15 Day Guided Motorcycle Tour of Cape Town and the Garden Route in South Africa

Overview

This round trip from Cape Town to Cape Town is an exciting tour that takes place on the best tar and dirt roads of South Africa’s Famous Garden Route, Winelands, Cederberg, and more.

Highlights

• Starts and ends in Cape Town
• The most amazing motorcycle adventure you have ever had
• 2 safaris in Garden Route Game Park
• 1 safari in Addo Elephant Park
• Cango Caves tour
• Ostrich Farm
• 14 nights accommodation
• Airport transfer

Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrive in South Africa (+-50 km / 31 mi)

   - Highlights: Explore Cape Town Welcome to South Africa. You will be transferred from the airport to your hotel located within walking distance of the VA Waterfront with spectacular views of Table Mountain. There is so much to see and do in Cape Town. Take a hop on hop off bus tour, visit Robben Island where Nelson Mandla was imprisoned for 26 years, or take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain.

2. Day 2: Cape Town - Cape Point - Cape Town (+- 180 km / 112 mi)

   - Highlights: Cape Point, Simon's Town, Cape Town day tour This morning you have a hand over of the motorcycles, do all the paperwork, and have a pre-tour briefing. You then enjoy a guided day tour of Cape Town and Cape Point taking in the Bokaap, Signal Hill, Cape Point, and Simon's Town while enjoying riding the beautiful coastal roads that Cape Town is famous for. Tonight you have the official welcome dinner and enjoy getting to know each other over a delicious meal - Breakfast and dinner

3. Day 3: Cape Town to Cape Agulhas (+- 360 km / 224 mi)

   - Highlights: The southern most tip of Africa Today you make your way along beautiful coastal roads through the Cape Overberg. You stop off to see the penguin colony living on the beach in Betty's Bay, try to spot some whales in Hermanus, and then make your way to Cape Agulhas - the southernmost tip of Africa. Situated at 34.8 degrees south and 20 degrees east - this is also the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Tonight you dine at a famous local restaurant - with world-class fresh seafood - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

4. Day 4: Cape Agulhas to Garden Route Game Lodge (+-230 km / 143 mi)

   - Highlights: Malgas Ferry, Big 5 safari From the southern tip of Africa, you explore some good hardpacked gravel roads as you make your way to the historical Malgas River Ferry where you cross the scenic Breede River on a flat base pontoon. Next up you ride to the Garden Route National Park where you check in and enjoy a late afternoon Big 5 safari, looking out for elephant, lion, zebra, and more. - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

5. Day 5: Garden Route Game Lodge - Knysna - Storms River

   - Highlights: Safari, Knysna Heads, Storms River Mouth Your morning starts bright and early with another Big 5 safari. On return to the lodge, you enjoy a leisurely breakfast before you start your ride. You take the famous 7 Passes road (weather dependent) to Knysna to see the Knynsa Heads and the Knysna Lagoon. Next up you visit the Bloukrans Bungee Jump (the highest bungee in the world) before continuing your journey to Storms River Mouth where you spend the night in ocean view chalets and walk the famous suspension bridges. - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

6. Day 6: Storms River Mouth to Addo Elephant Park

   - Highlights: Addo Elephant Park You have another leisurely morning planned to enjoy this beautiful ocean park. This morning, there is an optional speed boat ride or kayak up the Storms River Gorge. At around 11:00 a.m. you will start your ride to Addo Elephant Park. You will stop in the Surfing Mecca of J-Bay for lunch overlooking the perfect surf break and arrive in Addo in the late afternoon - your home for the next two nights. - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

7. Day 7: Rest day Addo Elephant Park

   - Highlights: Big 5 safari and bush braai (BBQ) Today is all about wildlife. You hop into specialized wildlife viewing vehicles and spend a full day on safari in Addo Elephant Park. Addo is famous for its large herds of elephants and other exciting wildlife. For lunch the local guides will braai (bbq) for you in the bush, South African style and you will return back to your lodge in the late afternoon. - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

8. Day 8: Addo to Oudtshoorn

   - Highlights: Ostriches, Meiringspoort Waterfall and Pass You are officially halfway through the tour and it’s time to start heading west again back to Cape Town. You make your way through the back roads of the western cape to Oudtshoorn - the ostrich capital of South Africa. Along the way, you enjoy a visit (and optional swim) in the Meirinspoort Waterfall. An ostrich farm in the Karoo will be your home for the next 2 nights. - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

