The most remote and restricted cycling destination in South Africa — Alexander Bay sits at the Orange River mouth on the Namibian border in the heart of the Alexkor state diamond mining concession. Access requires advance authorisation, but the extraordinary coastal birdlife (flamingoes, pelicans, coastal endemics) and the Orange River estuary scenery are unique.
Port Nolloth is one of South Africa’s most unusual small towns — an isolated fishing and mining settlement on the Namaqualand Atlantic coast where the cold Benguela current creates a misty, cool microclimate entirely unlike the scorching inland Northern Cape. The town was established in 1854 as the copper ore export point for the Namaqualand mines, and is now surrounded by the restricted diamond concession territory that covers much of the Namaqualand coast — actively mined by specialist marine and land operations.
The 25km coastal gravel loop follows the public road network along the Atlantic coast — flat, windswept and dramatically scenic, with the cold grey-green Atlantic surf visible throughout and the distinctive mist-shrouded coastal landscape of the Namaqualand strandveld. The cycling is entirely accessible (flat terrain, compact gravel) but the atmosphere is remote and unusual — very few tourists reach Port Nolloth, and the sense of being at the edge of the inhabited world is genuine.
Critical warning: The entire Namaqualand coast is active diamond concession territory. Do not deviate from public roads under any circumstances — entering a restricted diamond zone without authorisation is a serious criminal offence, and the entire coastline outside public roads is under active security surveillance.
Port Nolloth is reached from Springbok via Steinkopf and the R382 (180km). GPS: -29.2500, 16.8667. Port Nolloth Tourism: +27 27 851 8541.
Garies is a small N7 service town 52km south of Kamieskroon in the Namaqualand coastal plain — a vital fuel stop on the wildflower season journey north and a surprisingly pleasant cycling base in the broader Namaqualand landscape. In August and September, the surrounding flats and hillsides flower with the same extraordinary wildflower display that defines the entire Namaqualand coastal zone: orange daisies, yellow gazanias and the pink and white of Namaqualand annuals covering the gravel plains to the horizon.
The 30km gravel loop from Garies follows farm roads through the coastal plain terrain — flat, low-traffic and accessible to any rider — through wildflower country that is as spectacular as any in the more famous Skilpad and Kamieskroon areas but receives a fraction of the visitors. For riders doing the Cape Town to Namaqua Park journey on two wheels, Garies provides a welcoming overnight stop at the Garies Hotel.
Garies is on the N7, 440km north of Cape Town. GPS: -30.5500, 17.9833. Tourism: +27 27 652 8030.
Cycling through South Africa’s most spectacular West Coast wildflower display — the Postberg section of the West Coast National Park opens for just 6-8 weeks in spring (August-September) for the annual wildflower season, drawing thousands of visitors to witness the extraordinary carpet of orange, white and yellow namaqualand daisies and other fynbos species against the blue Langebaan Lagoon.
The Olifants River Valley is one of South Africa’s most productive agricultural regions — a fertile corridor between Citrusdal and Vanrhynsdorp where citrus, wine grapes, olives and rooibos are grown under a climate of extreme summer heat and gentle winter sun. For gravel cyclists, the valley offers a distinctly different landscape to the Winelands and Garden Route: wide open, sparsely populated agricultural roads with minimal traffic, big mountain backdrops and the ever-present Olifants River providing shade and wildlife on riverside routes.
The valley floor loops around Citrusdal are accessible to most riders — flat farm roads through orange and citrus orchards on low-traffic gravel with the Skurweberg and Cederberg mountains as a constant backdrop. The Piekenierskloof Pass (27km ascent from the valley floor, 760m summit) is the most popular climbing challenge — a scenic mountain pass linking the Olifants River Valley to Piketberg that has drawn cyclists for decades, particularly on the early-morning ascent with the Olifants River valley spread out below. The Nieuwoudt Pass provides the classic approach from Citrusdal into the Cederberg Wilderness for those combining valley riding with the more serious MTB terrain at Algeria (see Cederberg MTB Trails listing).
The Bulshoek Dam section of the Olifants River is excellent for birdwatching rides — the dam and river support a rich variety of water birds and the road along the river carries minimal traffic.
Summer riding in the Olifants River Valley is genuinely dangerous — Citrusdal regularly records temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in December and January. If visiting in summer, rides must be completed before 7am. The best time to visit is orange blossom season (approximately July-August) when the valley fills with the scent of citrus flowers and the scenery is extraordinary.
Citrusdal is 200km from Cape Town via the N7 north. GPS: -32.5833, 19.0167. Tel Citrusdal Tourism: +27 22 921 3210.
A farm MTB trail in the dramatic foothills of the iconic Bainskloof Pass above Wellington — jeep tracks and farm roads through fynbos with mountain views, combined with Welvanpas farm accommodation for a classic Western Cape MTB weekend getaway.
A beginner-friendly 13km MTB trail in the spectacular Slanghoek Valley outside Rawsonville — gravel and jeep track past vineyards and through fynbos with stream crossings, game sightings and some of the most dramatic mountain valley scenery in the Breedekloof wine region. Annual Mountain2Mountain MTB Classic held here includes 33km and 63km race routes.
70km of community-maintained mountain bike trails above the whale-watching capital of South Africa — from beginner green loops to a 48km black expert route through the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley wine country. Paired with the Fernkloof Nature Reserve 17km circuit, Hermanus is a top-10 Western Cape MTB destination.
Five dedicated MTB routes through a 34,000-hectare UNESCO Ramsar World Heritage reserve — limestone jeep tracks past bontebok, Cape mountain zebra, eland and baboons, with southern right whales breaching offshore in season. De Hoop is the most biodiverse cycling destination in the Western Cape.
South Africa’s legendary 96km gravel epic from the Klein Karoo to the Indian Ocean via Prince Alfred’s Pass — 93% gravel, 1,800m of climbing, and a jaw-dropping descent through the Knysna Forest. Run annually by the Lions Clubs of Uniondale and Knysna since 1999, with all proceeds to charity.