Montagu Trails
A diverse network of trails in the Klein Karoo featuring scenic mountain passes, technical singletrack, and relaxed town loops.
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- ARTICLES | Featured | News | Trails | Western Cape
Montagu’s Mountain Bike Renaissance
How a Karoo Town Built One of South Africa’s Most Exciting Trail Networks Tucked into the dramatic folds of the Langeberg Mountains along Route 62, the small Western Cape town of Montagu has long been known for its hot springs, dried fruit farms and spectacular Karoo landscapes. In recent years, however, the town has quietly…
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West Coast National Park Cycling Routes
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.
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Olifants River Valley Gravel Routes
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 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.
Practical Notes
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.
Getting There
Citrusdal is 200km from Cape Town via the N7 north. GPS: -32.5833, 19.0167. Tel Citrusdal Tourism: +27 22 921 3210.
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Welvanpas MTB Trails — Bainskloof
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.
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Slanghoek MTB Trail — Rawsonville
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.
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Hermanus MTB Trails — Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
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.
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De Hoop Nature Reserve MTB Routes
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.
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Karoo to Coast — Prince Alfred’s Pass
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.
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Bonnievale Circular Gravel Route
A free 64km gravel loop through the Breede River Valley wine country — flat and fast on public gravel roads past vineyards, orchards, the Breede River and the Langeberg foothills. Rated 4.5/5 by riders, the Bonnievale Circular is the perfect introduction to Breede River Valley gravel riding.