9. Day 9: Oudtshoorn rest day and optional ride 0 - 100 km (0 - 100 km / 62 mi)

   - Highlights: Ostriches, Cango Caves and Swartberg Pass Today is a rest day but there is so much to see and do. There will be an optional ride to Cango Ostrich Farm and Cango Caves. This will be followed by a ride up and over the famous Swartberg Pass with its steep turns and breathtaking scenery. You will have lunch in Prince Albert and then return to Oudtshoorn in the early afternoon. Tonight there is an ostrich braai (bbq) to experience some of the local culture and hospitality. - Breakfast and dinner

10. Day 10: Oudtshoorn to Montagu via Route 62

    - Highlights: Quirky Route 62 Today you ride the world-famous Route 62 - this is South Africa’s answer to Route 66 in the USA, a small forgotten highway that travels through the Karoo Desert with lots of quirky stops along the way like Ronnies Sex Shop and the Karoo Moon Motel. You will enjoy some gravel and tar mountain passes and arrive at your country hotel in the late afternoon. - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

11. Day 11: Montagu to Frasnchoek in the Cape Winelands

    - Highlights: Mountains, vineyards, wine and culinary delights Are you in Africa or in Europe? This is the question you ask yourselves as you ride today. Leaving Route 62 behind you enjoy riding some tar and gravel mountain passes that are famous in this region. You enjoy a leisurely lunch in the historical town of Greyton and then ride over the Franschhoek pass. Tonight you sleep in the center of town, surrouded by vineyards and mountain peaks. - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

12. Day 12: Rest day Frasnchoek in the Cape Winelands

    - Highlights: Mountains, vineyards, wine and culinary delights You enjoy a well-earned rest day in the Franschhoek. There is an option today to get on the hop on hop off wine tram to visit several wine farms in the area. Don’t like wine? Not to worry! There is also cheese tasting, biltong tasting, chocolate tasting, and all sorts of culinary delights. They know in every group there are a bunch of guys who just want to ride, so if that is you, there will be an optional ride today to enjoy some more of the epic roads in the area. For the ladies - why not enjoy a spa treatment or some shopping? T

13. Day 12: Franchoek to Cederberg

    - Highlights: Cederberg Wilderness Today is a real highlight of the tour as you travel by good hard-packed gravel roads into the Cederberg Mountains. En route, you will visit the famous Tankwa Padstal for lunch and then continue on to your remote lodge for the night where you will enjoy dinner under the stars and share stories around a roaring fire. Remember to look up as this area is famous for its beautiful stargazing. - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

14. Day 14: Cederberg to Cape Town

    - Highlights: More great riding Today you enjoy more great riding through the Cederberg up high over the Algeria Pass and the Pakhuis Pass. You stop in to see some ancient rock formations and san rock art and then enjoy a hearty lunch in Clanwilliam before riding back into Cape Town. Tonight you go out to celebrate the end of an amazing 2-week tour at one of Cape Town’s best restaurants. - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

15. Day 15: End of tour

    Sadly, your tour of South Africa has come to an end. They guarantee that you will take home loads of awesome photographs and fond memories of Southern Africa and the warm people you have met. Transfers will be arranged to the airport. Cape Town is such a beautiful city and is really worth staying for a few extra nights after the tour - there is so much to see and do including cable car rides up Table Mountain, Robben Island trips to see where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 26 years, and wine tasting tours to sample the famous South African wines. You may wish to extend your time in Southern

Ride Details

Terrain

80 - 90% tar, 10 - 20% gravel

Bike

rental bike (BMW models)

Mileage

2,575 kilometers / 1,600 miles

Daily rides

200 - 400 km (average of 250) / 124 - 249 miles (average of 155)

Meals

14 breakfast, 11 lunches, and 13 dinners

Accommodation

This tour includes 3-4 star accommodation. Every night you will have your own private room with an ensuite bathroom. You can choose to share with your partner or another rider on the tour. Otherwise, you can select the “single room” option to get your own room throughout the tour. All accommodation has been handpicked by Sama Tours - they only use high-standard accommodation in good locations. They love African lodges, boutique hotels and BnBs, or places that have a good atmosphere, exceptional staff, and all the modern amenities.

Getting There

Starting in Cape Town, you tour the Cape Point Peninsula, visit the Navy village of Simons Town, and ride the epic coastal roads around the mother city with Table Mountain as your back drop Next up you journey to Cape Agulhas, the Southernmost tip of Africa, and then visit the Garden Route Game Lodge where you enjoy 2 Big 5 safaris and stay in luxurious glamping suites. You meet up again with the