you'll head north on good tar roads towards the Cederberg Mountains. Ride Down South has a choice of tar or gravel roads through some beautiful mountain scenery as you head to the overnight stop at a beautiful farmhouse on a Rooibos and sheep farm in Namaqualand.

4. Day 4: Namaqualand to Springbok (336 kilometers / 209 miles)

   The ride on this day will take you north into the heart of South Africa's Northern Cape. First, though, you'll get to enjoy the best breakfast on the continent and explore a local canyon carved out by an ancient glacier. There’s also an amazing motorcycle collection to explore and a fun ride down the famous Vanrhyns Pass. You will then head north through some beautiful semi-desert landscapes in the Northern Cape before crossing the border and arriving at the overnight stop just outside the town of Springbok. If you’re keen for a more adventurous ride, there’s a gravel road route too.

5. Day 5: Springbok to Orange River, 170 kilometers / 106 miles

   It’s a short ride on good tar roads to the Namibia border and then just 50km to the lodge on the banks of the Orange River. In the afternoon, you'll have the option of taking it easy at the lodge or exploring a lovely gravel road that runs along the banks of the river and through the majestic Richtersveld.

6. Day 6: Orange River to Aus via Fish River Canyon (440 kilometers / 273 miles)

   On this day, you will switch back to good gravel roads as you encounter Namibia's breathtaking landscapes, riding past lush vineyards and through wide open landscapes towards the Fish River Canyon, second only to the Grand Canyon in size. After a detour to take it all in, it will be a short ride to the lunch stop at the iconic Canyon Roadhouse. Heading out from Canyon Roadhouse, you will ride again on smooth gravel roads through more of Namibia's big-sky country and vast landscapes. There'll be plenty of time to stop and gaze at the breathtaking scenes that will keep unfolding, as well as the

7. Day 7: Rest day in Aus, optional Kolmanskop tour

   On this day, you will have the option of enjoying a rest day by the pool or exploring the hiking trails and World War I ruins. You can also get an early start to visit the old diamond mining ghost town of Kolmanskop, 120km away on the other side of the Namib Desert. You will walk through this fascinating settlement and get some photos of the buildings slowly being overtaken by the drifting sand. You’ll get lunch in the town of Luderitz and can visit a memorial to the Herero genocide. Then, it’ll be back out on the road across the breathtaking landscapes of the Namib Desert and back to the lodg

8. Day 8: Aus to Sesriem (340 kilometers / 211 miles)

   The ride on this day will be the longest stretch on gravel roads that you’ll do on this ride. You will begin by riding north to the junction town of Helmeringhausen and having a taste of some good Namibian apple pie. The road can be a bit sandy in some places, so you’ll take it easy. You will then head northwest into some breathtaking landscapes along the C27 road, stopping at the Betta Campsite for a lunch break. After this, it’ll be the final leg through more wide-open landscapes into Sesriem.

9. Day 9: Sesriem to Gamsberg (135 kilometers / 84 miles)

   It'll be an early start to get to the reserve gates at 07:00 and a guided 4x4 and walking tour of the famous dunes and dry lake beds in Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei, where you’ll get to enjoy the spectacular views. Returning to the lodge, you'll get lunch before a short ride to Corona Guest Farm and Rostock Ritz Desert Lodge, set in the hills of the scenic Gamsberg region.

10. Day 10: Gamsberg to Swakopmund (240 kilometers / 149 miles)

    On this day, you'll ride through the beautiful mountain landscapes of the scenic Kuisib canyon and across the Namib desert, to the coastal resort town of Swakopmund. The gravel roads on this leg of the trip can be easy or more challenging - depending on when the graders were there last. After some time in the dry heat of the desert, you'll feel the cooler air as you approach the coast and enjoy a fun, smooth ride on a compacted salt road to Walvis Bay. You'll end the day with a short ride along the breaking waves of the Atlantic Ocean as you head north to Swakopmund.

11. Day 11: Swakopmund to Spitzkoppe (180 kilometers / 112 miles)

    Swakopmund is a scenic, historical, coastal town that is one of the highlights of a visit to Namibia. One of the best ways to experience the area is a morning tour of Sandwich Harbor, a unique place where the dunes and ocean meet. After lunch, you’ll set out along the famous Skeleton Coast and past a shipwreck, before turning east into the desert at the coastal town of Henties Bay. You'll soon see the outline of the iconic Spitzkoppe rock formations, getting more imposing the closer you get. While mostly in good condition, the gravel roads have some sandy patches to watch out for. You'll have

12. Day 12: Spitzkoppe to Okonjima Game Reserve (190 kilometers / 118 miles)

    After breakfast, you will leave Spitzkoppe behind and ride along some gravel, and then mostly tar roads to Omaruru Game Lodge. You'll get in there in time for a late-afternoon game-viewing safari and enjoy dinner afterwards, where you can watch the wildlife visit the waterhole.

13. Day 13: Okonjima to Tsumeb (275 kilometers / 171 miles)

    You’ll have time for an early morning guided game safari, wherein you'll have the choice of a few specialized tours to see some of the endangered species at the park. Afterwards, you’ll have breakfast before setting out for an easy ride to the town of Tsumeb, the first of a three-day leg to the Okavango Delta.

14. Day 14: Free day at Tsumeb \| Etosha National Park visit

    You’ve been on the road for a while, and it’s time to take a break from the bikes. You will have the option of resting at the lodge or going on a guided 4x4 game-viewing safari into Etosha National Park.

15. Day 15: Tsumeb to Tsumkwe (360 kilometers / 224 miles)

    On this day, you’ll head almost due east towards the Botswana border. You’ll have an early coffee break in the town of Grootfontein, where you can view the 80-ton Hoba meteorite. After this, you will connect with a gravel road that will take you to the overnight stop at Tsumkwe Country Lodge. Depending on the time of arrival, you’ll have an opportunity to book one of the activities based at the local San Village.

16. Day 16: Tsumkwe to Okavango River (350 kilometers / 217 miles)

    On this day, you’ll begin with a stretch on a gravel road on either side of the Botswana border. Once you reach the A35, you’ll ride parallel to the Okavango River on a narrow tar road, with some occasional potholes to Askiesbos Bush Camp in the small Samochima village. You'll be there for two nights, which will give you the chance to enjoy the birdlife and beauty of this part of the Okavango. Activity options include morning and / or evening birdwatching and game viewing. You can also choose to fly into the Delta for a one-night stay.

17. Day 17: Free day at Okavango

    One of the highlights of the ride is the chance to spend two nights on the banks of the Okavango River and explore the Delta. The lodge offers river trips for birdwatching and game viewing. If you’d like to do something more adventurous, you can sign up for a full-day game drive and scenic experience with helicopter transfers (not included). Ride Down South will send you a brochure if you’d like to find out more.

18. Day 18: Okavango River to Katima Mulilo (360 kilometers / 224 miles)

    You will start this day by following the Okavango River north before crossing once more into Namibia. Just after the border, there's a 20km stretch of gravel road that runs through Babwate Game Reserve. Keep a lookout for elephants, kudu, and other antelopes as you ride through the park. You will then turn east and ride through the Caprivi Strip to the overnight stop on the banks of the Zambezi River, at another beautiful lodge just east of Katima Mulilo.

19. Day 19: Katima Mulilo to Victoria Falls transfer (250 kilometers / 155 miles)

    In order to avoid spending hours trying to get all the bikes across two borders (back into Botswana and then into Zimbabwe), you will leave the bikes behind and catch a shuttle to Victoria Falls, provided by your hosts, Ride Down South. Along the way, you'll cross the Chobe River and pass through Chobe Game Reserve, and have the chance to see more wildlife, including elephants. Aim to leave in time for a visit to the falls in the afternoon.

20. Day 20: Depart Victoria Falls

    This will be the last day as a group after 20 days together. What a way to end an epic ride! Victoria Falls - Mosi-oa-Tunya - the smoke that thunders, is an appropriate name for these spectacular falls on the Zambezi River. Depending on the time of your flight home, you’ll have time in the morning for a walking tour of the falls on the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides, or if you’ll be staying on, there are lots of other ways to experience the falls. For those continuing on to Malawi you’ll enjoy a rest day before riding again tomorrow. The airport is about 30 minutes away by car, and Ride Down South

Ride Details

Terrain

Tar and gravel / dirt roads, no deep sand

Bike

Rental bike, included (Honda Africa Twin CRF1000, Transalp 750, Honda NX 500)

Mileage

4,575 kilometers / 2,843 miles

Daily rides

Average of 285 kilometers / 168 miles per day

Riding gear

Limited selection of helmets and jackets available on request

Meals

19 breakfasts, one welcome dinner, and four dinners on tour included

Accommodation

Accommodation will be in comfortable three and four-star lodges and one tented camp. Ride Down South has refined their choice of lodges over the years to give you a comfortable place to rest after a day's riding, with great food, views, and experience of local culture.

Food

19 breakfasts, one welcome dinner, and four dinners while on tour are included.

Getting There

This guided motorcycle tour in Africa starts from Cape Town to Victoria Falls via South Africa's West Coast, Namibia, and the Okavango Delta.